Enhanced channel surfing
AssigneeNortel Networks Limited
InventorJohn H. Yoakum
Life of this patent
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Abstract
When a viewer initiates channel surfing, a surfing guide is presented to the viewer. The surfing guide provides multiple channel regions, where each channel region is associated with a different channel that is available to the viewer. Each channel region will include a channel window in which an image or video content from the corresponding channel is displayed. When the surfing guide is being displayed to the viewer, the channel window in at least one of the channel regions will include video content, which is derived from a low bandwidth video stream for the associated channel. Each channel region may also have a channel information area in which textual information about the corresponding channel is provided to the viewer.
Claims28
Customer premise equipment comprising:
- a communication interface adapted to receive video streams via an access network;
- a monitor or monitor output interface to facilitate display of information to a user;
- a user input interface adapted to receive input from the user;
- and
- a control system associated with the communication interface, the monitor or monitor output interface, and the user input interface and adapted to:
- receive a first low bandwidth video stream comprising first video content for a first channel via the communication interface;
- generate a surfing guide comprising a plurality of channel windows, wherein each of the plurality of channel windows is associated with a channel region in a plurality of channel regions;
- effect display of the surfing guide with the first video content for the first channel from the first low bandwidth video stream provided in a first channel window of the plurality of channel windows for a first channel region of the plurality of channel regions;
- and
- if the user selects the first channel for viewing from the surfing guide, effect display of the first video content for the first channel from a first high bandwidth video stream.
A method comprising:
- receiving a first low bandwidth video stream comprising first video content for a first channel;
- generating a surfing guide comprising a plurality of channel windows, wherein each of the plurality of channel windows is associated with a channel region in a plurality of channel regions;
- effecting display of the surfing guide with the first video content for a first channel from the first low bandwidth video stream provided in a first channel window of the plurality of channel windows for a first channel region of the plurality of channel regions;
- and
- if the user selects the first channel for viewing from the surfing guide, effecting display of the first video content for the first channel from a first high bandwidth video stream.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.