Patent · US Active

Home entertainment system and method of its operation

US8689259B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
63References
40Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 12, 2004
Grant dateApr 1, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 19, 2027

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N21/64322
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An EPG database for a home entertainment system includes files that contain information about television programs retrievable by time and channel. The files are linked to each other so information about a future television program can be obtained by accessing a file about a current television program. A current television program displayed on the screen of a home entertainment system includes an announcement or advertisement of a future television program. The availability of an electronic program guide function (e.g., record, watch, details, display time, display channel, display by theme, and Internet connection) is signaled during, before, or after the announcement. A command is issued to invoke the EPG function. The information about the future television program is retrieved from the file about the current television program in the database. The EPG function is executed with the retrieved information. As a result, an EPG function can be performed with respect to a future television program without embedding information about the future television program in the television signal.

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