Dynamic mosaic extended electronic programming guide for television program selection and display

Abstract

The present invention teaches a method of creating and presenting a user interface comprising a Dynamic Mosaic Extended Electronic Programming Guide (DMXEPG) using video, audio, special applications, and service dynamic metadata. The system enables television or digital radio service subscribers to select and display of various programs including video, interactive TV applications, or any combination of audio or visual components grouped and presented in accordance with the dynamic program/show metadata, business rules and objectives of service providers, broadcasters, and/or personal subscriber choices, collectively referred to as mosaic element presentation criteria.

1 . A method of generating a user interface (UI) display comprising a plurality of mosaic elements (MEs), the method comprising: 
 selecting a subset of content from a plurality of available content in accordance with mosaic element presentation criteria;    associating the selected subset of content with an ME comprising the UI display, wherein the ME outputs the subset of content that is associated therewith;    repeating the selecting and associating for other MEs that comprise the UI display;    outputting the UI display on an output device; and    subsequent to outputting the UI display, changing the UI display in accordance with the mosaic element presentation criteria, including changing the associated subset of content of at least one of the MEs that comprise the UI display by selecting another subset of content from the available content based at least on the mosaic element presentation criteria and associating the other subset of content with said at least one of the MEs, thereby changing output of the UI display on the output device.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein each ME comprising the UI display outputs information that is representative of its associated subset of content.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the information that is representative of the content includes a video program, a video channel, a video loop, an audio program, content stored in a random access memory (RAM), content stored on a hard drive, an image, content from an interactive TV (iTV) application, and/or content accessed via a link to an iTV application.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the mosaic element presentation criteria includes one or more of metadata associated with the content, user preferences, business rules, or third party rules.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the program meta-data is either publicly available data organized in a standardized format, publicly available data organized in a non-standardized format, private data organized in a standardized format, or private data organized in a non-standardized format.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the mosaic element presentation criteria is provided by a service provider of content, by a subscriber, or by a third party other than the service provider and the subscriber.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the ME criteria are provided by a provider, the method further comprising the provider receiving both business rules and payment from a business rule provider and incorporating the business rules in the mosaic element presentation criteria in response to receiving the payment.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein whether the business rules are considered or not in the step of selecting a subset of content is based on payment history of the business rule provider.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the size of the MEs and X and Y coordinates of the MEs are determined according to the mosaic element presentation criteria.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the size of the MEs and X, Y, and Z coordinates of the MEs are determined according to the mosaic element presentation criteria.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein changing the UI display further includes adding one or more MEs to the UI display and/or deleting one or more MEs that comprise the UI display in accordance with the mosaic element presentation criteria.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein changing the UI display further includes changing the size of at least one of the MEs that comprise the UI display in accordance with the mosaic element presentation criteria.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein changing the UI display further includes changing the position of one or more of the MEs that comprise the UI display in accordance with the mosaic element presentation criteria.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein changing the UI display is performed absent user input.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein display of the subset of content associated with an ME is arranged in the ME in accordance with the mosaic element presentation criteria.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  wherein changing the UI display is performed based on user input.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the user is a subscriber.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11  wherein changing the UI display is performed based on subscriber-provided mosaic element presentation criteria.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the UI display is generated by a backend server system and transmitted to a subscriber.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the UI display is generated by a subscriber device.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the subscriber device is a set-top box.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the subscriber device is an electronic device with video rendering capability.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the electronic device includes a video processing card in a personal computer (PC), a digital television system module in a digital television, or a portable device including a personal digital assistant (PDA) or a cellular telephone.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a first portion of the UI display is generated by a backend server system and transmitted to a subscriber and a second portion of the UI display is generated by a subscriber device of the subscriber.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of available content comprises a video program, a video channel, a video loop, an audio program, content stored in a random access memory (RAM), content stored on a hard drive, an image, content from an interactive TV (iTV) application, and/or content accessed via a link to an iTV application.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the UI display is generated by a backend server system and transmitted to a subscriber, the method further comprising a subscriber device generating additional MEs and incorporating the additional MEs with the UI display received from the backend server system.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the additional MEs are generated by selecting additional subsets of content from a second plurality of available content and associating the additional subsets of content with the additional MEs, wherein the additional subsets of content are displayed by the additional MEs.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the second plurality of available content comprises a video program, a video channel, a video loop, an audio program, content stored in a random access memory (RAM), content stored on a hard drive, an image, content from an interactive TV (iTV) application, and/or content accessed via a link to an iTV application.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the UI display is an electronic program guide (EPG) screen.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the UI display is displayed in 5-D space.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the output device is a video display.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the output device is a printer.  
     
     
         33 . A method for displaying a UI comprising one or more MEs, the method comprising: 
 for each of the one or more MEs, selecting one or more media content from among available media content based on mosaic element presentation criteria and associating the one or more media content therewith;    arranging the one or more MEs in the UI;    displaying the UI on a display device to produce a displayed output, including, for each of the one or more MEs, outputting the one or more media content associated therewith; and    subsequent to displaying the UI, selecting, for at least one of the one or more MEs, one or more new media content from among available media content based on the mosaic element presentation criteria and associating the one or more new media content with said at least one of the one or more MEs, whereby the displayed output of the UI on the display device changes.    
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33  wherein the UI is an electronic program guide (EPG) screen.  
     
