Separate display surfaces for EPG and program content

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9325965-B2
Application number	US-201113237772-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2011
Priority date	Sep 20, 2010
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

Abstract

Disclosure is directed to providing an electronic program guide to one or more viewers in manner that does not interfere with others' viewing of other program service content. In one embodiment, altered 3D output signals are used such that one frequency of the output signal contains an EPG data image and a second frequency of the 3D output signal contains visual content from the broadcast service transmission. In another embodiment, an EPG is periodically inserted into video stream during predetermined frames, which are then captured and held by a synchronized headset. In another embodiment, an EPG image is output through the projector onto a projection surface.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of displaying an electronic programming guide, comprising:
outputting a first signal from a receiver to a display device, the first signal including program service content for display on the display device;
receiving a second signal at the receiver, the second signal including a command to display an electronic programming guide; and
in response to receiving the second signal at the receiver, outputting a third signal and a fourth signal from the receiver, the third signal including program service content and the fourth signal including electronic programming guide data;
wherein the third and the fourth signal cause the electronic programming guide and or the program service content to be visible on a first display surface and on a second display surface, wherein the first signal is a combination of a first signal component on a first frequency and second signal component on a second frequency, the first signal component and the second signal component together cause the display device to output an image that when viewed with a headset produces a three-dimensional image for the program service content;
the third signal is transmitted on the first frequency and the fourth signal is transmitted on the second frequency, the third and the fourth signal are sent to the display device to produce an image that is viewed with the aid of a first headset containing the first display surface and a second headset containing the second display surface;
receiving a fifth signal at the receiver, the fifth signal commanding either or both of the first and second headsets to display the electronic programming guide in either a first or a second manner;
the first manner filtering out content from the third signal and passing content from the fourth signal to produce the electronic programming guide; and
the second manner filtering out content from the fourth signal and passing content from the third signal to produce a two-dimensional image for the program service content,
wherein, when the receiver outputs of the first signal as the three-dimensional image, the receiver sends a synchronization signal to both of the first and second headsets to cause both of the first and second headset to alternate between left and right lens opacity for allowing the viewers of both headsets to view the three-dimensional image, and wherein, when the receiver causes output of the fourth signal as the electronic programming guide and the third signal as the program service content, the receiver sends a synchronization signal to the first headset to cause both lenses thereof at the same time to alternate between opacity and clarity for viewing the electronic programming guide and sends a synchronization signal to the second headset to cause both lenses thereof at the same time to alternate between opacity and clarity for viewing the program service content, and
wherein the display device is a three-dimensional television with two-signal capability, and wherein providing the electronic programming guide to the second headset and the programming service content to the first headset is performed concurrently with both the headsets being reduced from a three-dimensional mode to a two-dimensional mode such that both the electronic programming guide and the programming service content are viewed in two-dimensions during the time that the electronic programming guide is separately provided to the second headset.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a sixth signal at the receiver, the sixth signal including a command to exit the electronic programming guide; and
in response to the command to exit the electronic programming guide, outputting a seventh signal from the receiver to the display device, the seventh signal including program service content for display on the display device, wherein the seventh signal is a combination of a first signal component on the first frequency and a second signal component on the second frequency, the first signal component and the second signal component together cause the display device to output an image that when viewed with a headset produces a three-dimensional representation for the program service content.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
combining the third and the fourth signal at the receiver to form a combined signal; and
outputting the combined signal from the receiver to the display device.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
separately outputting the third and fourth signals from the receiver;
receiving the third and fourth signals at the display device; and
combining the third and the fourth signals at the display device.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the display device includes the second display surface, and the third signal is sent to the display device to produce a program service image visible without the aid of a headset; and
the fourth signal is sent to the display device to produce an electronic programming guide image that is visible with the aid of a first headset which includes the second display surface.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
sending one frame of electronic programming guide data on the fourth signal each time the third signal sends a predetermined number of video frames; and
outputting a synchronization signal from the receiver to the first headset, the synchronization signal corresponding to the occurrence of the electronic programming guide frame in the fourth signal;
wherein the headset uses the synchronization signal to capture an image produced by the display device when the display device outputs an electronic programming guide frame and to hold the captured image when display device does not output an electronic programming guide frame.

7. A method of displaying an electronic programming guide, comprising: transmitting program service data from a receiver to a display device for displaying program service content on the display device, wherein the program service data comprises a combination of a first signal component on a first frequency and second signal component on a second frequency, the first signal component and the second signal component together causing the display device to output first imagery that when viewed with a three-dimensional (3D) headset comprises the program service content in three dimensions;
receiving an input signal from a user input device at the receiver, the input signal comprising a command to display an electronic programming guide (EPG) on the display device, the input signal further comprising a display indication that indicates either option 1) that the EPG is to be displayed to all 3D headsets of a plurality of 3D headsets associated with the display device, or option 2) that the EPG is to be displayed to only a subset of the plurality of 3D headsets associated with the display device;
determining, at the receiver, whether the input signal display indication indicates option 1) or option 2); and
if the receiver determines that the input signal display indication indicates option 1), then transmitting EPG overlay data from the receiver to the display device, the EPG overlay data comprising a combination of a third signal component on the first frequency and fourth signal component on the second frequency, the third signal component and the fourth signal component together causing the display device to output second imagery that when viewed with any 3D headset of the plurality of 3D headsets associated with the display device comprises the EPG being overlaid on the program service content in three dimensions; or
if the receiver determines that the input signal display indication indicates option 2), then transmitting separated EPG data from the receiver to the display device, the separa

Assignees

• Beemster Michiel
• Bonfrer David
• Westenbroek Marcel
• Echostar Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Beemster Michiel
• Bonfrer David
• Westenbroek Marcel

Classifications

• H04N13/007 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N2013/0465

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04N21/4122

  additional display device, e.g. video projector (digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423) · CPC title

• H04N9/3141 Primary

  Constructional details thereof (details not peculiar to the presence of an electronic spatial light modulator G03B21/14) · CPC title

• H04N2013/0463

  Electricity · mapped topic