US 11,902,602 B1Granted

Combining video content feeds

AssigneeCox Communications, Inc.

InventorsYousef Wasef Nijim, James Alan Strothmann, Michael Paul Overcash

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Abstract

Combining a plurality of video feeds of various modulation formats and from a variety of sources for providing a unified interface and an extension of services across the plurality of video feeds is provided. An integrated video feed system located at least in part at a subscriber premises is configured to receive a plurality of video content broadcast feeds (e.g., cable television, over the air television, satellite television, Internet Protocol television), generate a combined data feed comprising video content signals included in the plurality of video content feeds, identify and decode the video content signals, obtain additional data associated with each of the plurality of video content feeds, provide a unified interface for displaying an aggregation of data and services associated with the plurality of video content feeds, and to provide requested video content included in the plurality of video content broadcast feeds for playback on a display device.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for providing a combined video content feed, the system comprising:

a multiplexer located at a customer premises comprising:
a plurality of input pins to receive a plurality of video content feeds, the received plurality of video content feeds comprising at least two different video content feed types;
a demodulator to demodulate one or more of the received plurality of video content feeds according to the feed type of each video content feed;
a combiner to combine the demodulated plurality of video content feeds into a combined video content feed;
and
an output pin to output the combined video content feed;
and
a set-top box (STB) coupled to the output pin of the multiplexer, wherein the STB is located at the customer premises, and wherein the STB is configured to:
receive, via the output pin of the multiplexer, the combined video content feed;
identify each of the plurality of video content feeds within the combined video content feed;
request guide data for each of the identified plurality of video content feeds from one or more data source servers;
receive the requested guide data;
combine the received guide data into an aggregated electronic programming guide;
responsive to receiving a selection of a channel associated with a video content program via the aggregated electronic programming guide, request a video content feed corresponding to the channel;
receive the requested video content feed corresponding to the channel;
decode the received video content feed for a signal corresponding to the channel;
and
provide the signal to a display device for viewing the received video content feed;
wherein the aggregated electronic programming guide comprises a user interface including a listing of favorite video content programs provided by at least two of the plurality of video content feed providers, wherein the favorite video content programs are determined based on user preferences associated with at least one of the plurality of video content feeds;
and
wherein the user interface further includes a listing of recorded video content programs provided by at least two of the plurality of video content feed providers.

18 more elements

A method of providing a combined video content feed from a multiplexer to a set-top box (STB), comprising:

coupling an output pin of the multiplexer with the STB, wherein the multiplexer includes:
a plurality of input pins to receive a plurality of video content feeds, the plurality of video content feeds comprising at least two different video content feed types;
a demodulator to demodulate one or more of the received plurality of video content feeds according to the feed type of each video content feed;
and
a combiner to combine the demodulated plurality of video content feeds into a combined video content feed;
receiving, via the output pin of the multiplexer, the combined video content feed;
identifying, via the STB, each of the plurality of video content feeds within the combined video content feed;
requesting, via the STB, guide data for each of the identified plurality of video content feeds from one or more data source servers;
receiving the requested guide data;
combining, via the STB, the received guide data into an aggregated electronic programming guide;
responsive to receiving a selection of a channel associated with a video content program via the aggregated electronic programming guide, requesting a video content feed corresponding to the channel;
receiving the requested video content feed corresponding to the channel;
decoding the received video content feed for a signal corresponding to the channel;
and
providing the signal to a display device for viewing the received video content feed,
wherein combining the guide data into the aggregated electronic programming guide comprises providing a user interface including a listing of favorite video content programs provided by at least two of the plurality of video content feed providers, and wherein the favorite video content programs are determined based on user preferences associated with at least one of the plurality of video content feeds;
wherein the user interface further includes a listing of recorded video content programs provided by at least two of the plurality of video content feed providers.

14 more elements

A computer readable storage device that includes executable instructions which, when executed by a processor provide a combined video content feed, the instructions comprising:

using an output pin of a multiplexer coupled to a set-top-box (STB) to transmit video content to the STB, wherein the multiplexer includes:
a plurality of input pins to receive a plurality of video content feeds, the received plurality of video content feeds comprising at least two different video content feed types;
a demodulator to demodulate one or more of the received plurality of video content feeds according to the feed type of each video content feed;
and
a combiner to combine the demodulated plurality of video content feeds into a combined video content feed;
receiving, via the output pin of the multiplexer, the combined video content feed;
identifying, via the STB, each of the plurality of video content feeds within the combined video content feed;
requesting, via the STB, guide data for each of the identified plurality of video content feeds within the combined video content feed;
receiving the requested guide data;
combining, via the STB, the received guide data into an aggregated electronic programming guide;
responsive to receiving a selection of a channel associated with a video content program via the aggregated electronic programming guide, applying a customization rule to determine a preferred video content feed corresponding to the channel;
based on the determination, requesting, via the aggregated electronic programming guide, the preferred video content feed;
receiving the preferred video content feed;
decoding the received preferred video content feed for a signal corresponding to the channel;
providing the signal to a display device for viewing the received video content feed;
and
providing a user interface including a listing of favorite video content programs provided by at least two of the plurality of video content feed providers, and wherein the favorite video content programs are determined based on user preferences associated with at least one of the plurality of video content feeds, wherein
the user interface further includes a listing of recorded video content programs provided by at least two of the plurality of video content feed providers.

15 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/807,962Filed 3 Mar 2020
Granted: 13 Feb 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

H04N 21/23614
Assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport stream, by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, e.g. inserting a URL…:…
G06F 16/735
Querying: filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
G06F 16/7844
Using metadata automatically derived from the content: using original textual content or text extracted from visual content or transcript of audio…
H04N 21/2365
Assembling of a multiplex stream, e.g. transport stream, by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, e.g. inserting a URL…:…