Patent · US Expired

Device and method for the integrated presentation of a secondary service as a part of a primary service

US6772434B1 · kind B1 · utility

90Cited by
24References
28Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 24, 2000
Grant dateAug 3, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 24, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N21/426
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing an integrated presentation of existing media program services and secondary media program services is described. The method comprises the steps of receiving and displaying an electronic program guide comprising channels and programs carried by both the primary service and the secondary service, accepting a election of a secondary media program or channel displayed on the electronic program guide but transmitted on a secondary media program channel; accessing a mapping to determine a primary media program channel associated with the selected secondary media program channel; commanding a first tuner module to receive conditional access information associated with the primary media program channel from the primary service provider; evaluating the conditional access information to determine if a second tuner is authorized to receive the secondary media program channel and or evaluating the subscriber access information carried on the electronic program guide; and commanding a second tuner module to receive the secondary media program if the second tuner is authorized to receive the secondary media program channel.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.