Method And Apparatus For Generating A Mosaic Style Electronic Program Guide

Abstract

In one embodiment, there is provided a method for operating a decoder. The method comprises receiving, on a first channel, an electronic program guide data stream comprising multiple video streams which have been encoded and multiplexed for transmission on the first channel, each video stream comprising a low resolution version of a high resolution video stream which is being simultaneously received on a separate channel; decoding the electronic program guide data stream into frames, each frame defining a mosaic-style image comprising image areas for images in the electronic program guide data stream corresponding to images from each of the multiple video streams; and displaying each of the frames on a display screen coupled to the decoder.

1 . A method, comprising:
 combining a plurality of input video streams into a single output video stream, such that the output video stream includes an electronic program guide configured to display a mosaic of a plurality of at least one of images and videos corresponding to the plurality of input video streams; and   transmitting the single output video stream to a plurality of receivers.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of input video streams comprises low resolution images corresponding to high resolution images of a video stream to be televised on a particular channel. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising generating each of the plurality of input video streams. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein generating each of the plurality of input video streams comprises applying a size conversion function to each of the plurality of video streams to be televised in order to reduce a resolution of the images therein. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein combining the plurality of input video streams comprises encoding and multiplexing the plurality of input video streams into the single output video stream, the single output video stream comprising data packets identified by a unique packet identifier. 
     
     
         6 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, on a first channel, an electronic program guide data stream comprising multiple video streams which have been encoded and multiplexed for transmission on the first channel, each video stream comprising a low resolution version of a high resolution video stream which is being simultaneously received on a separate channel;   decoding the electronic program guide data stream into frames, each frame defining a mosaic-style image comprising image areas for images in the electronic program guide data stream corresponding to images from each of the multiple video streams; and   displaying each of the frames on a display screen coupled to the decoder.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein each frame is displayed on a portion of the display screen, the method further comprising displaying images associated with a selected channel on a remainder of the display screen. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising generating and displaying a border around each image area within a frame. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising receiving user input to select a particular image area within a frame for display; and selecting the particular image area based on the user input. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising highlighting those image areas within a frame which a user has selected. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising displaying images from a selected image area on a corresponding predefined area of the display screen. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the corresponding predefined area comprises a surface of a multi-dimensional object. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising storing the decoded electronic program guide data stream in a memory as a texture map mapping images from each selected image area to a corresponding surface of the object; and displaying the images from the selected image areas comprises binding images from each selected image area to its corresponding surface. 
     
     
         14 . A system, comprising:
 a combining circuit to combine a plurality of input video streams into a single output video stream, such that the output video stream includes an electronic program guide configured to display a mosaic of a plurality of at least one of images and videos corresponding to the plurality of input video streams; and   a transmission circuit to transmit the single output video stream to a plurality of receivers.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of input video streams comprises low resolution images corresponding to high resolution images of a video stream to be televised on a particular channel. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising an image processing circuit to generate each of the plurality of input video streams. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the image processing circuit comprises a size conversion circuit to reduce a resolution of the images in each of the plurality of input video streams to be televised. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the combining circuit comprises an encoding and multiplexing circuit to encode and multiplex the plurality of input video streams into the single output video stream comprising data packets identified by a unique packet identifier. 
     
     
         19 . A system comprising:
 a receiving circuit to receive on a first channel, an electronic program guide data stream comprising multiple video streams which have been encoded and multiplexed for transmission on the first channel, each video stream comprising a low resolution version of a high resolution video stream which is being simultaneously received on a separate channel;   a decoding circuit to decode the electronic program guide data streams into frames, each frame defining a mosaic-style image comprising image areas for images in the electronic program guide data stream corresponding to images from each of the multiple video streams; and   a display circuit to display each of the frames on a display screen coupled to the system.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the display circuit displays each frame in a portion of the display screen and simultaneously displays images associated with a selected channel on a remainder of the display screen. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the display circuit generates a border around each image area within a frame. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 19 , further comprising an input circuit to receive user input selecting a particular image area within a frame for display, and to select the particular image area in response to the user input. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 22 , wherein the display circuit highlights those image areas within a frame which a user has selected. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the display circuit displays images from a selected image area on a corresponding predefined area of the display screen. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the corresponding predefined area comprises a surface of a multi-dimensional object. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , further comprising a memory to store the decoded electronic program guide data stream as a texture map mapping images from each selected image area to a corresponding surface of the object. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the display circuit displays the images from the selected image areas by binding the images for each selected image area to its corresponding surface. 
     
     
         28 . A system, comprising:
 combining means for combining a plurality of input video streams into a single output video stream, such that the output video stream includes an electronic program guide configured to display a mosaic of a plurality of at least one of images and videos corresponding to the plurality of input video streams; and   transmission means for transmitting the single output video stream to a plurality of receivers.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 28 , wherein each of the plurality of input video streams comprises low resolution images corresponding to high resolution images of a video stream to be televised on a particular channel. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , further comprising video processing means for generating each of the plurality of input video streams. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein video processing means operates to apply a size conversion function to each of the plurality of input video streams to be televised in order to reduce a resolution of the images therein. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the combining means operates to encode and multiplex the plurality of input video streams into the single output video stream comprising data packets identified by a unique packet identifier. 
     
     
         33 . A system comprising:
 receiving means for receiving, on a first channel, an electronic program guide data stream comprising multiple video streams which have been encoded and multiplexed for transmission on the first channel, each video stream comprising a low resolution version of a high resolution video stream which is being simultaneously received on a separate channel;   decoding means for decoding the electronic program guide data stream into frames, each frame defining a mosaic-style image comprising image areas for images in the electronic program guide data stream corresponding to images from each of the multiple video streams; and   display means for displaying each of the frames on a display screen coupled to the system.   
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the display means displays each frame on a portion of the display screen, while displaying images associated with a selected channel on a remainder of the display screen. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the display means displays a border around each image area within a frame. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 33 , further comprising input means for receiving user input to select a particular image area within a frame for display; and selecting the particular image area based on the user input. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the display means highlights those image areas within a frame which a user has selected. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the display means displays images from a selected image area on a corresponding predefined area of the display screen. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the corresponding predefined area comprises a surface of a multi-dimensional object. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , further comprising images storage means for storing the decoded electronic program guide data stream as a texture map mapping images from each selected image area to a corresponding surface of the object, the display means then operating to bind images from each image area to its corresponding surface.