Abstract:
A multi-standard receiving device processes broadcast transmission signals that use multiple differing transmission standards. Processing entails conversion of the transmission standard&#39;s protocol standard into a normalized transport agnostic representation in order to allow consistent manipulation of a broadcast transmission signal&#39;s contents regardless of the transmission standard.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     This invention relates to multi-transport receiving devices that receive broadcast transmission signals using different transmission standards and converts metadata included in the broadcast transmission signals into formatted electronic program guide entries.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Broadcast transmission signals include audio data, video data, and metadata which may be in-band or out-band data. Metadata describes audio and video content provided in the audio and video data, and may also provide additional information. Additional metadata information may include information as to when a program is broadcasted; where a viewer may tune to the program broadcast (i.e., tuner frequency or channel); which content provider (e.g., broadcaster, television network) the program originates from; and a description of the program.  
         [0003]     Broadcast transmission signals make use of one of various transmission standards. A transmission standard defines how a broadcast transmission signal is broadcasted and further defines how a broadcast transmission signal is processed by a receiving device, including for example how a broadcast transmission signal is separated into audio, video, and metadata, and how the data is used. Furthermore, a transmission standard may define how information is extracted and used from metadata in the broadcast transmission signal.  
         [0004]     Existing transmission standards continue to evolve, while new transmission standards are adopted. Using television as an example, particular transmission standards include ATSC (Advanced Television Systems Committee); NTSC (National Television Standards Committee); PAL (Phase Alternation Line); SECAM (Sequentiel Couleur Avec Memoire, or Sequential Color with Memory); and DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting). Certain transmission standards may be based on other transmission standards—for example SECAM is based on PAL. Transmission standards may also define specific rules or information pertaining to specific transmission mediums (satellite, terrestrial, and cable). An example of this is DVB-T for terrestrial (i.e., radio frequency or RF antenna) transmission, DVB-C for cable transmission, and DVB-S for satellite transmission.  
         [0005]     Transmission standards are typically implemented and specific to particular regions of the world—for example, PAL and DVB are widely used in Europe, while NTSC is used in the United States. In certain situations, a particular transmission standard in applicable to a particular transmission medium—for example, a receiving device may only receive DVB-S broadcast transmission signals, and does not need to implement DVB-T or DVB-C.  
         [0006]     Transmission standards define how metadata is carried over a broadcast transmission signal, such as the format of the metadata. In other words metadata payload is defined by protocols of the particular transmission standards.  
         [0007]     In general, the different transmission standards (e.g., ATCS, DVB, NTSC) are not compatible with one another, and particular receiving devices such as television tuners and personal computers are configured to use a certain transmission standard. Therefore, if a transmission standard specific receiving device is used in an environment (i.e., different region of the world) that broadcasts broadcast transmission signals using a different transmission standard, the receiving device is unable to process the data in the broadcast transmission signal.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0008]     A multi-standard receiving device receives various broadcast transmission signals using different transmission standards. Metadata is separated and data is extracted from the metadata to form entries used in an electronic program guide (EPG) that are based on a predefined format. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE CONTENTS  
       [0009]     The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The use of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similar or identical items.  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  illustrates a system with a multi-standard receiving device capable of receiving and processing multiple television transmissions using different transmission standards.  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of the multi-standard receiving device.  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of transport specific recorder.  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is an illustration of electronic program guide (EPG) user interface that includes entries processed from multiple television transmissions using different transmission standards.  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a flow diagram showing a process for creating data entries from multiple broadcast transmission signals using different transmission standards.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]     The following disclosure describes a multi-standard receiving device capable of receiving multiple broadcast transmission signals from various broadcasters, where the multiple transports streams implement different transmission standards. The received broadcast transmission signals are processed such that metadata is processed as to a particular transmission standard used by a particular broadcast transmission signal. Metadata entries are created to and are part of an interactive electronic program guide (EPG) user interface (UI) representing information contained in the received metadata. The EPG is displayed to a user.  
         [0016]      FIG. 1  shows an exemplary transmission system  100 . System  100  includes multiple content providers or broadcasters  105 - 1 ,  105 - 2 , and  105 - 3 . The description uses by as an example television transmission, broadcast transmission signals, and transmission standards; however, it is contemplated that other forms of transmission may be used such as data, radio, and non-television media transmissions.  
