# US 2021/0243504 A1 · Surf mode for streamed content > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0243504 A1 - Document ID: US20210243504A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/234,927 - Filed: 2021-04-20 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2018-08-14 - Assignees: Home Box Office, Inc. - Applicants: Home Box Office, Inc. - Inventors: Jason S. Ferrara; Brandon C. Furtwangler; Cathrynn E. Toshach - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210243504A1 ## CPC - H04N 21/4821: {using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time} - H04N 21/4622: {Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet (web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859)} - H04N 21/4826: {using recommendation lists, e.g. of programmes or channels sorted out according to their score} - H04N 21/8549: Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer {(retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739)} - H04N 21/433: Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations - H04N 21/4383: {Accessing a communication channel} - H04N 21/472: End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content {(end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612)} - H04N 21/6405: Multicasting {(data broadcast and multicast in packet switching networks H04L12/18)} - H04N 21/64322: {IP} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract The described technology is generally directed towards a surf mode of operation for streaming content such as video content, in which different content is arranged as different channels though which a user can surf by changing the streaming channels. The starting times of the different content can be staggered. Aspects comprise streaming first content corresponding to a first interactively selectable streaming channel to an output device, receiving a change request to change to a second interactively selectable streaming channel, and in response to the receiving the change request, streaming second content corresponding to the second interactively selectable streaming channel to the output device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: a processor; and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising: outputting an interactive programming guide, the interactive programming guide comprising respective streaming content programs represented as respective selectable channels, with the respective streaming content programs having respective staggered start times to simulate in-progress programming; detecting interaction with the interactive programming guide that selects a selected streaming content program having an associated start time; and in response to the detecting the interaction, streaming the selected content program from an offset position based on the associated start time and a current time. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the streaming content programs are grouped into categories. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the operations further comprise receiving a command that directs a change in category from a first category to a second category. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise presenting an interactive menu in conjunction with streaming the selected content program, the interactive menu comprising one or more interactive elements corresponding to one or more actions that are selectable for performing with respect to the selected content program. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise presenting an interactive element in association with the selected content program to play the selected content program from a beginning position that is prior to the offset position, detecting interaction with the interactive element, and in response to detecting the interaction with the interactive element, streaming the selected content program from the beginning position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise presenting a menu comprising one or more interactive elements in association with the selected content program, wherein the menu comprises at least one interactive element for selection of at least one of: a watchlist-related operation, a start-related operation to start the selected content program from a beginning point, a closed captioning-related operation, or an extra information presentation operation. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the selected streaming content program is a first instance of a streaming content program having a first start time, and further comprising a second instance of a streaming content program having a second start time that is different from the first start time. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the first instance of the streaming content program is represented as a first selectable channel in the interactive programming guide, and wherein the second instance of the streaming content program is represented as a second selectable channel that is adjacent the first selectable channel in the interactive programming guide. ### Claim 9 A method comprising: outputting, on a device comprising a processor, an interactive guide, the interactive guide containing representations of streaming content programs, the streaming content programs comprising a first instance of a streaming content program having a first start time relative to current time and a second instance of the streaming content program having a second start time relative to the current time, the second start time being different from the first start time; detecting an interaction with the interactive guide that selects the first instance of the streaming content program; and in response to the detecting the interaction with the interactive guide, streaming the first instance of the selected content program from an offset position based on the first start time and the current time. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the outputting the interactive guide comprises outputting a representation of the first instance of the streaming content program in a first category, and outputting a representation of a different streaming content program in a second category. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the interaction with the interactive guide is a first interaction, and further comprising, detecting a further interaction with the device that halts the streaming of the first instance of the selected content program and re-outputs the interactive guide, detecting a second interaction with the interactive guide that selects a different streaming content program that is different from the first instance of the streaming content program and the second instance of the streaming content program, the different streaming content program having an associated start time, and in response to the detecting the second interaction with the interactive guide, streaming the different streaming content program from an offset position based on the associated start time and the current time. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the output device is a display device, and further comprising, displaying an interactive surf mode user interface element representing a surf mode of operation on the display device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising presenting an interactive menu in conjunction with the streaming of the first instance of the streaming content program, the interactive menu comprising respective interactive elements corresponding to respective actions that are selectable for performing with respect to the first instance of the streaming content program. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the respective actions comprise an action for starting the first instance of the streaming content program from a beginning position that is prior to the offset position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the respective actions comprise an action for at least one of: adding data corresponding to the first instance of the streaming content program to a watchlist, adjusting a state of closed captioning data that is associated with the first instance of the streaming content program, or presenting extra information associated with the first instance of the streaming content program. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the first instance of the streaming content program comprises a first representation in the interactive guide adjacent a second representation in the interactive guide of the second instance of the streaming content program. ### Claim 17 A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising: entering a streaming surf mode in which streaming assets are arranged as streamed channels on an interactive guide, in which respective streamed channels have respective start times relative to current time, comprising a first streamed channel associated with a first asset and a first start time and a second streamed channel associated with a second asset and a second start time that is different from the first start time; receiving a request to stream the first asset associated with the first streamed channel; and in response to the receiving the request, streaming the first asset to an output device from an offset position that is based on the first start time and the current time. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the request is a first request, and wherein the operations further comprise receiving a second request to stream the first asset from a beginning offset position. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the request is a first request, wherein the offset position is a first offset position, and wherein the operations further comprise receiving a second request to stream the second asset associated with the second streamed channel, and in response to the receiving the second request, streaming the second asset to the output device from a second offset position that is based on the second start time and the current time. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the output device is a first output device, wherein the first asset streamed to the first output device is a first instance of the first asset, and wherein the operations further comprise streaming a second instance of the first asset to a second output device.