Method and apparatus for communicating electronic service guide information in a satellite television system
Aspects of a method and apparatus for communicating electronic service guide information in a satellite television system are provided. A satellite communication system may receive a signal via an interface to a satellite dish, and receive data from a network via a second interface (e.g., an interface to a LAN or a WAN, such as the Internet). The satellite communication system may be operable to channelize the received satellite signal into a plurality of channels, wherein a first channel of the plurality of channels carries electronic service guide (ESG) data. The satellite communication system may select which of the plurality of channels to input to a demodulator based, at least in part, on whether ESG data is available via the second interface. A second channel carrying media data may be input to the demodulator while the ESG data is available via the second interface.
1. A system comprising:
a network gateway device comprising:
satellite interface circuitry configured to interface with a satellite dish for receiving a signal;
network interface circuitry configured to interface with a network device other than said satellite dish;
a demodulator; and
a controller operable to:
determine whether electronic service guide (ESG) data is present in a signal received from said network device other than said satellite dish; and
select which subset of a plurality of channels of said signal received from said network device other than said satellite dish are to be demodulated by said demodulator based on said determination of whether ESG data is present in said signal received from said network device other than said satellite dish, wherein:
said selection is of a media channel of said signal when said ESG data is present in said signal;
said selection is of an ESG channel of said signal when said ESG data is not present in said signal;
said demodulator is one of J demodulators;
said J demodulators are configured to demodulate J media channels of said signal when said ESG data is present in said signal;
said J demodulators are configured to demodulate J−1 media channels of said signal and one ESG channel of said signal when said ESG data is not present in said signal; and
J is a positive integer.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said network device other than said satellite dish is part of an Ethernet network, digital subscriber line (DSL) network, Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) network, or cable television network.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein an output of said demodulator is transmitted into an in-home network.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein said in-home network is an Ethernet network or a Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) network.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein circuitry of said network gateway device is operable to receive primary ESG data via said satellite interface circuitry and supplemental ESG data via said network interface circuitry.
6. The system of claim 5 , wherein said supplemental ESG data is more up-to-date than said primary ESG data.
7. The system of claim 5 , wherein circuitry of said network gateway device is operable to modify said primary ESG data based on said supplemental ESG data.
8. The system of claim 1 , wherein said controller is operable to power down said demodulator when ESG data is present in said signal received from said network device other than said satellite dish.
9. A method comprising:
performing by circuitry of a network gateway device that interfaces with a satellite dish:
determining whether electronic service guide (ESG) data is present in a signal received from a network device other than said satellite dish; and
selecting which subset of a plurality of channels of said signal received from said network device other than said satellite dish are to be demodulated by said circuitry of said network device based on a result of said determining whether ESG data is present in said signal received from said network device other than said satellite dish, wherein:
said selecting comprises:
selecting a media channel of said signal when said ESG data is present in said signal;
selecting an ESG channel of said signal when said ESG data is not present in said signal;
demodulator is one of J demodulators, and the method comprises
configuring said J demodulators to demodulate J media channels of said signal when said ESG data is present in said signal;
configuring said J demodulators to demodulate J−1 media channels of said signal and one ESG channel of said signal when said ESG data is not present in said signal; and
J is a positive integer.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said network device other than said satellite dish is part of an Ethernet network, digital subscriber line (DSL) network, Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) network, or cable television network.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein an output of said demodulator is transmitted into an in-home network.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said in-home network is an Ethernet network or a Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) network.
13. The method of claim 9 , comprising receiving primary ESG data from said satellite dish and supplemental ESG data from said network device other than said satellite dish.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said supplemental ESG data is more up-to-date than said primary ESG data.
15. The system of claim 13 , comprising modifying said primary ESG data based on said supplemental ESG data.
16. The method of claim 9 , comprising powering down said demodulator when ESG data is present in said signal.