Title:
A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EFFICIENTLY TUNING TO CHANNELS OF A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT BORADCAST TYPES
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO2000064050
Kind Code:
A8
Abstract:
A tuning system (102) is described that is capable of receiving a number of different broadcast types such as analog (114) or digital satellite (116), cable (110, 112), Internet (118), and terrestrial airwave broadcasts (104, 106, 108). The tuning system (102) stores (210) service records, each service recording containing information required to tune to a particular channel. These service records are categorized within service spaces by tuner type (212, 214, 216, 218, 220, 222, 224 or 226), content, or in any other desired manner. A viewer selects (actively or by default) the service space in which the viewer desires to channel surf. The viewer then selects the desired channel within that service space. In response to this selection, the tuning system (102) uses the information within the selected service record to identify the correct tuner (212, 214, 216, 218, 220, 222, 224 or 226), and to cause that tuner (212, 214, 216, 218, 220, 222, 224 or 226) to tune to the selected channel.
Inventors:
FRIES ROBERT M
PIETRASZAK MICHAEL E
PIETRASZAK MICHAEL E
Application Number:
PCT/US2000/007151
Publication Date:
August 09, 2001
Filing Date:
March 17, 2000
Export Citation:
Assignee:
WEBTV NETWORKS INC (US)
International Classes:
H03J1/00; H04N5/44; H04N5/46; H04N21/426; H04N21/434; H04N21/438; H04N21/462; H04N5/50; H04N21/482; (IPC1-7): H03J1/00; H04N5/445
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