Program guide information and processor for providing program and channel substitution
View Patent ↗A system of defining, creating and decoding composite virtual channels advantageously supports dynamic channel and event substitution. A method, for use in a decoder for acquiring a program conveyed on more than one broadcast channel, involves generating a program guide display. The program guide display lists programs being broadcast on a plurality of broadcast channels during specified broadcast time segments and also lists a particular program on both a first and a second broadcast channel. The particular program is acquired from the first broadcast channel in response to user selection of either of the first and second broadcast channels. A plurality of prioritized channel maps are used in substituting an alternative program for a first program on a broadcast channel.
1. In a video decoder, a method for acquiring a program conveyed on more than one broadcast channel, comprising the steps of:
generating a program guide display listing programs being broadcast on a plurality of broadcast channels during specified broadcast time segments, wherein said program guide display lists a particular program on both a first and a second broadcast channel; and
acquiring said particular program from said first broadcast channel in response to user selection of said second broadcast channel, wherein
(i) said broadcast channels are transmitted using the same transmission modality, wherein the same transmission modality is selected from the group of: an internet broadcast, a terrestrial broadcast, a satellite broadcast, and a cable broadcast; and
(ii) said first broadcast channel is selected as the source for said particular program in view of geographical information.
2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein
said particular program Is acquired using packet identification and channel tuning information conveyed in one of a plurality of channel maps associating a transmission channel carrier frequency with data identifiers used to capture datastreams constituting said particular program.
3. A method according to claim 2 , wherein
said plurality of channel maps are allocated a predetermined priority.
4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein
said user selection of said second broadcast channel is performed via selection of a displayed item in said program guide display.
5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said geographic information is a substitution profile downloaded from a remote head-end.
6. A method according to claim 1 , including the step of
acquiring said particular program from said first broadcast channel using a channel map selected in accordance with a predetermined priority.
7. A method according to claim 6 , wherein
said channel map associates a transmission channel carrier frequency with data identifiers used to capture datastreams constituting said particular program conveyed on said first broadcast channel.
8. A method for substituting a program conveyed on a first broadcast channel for a program conveyed on a second broadcast channel, comprising the steps of:
acquiring a first channel map associating a first transmission channel carrier frequency with data identifiers used to capture datastreams constituting a first program conveyed on a first broadcast channel;
acquiring a second channel map associating a second transmission channel carrier frequency with data identifiers used to capture datastreams constituting an alternative program conveyed on a second broadcast channel; and
substituting said alternative program for said first program in response to predetermined criteria by using said second channel map information to initiate acquisition of said second broadcast channel and said alternative program and in response to user selection of said first broadcast channel, wherein said first program and said alternative program are the same, and wherein
(i) said first and second transmission channel carrier frequency use the same broadcast modality selected from a satellite broadcast, a terrestrial broadcast, and a cable broadcast, and
(ii) geographical criteria are used for said substitution step.
9. A method according to claim 8 , wherein
said first channel map contains information for use in acquiring programs conveyed on a first set of broadcast channels, and
said second channel map contains information for use in acquiring an alternative program conveyed on an alternative broadcast channel corresponding to one of said channels in said first set of broadcast channels.
10. A method according to claim 8 , including the step of
examining said acquired second channel map for alternative program data being conveyed on an alternative broadcast channel in response to a channel change command.
11. A method according to claim 10 , including the steps of
automatically substituting an alternative program and alternative broadcast channel identified as being available for a User selected channel by said acquired second channel map, and
tuning to receive said alternative program and alternative broadcast channel in response to a channel change command.
12. A method according to claim 8 , wherein
said predetermined criteria comprises at least one of, (a) channel map priority, and (b) a User program preference profile and (c) a substitution profile downloaded from a remote head-end.
13. A method according to claim 8 , wherein
said geographical information is used to receive a local broadcast of said program conveyed on a second broadcast channel over a local broadcast of said program conveyed on a first broadcast channel.
14. A method according to claim 8 , wherein
said predetermined criteria comprises a command derived from a remote head-end.
15. A method according to claim 8 , including the step of
re-tuning to acquire one of (a) said first program and (b) a second program different to said alternative and said first program following completion of said alternative program.