Group live-view interactive program guide

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016198214-A1
Application number	US-201514980069-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 28, 2015
Priority date	Jan 6, 2015
Publication date	Jul 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

One or more processors receive a plurality of original video streams, generate a guide video stream that includes each of the original video streams resized and arranged such that all of the original video streams are simultaneously visible and playing on the guide video stream, and display the guide video stream on a display device. The one or more processors further provide an interactive user interface on the display device in conjunction with the guide video stream to thereby allow a user of the set-top box to select one of the original video streams shown playing on the guide video stream for full screen playback. In response to the user selecting a particular original video stream for full screen playback, the one or more processors play full screen on the display device the particular original video stream as selected by the user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A media system comprising:
a computer server having a first processor, first memory, and first communication interface; and a set-top box having a second processor, second memory, and second communication interface; wherein, by the first processor executing first software loaded from the first memory, the computer server is configured to:
receive a plurality of original video streams via the first communication interface,
generate a guide video stream that includes each of the original video streams resized and arranged such that all of the original video streams are simultaneously visible and playing on the guide video stream, and
transmit the guide video stream to the set-top box; and
by the second processor executing second software loaded from the second memory, the set-top box is configured to:
receive the guide video stream from the computer server,
display the guide video stream on a display device,
provide an interactive user interface on the display device in conjunction with the guide video stream to thereby allow a user of the set-top box to select one of the original video streams shown playing on the guide video stream for full screen playback, and
in response to the user selecting a particular original video stream for full screen playback, play full screen on the display device the particular original video stream as received via the second communication interface.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the set-top box is further configured to begin receiving the particular original video stream via the second communication interface in response to the user selecting the particular original video stream for full screen playback.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
prior to the particular original video stream being selected for full screen playback, the interactive user interface further allows the user to select the particular original video stream for video preview; and in response to the user selecting the particular original video stream for video preview, the set-top box is configured to begin receiving the particular original video stream via the second communication interface and play a resized version of the particular original video stream overlaid over only a portion of the guide video stream playing on the display device.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein, the set-top box is configured to play the resized version of the particular original video stream overload over the portion of the guide video stream on the display device such that all of the original video streams included on the guide video stream are still visible and playing on the display device.

5 . The system of claim 3 , wherein:
the set-top box includes a first radio frequency (RF) tuner and a second RF tuner together capable of simultaneously receiving two respective video streams via the second communication interface; the first RF tuner is utilized to receive the guide video stream; and the second RF tuner is utilized to simultaneously receive the particular original video stream selected for preview.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
prior to the particular original video stream being selected for full screen playback, the interactive user interface further allows the user to select the particular original video stream for audio preview; and in response to the user selecting the particular original video stream for audio preview, the set-top box is configured to begin receiving the particular original video stream via the second communication interface and play an audio portion of the particular original video stream via one or more speakers.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the computer server is further configured to resize and arrange the original video streams on the guide video stream in a particular order; after beginning to play the particular original video stream full screen on the display device, the set-top box is further configured to allow the user to cycle through full screen playback of the original video streams included on the guide video stream; and the set-top box is configured to control the order that the user can cycle through full screen playback of the original video streams to match the particular order that they are arranged on the guide video stream.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first communication interface includes at least one RF tuner coupled to a coax network, and the at least one RF tuner is utilized to receive at least one of the original video streams.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first communication interface includes at least one Internet protocol (IP) network interface coupled to an IP-based computer network, and the at least one IP network interface is utilized to receive at least one of the original video streams.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the computer server is further configured to:
receive a plurality of available original video streams via the first communication interface;
generate a plurality of guide video streams, each particular guide video stream including a respective subset of the available original video streams resized and arranged such that all of the respective subset of the available original video streams are simultaneously visible and playing on the particular guide video stream; and
transmit the guide video streams to the set-top box via the first communication interface; and
the set-top box is further configured to:
allow the user to select one of the guide video streams for display on the display device;
provide the interactive user interface on the display device in conjunction with the selected guide video stream to thereby allow the user to select one of the available original video streams playing on the selected guide video stream for full screen playback, and
in response to the user selecting a particular available video stream for full screen playback, play full screen on the display device the particular available video stream as received via the second communication interface.

11 . A set-top box comprising:
a processor; memory coupled to the processor and storing software for execution by the processor; and a communication interface coupled to the processor; wherein, by the processor executing the software loaded from the memory, the processor is configured to:
receive a plurality of original video streams via the communication interface;
generate a guide video stream that includes each of the original video streams resized and arranged such that all of the original video streams are simultaneously visible and playing on the guide video stream;
display the guide video stream on a display device;
provide an interactive user interface on the display device in conjunction with the guide video stream to thereby allow a user of the set-top box to select one of the original video streams shown playing on the guide video stream for full screen playback; and
in response to the user selecting a particular original video stream for full screen playback, play full screen on the display device the particular original video stream as received via the communication interface.

12 . The set-top box of claim 11 , wherein:
prior to the particular original video stream being selected for full screen playback, the interactive user interface further allows the user to select the particular original video stream for video preview; and in response to the user selecting the particular original video stream for video preview, the set-top box is configured to play a resized version of the particular original video stream overlaid over only a portion of the guide video stream playing on the display

Assignees

• Guest Tek Interactive Entertainment Ltd

Inventors

• Levy Arnon
• Warrick Peter S

Classifications

• H04N21/6125

  involving transmission via Internet (transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82) · CPC title

• H04N21/2387

  Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play · CPC title

• H04N21/64322

  IP · CPC title

• H04N21/4316 Primary

  for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window · CPC title

• H04N21/6118

  involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem · CPC title