IP Library Granted Patent US 9,774,897
Granted Patent B2
US 9,774,897 · App. 15/182,067 · Granted Sep 26, 2017

Systems and methods for providing blackout support in video mosaic environments

Inventors: Michael D. Ellis (Boulder, CO); Jon P. Radloff (Castle Rock, CO)
Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc.
H04N21/25808H04N5/44591H04N7/163H04N7/17318H04N21/2362H04N21/25841H04N21/432H04N21/4438H04N21/4622H04N21/4722H04N21/482H04N21/4828H04N21/6543H04N21/6547
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,774,897
App. No.
15/182,067
Granted
Sep 26, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods for providing blackout support in video mosaic environments are disclosed. In response to receiving a request for a video mosaic page, screen data, which may include blackout information, is received. The screen data identifies the video assets in the video mosaic page. A determination is made, based at least in part on the screen data, whether any video assets in the video mosaic page should be blacked out. Blacked out assets may be masked and their associated audio blocked. In addition, an overlay of options associated with the blacked out asset may be presented. The overlay may include options to substitute the blacked out asset with replacement content, search for similar content, or retrieve more information about the blackout.

Claims (66)

1. A method for providing enhanced blackout support in a video mosaic screen presented on user equipment, the method comprising:

generating for display the video mosaic screen including a plurality of video assets, wherein a first video asset is blacked out;

receiving a user selection of a portion of the video mosaic screen corresponding to the first video asset that is blacked out;

based on receiving the user selection of the portion corresponding to the first video asset that is blacked out:

generating for display an options overlay for the first video asset including a recording option to record the first video asset; and

receiving a user selection of the recording option in the options overlay;

based on receiving the user selection of the recording option in the options overlay, initiating a recording of the first video asset;

subsequent to initiating the recording of the first video asset, receiving a flag indicating that the first video asset is no longer blacked out on the user equipment; and

in response to receiving the flag indicating that the first video asset is no longer blacked out on the user equipment, generating for display the video mosaic screen including the plurality of video assets, wherein the blacked out first video asset is replaced with the recording of the first video asset.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the flag indicating that the first video asset is no longer blacked out on the user equipment further comprises:

determining a first location of the user equipment;

determining, from blackout information for the first video asset, a second location for which the first video asset is blacked out; and

determining that the first location is not included in the second location.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the flag indicating that the first video asset is no longer blacked out on the user equipment further comprises:

determining a current time;

determining, from blackout information for the first video asset, a blackout time for which the first video asset is blacked out; and

determining that the current time is not included in the blackout time.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein receiving the flag indicating that the first video asset is no longer blacked out on the user equipment further comprises:

updating the first location of the user equipment; and

determining that the updated first location is not included in the second location.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the video mosaic screen is generated remotely from the user equipment.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the recording of the first video asset is performed remotely from the user equipment.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising transferring the recording of the first video asset to the user equipment upon determining that the first video asset is no longer blacked out on the user equipment.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating for display the video mosaic screen further comprises generating for display a second video asset of the plurality of video assets that is not blacked out on the user equipment.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the options overlay is a first options overlay, and further comprising:

receiving a first user selection of the recording of the first video asset from the video mosaic page;

generating for display a second options overlay in response to the first user selection;

receiving a user selection of an option in the second options overlay; and

generating for display information relating to the first video asset in response to the user selection of the option in the second options overlay.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the options overlay is a first options overlay, and further comprising:

receiving a first user selection of the recording of the first video asset from the video mosaic page; and

generating for display a second options overlay simultaneously with a second video asset in response to the first user selection.

11. A system for providing enhanced blackout support in a video mosaic screen presented on user equipment, the system comprising:

storage circuitry configured to store information for a plurality of video assets;

control circuitry configured to:

generate for display the video mosaic screen including a plurality of video assets based on the stored information, wherein a first video asset is blacked out;

receive a user selection of a portion of the video mosaic screen corresponding to the first video asset that is blacked out;

based on receiving the user selection of the portion corresponding to the first video asset that is blacked out:

generate for display an options overlay for the first video asset including a recording option to record the first video asset; and

receive a user selection of the recording option in the options overlay;

based on receiving the user selection of the recording option in the options overlay, initiate a recording the first video asset;

subsequent to initiating the recording of the first video asset, receive a flag indicating that the first video asset is no longer blacked out on the user equipment; and

in response to receiving the flag indicating that the first video asset is no longer blacked out on the user equipment, generate for display the video mosaic screen including the plurality of video assets, wherein the blacked out first video asset is replaced with the recording of the first video asset.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry configured to receive the flag indicating that the first video asset is no longer blacked out on the user equipment comprises the control circuitry further configured to:

determine a first location of the user equipment;

determine, from blackout information for the first video asset, a second location for which the first video asset is blacked out; and

determine that the first location is not included in the second location.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry configured to receive the flag indicating that the first video asset is no longer blacked out on the user equipment comprises the control circuitry further configured to:

determine a current time;

determine, from blackout information for the first video asset, a blackout time for which the first video asset is blacked out; and

determine that the current time is not included in the blackout time.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the control circuitry configured to receive the flag indicating that the first video asset is no longer blacked out on the user equipment comprises the control circuitry further configured to:

update the first location of the user equipment; and

determine that the updated first location is not included in the second location.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the video mosaic screen is generated remotely from the user equipment.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the recording of the first video asset is performed remotely from the user equipment.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to transfer the recording of the first video asset to the user equipment upon determining that the first video asset is no longer blacked out on the user equipment.

18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry configured to generate for display the video mosaic screen comprises the control circuitry further configured to generate for display a second video asset of the plurality of video assets that is not blacked out on the user equipment.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the options overlay is a first options overlay, and the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive a first user selection of the recording of the first video asset from the video mosaic page;

generate for display a second options overlay in response to the first user selection;

receive a user selection of an option in the second options overlay; and

generate for display information relating to the first video asset in response to the user selection of the option in the second options overlay.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the options overlay is a first options overlay, and the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive a first user selection of the recording of the first video asset from the video mosaic page; and

generate for display a second options overlay simultaneously with a second video asset in response to the first user selection.

Assignments (8)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 2, 2024
From: ROVI GUIDES, INC.
To: ADEIA GUIDES INC.
Reel/Frame 069085/0138 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
Reel/Frame 053481/0790 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC
To: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
Reel/Frame 053458/0749 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 1, 2020
From: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS INC.; VEVEO, INC.; INVENSAS CORPORATION; INVENSAS BONDING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; TESSERA, INC.; TESSERA ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DTS, INC.; PHORUS, INC.; IBIQUITY DIGITAL CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053468/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 25, 2019
From: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 051110/0006 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 22, 2019
From: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
To: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 051143/0468 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 28, 2016
From: ELLIS, MICHAEL D.; RADLOFF, JON P.
To: GUIDEWORKS, LLC
Reel/Frame 039877/0234 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 28, 2016
From: GUIDEWORKS, LLC
To: ROVI GUIDES, INC.
Reel/Frame 039877/0287 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 14701922 · May 1, 2015
Continuation 11510363 · Aug 24, 2006
Related Publication 20160295261A1 · Oct 6, 2016