         [0017]     In this example, each of broadcasters  105  transmits using a different transmission standard 1, transmission standard 2, and transmission standard 3. Examples of such transmission standards include ATSC, NTSC, SECAM, DVB, and ISDB (Integrated Services Digital Broadcasting). Broadcast transmission signals may be sent as RF (radio frequency) transmissions, satellite, digital or cable transmissions, or other forms of communication transmissions.  
         [0018]     Broadcaster  105 - 1  is a terrestrial broadcaster that transmits an RF signal  110 . Broadcaster  105 - 2  is a cable operator or cable network broadcaster that provides a cable signal  115 . Broadcaster  105 -N is a satellite broadcaster that transmits a satellite uplink signal  120  received by a satellite  125 . Satellite  125  transmits a downlink signal  130 .  
         [0019]     A multi-standard receiving device  135  receives signals  110 ,  115  and  130 . In this example multi-standard receiving device  135  is connected to a satellite receiving dish  140  that receives downlink signal  130  which is passed on to multi-standard receiving device  135 .  
         [0020]     Whereas prior receiving devices are typically configured to receive and process broadcast transmission signals based on a particular transmission standard, multi-standard receiving device  135  is configured to be able to receive and process multiple broadcast transmission signals based on different transmission standards. In particular, multi-standard receiving device  145  is able to extract information from metadata of received broadcast transmission signals and create an electronic program guide (EPG) entry from the extracted information. Each EPG entry is defined by a predetermined format.  
         [0021]     Multi-standard receiving device  135  may be a television “tuner”, a television set top box, a cable television box, a digital video recorder, a personal computer (PC), or any device capable of receiving a broadcast transmission signal.  
         [0022]     In this implementation, multi-standard receiving device  135  is connected to a display device  145  which may be a television monitor or computer monitor. In other implementations, multi-standard receiving device  135  and display device  145  may be an integrated unit. Display device  145  is particularly used to display video content and an electronic program guide (EPG) user interface to a user, where the EPG user interface includes EPG entries representing information extracted from metadata received as part of different television transmissions by multi-standard receiving device  135 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 2  shows exemplary multi-standard receiving device  135  in greater detail. Multi-standard receiving device  135  includes a physical receiver  200  to receive broadcast transmission signals (i.e., signals  110 ,  115 , and  120 ). Physical receiver  200  may be an RF antenna, a satellite dish (e.g. satellite dish  140 ), or other receiving device, to receive RF signals, satellite signals, microwave signals, or other types of communication/transmission signals.  
         [0024]     Broadcast transmission signals from a network (e.g., cable network  105 - 2 ) are received by multi-standard receiving device  115  through network/device inputs and outputs (I/O)  205  which may include coaxial input/output, an Ethernet input/output, and/or other types of communication/data inputs and outputs.  
         [0025]     Broadcast transmission signals received by physical receiver  200  and/or by way of I/O  205  are passed to one or more tuner(s)  210 . Tuner(s)  210  includes a broadcast in-band tuner used to isolate a particular physical channel from a multiplex of channels. The transmission of the physical channel is converted to a base-band or single signal.  
         [0026]     The base-band signal is sent to a transmission standard or transport specific recorder  225  which may be implemented as a filter graph and is further discussed below. Regardless of the transmission standard that is used in the broadcast transmission signal, it is expected that common data information exists such that data entries may be processed, created, or converted from different broadcast transmission signals that use different transmission standards. In other words, metadata information may include information describing the program, the broadcast source, and the time of the broadcast. Data entries may be grouped to form an EPG from which an EPG user interface is provided and displayed to a user. A predetermined format describes the data entries, where the format is transmission standard independent. For example, the predetermined format may provide for a program title, program description, broadcast source, broadcast tuning, and program time fields, and information related to the respective fields.  
         [0027]     Video or formatted sequence of pictures from transport specific recorder  225  may be passed on to a graphics processor  240  that renders a video format. Among the different functions provided by the graphics processor  240  is a function that allows an EPG user interface that represents multiple entries that extract or derive information from metadata of different television transmissions.  
         [0028]     Multi-standard receiving device  135  further includes a central processing unit or controller  250 . In general, controller  250  is used to initiate the components of multi-standard receiving device  135 ; process applications and run programs that are resident at or received by multi-transport receiving device  135 ; and fetch data and instructions from a memory  255 .  
