Patent ID: 7028331

Claim:
A system configured for decoupling and encapsulating television broadcast content information in a digital television environment, the system comprising: (a) a central processing unit; (b) a hardware abstraction layer processed by said central processing unit, said hardware abstraction layer divided into a plurality of modules including (i) a hardware configuration abstraction layer configured to decouple a hardware configuration and (ii) a content proxy configured to decouple a television broadcast stream; (c) a memory module electrically coupled to said central processing unit; (d) a single reference data structure contained and stored on said memory module, said single reference data structure capable of receiving and storing said television broadcast content information, said television broadcast content information processed by said central processing unit such that said content proxy assembly decouples said television broadcast stream and encapsulates said television content information within said single reference data structure; (e) an application program interface for providing a single unified access interface to said encapsulated television content information, wherein all of said television content information is accessed through said application program interface; and (f) a routing module for subsequent synchronized routing of said encapsulated content information.