Systems, methods and apparatuses for simulated rapid tuning of digital video channels

Abstract

A STB utilizing multiple decoders to provide a subscriber with reduced resolution video pictures of a subscriber-requested channel from one decoder while a second decoder buffers and decodes the requested full resolution channel. The STB requires multiple decoders for simultaneously receiving and decoding data received over transmission channels, where at least one of these transmission channels transmits a condensed data stream having video and audio data representing all television channels that the subscriber may select for viewing. The STB leverages the use of this concurrently tuned condensed data stream such that the portion of the condensed data stream representing the requested television channel can be presented during a subscriber perceived delay when a separate decoder within the STB is receiving and decoding the full resolution version of the selected channel.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.