Patent Application
20060130098
The present invention generally relates to the field of content navigation and more particularly relates to searching electronic program guide data.
Users have access to an ever increasing variety of content that may be output in a wide variety of ways. For example, a user may view traditional television programming received over a network by using a client, such as a set-top box. The user may also view pay-per-view movies, order video-on-demand (VOD) content, interact with a video game, play music, and so on. The user may also access content locally on the client, such as from a digital video disc (DVD), broadcast content stored on a hard disk drive for viewing in the future (e.g., a digital video recorder), and so on.
To navigate through this even increasing variety of content, the user may interact with user interface which displays representations of the content, such as an electronic program guide (EPG). For example, the EPG may enable the user to observe a listing of television programs that are currently being streamed, as well as a listing of television programs that will be streamed in the future. Additionally, the EPG may allow the user to navigate to a television program from the EPG itself. For instance, the user may select a representation of a television program to cause the client to tune to that television program.
Traditionally, an EPG is configured to locate particular content items of interest, such as a particular television program. However, content may also be known by the name of the provider instead of by the name of the content itself. For instance, a user may want to watch the “Weather Channel” and not know the name of any particular content item that is available via the Weather Channel. A traditional EPG, however, does not address the channels themselves and rather is focused on the content items that are available via the channels.
Therefore, there is a continuing need for searching of electronic program guide (EPG) data that addresses channels and channel characteristics.
Searching EPG data is described. In an implementation, EPG data includes content metadata that describes characteristics of a respective one of a plurality of content items, such as content title, actors, genre, and so on. EPG data also includes channel metadata that describes characteristics respective channels, such as call sign, channel name, and so on. A search may be performed on both the content and channel metadata to locate content items and channels, respectively, which correspond to a search request. Thus, in this example, a single search may be performed to locate both channels and content items. In another example, the search may be performed to locate a particular channel without also searching for corresponding content items.
The same reference numbers are utilized in instances in the discussion to reference like structures and components.
Overview
Searching electronic program guide (EPG) data is described. In an implementation, functionality is provided to search for channels as well as content items that are available via the channels. For example, a user may enter a search request having the alphabetic characters “STA”. EPG data may be configured to include content metadata that describes characteristics of content items (e.g., title, detailed description, and so on) and channel metadata that describes characteristics of channels (e.g., call sign, channel name, and so on). Both the content metadata and the channel metadata are searched in response to the request. For instance, the search “STA” may locate a “Star Gazing” channel and a television program titled “Stars of Hollywood”. In this way, the user is provided with a single, integrated search of the EPG data that addresses both channels and content items. Further discussion of EPG data searching may be found beginning in relation to
The search request may be entered in a variety of ways. For example, an EPG may be provided which includes representations of a plurality of content items (e.g., television programs) and a search window. The user may utilize an input device (e.g., a remote control) to enter text into the search window to search the EPG data. In another example, the user may highlight a channel identifier in the EPG and then enter text via the input device. As the user enters the text, the EPG may be configured to automatically scroll to the channel that matches the entered text. Further discussion of entering a search request may be found in relation to
Exemplary Environment
The content provider 102 includes a plurality of content 1120), where “j” can be any integer from 1 to “J”. The content 1120) may include a variety of data, such as streaming content (e.g., television programming and pay-per-view movies), one or more results of remote application processing, and so on. The content 112(j) is communicated over a network 114 to a head end 116. The network 114 may be the same as or different from network 106. For example, the network 114 may be configured as a private subnet while the network 106 is configured as the Internet.
Content 1120) communicated from the content provider 102 over the network 114 is received by the head end 116 and stored in a content database 118 as content 120(k), where “k” can be any integer from “1” to “K”. The content 120(k) may be the same as or different from the content 1120) received from the content provider 102. The content 120(k), for instance, may include additional data for streaming to the client 104, may be compressed using one or more data compression techniques by the head end 116, may be encrypted, and so forth.
