Viewing and purchasing programming in other formats
View Patent ↗A method according to the present disclosure comprises displaying a program in a first format on a first television channel to a user and automatically displaying a message to the user indicating that the program is available in a second format on a second television channel. The message may be displayed on the first television channel while the program in the first format is being displayed. Additionally, the automatic displaying of the message may be unprompted by the user. In certain embodiments, the user may be provided the option to purchase the program in the second format if the second format is not within the user's subscription.
1. A set top box, configured to:
display, with a television in communication with the set top box, a program in a two-dimensional format on a first television channel to a user, in accordance with a subscription package to which the user subscribes;
determine that the program will be available at a later time;
display a message to the user indicating that the program will be available at the later time;
receive, from a middleware server in an IPTV video services network in communication with the set top box, an indication that the program is available in a three-dimensional format;
determine an availability of the television for the three-dimensional format;
display a message to the user providing the option to convert the program to a the three-dimensional format on the first television channel;
if the subscription package does not include three-dimensional programming, display a message to the user informing the user of a cost to convert the program to the three-dimensional format;
receive a selection from the user to convert the program to the three-dimensional format on the first television channel;
convert the program to the three-dimensional format on the first television channel in response to the user's selection, wherein converting includes providing, by a middleware server, additional picture elements to the set top box;
provide an option to the user to de-select the programming in the three-dimensional format and return to the two-dimensional format;
receive a de-selection from the user to convert the program to the two-dimensional format on the first television channel; and
convert the program to the two-dimensional format on the first television channel in response to the user's de-selection.
2. The set top box of claim 1 , wherein the set top box is further configured to:
receive a selection from the user to purchase the conversion on the first television channel.
3. A method, comprising:
displaying, with a television in communication with a set top box, a program in a two-dimensional format on a first television channel to a user, in accordance with a subscription package to which a user subscribes;
determining that the program will be available at a later time;
displaying a message to the user indicating that the program will be available at the later time;
determining, at a middleware server in an IPTV video services network in communication with the set top box, that the program is available in a three-dimensional format;
determining an availability of the television for the three-dimensional format;
displaying a message to the user indicating that the program is available in the three-dimensional format and providing the option to purchase the conversion of the program to the three-dimensional format on the first television channel;
receiving a selection from the user to purchase the conversion of the program to the second format on the first television channel;
if the subscription package does not include three-dimensional programming, displaying a message to the user informing the user of a cost to convert the program to the three-dimensional format;
providing, in response to receiving the user selection to purchase the conversion, additional picture elements by a middleware server to the set top box;
providing an option to the user to de-select the programming in the three-dimensional format and return to the two-dimensional format;
receiving a de-selection from the user to convert the program to the two-dimensional format on the first television channel; and
converting the program to the two-dimensional format on the first television channel in response to the user's de-selection.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising processing payment information received from the user to purchase the conversion of the program to the three-dimensional format on the first television channel.
5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising providing the set top box operatively coupled to a user's television, wherein the set top box is operably connected with the IPTV video services network having the middleware server, the middleware server providing programming information to the set top box and the set top box providing the program to the user.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the middleware server provides programming information to the set top box as changes in programming occur.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the middleware server provides programming information to the set top box on a continuous basis.
8. A method, comprising:
displaying a program in a two-dimensional format on a first television channel to a user through the use of a set top box operatively coupled to the user's television and to an IPTV video services network, in accordance with a subscription package to which a user subscribes;
determining that the program will be available at a later time;
displaying a message to the user indicating that the program will be available at the later time;
determining, at a middleware server in the IPTV video services network, that the program is available in a three-dimensional format;
determining an availability of the television for the three-dimensional format;
displaying a message to the user providing the option to convert the program to the three-dimensional format on the first television channel;
if the subscription package does not include three-dimensional programming, displaying a message to the user informing the user of a cost to convert the program to the three-dimensional format;
receiving a selection from the user to convert the program to the three-dimensional format on the first television channel;
converting the program to the three-dimensional format on the first television channel in response to the user's selection, wherein converting includes providing, by a middleware server, additional picture elements to the set top box;
providing an option to the user to de-select the programming in the three-dimensional format and return to the two-dimensional format;
receiving a de-selection from the user to convert the program to the two-dimensional format on the first television channel; and
converting the program to the two-dimensional format on the first television channel in response to the user's de-selection.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving a selection from the user to purchase the program in the three-dimensional format.
10. A system, comprising:
a middleware server, in an IPTV video services network, configured to determine that a program is available in a three dimensional format and provide additional picture elements for converting the program from a two-dimensional format to the three-dimensional format; and
a set top box, configured to:
display, with a television in communication with the set top box, a program in the two-dimensional format on a first television channel to a user, in accordance with a subscription package to which the user subscribes;
determine that the program will be available at a later time;
display a message to the user indicating that the program will be available at the later time;
receive, from the middleware server in the IPTV video services network in communication with the set top box, an indication that the program is available in the three-dimensional format;
determine an availability of the television for the three-dimensional format;
display a message to the user providing the option to convert the program to the three-dimensional format on the first television channel;
if the subscription package does not include three-dimensional programming, display a message to the user informing the user of a cost to convert the program to the three-dimensional format;
receive a selection from the user to convert the program to the three-dimensional format on the first television channel;
convert the program to the three-dimensional format on the first television channel in response to the user's selection, wherein converting includes receiving, from the middleware server, additional picture elements to convert the program from the two-dimensional format to the three-dimensional format;
provide an option to the user to de-select the programming in the three-dimensional format and return to the two-dimensional format;
receive a de-selection from the user to convert the program to the two-dimensional format on the first television channel; and
convert the program to the two-dimensional format on the first television channel in response to the user's de-selection.