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US 11,962,863 B2Granted
Apparatus, systems and methods for pre-tuning a second tuner in anticipation of a channel surfing activity
AssigneeDISH Broadcasting Corporation
InventorKevin Yao
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Two-tuner media device systems and methods are operable to pre-tune a second tuner in anticipation of a channel surfing activity. An exemplary embodiment receives a first content stream associated with a currently presented channel at a first tuner, determines an anticipated channel based upon the currently presented channel and a historical channel surfing pattern, receives a second content stream associated with the anticipated channel at a second tuner, detects an initiation of a channel surfing activity, and presents at least a video portion of the second content stream associated with the anticipated channel in response to detecting the initiation of the channel surfing activity.
Claims20
A channel surfing method implemented in a media device having at least a first tuner and a second tuner, wherein the first tuner is tuned to a first program channel that is associated with a first program channel identifier, the method comprising:
- receiving a predefined second program channel identifier based on a historical channel surfing pattern between the first program channel and the second program channel,
- wherein the predefined second program channel identifier controls tuning of the second tuner when the first tuner is tuned to the first program channel, and
- wherein the predefined second program channel identifier is received before detecting an initiation of a channel surfing activity during presentation of a first content stream associated with the first program channel identifier being broadcast to the media device;
- storing the predefined second program channel identifier in a memory;
- operating, after receiving and storing the predefined second program channel identifier, the first tuner to become tuned to the first content stream;
- presenting the first content stream on a display;
- retrieving the predefined second program channel identifier from the memory subsequent to the presenting the first content stream on the display;
- operating the second tuner to become tuned to a second content stream being broadcast to the media device in response to retrieving the predefined second program channel identifier from the memory, wherein the second content stream is associated with a second program channel identified by the predefined second program channel identifier;
- receiving the second content stream associated with the second program channel at the second tuner;
- detecting, after the second tuner has become tuned to the second content stream, the initiation of the channel surfing activity;
- and
- presenting on the display, concurrently with a first video portion of the first content stream, at least a second video portion of the second content stream associated with the second channel that is received at the second tuner in response to detecting the initiation of the channel surfing activity.
9 more elements
A media device system, comprising:
- a remote control interface configured to receive user instructions in a wireless signal generated by a remote control;
- a program content stream interface comprising:
- a first tuner configured to receive a broadcast of a first content stream associated with a currently presented channel that is being received at the first tuner;
- and
- a second tuner configured to receive a broadcast of a second content stream associated with a second channel that is being received at the second tuner;
- a memory configured to store a predefined program channel identifier associated with an anticipated channel based on a historical channel surfing pattern between the currently presented channel and the anticipated channel, wherein the predefined program channel identifier causes the second tuner to become tuned to the second content stream identified by the program channel identifier;
- and
- a processor system configured to:
- operate the first tuner to receive the broadcasting first content stream;
- present the first broadcasting content stream on at least one media device for presentation to a user;
- retrieve, in response to the presenting the first broadcasting content stream on the at least one media device, the stored predefined program channel identifier from the memory;
- pre-tune the second tuner in response to retrieving the predefined program channel identifier from the memory, wherein the second tuner is tuned to receive the broadcasting second content stream, and wherein the second broadcasting content stream is not initially presented on the at least one media device after the pre-tuning of the second tuner;
- detect an initiation of a channel surfing activity after the pre-tuning of the second tuner;
- in response to detecting the initiation of the channel surfing activity, receive the second broadcasting content stream from the second tuner that has been pre-tuned to the second channel identified by the predefined program channel identifier;
- and
- in response to receiving the second broadcasting content stream from the second tuner, present, concurrently with the first broadcasting content stream, the second broadcasting content stream on the at least one media device to the user.
13 more elements
A channel surfing method implemented in a media device, the method comprising:
- receiving a first content stream at a first tuner, the first content stream associated with a first channel;
- presenting at least a first video portion of the first content stream;
- receiving a predefined program channel identifier associated with a second channel based on a historical channel surfing pattern between the first channel and the second channel, wherein the predefined program channel identifier is received prior to a channel surfing activity;
- storing the predefined program channel identifier in a memory;
- retrieving, in response to presenting the first content stream, the stored predefined program channel identifier from the memory;
- pre-tuning, in response to retrieving the predefined program channel identifier from the memory, a second tuner to receive a second content stream that is associated with the identified second channel of the predefined program channel identifier;
- detecting, after pre-tuning the second tuner, an initiation of the channel surfing activity after the pre-tuning of the second tuner;
- in response to detecting the initiation of the channel surfing activity, receiving the second content stream from the second tuner that has been pre-tuned to the second channel identified by the predefined program channel identifier;
- and
- in response to receiving the second content stream from the pre-tuned second tuner, presenting concurrently with the first video portion of the first content stream, at least a second video portion of the second content stream in response to detecting the initiation of the channel surfing activity.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.