The client 104 may be configured in a variety of ways to receive the content 120(k) over the network 106. As illustrated, the client 104 may be configured as a set-top box 108 that is communicatively coupled to a display device 110. The client 104 includes hardware and software to transport and decrypt content 120(k) received from the head end 116 for rendering by the display device 110. Although a display device 110 is shown, a variety of other output devices are also contemplated, such as speakers.
The client 104 may also include digital video recorder (DVR) functionality. For instance, the client 104 may include a database 122 to record the content 120(k) received from the network 106. The database 122 may be implemented in a variety of ways, such as a hard disk drive, a removable computer-readable medium (e.g., a writable digital video disc), and so on. Content 124(o), where “o” can be any number from one to “O”, that is stored in the database 122 of the client 104 may be copies of the content 120(k) that was streamed from the head end 116. Additionally, content 124(o) may represent content obtained from a variety of other sources, such as from a computer-readable medium (e.g., a digital video disc) that is accessible by the client 104.
The client 104 includes a navigation module 126 that is executable on the client 104 to control content playback on the client 104, such as through the use of one or more “trick modes”. The trick modes may provide non-linear playback of the content 124(o) (i.e., time shift the playback of the content 124(o)) such as pause, rewind, fast forward, slow motion playback, and the like. For example, during a pause, the client 104 may continue to record the content 120(k) in the database 122 as content 124(o). The client 104, through execution of the navigation module 126, may then playback the content 124(o) from the database 122, starting at the point in time the content 124(o) was paused, while continuing to record the currently-broadcast content 120(k) in the database 122 from the head end 116.
When playback of the content 124(o) is requested, the navigation module 126 may be executed on the client 104 to retrieve the content 124(o). The navigation module 126 may also restore the content 124(o) to the original encoded format as received from the content provider 102. For example, when the content 120(k) is recorded in the database 122 to form content 124(o), the content 120(k) may be compressed. Therefore, when the navigation module 126 retrieves the content 124(o), the content 124(o) is decompressed for rendering by the display device 110.
The navigation module 126 may also be executed on the client 104 to retrieve content 120(k) stored on the head end 116. For example, the navigation module 126 may communicate with a content module 128 that is executable on a distribution server 130 to cause recordation of content 112(j) received from the content provider 102 as content 120(k). In this instance, the content module 128 provides network digital video recorder (NDVR) functionality in a manner similar to a DVR. For instance, the content module 128 may support one or more trick modes to fast forward, pause, perform slow-motion playback, and so on in a manner similar to playback of the content 124(o) that is stored locally on the client 104. The navigation module 126 may also communicate with the content module 128 to order on-demand content (e.g., VOD), PPV content, and so on. Thus, the environment 100 may support a wide variety of content, such as VOD, PPV, locally-stored content 124(o), remotely-stored content 120(k), television programs, video games, music, and so on.
To navigate through this wide variety of content to locate a particular content item of interest (e.g., locally on the client 104, remotely from the head end 116, and so on), the environment 100 may support electronic program guide (EPG) functionality. For instance, the head end 116 may also include a plurality of EPG data 132(m), where “m” can be any integer from one to “M”. The plurality of EPG data 132(m) is stored in an EPG database 134 for communication to the client 104. Although illustrated separately, the EPG database 134 and the content database 118 may be implemented utilizing the same system. In an implementation, the EPG data 132(m) is broadcast utilizing a carousel file system. The carousel file system repeatedly broadcasts the EPG data 132(m) over an out-of-band (OOB) channel to the client 104 over the network 106. The client 104 may then store the broadcast EPG data 132(m) received over the network 106 as EPG data 136(n), where “n” can be any integer from one to “N”, in a database 138. To generate an EPG 140, the client 104 executes an EPG module 142 that examines and configures the EPG data 136(n) into a form that suitable for output to and rendering by the display device 110. Additionally, the EPG 140 may be configured to describe content that is provided from various locations, such as the content 120(k) available from the head end 116, content 124(o) stored locally on the client 104, and so on.
