Methods and apparatus that facilitate channel switching during commercial breaks and/or other program segments
US11134304B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 31, 2013 |
| Grant date | Sep 28, 2021 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 30, 2037 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N21/812
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Methods and apparatus that facilitate watching of programming content on a secondary channel during a program segment, e.g., commercial break or program portion which is not of interest to a user, on a primary channel are described. In various embodiments when a user switches to a secondary channel during a program segment, the switch is detected and the program on the primary channel continues to be received and buffered while the content from the secondary channel is output to the display. The program segment on the primary channel may be a commercial break including one or more commercials or a portion of a program identified as a segment in information communicated with the program or via out of band signaling. The end of the segment on the primary channel is detected and the user is notified or automatically switched back to the primary channel at the end of the segment.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.