Set top terminal for cable television delivery systems
AssigneeDiscovery Communications, Inc.
InventorsJohn S. Hendricks, Alfred E. Bonner, Eric C. Berkobin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A viewer interface for a television program delivery system is described. The innovation relates to methods and devices for viewer pathways to television programs. Specifically, the interface involves hardware and software used in conjunction with a television at the viewer home to create a user friendly menu based approach to television program access. The device is particularly useful in a program delivery system with hundreds of programs and a data signal carrying program information. The disclosure describes menu generation and menu selection of television programs.
Claims48
A set top terminal with microprocessor instructions for prompting generation of menus for use with a program delivery system with menu selection of programs, using a program signal containing programs and a program control information signal containing program identification data and menu identification data identifying the menu location for each program identification data, the set top terminal comprising:
- means for receiving the program signal containing the programs and the program control information signal containing the program identification data and the menu identification data;
- demultiplexer means for demultiplexing the received program signal into individual programs and the program control information signal into the program identification data and the menu identification data;
- instruction memory means for holding the microprocessor instructions for prompting generation of menus;
- a microprocessor, connected to the instruction memory, for executing the microprocessor instructions for prompting generation of menus;
- menu memory means, connected to the demultiplexer and the microprocessor, for storing information used to generate menus, wherein the program identification data and the menu identification data are stored, and wherein the menu identification data relates the program identification data to one or more specific menus;
- means, connected to the microprocessor, for generating a menu from the stored information in the menu memory, including the program identification data and menu identification data, when prompted by the microprocessor;
- and
- means for commanding the microprocessor to prompt the menu generator means to generate a menu for display.
A set top terminal for use with a television, with menu selection of television programs from a set of menus, using a program control information signal containing program identities and menu locations within the set of menus for the program identities comprising:
- a receiver, wherein the program control information signal is received;
- a menu memory, connected to the receiver, for storing the program identities and menu locations within the set of menus for the program identities;
- means, connected to the menu memory, for generating menus from the set of menus, including a program identity subset menu containing program identifies, wherein the means for generating uses the program identities and the menu locations for the program identities stored in the menu memory;
- processor means, connected to the generating means for sequencing between menus within the set of menus to generate one menu at a time wherein at least one of the generated menus is from the program identity subset of menus;
- and
- means, in communication with the processor means, for selecting a program by choosing a program identity from a generated menu.
The set top terminal of claim 16, further comprising:
- a sequence memory, which stores information concerning the sequencing of menus within the set of menus;
- and
- wherein the processor means is connected to the sequence memory, and uses the stored information on sequencing to control the sequencing between menus within the set of menus.
A set top terminal with executable instructions for use with a program delivery system with menu selection of programs from a plurality of menus, using a combined signal including compressed video and a program control information signal with program identities, the menus including an introductory menu, a home menu, major menus, and submenus, comprising:
- means for receiving the combined signal including the compressed video and the program control information signal for processing;
- a demultiplexer means for demultiplexing the received signal into compressed video and into the program control information signal;
- an instruction memory which stores executable instructions;
- means, operably connected to the demultiplexer and instruction memory, for generating menus including an introductory menu, a home menu, at least one major menu, and at least one submenu using the program identities of the program control information signal wherein the submenus include program identities, and wherein the generating means builds the menus;
- means, connected to the generating means, for sequencing between menus, including sequencing between the introductory menu, home menu, major menus, and submenus using the executable instructions;
- means for selecting a program identity from a submenu;
- and
- a video decompressor means coupled to the demultiplexer for decompressing the compressed video wherein the decompressed video corresponds to the program identity selected from the submenu.
An apparatus with executable instructions for use with a program delivery system with menu selection of programs from a plurality of menus, using a program control information signal containing program identities, a cursor movement button and a go button, the apparatus comprising:
- means for receiving the program control information signal;
- an instruction memory for storing executable instructions;
- means, connected to the instruction memory and receiving means, for generating menus including an introductory menu, a home menu, at least one major menu, and at least one submenu containing program identities, using the stored executable instructions and the program identities contained in the program control information signal, wherein the generating means creates a movable cursor overlay for overlaying the program identities on the submenu, and wherein the generating means builds the menus;
- means, connected to the generating means, for selecting a program comprising:
- a user interface means including a cursor movement button and a go button;
- means, electronically connected to the user interface means, for sequencing between menus, including sequencing between the home menu, major menu, and submenu;
- and
- means for selecting a program from a submenu by moving the cursor overlay with the cursor movement button to overlay a program identity and depressing the go button.
A method for generating menu displays with a set top terminal and television display for use with a program delivery system with a text signal and menu selection of programs from a plurality of menus, wherein portions of the graphics and text for the menus are stored in files including background graphics files, logo graphics files, menu display and cursor graphics files, comprising the steps of:
- generating menu graphics for display comprising the steps of:
- fetching background graphic files and generating background graphics;
- fetching logo graphics files and generating logo graphics;
- and
- fetching menu display and cursor graphic files and generating the menu display and cursor graphics;
- generating menu text for display comprising:
- fetching text files and generating menu text;
- receiving text from the program delivery system text signal and generating menu text;
- combining the generated menu graphics and the generated menu text;
- and
- displaying the combined graphics and text as a menu.
A method for generating menu displays for a television with a set top terminal for use with a program delivery system with menu selection of programs from a plurality of individual menus, using executable instructions and compressed files stored in memory including background, logo, menu display and cursor graphic files, as well as long, intermediate and short term compressed text files, comprising the steps of:
- executing the stored executable instructions to initiate the generation of a menu for display;
- generating menu graphics for display comprising the steps of:
- fetching background graphic files and decompressing background graphics files;
- fetching logo graphics files and decompressing logo graphics files;
- and
- fetching menu display and cursor graphic files and decompressing the menu display and cursor graphics files;
- generating menu text for display comprising:
- fetching and decompressing the long, intermediate, and short term text files;
- combining the generated menu graphics files and the generated menu text files;
- and
- displaying the combined menu graphics and menu text files as a menu on the television.
A method of set top terminal menu generation and sequencing for selecting television programs to display on a television, where the set top terminal receives a packaged program signal the method comprising the steps of:
- determining that a packaged program signal is being received by the set top terminal;
- generating and displaying an introductory menu;
- awaiting subscriber key entry;
- determining whether to display a packaged program or generate and display a menu from a set of menus based on a subscriber key entry;
- generating and displaying one or more menus from the set of menus including the steps of:
- building at least one home menu;
- building at least one menu from a major menu subset;
- and
- building at least one menu from a program list subset, including the step of listing the program identities;
- displaying on the television a selected program, wherein the selected program is determined by subscriber key entries made during a sequence of generated menus.
A method of sequencing menus on a television screen for selecting television programs in a program delivery system with set top terminal menu generation, where the set top terminal receives packaged television programs including program control information, the menus generated by the set top terminal including an introductory menu, a home menu, a major menu, a submenu, and an overlay menu, comprising the steps of:
- determining if a packaged program signal is being received by the set top terminal;
- generating and displaying an introductory menu;
- awaiting subscriber key entry;
- determining whether to decompress a packaged video signal or display a menu;
- generating and displaying the menus including at least one home menu, major menu, submenu for a subcategory, program list submenu, program description submenu, or confirmation submenu to confirm the packaged program selected, wherein the generated menus are built;
- decompressing the selected packaged program video;
- decompressing the selected packaged program audio;
- generating the overlay menu;
- combining the decompressed video and the overlay menu in a combiner;
- displaying the combined video and the overlay menu.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.