In another implementation, the EPG 140 is formed from the EPG data 132(m) at the head end 116 and then distributed to the client 104. For example, the head end 116 may also include an EPG module 144 that is executable on the distribution server 130 to generate the EPG 140 from the EPG data 132(m). The EPG 140 may be configured in a variety of ways through execution of the EPG module 144 at the head end 116, such as a particular EPG for each particular client that is communicatively coupled to the head end 116, a generic EPG representing each item of content 120(k) (which will also be referred to in the following discussion as a “content item”), and so on. Distribution from the head end 116 to the client 104 may be accommodated in a number of ways, including cable, RF, microwave, digital subscriber line (DSL), and satellite.
Either one or both of the EPG modules 142, 144 may be executed to search EPG data 136(n), 132(m) to locate a particular content item and/or channel of interest. For example, the EPG data 132(m) may include content metadata 146(m), channel metadata 148(m), and schedule data 150(m). Content metadata 146(m) is configured to describe one or more characteristics of a corresponding content item. Likewise, channel metadata 148(m) is configured to describe one or more characteristics of a corresponding channel. Channels may be configured in a variety of ways, and include what is also referred to as “sub-channels”, which may be utilized to provide alternate-audio version of content, wide-screen versions of content items, and so on.
Schedule data 150(m) is utilized to describe when the content items described in the content metadata 146(m) are available via the channels described via the channel metadata 148(m). The EPG module 144, when executed may search the content metadata 146(m) as well as the channel metadata 148(m) to locate content and channels, respectively, that correspond to a search request. Further discussion of EPG data may be found in relation to
Generally, any of the functions described herein can be implemented using software, firmware (e.g., fixed logic circuitry), manual processing, or a combination of these implementations. The terms “module,” “functionality,” and “logic” as used herein generally represent software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. In the case of a software implementation, the module, functionality, or logic represents program code that performs specified tasks when executed on a processor (e.g., CPU or CPUs). The program code can be stored in one or more computer readable memory devices, further description of which may be found in relation to
As shown in the environment 100 of
The navigation module 126, when executed on the processor 202, may send a request via the network 106 to the distribution server 130 to request content 120(k) for streaming over the network 106, such as a PPV movie, VOD, and so forth. To communicate using the network 106, the client 104 includes a network interface 208 to communicatively couple the client 104 with the distribution server 130. As previously described, the network 106 may support two-way communication between the distribution server 130 and the client 104. Additionally, the network 106 can be any type of network, using any type of network topology and any network communication protocol, and can be represented or otherwise implemented as a combination of two or more networks including, for example, microwave, satellite, and/or data networks, such as the Internet. Furthermore, the network 106 may be capable of transmitting and receiving wired or wireless media using any broadcast format or broadcast protocol.
The distribution server 130 is illustrated as including a network transmitter 210 (hereinafter “transmitter”). The transmitter 210 may distribute the content 120(k) from the database 118, the EPG data 132(m) from the database 134, and so on. In alternate implementations, the distribution server 130, database 118, database 134, and the transmitter 210 may be implemented as one or more distinct components, locally as part of the head end 116 and/or content provider 102 of
The distribution server 130 also includes a processor 212 and memory 214. The content module 128 is illustrated as including the EPG module 144, which are both illustrated as being executed on the processor 212 and are storable in memory 214. The EPG module 144 is illustrated as within the content module 128 to portray that both modules may be implemented together, although both modules may also be implemented separately as “stand-alone” modules as shown in
The content module 128 may also control distribution of the content 120(k) over the network 106 as previously described. For instance, the content module 128 may receive a request from the client 104 to receive the content 120(k). The content module 128 processes the request, such as to determine whether the client 104 is permitted to receive the content 120(k) (e.g., the client 104 has obtained conditional access rights to the content), obtain billing information from the client 104, locate the requested content from the plurality of content 120(k), and so on. If the client 104 is permitted to receive the content 120(k), the content module 128 may be executed to stream the content 120(k) to the client 104 over the network 106 by using the transmitter 210. In this instance, the content 120(k) is provided from the distribution server 130 in response to the request, and therefore is provided “on-demand” to the client 104. Examples of on-demand content items include VOD, video games, content that is locally stored via a DVR or remotely via a NDVR, and so on.
