Hughes Electronics Corporation

The Directv Group, Inc.

Other

Kenneth D Seibert

Robert G Arsenault

Tam T Leminh

Craig A Finseth

Jeffrey A Brown

Philip E Hsiao

Jeffrey L Sharkey

Glenn C Creel

A method, apparatus, and an article of manufacture provide the ability to transmit files/web content. Content files are gathered by a web caster application and the files are updated, fragmented, prepared, and scheduled for transmission. The web caster stores the files in an archive of prepared files and adds/updates a queue of files (sorted by date/time) that contain filenames of the files in the archive. A web player reads a file at the head of the queue and obtains the name and location of the archived file. The web player commands a transmission process to retrieve and transmit the appropriate file to a satellite for broadcasting to one or mote clients.

Method and apparatus for transmitting files

The apparatus and method of the present invention provides a direct-to-home integrated receiver/decoder (IRD) and a program for storing and displaying digital objects associated with an electronic television program guide using fuzzy logic. The method and apparatus maintains and adapts a user profile in order to efficiently select digital objects associated with an electronic program guide. The fuzzy logic based user profile may be used to select digital program guide objects for deletion from memory and/or to efficiently select digital program guide objects for display in an electronic program guide. Selection is based on fuzzy variables associated with the objects. In this manner, memory requirements and the number of programs displayed are reduced to decrease cost and reduce the amount of time a user must spend viewing the program guide.

Method and apparatus for storing and displaying digital objects associated with an electronic television program guide using fuzzy logic

Electronic television program guide information is downloaded, stored and searched by a local device. A plurality of linked lists are used to remove redundancy, increase search speed, and allow dynamic categories. When a new category is encountered a new head node for a link list data structure is created. When a first program guide object containing information related to that category is downloaded, a link is made (i.e., a pointer is stored) from the head node to the guide object. When subsequent program guide objects containing information related to that category are downloaded, links are added to the end of the list or inserted in alphabetical order. As guide objects expire the links are removed. When no links remain in a particular category the head node for that category is deleted.

Electronic television program guide data naming system and method

In a broadcast system such as a direct-to-home satellite system, program guide information for different time periods is transmitted on different carousels (e.g., one for 0-6 hours from current time, one for 6-24 hours, one for 24-72 hours, etc.) and broadcast on all transponders. Guide information for time periods in the near future is transmitted more frequently (i.e., less information per carousel) than guide information for later time periods. The receiving IRD sets a bit mask to indicate which carousel or carousels it requires and downloads them in serial or parallel. Updated information is never missed because it is given a bit pattern that is never screened by the mask. Further, the IRD can download the program guide information in the background (i.e., while displaying video) because it does not need to tune to a different transponder.

Carousel bit mask system and method

Efficient assembly and transmission of information to multiple receivers and efficient acquisition of information from multiple sources over a shared communication channel is provided. An adaptive fuzzy control system prioritizes files for broadcast delivery or acquisition. Files are assigned a degree of membership in fuzzy variables and mapped onto a multi-dimensional control surface to determine which files should be sent or acquired first. Each of the fuzzy variables is divided into sets wherein a particular file can be a member of more than one set at varying degrees. The control surface is periodically reshaped to adapt in a dynamic environment, thereby converging on the optimal solution for the current conditions.

Growing community of inventors

Redondo Beach, CA, United States of America

Kenneth D Seibert