Favorites mosaic

Abstract

A set-top box generates a multimedia signal that includes streaming video for a plurality of currently available multimedia channels. A user configures a plurality of favorite channels. Streaming video from the favorite channels is provided in a plurality of viewports on a display. A user presses a favorites button on a remote control to prompt an application server to signal a content server to provide a compound video signal including streaming video from each favorite channel. The set-top box produces a resultant video signal including the streaming video from each favorite channel in a corresponding viewport. The viewports correspond to a mosaic template that may be hosted by the application server and accessed by the content server.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A set-top box, comprising:
 a processor;   a computer memory including stored application instructions, executable by the processor, wherein the application instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
 generating a favorites mosaic video stream, wherein the favorites mosaic video stream includes:
 first multimedia content and first metadata streaming in a first favorite channel mosaic window; and 
 second multimedia content and second metadata streaming in a second favorite channel mosaic window; 
 wherein the first metadata and the second metadata both include a title, duration, and a remaining time; and 
 wherein the first favorite channel mosaic window and the second favorite channel mosaic window correspond to respective user favorite channels and provide streaming video of content currently available on the respective user favorite channels; and 
 
 generating an on-screen menu including:
 a delete icon that enables a user to delete a mosaic; and 
 a move icon that enables the user to move one displayed mosaic window relative to other displayed mosaic windows. 
 
   
     
     
         21 . The set-top box of  claim 20 , wherein generating the favorites mosaic video stream includes accessing a mosaic template, wherein the mosaic template defines a plurality of holes corresponding to a plurality of mosaic windows. 
     
     
         22 . The set-top box of  claim 21 , wherein the mosaic template is hosted by an application server. 
     
     
         23 . The set-top box of claim of  claim 20 , wherein the operations include:
 receiving a compound multimedia stream from the set-top box; and   decoding information in the compound multimedia stream to generate the favorites mosaic video stream.   
     
     
         24 . The set-top box of  claim 20 , wherein the operations include:
 preventing multimedia content feeds associated with a particular channel from inclusion with the favorites mosaic video stream.   
     
     
         25 . The set-top box of  claim 21 , wherein at least one of the plurality of holes corresponds to a URL, wherein the URL indicates a source for a multimedia content feed. 
     
     
         26 . The set-top box of  claim 20 , wherein the first favorite channel mosaic window and the second favorite channel mosaic window are presented in an order determined based on a factor selected from:
 most recently tuned;   most frequently viewed; and   a predetermined ranking stored by the user.   
     
     
         27 . The set-top box of  claim 20 , wherein the on screen menu includes:
 a third icon that enables the user to select a mosaic window to display a representative channel in a background of the favorites mosaic video stream; and   a view icon.   
     
     
         28 . A computer readable memory including computer executable program instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:
 generating a favorites mosaic video stream, wherein the favorites mosaic video stream includes:
 first multimedia content and first metadata streaming in a first favorite channel mosaic window; and 
 second multimedia content and second metadata streaming in a second favorite channel mosaic window; 
 wherein the first metadata and the second metadata both include a title, duration, and a remaining time; and 
 wherein the first favorite channel mosaic window and the second favorite channel mosaic window correspond to respective user favorite channels and provide streaming video of content currently available on the respective user favorite channels; and 
   generating an on-screen menu including:
 a delete icon that enables a user to delete a mosaic; and 
 a move icon that enables the user to move one displayed mosaic window relative to other displayed mosaic windows. 
   
     
     
         29 . The computer readable memory of  28 , wherein generating the favorites mosaic video stream includes accessing a mosaic template, wherein the mosaic template defines a plurality of holes corresponding to a plurality of mosaic windows. 
     
     
         30 . The computer readable memory of  29 , wherein the mosaic template is hosted by an application server. 
     
     
         31 . The computer readable memory of  claim 28 , wherein the operations include:
 receiving a compound multimedia stream from the set-top box; and   decoding information in the compound multimedia stream to generate the favorites mosaic video stream.   
     
     
         32 . The computer readable memory of  28 , wherein the operations include:
 preventing multimedia content feeds associated with a particular channel from inclusion with the favorites mosaic video stream.   
     
     
         33 . The computer readable memory of  29 , wherein at least one of the plurality of holes corresponds to a URL, wherein the URL indicates a source for a multimedia content feed. 
     
     
         34 . The computer readable memory of  28 , wherein the first favorite channel mosaic window and the second favorite channel mosaic window are presented in an order determined based on a factor selected from:
 most recently tuned;   most frequently viewed; and   a predetermined ranking stored by the user.   
     
     
         35 . The computer readable memory of  28 , wherein the on screen menu includes:
 a third icon that enables the user to select a mosaic window to display a representative channel in a background of the favorites mosaic video stream; and   a view icon.   
     
     
         36 . A method of multimedia content, the method comprising:
 generating a favorites mosaic video stream, wherein the favorites mosaic video stream includes:
 first multimedia content and first metadata streaming in a first favorite channel mosaic window; and 
 second multimedia content and second metadata streaming in a second favorite channel mosaic window; 
 wherein the first metadata and the second metadata both include a title, duration, and a remaining time; and 
 wherein the first favorite channel mosaic window and the second favorite channel mosaic window correspond to respective user favorite channels and provide streaming video of content currently available on the respective user favorite channels; and 
   generating an on-screen menu including:
 a delete icon that enables a user to delete a mosaic; and 
 a move icon that enables the user to move one displayed mosaic window relative to other displayed mosaic windows. 
   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising providing a preferences application operable to enable the user to define favored channel data. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising configuring a set-top box to respond to a signal from a remote control unit by sending a mosaic favorites request to an application server. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein a resolution of the first favorite channel mosaic window differs from a resolution of the second favorite channel mosaic window.