Providing un-interrupted program viewing experience during satellite signal interruptions
AssigneeSling Media Pvt Ltd
InventorYatish Jayant Naik Raikar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems, devices and methods are described to obtain a lower-quality replacement when the reception of a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) or other broadcast television signal becomes weak or unavailable due to weather, maintenance or other circumstances. The received broadcast television signal is monitored by a receiver, antenna, outdoor unit or the like. When the received broadcast signal becomes weak or unavailable, the television receiver obtains a lower quality replacement for received broadcast signal from a network service or other alternate source to thereby continue the playback of the television program. Lower quality alternatives may include lower quality video streams, audio streams, text tickers, web pages or the like.
Claims20
A method executable on a television receiver, the method comprising:
- receiving a broadcast television signal that encodes a television program at the television receiver;
- decoding the broadcast television signal for playback by the television receiver;
- monitoring a quality of the received broadcast television signal;
- and
- when the quality of the received broadcast signal degrades, obtaining a lower quality replacement for received broadcast signal from an alternate source to thereby continue the playback of at least a portion of the television program even though the quality of the received broadcast signal is degraded.
A television receiver comprising a processor, memory and input/output interfaces, wherein the processor is configured to:
- receive a broadcast television signal that encodes a television program;
- decode the broadcast television signal for playback by the television receiver;
- monitor a quality of the received broadcast television signal;
- and
- when the quality of the received broadcast signal degrades, obtain a lower quality replacement for the received broadcast signal from an alternate source to thereby continue the playback of at least a portion of the television program even though the quality of the received broadcast signal is degraded.
A television receiver device comprising:
- a television tuner configured to receive a broadcast television signal from an antenna and to decode a television program encoded in the broadcast television signal;
- a display interface configured to provide the decoded television program to a display for presentation to a viewer;
- and
- a processor configured to monitor a quality of the received broadcast television signal and, when the quality of the received broadcast signal degrades, to obtain a lower quality replacement for the received broadcast signal from an alternate source to thereby continue the playback of at least a portion of the television program even though the quality of the received broadcast signal is degraded.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.