IP Library Granted Patent US 7,773,855
Granted Patent B1
US 7,773,855 · App. 11/149,932 · Granted Aug 10, 2010

Method and apparatus for insertion of advertisements between viewings of recorded content, games and other media types

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,773,855
App. No.
11/149,932
Granted
Aug 10, 2010
Kind
B1
Abstract

A mini-TV or picture-in-graphic (PIG) window within a digital video recorder (DVR) menu may be repurposed after one or more activities, such as watching a digitally-recorded program, to display content other than live television content on a channel that was being tuned to before the one or more activities.

Claims (22)

1. A method comprising:

displaying live television content received on a first broadcast channel;

displaying a program menu of a digital video recorder (DVR) showing available digitally-recorded programs in response to a user command, the DVR program menu further including a picture-in-graphic (PIG) window showing a reduced-size version of the live television content on the first broadcast channel;

allowing a user to select one of the digitally-recorded programs;

presenting at least a portion of the selected digitally-recorded program; and in response to termination of presenting the selected digitally-recorded program:

redisplaying the DVR program menu; and

automatically tuning the PIG window to a second broadcast channel that is different than the first broadcast channel, wherein the second broadcast channel is automatically selected by the DVR based on the digitally-recorded program selected by the user from the DVR program menu.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second broadcast channel corresponds to a broadcast channel from which the selected digitally-recorded program was recorded.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein each channel is associated with a respective broadcast network, and wherein the second channel is associated with the same broadcast network as a channel from which the selected digitally-recorded program was recorded.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the second channel is a barker channel for the broadcast network.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein each channel is associated with a respective broadcast network, and wherein the second channel is associated with a competitor of the broadcast network of a channel from which the selected digitally-recorded program was recorded.

6. A method comprising:

displaying live television content received on a first broadcast channel;

recording a plurality of digitally-recorded programs;

storing for each of the plurality of digitally-recorded programs a broadcast channel from which each digitally-recorded program is recorded;

displaying a program menu of a digital video recorder (DVR) showing the plurality of digitally-recorded programs in response to a user command, the DVR program menu further including a picture-in-graphic (PIG) window showing a reduced-size version of the live television content on the first broadcast channel;

allowing a user to select one of the digitally-recorded programs;

presenting at least a portion of the selected digitally-recorded program; and

in response to termination of presenting the selected digitally-recorded program:

redisplaying the DVR program menu; and

retrieving the stored broadcast channel from which the selected digitally-recorded program was recorded;

automatically tuning the PIG window to the broadcast channel from which the selected digitally-recorded program was recorded.

Assignments (14)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL/FRAME 049905/0504 Recorded Dec 19, 2024
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC (F/K/A ARRIS ENTERPRISES, INC.); ARRIS TECHNOLOGY, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; RUCKUS WIRELESS, LLC (F/K/A RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.)
Reel/Frame 071477/0255 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 17, 2024
From: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; COMMSCOPE INC., OF NORTH CAROLINA; OUTDOOR WIRELESS NETWORKS LLC; RUCKUS IP HOLDINGS LLC
To: APOLLO ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY LLC
Reel/Frame 069889/0114 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 19, 2021
From: ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.
To: WILMINGTON TRUST
Reel/Frame 060752/0001 →
TERM LOAN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2019
From: COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; ARRIS TECHNOLOGY, INC.; RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049905/0504 →
ABL SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2019
From: COMMSCOPE, INC. OF NORTH CAROLINA; COMMSCOPE TECHNOLOGIES LLC; ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC; ARRIS TECHNOLOGY, INC.; RUCKUS WIRELESS, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049892/0396 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2019
From: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 049820/0495 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 25, 2019
From: ARRIS ENTERPRISES, INC.
To: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC
Reel/Frame 049586/0470 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Apr 8, 2019
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: ARRIS GROUP, INC.; ARRIS ENTERPRISES, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.; ARRIS KOREA, INC.; ARRIS HOLDINGS CORP. OF ILLINOIS, INC.; BIG BAND NETWORKS, INC.; TEXSCAN CORPORATION; POWER GUARD, INC.; 4HOME, INC.; ACADIA AIC, INC.; AEROCAST, INC.; BROADBUS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; GENERAL INSTRUMENT CORPORATION; GENERAL INSTRUMENT AUTHORIZATION SERVICES, INC.; GENERAL INSTRUMENT INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; IMEDIA CORPORATION; JERROLD DC RADIO, INC.; LEAPSTONE SYSTEMS, INC.; MODULUS VIDEO, INC.; MOTOROLA WIRELINE NETWORKS, INC.; NETOPIA, INC.; NEXTLEVEL SYSTEMS (PUERTO RICO), INC.; QUANTUM BRIDGE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; SETJAM, INC.; SUNUP DESIGN SYSTEMS, INC.; UCENTRIC SYSTEMS, INC.; GIC INTERNATIONAL HOLDCO LLC; GIC INTERNATIONAL CAPITAL LLC; CCE SOFTWARE LLC; THE GI REALTY TRUST 1996
Reel/Frame 048825/0294 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 14, 2017
From: ARRIS ENTERPRISES INC
To: ARRIS ENTERPRISES LLC
Reel/Frame 041995/0031 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 28, 2013
From: ARRIS GROUP, INC.; ARRIS ENTERPRISES, INC.; ARRIS SOLUTIONS, INC.; ARRIS KOREA, INC.; ARRIS HOLDINGS CORP. OF ILLINOIS; BIGBAND NETWORKS, INC.; TEXSCAN CORPORATION; POWER GUARD, INC.; 4HOME, INC.; ACADIA AIC, INC.; AEROCAST, INC.; BROADBUS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; GENERAL INSTRUMENT CORPORATION; GENERAL INSTRUMENT AUTHORIZATION SERVICES, INC.; GENERAL INSTRUMENT INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; IMEDIA CORPORATION; JERROLD DC RADIO, INC.; LEAPSTONE SYSTEMS, INC.; MODULUS VIDEO, INC.; MOTOROLA WIRELINE NETWORKS, INC.; NETOPIA, INC.; NEXTLEVEL SYSTEMS (PUERTO RICO), INC.; QUANTUM BRIDGE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; SETJAM, INC.; SUNUP DESIGN SYSTEMS, INC.; UCENTRIC SYSTEMS, INC.; GIC INTERNATIONAL HOLDCO LLC; GIC INTERNATIONAL CAPITAL LLC; CCE SOFTWARE LLC; THE GI REALTY TRUST 1996
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 030498/0023 →
MERGER Recorded Apr 16, 2013
From: ARRIS GROUP, INC.
To: ARRIS ENTERPRISES, INC.
Reel/Frame 030228/0349 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 20, 2011
From: DIGEO, INC AND VULCAN VENTURES, INC.
To: ARRIS GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 026621/0258 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 25, 2009
From: DIGEO, INC.
To: VULCAN VENTURES, INC.
Reel/Frame 022309/0016 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 11, 2005
From: MARKMAN, MICHAEL J.; BILLMAIER, JAMES A.
To: DIEGO, INC.
Reel/Frame 017087/0630 →