The content module 128, when executed in this example, may also control distribution of the EPG data 132(m) from the database 134 over the network 106. EPG data 132(m) may include any data that may be utilized to generate the EPG 140, such as obtained from the content provider 102 which describes the provided content, metadata included with content 124(o) stored on the database 138 on the client 104 as previously described in the DVR example, and so on.
The EPG data 132(m), for instance, may be configured to include content metadata 146(m), channel metadata 148(m), and schedule data 150(m) as previously described. Content metadata 146(m) includes data that describes characteristics of a particular one of a plurality of content items 216(x), where “x” can be any integer from one to “X”. For example, content metadata 146(m) for content item 216(x) may include a content title, detailed description of the content item, content genre, actors appearing in the content item, rating (e.g., PG, G, Mature, and so on), plot, whether the content item supports closed captioning, whether the content item is interactive, and other descriptive information that corresponds to the content item itself. Channel metadata 148(m) includes data that describes characteristics of a particular one of a plurality of channels 218(y), where “y” can be any integer from one to “Y”. For example, channel metadata 148(m) may describe a call sign (e.g., KXYZ) of the respective channel 218(y), a title (e.g., “The Fried Food Channel”) of the respective channel 218(y), a genre (e.g., sports, news, and so on), a detailed description of the respective channel 218(y), the owner of the respective channel 218(y), and so on.
Schedule data 150(m) includes a plurality of time/content/channel 220(z) entries, where “z” can be any integer from one to “Z”. Each of the time/content/channel 220(z) entries describes a particular time, at which, a corresponding one of the plurality of content items 216(x) is available via a corresponding one of the plurality of channels 218(y). Thus, the schedule data 150(m) may be utilized to “link” the content metadata 146(m) with the channel metadata 148(m) for generating the EPG 140.
The EPG module 144, when executed, utilizes the EPG data 132(m), and more particularly the content metadata 146(m), channel metadata 148(m), and schedule data 150(m) to generate the EPG 140. Once displayed, a user may interact with the EPG 140 to search the EPG data 132(m) for particular content items 216(x) and/or channels 218(y) of interest, further discussion of which may be found beginning in relation to
Exemplary Procedures
The following discussion describes searching of EPG data that may be implemented utilizing the previously described systems and devices. Aspects of each of the procedures may be implemented in hardware, firmware, or software, or a combination thereof. The procedures are shown as a set of blocks that specify operations performed by one or more devices and are not necessarily limited to the orders shown for performing the operations by the respective blocks.
First, a client 104 communicates a search request 302 to a head end 116 over a network 106 (block 304). The search request 302 may be formed and communicated in a variety of ways. For example, the search request may be entered by the user through use of an input device, such as a keyboard, to formulate the search. In another implementation, the search request may be formed through interaction by the user with the EPG 140 when output by the client 104, further discussion of which may be found in relation to
The head end 116, upon receipt of the search request 302, executes the EPG module 144 to search EPG data 132(m), and more particularly to search content metadata 146(m) and channel metadata 148(m) that is included in the EPG data 132(m). For example, the head end 116 may include a database 134, as previously described in relation to
When searching the EPG data 132(m), the EPG module 144 may compare the search request 302 to a plurality of characteristics of the content metadata 146(m) and/or the channel metadata 148(m) to find a match. For instance, the content metadata 146(m) may describe a genre 308(1), plot 308(2), actors 308(3), content title 308(4), and other 308(A) characteristics of a particular content item. Likewise, the channel metadata 148(m) may describe a plurality of characteristics of a particular channel, such as a call sign 310(1), genre 310(2), channel title 310(3), and other 310(B) such characteristics. The EPG module 144 may compare text, such as alphabetic characters, included in the search request 302 with text describing the characteristics 308(1)-308(A), 310(1)-310(B) of the content and channels, respectively, to find corresponding content and channels. In an implementation, the EPG module 144 may also determine when the described content items that correspond to the located content metadata 146(m) are available by examining the schedule data 150(m).