         [0029]     A function of controller  250  is to load a particular transport specific recorder  225  from multiple transport specific recorders stored in memory  255 . In certain implementations, an instance of transport specific recorder  225  may be created using, for example, a filter graph application stored in memory  255  and processed by controller  250 .  
         [0030]     Memory  255  includes random access memory (RAM); read only memory (ROM) such as flash and electrically erasable program ROM (EEPROM) memory; hard disk memory (i.e., storage devices); and transportable memory (e.g., read/write optical disc).  
         [0031]     The memory  255  includes applications  260  which for certain implementations may include an EPG application. The EPG application operates on a data entry database  265  to generate an EPG user interface that is displayed to a user. In this implementation, database  265  is stored in memory  255 . Data entries that are processed by transport specific recorders are stored in the database  265 .  
         [0032]     In this implementation, an EPG application is shown separate from other applications  260  in the form of an EPG manager  270 . In addition to the general description of an EPG application discussed above, EPG manager  270  provides particular functionality directed to communicating with database  265  such as performing queries and browsing as instructed by other applications and/or by a user. EPG manager  270  may expose (connect with) an EPG Manager Interface  275  that allows a user to request particular EPG information such as particular listings and to provide instructions such as scrolling through information representing EPG entries as shown on the EPG user interface.  
         [0033]     A system bus  280  allows the controller  250  and other components of multi-standard receiving device  135  to communicate with one another. System bus  280  further allows components to interface with I/O  205  to other devices external to multi-standard receiving device  135 . The system bus  280  may be implemented as one or more of any of several types of bus structures, including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, an accelerated graphics port, or a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, such architectures include an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, a Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus, an Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, a Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA) local bus, and a Peripheral Component Interconnects (PCI) bus also known as a Mezzanine bus.  
         [0034]      FIG. 3  shows exemplary transport specific recorder  225  in greater detail. In this example, audio/video data is received such as a television broadcast transmission signal and transmission standards particular to television transmissions; however, it is contemplated that in other instances a broadcast transmission signal may be audio, video, and/or information data.  
         [0035]     In this implementation transport specific recorder  225  uses filter graphs, where specific filters perform particular processes on audio, video, and metadata. Processes may include data rendering and recording. The transport specific recorder  225  may make use of DirectShow® application program interface (API) and DirectX® software development kit (SDK) provided by the Microsoft Corporation.  
         [0036]     Multiple transport specific recorders supporting different transmission standards may be stored in memory  255 . As an example, the different transport specific recorders may support NTSC, ATSC, SECAM, DVB-T, DVB-S, and DVB-C.  
         [0037]     A particular transport specific recorder  225  is loaded to support a particular transport in which a television transmission is received. In other implementations, an instance of the particular transport specific recorder  225  is created using a filter graph application as needed to support the particular transport of a television transmission.  
         [0038]     Audio data is processed (i.e., decoded) by a transport specific audio graph module  305 . The processed audio data may be sent to system bus  280  of  FIG. 2  for playback through a speaker(s). Video data is processed (i.e., decoded) by a transport specific video graph module  310 . The processed video data may be sent to system bus  280  of  FIG. 2  and passed on to graphics processor  240  of  FIG. 2  and eventually shown on a display such as display device  120  of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0039]     Metadata separated by transport specific filter graph  300  is sent to a transport specific guide loader in-band (metadata) data (GLID) plug-in module  315  which processes the metadata based on a particular television transmission transport. GLID module  315  may be an algorithm for conversion of the transmission standard specific broadcast transmission signal into a generic or transport agnostic representation of the metadata. Information contained in the metadata is extracted as to information specific to particular fields defined by a predetermined format for EPG entries as discussed above. In particular, a transport agnostic data entry  320  is provided for each received television transmission. The data entry  320  is sent to and stored in data entry database  265  along with other data entries.  
         [0040]      FIG. 4  shows an EPG user interface (UI)  400  that uses data entries (i.e., data entry  320 ) from multiple broadcast transmission signals. EPG UI  400  is one use of data entries included in databases  265 , and is representative of an aggregation of metadata from multiple broadcast transmission signals using different transmission standards. EPG UI  400  may be displayed by itself or overlaid onto video and shown on a display such as display device  120 . In typical implementations EPG UI  400  is interactive so that a user may manipulate EPG UI  400  to show particular data such as program titles, play times, channels, and so forth.  
