Method and device for controlling a video receiver

Abstract

A method and device for displaying an electronic program guide on a handheld device. The guide includes a plurality of tiles, each tile associated with a television program. The device receives a related content request input through its touchscreen and, in response, sends a related content request message to a gateway server over a wireless network connection, the related content request message includes information identifying one of the plurality of programs. The device receives and displays related media content from the gateway server in reply to the related content request message.

1 . A method comprising:
 displaying an electronic program guide including a plurality of tiles, each tile associated with a program, each of the plurality of tiles being associated with two input commands including a first input command for initiating display at a first device and a second input command for initiating display at a second device;   receiving an input command in association with one of the plurality of tiles;   if the input command is the first input command, initiating display of content on the first device; and   if the input command is the second command type, initiating display of content on the second device.   
     
     
         2 . The method claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the content displayed on the first device comprises video content. 
     
     
         3 . The method claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the content displayed on the second device comprises video content. 
     
     
         4 . The method claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the input command comprises a predefined touchscreen gesture atop the tile associated with said one of the plurality of tiles. 
     
     
         5 . The method claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the predefined touchscreen gesture comprises a double tap, a swipe or a pinch. 
     
     
         6 . The method claimed in  claim 1 , wherein one of the first input command type and the second input command type is a single tap on the tile and the other of the first input command type and the second input command type is a touchscreen gesture on the tile other than a single tap. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the second input command type is a double tap. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic program guide comprises an electronic program grid on a touschscreen device, and wherein the plurality of tiles comprises a plurality of television-show interface elements, each television-show interface element being associated with a television show being broadcast on a distribution network, each interface element being associated with at least two input commands, and wherein initiating a display of content on the first device comprises:
 sending a command to a set-top box associated with a television to tune the television show associated with said one of the television-show interface elements, and wherein the television comprises the first device.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein sending the command to the set-top box comprises sending a channel change request to a gateway server over a wireless network. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises identifying, at the gateway server, an address for the set-top box based upon a stored pairing between the set-top box and the touchscreen device, and transmitting a channel change command to the address for the set-top box via an operator network. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the second device is the device at which the input command is received. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method is performed by the second device and wherein the second device is a tablet. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method is performed by the second device and wherein the second device is a smartphone. 
     
     
         14 . A mobile device comprising a touchscreen, a processor, memory, a communications subsystem, and an application executable by the processor, wherein the application, when executed, configures the processor to:
 display an electronic program guide including a plurality of tiles, each tile associated with a program, each of the plurality of tiles being associated with two input commands including a first input command for initiating display at a first device and a second input command for initiating display at the mobile device;   receive an input command in association with one of the plurality of tiles;   if the input command is the first input command, initiate display of content on the first device; and   if the input command is the second command type, initiate display of content on the mobile device.   
     
     
         15 . The mobile device in  claim 14 , wherein the content displayed on the first device comprises video content. 
     
     
         16 . The mobile device claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the content displayed on the mobile device comprises video content. 
     
     
         17 . The mobile device claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the input command comprises a predefined touchscreen gesture atop the tile associated with said one of the plurality of tiles. 
     
     
         18 . The mobile device claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the predefined touchscreen gesture comprises a double tap, a swipe or a pinch. 
     
     
         19 . The mobile device claimed in  claim 14 , wherein one of the first input command type and the second input command type is a single tap on the tile and the other of the first input command type and the second input command type is a touchscreen gesture on the tile other than a single tap. 
     
     
         20 . The mobile device of  claim 19 , wherein the second input command type is a double tap.