     
         35 . A method for accessing content comprising: 
 generating a UI comprising one or more MEs, each ME being associated with one or more content selected from among available content based on mosaic element presentation criteria, each ME displaying its associated one or more content;    changing the UI absent subscriber input, including one or more of: 
 a) associating each ME with one or more new content selected from among available content based on the mosaic element presentation criteria;  
 b) adding one or more new MEs to the UI; or  
 c) deleting one or more of the MEs; and  
   changing the UI in response to subscriber input, including: 
 receiving selection information from the subscriber indicative of a subscriber-selected ME; and  
 generating a second UI comprising one or more MEs, each ME in the second UI being associated with one or more content selected from among available content based on the mosaic element presentation criteria that was used to select content that is associated with the subscriber-selected ME.  
   
     
     
         36 . A method of managing mosaic element presentation criteria used for generating a user interface (UI) display comprising a plurality of mosaic elements (MEs), the method comprising: 
 receiving one or more bids from third party sources, each third party source having an associated set of business rules that it desires to be incorporated into the mosaic element presentation criteria; and    incorporating the business rules of a selected third party source into the mosaic element presentation criteria, the selected third party source being determined based at least on the one or more bids, wherein: 
 a subset of content is selected from a plurality of available content in accordance with mosaic element presentation criteria;  
 the selected subset of content is associated with an ME comprising the UI, the ME outputting the subset of content that is associated therewith;  
 the selecting and associating is repeated for other MEs that comprise the UI;  
 the UI is output on an output device; and  
 the UI is changed in accordance with the mosaic element presentation criteria, including changing the associated subset of content of at least one of the MEs that comprise the UI by selecting another subset of content from the available content based at least on the mosaic element presentation criteria and associating the other subset of content with said at least one of the MEs, thereby changing output of the UI on the output device.  
   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the selected third party has the highest bid among the received bids.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36  wherein the UI is an electronic programming guide (EPG) screen.  
     
     
         39 . A method of presenting an electronic program guide (EPG) on a display device at a viewer location, comprising the steps of: 
 dynamically assigning a plurality of program source materials to a plurality of mosaic elements in accordance with criteria received from one or more sources;    merging the mosaic elements at the location of the viewer; and    displaying the mosaic elements on the display device as a matrix of separate windows.    
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the source materials represent program metadata.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 39 , including source materials from different service providers.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein at least one of the windows displays a live television broadcast.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein at least one of the windows displays graphical information regarding a television program scheduled for broadcast.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein at least one of the windows displays information regarding a video-on-demand offering.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the step of dynamically assigning a plurality of source materials to a plurality of mosaic elements is based upon continuously updated program schedule metadata.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the criteria received from one or more sources includes criteria input at the viewer location.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the criteria received from one or more sources includes criteria received from a program subscriber.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the criteria received from one or more sources includes criteria received from a programming service provider.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the criteria received from one or more sources includes criteria received from a program broadcaster.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the criteria received from one or more sources includes criteria received from a critic.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein at least one of the windows displays an interactive television application.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein at least one of the windows displays an interactive advertisement.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein at least one of the windows displays a television channel pre-selected by a viewer.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein at least one of the windows displays source material from a video player at the viewer location.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 39 , further including the step of displaying a different matrix of mosaic elements to a different viewer location in accordance with criteria received from one or more sources.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 39 , further including the step of displaying a different matrix of mosaic elements to a different viewer location in accordance with demographic data.  
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 39 , further including the step of displaying a different matrix of mosaic elements to a different viewer location in accordance with viewing capabilities at the viewer location.  
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 39 , further including the step of displaying a different matrix of mosaic elements to a different viewer location in accordance with the capabilities of service provider capabilities.  
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 39 , further including the step of enabling a viewer to customize the display of the mosaic elements.  
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 39 , further including the step of enabling a viewer to choose which channels, programs or interactive applications will appear in the matrix of separate windows.  
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 39 , further including the step of organizing the windows according type of source material, business rules or service provider, or viewer equipment capabilities.  
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 39 , further including the step of enabling a viewer to select one of the source materials for immediate or future viewing by clicking on a window associated with that source.  
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 39 , further including the step of enabling a viewer to select source materials stored locally or remotely.  
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein at least one of the windows displays source material selected for viewing with other windows displaying program guide information.  
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 39 , further including the step of enabling a viewer to record desired program source material along with service-related metadata.  
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 39 , further including the step of enabling a viewer to record desired program source material along with television commerce services.  
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 39 , further including the step of enabling a viewer to record desired program source material along with an interactive advertisement.  
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 39 , further including the step of enabling a viewer to record desired program source material along with a VOD request.  
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 39 , further including the step of enabling a viewer to record desired program source material along with an interactive TV application.  
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 39 , further including the step of adjusting one or more characteristics of the display to improve content recognition.  
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 39 , further including the step of zooming at least a portion of the display to improve content recognition.  
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 39 , further including the step of truncating at least a portion of the display to improve content recognition.  
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 39 , further including the step of enabling a viewer to search channels by channel name as opposed to, or in addition to, channel number.  
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 39 , further including the step of enabling a viewer to create a customized channel line-up through channel number reassignment.  
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 39 , further including the step of enabling a viewer to group desired channels as a function of channel surfing.  
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 39 , further including the step of providing a viewer with information relating to show times of upcoming or past episodes of a program being viewed or a program selected for viewing.  
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 39 , further including the step of providing a viewer with information relating to VOD ordering of a program being viewed or a program selected for viewing.  
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 39 , further including the step of providing a viewer with information relating to personal video recorder (PVR) start or play options relating to a program being viewed or a program selected for viewing.  
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 39 , further including the step of providing a viewer with a video trailer or preview information relating to a program being viewed or a program selected for viewing.  
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 39 , further including the step of providing a viewer with value-added service information relating to a program being viewed or a program selected for viewing.  
     
     
         81 . The method of  claim 39 , further including the step of providing content filtering managed by service provider or third party.