         [0041]     Now referring back to  FIG. 2 , a user control or controlling device may be provided through I/O  205  of  FIG. 2  which instructs or communicates with EPG Manager Interface  275 . As discussed above, EPG Manager Interface  275  instructs EPG manager  270  to perform an action on EPG database  265 . Multi-standard receiving device  135  receives multiple incoming broadcast transmission signals based on different transmission standards, and processes metadata of the broadcast transmission signals in the same manner (i.e., creates transport agnostic entries). All metadata regardless of transmission standard are presented to a user as if originating from a “common source” (i.e., transmission specific broadcaster).  
         [0042]     Once again referring to  FIG. 4 , in this example, the EPG UI  400  includes program information derived from the metadata of multiple television transmissions using different transmission standards. EPG UI  400  includes columns depicting program title  410 , time  415 , channel  420 , transmission standard  425 , and description  430 . As discussed above, data entries (e.g., data entry  320 ) processed by transport specific recorder  225  and decoder  245  are formatted to have the same fields and field sizes as represented by columns in the EPG UI  400 .  
         [0043]     Information from EPG entries populate rows  435 - 1  to  435 - 14  which make up EPG UI  400 . Each of rows  435  is derived from metadata (information) received through the same or different transmission standards; however, it is transparent to a user that different transmission standards are involved since only one EPG UI  400  is used for multiple television broadcast transmission signals using different transmission standards. A user sees an integrated EPG UI  400  with consistent row entries. A field such as field  425  may be used to particular describe to a user the originating transmission standard.  
         [0044]      FIG. 5  shows a process  500  to create data entries from metadata from multiple broadcasters using multiple transmission standards. The process takes place whenever a receiving device (e.g., multi-transport receiving device  135 ) receives broadcast transmission signals.  
         [0045]     The process  500  is illustrated as a collection of blocks in a logical flow graph, which represent a sequence of operations that can be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination thereof. In the context of software, the blocks represent computer instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, perform the recited operations. The process  500  is described with reference to multi-standard receiving device  135  of  FIG. 2 , although the process may be implemented in other devices.  
         [0046]     At block  505 , multi-standard receiving device  135  receives a broadcast transmission signal that may in the form or one or more communication signals (e.g., signals,  110 ,  115 , and  130  of  FIG. 1 ) which may be an analog RF signal, a digital signal from a network, satellite signal, microwave signal and any other communication signal. The broadcast transmission signal is transmitted from broadcasters  105  using a particular television transmission standard. The broadcast transmission signal is received at physical receiver  200  or through an I/O  205 , and to tuner(s)  210 .  
         [0047]     At block  510 , controller  250  of multi-standard receiving device  135  calls up and installs, or initiates an instance of a particular transport specific recorder  225  capable of processing the digital bit stream based on a particular transmission standard.  
         [0048]     At block  515 , audio, video, and metadata are processed and separated by transport filter graph  300  of transport specific recorder  225 . In other instances processes may only occur for audio, video, and/or data. In this example, an audio graph and video graph are created to process separated audio and video—and in certain cases, record audio and video content. Metadata is separated and further processed.  
         [0049]     At block  520 , metadata is sent from the filter graph  300  to GLID module  315 . GLID module  315  processes the metadata based on a particular television transmission standard. GLID module  315  particularly converts the transmission standard specific data into entries that are transmission standard agnostic. Information contained in the metadata is extracted as to information specific to particular fields defined by the predetermined format for data entries. The information is placed in a data entry defined by the predetermined format.  
         [0050]     At block  525 , the formatted data entry is sent to and stored in database  265  stored in memory  255  of multi-standard receiving device  135 . The database  265  includes multiple data entries provided by transport specific recorders  225 .  
         [0051]     At block  530 , an EPG may be populated with data entries in the database  265 . The EPG may be displayed as EPG UI  400  to a user through a display such as display device  145 . The user may manipulate the EPG entries (i.e., scroll through columns and rows) through a user interface to multi-standard receiving device  135 . Graphical interface icon  405  may be displayed along with EPG  400  to describe user control or interface with EPG UI  400 .  
       CONCLUSION  
       [0052]     The above-described receiving device creates normalized representation of various metadata received in multiple broadcast transmission signals using different transmission standards. Although the invention has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described. Rather, the specific features and acts are disclosed as exemplary forms of implementing the claimed invention.