Dish Technologies L.l.c.

Echostar Technologies Corporation

Charter Communications Operating, LLC

Dish Network LLC

Echostar Technologies International Corporation

Gregory H Greene

David Innes

Wen-Yen Picard Huang

Stephen Bartlett

David L Temlak

Systems and methods provide presentation control of media content. An exemplary embodiment receives media content that is currently received in a broadcasted media content stream; presents on a display a first presentation area, wherein the first presentation area presents a video portion of the media content; receives a user command that initiates a video presentation trick function; and presents in response to the user command a second presentation area, wherein the second presentation area presents the video portion of the media content in accordance with the video presentation trick function, and wherein the first presentation area and the second presentation area are concurrently presented on the display.

Apparatus, systems and methods for trick function viewing of media content

A set-top box or other receiving device may detect such channels that the EPG cursor visits frequently, visits for relatively long periods of time or that are frequently displayed on the screen in the electronic program guide (EPG), or otherwise frequently visited or viewed. The system determines that such channels are those that the user is likely to return to when browsing the EPG in the future and then adapts the EPG to present such channels on top of the EPG together with each other separately from the other full list of channels presented in the. This may be performed each time the EPG is opened. A customized EPG having the particular group of channels presented according a specific identified user's previous channel browsing activity may also be generated.

Systems and methods for an adaptive electronic program guide

Systems and methods of a media device are operable to perform a channel change operation. An exemplary embodiment receives a first data table from a data table server, wherein the first data table comprises first control information used to perform a channel change operation such that the media device reconfigures itself to change to a new channel from a currently presenting channel or to a new media content event from a currently presenting media content event. The exemplary embodiment later receives a second data table after initiation of the channel change operation, wherein the second data table is broadcast to the media device in one of a plurality of received broadcasting media content streams that has the new media content event, and wherein the second data table comprises second control information that corresponds to at least some of the first control information used to perform the channel change operation.

Apparatus, systems and methods for reducing time required for a media content event channel change

Systems and methods control presentation of audio-only content that is broadcast to a media device. An exemplary embodiment receives media content that is currently received in a channel of a broadcasted media content stream; determines whether the currently received channel is a type of channel that provides audio/visual content or a type of channel that provides audio-only content; controls presentation of the received media content using at least one audio/visual content control function in response to determining that the currently received channel is the type of channel that provides audio/visual content; controls presentation of the received media content using at least one audio-only content control function in response to determining that the currently received channel is the type of channel that provides audio-only content, wherein the at least one audio/visual content control function is different from the at least one audio-only content control function.

Apparatus, systems and methods for song play using a media device having a buffer

A graphics adjustment system detects the video resolution of digital video to be output by a receiving device and saves the graphics settings input by the user when the user adjusts the graphics settings on the receiving device such that the digital video being presented in the presentation device is not cut off due to overscanning. The system saves the graphics adjustment settings as the setting to use going forward for digital video of that same resolution for that particular presentation device. In this manner, the digital video output from the receiving device will not be cut off when presented on the presentation device, even when the receiving device is switching between receiving digital video programming of different resolutions from various program distributors and/or the content providers.

Systems and methods for graphics adjustment based on output resolution

Media content presentation systems and methods are operable to present media content received by a media device, wherein the media device comprises a plurality of tuner systems. An exemplary embodiment tunes the plurality of tuners to receive different broadcasting media content streams each comprising a streaming media content event; communicates the streaming media content events from the receiving tuner to a corresponding tuner buffer of the tuner system; and stores a portion of the streaming media content events into the corresponding tuner buffers. When a user selection is received for presentation of one of the streaming media content events, the selected one of the streaming media content events are presented to a user of the media device.

Apparatus, systems and methods for buffering of media content

Apparatus and methods for testing a cable connection in order to determine whether the cable connection can adequately support delivery of one or more services delivered from a service provider infrastructure. In one embodiment, the methods and apparatus are adapted to detect RF signals on a coaxial cable connection or outlet within a premises, evaluate the signals, and determine the readiness status thereof based on the evaluation. In one variant, an algorithm is used for the evaluation of the RF signals, and is dependent on at least a geographical location of the cable outlet being tested. The algorithm evaluates a list of prospective RF channels for signal strength so as to correlate or exclude any signals present from one or more types of sources (e.g., OTA broadcasts, satellite service providers, etc.).

Methods and apparatus for assessing a cable connection

A smart multimedia content receiver automatically resizes video images based on the content being displayed on the TV screen. Such a self-formatting content receiver includes on-board image processing capability that provides continuous video analysis to detect changes in program formatting and convert each frame as it is received in real time, as opposed to processing and re-releasing an entire program or movie, or relying on the viewer to re-format programs manually. In response to detecting a change, aspect ratio adjustments are made as needed. Because the self-formatting content receiver has access to the video data before it is displayed, such automatic on-the-fly adjustments ensure that the viewer's experience during program changes is seamless and without distortion. Subscribers can influence decisions made by the content receiver by pre-setting viewer preferences for aspect ratio adjustment.

Automatic program formatting for TV displays

A receiving device may assign a remote-control device of the receiving device to a special mode by storing an association of an identifier unique to the remote-control device with the particular special mode. The receiving device may receive a command from the remote-control device and determine that there has been a special mode assigned to the remote-control device based on the stored association of the identifier unique to the remote-control device with the particular special mode. The receiving device will then interpret the command received from the remote-control device according to how commands are to be processed in the special mode. The receiving device having the remote-control device assigned to the special mode may cause the receiving device to execute a different command or process than it would have normally performed when receiving such a command from a remote-control device that is not assigned to the special mode.

Growing community of inventors

Littleton, CO, United States of America

Gregory H Greene