Based on the search, the head end 116 executes the EPG module 144 to form a search result 312 for communication to the client 104 over the network 106 (block 314). For example, the EPG module 144 may be included within a server module that is configured to form and communicate a stream of packets over the network 106 to the client 104. In the illustrated implementation, the client 104 then outputs the search result 312 in conjunction with an EPG 140 for rendering by the display device 110 (block 316). For example, the search result 312 may include a plurality of representations of channels and content items that were located during the search. The plurality of representations may be configured to enable the user to navigate to the represented item, such as to tune to a represented channel, load a represented content item from the database 122 of
To enter text via the EPG 400, for instance, a display of a keyboard 404 may be provided. For instance, a user may enter alphabetic text by selecting the representations of letters included in the keyboard 404, an example of which is illustrated in
Upon receipt of the alphabetic text “BE”, the EPG module 144 may search EPG data having content and channel metadata (e.g., EPG data 132(m) and/or EPG data 136(n) of
In the illustrated example, the EPG module 144 locates content items and channels which are described in the EPG 140 utilizing a plurality of representations. The illustrated EPG 140 includes representations of a movie “A Beautiful Mind” 406, a channel “206 BET” 408, a television program “A Better Tomorrow” 410, an infomercial “Be a Ballerina” 412, a public service announcement “Be Cool, Play it Safe” 414, and a streaming audio channel “922 BRAZ Brazilian Rhythms” 416. Thus, in this example each of the representations includes at least one of the entered textual letters. Further, the EPG module 142 may order the representations as shown based on how much of the represented channel and/or content item corresponds to the search request. This is shown in
The EPG may then receive an input from a user through interaction with the EPG (block 514) which is illustrated as EPG 502′. For example, the user may utilize a television remote control to select the representation 504′. Representation 504′ is illustrated as a negative image of corresponding representation 504 of EPG 502 to depict the selection. The user may then enter alphabetic text while the representation 504′ is selected, such as through use of text entry keys on an input device.
As previously described, an EPG module may then be executed to search channel metadata based on the received input (block 516). Based on the search, the EPG 502′ is configured to form EPG 502″ for display of at least one channel having channel metadata that corresponds to the received input (block 518). For instance, the user may have entered the alphabetic characters “HB” while channel representation 504′ was selected. Therefore, the EPG module may interpret from this action that the user wishes to search for a particular channel and thus search channel metadata for one or more channels which satisfy the search request. Representations 508″, 510″, 520, 522 of channels which satisfy the search request may then be output in the configured EGP 502″ for viewing by the user (block 524). Although entry of alphabetic characters via a search window and through selection of a representation has been described, a wide variety of other input techniques and display techniques may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. For example, a user may enter a call sign of a channel number in the search window 402 of
A search, for example, may be performed for “satellite news”. As a result of the search, a news channel “Satellite News” may be located in channel metadata. The EPG module which performs the search may also locate other channels which are also owned by the owner of the “Satellite News” channel, such as “Satellite Headlines” Channel and a channel titled “In Their Own Words”. Thus, the search result may include a channel which corresponds to the received input (e.g., “Satellite News” channel) as well as other channels which are commonly owned (e.g., “Satellite Headlines” channel and “In Their Own Words” channel). As before, the EPG may then be configured to display a representation of the at least one channel that corresponds to the search request and another representation of another channel that is commonly owned (block 606). The configured EPG may then be output for viewing by a user (block 608). In this way, the channel metadata may be utilized to promote brands (i.e., families) of channels that may be of interest to the user and are presented to the user without the user having to search for each commonly owned channel individually.
Although the invention has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed as exemplary forms of implementing the claimed invention.
