Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-16
2003-09-30
Nguyen, Cao (Kevin) (Department: 2173)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C348S731000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06628301
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to broadcast program tuning. More particularly, the invention relates to an extensible framework for tuning to programming sources.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It has become common for a single video, audio, or data device to receive multimedia program content via a variety of different network types. For instance, a television may receive programming from one or more cable systems or satellite systems and also from terrestrial broadcast systems. More recent devices such as set-top boxes (STBs) and multimedia personal computers (PCs) are able to receive programming from cable systems, terrestrial broadcast systems, satellite systems, the Internet, etc.
Different application programs can be written by developers to make use of this multimedia program content. One typical example of such an application is a multimedia viewer application that allows a user to view the multimedia content on a display device.
Each network type requires that the device receiving the multimedia program content operate in a particular manner to be able to “tune to” or receive particular content. For example, a terrestrial broadcast system may require that the device tune a receiver to a particular frequency, while a satellite system may require that the device tune a receiver to a different frequency and obtain select portions of the multimedia stream provided at that frequency.
The wide variety of available network types creates problems for application developers, requiring that the developer be aware of and properly design for the tuning of each of the different transport mechanisms the application is to support. For example, a multimedia viewer application that is to be able to tune to terrestrial broadcasts, cable transmissions, and digital satellite transmissions would have to be programmed with all of the specific information necessary to tune to each one of these different network types.
Requiring such information to be programmed into the application can be troublesome for developers, requiring additional time and knowledge to be able to do so. Requiring such information to be programmed into the application further limits the application's ability to support subsequently developed transport mechanisms.
The invention described below addresses these disadvantages, providing an extensible framework for tuning to programming sources.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An extensible framework for tuning to programming sources is described herein. The extensible framework can be easily modified (such as by creating, modifying, or deleting programming sources) without requiring changes on the part of applications interacting with the framework.
According to one aspect of the extensible framework, tune request objects and tuning space objects are used to maintain and pass information regarding how to tune to a particular program. The exact nature of such information varies depending on the programming source (examples include RF frequencies, digital sub-channel identifiers, satellite locations, etc.). An application can obtain access to a particular programming source, such as to receive the multimedia content of a particular program, by interacting with the tune request objects, thereby alleviating the application of needing to have any information regarding how to tune to a particular program.
According to another aspect of the extensible framework, each tuning space object corresponds to a particular program source and includes information regarding how a tuner can tune to various programs (e.g., channels) available from that programming source. Each tune request object corresponds to a particular program available from a programming source and includes both a tuning space object corresponding to that programming source as well as information identifying the particular program (e.g., a channel number, a channel name, etc.).
REFERENCES:
patent: 5649285 (1997-07-01), Cautley
patent: 6005561 (1999-12-01), Hawkins et al.
patent: 6340997 (2002-01-01), Borseth
Acton Colin L.
Backman Terje K.
Borseth Jay Alan
Goll David A.
McDowell Sean C.
Lee & Hayes PLLC
Microsoft Corporation
Nguyen Cao (Kevin)
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