The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 31, 2006
Filed:
Mar. 16, 2000
Thomas Patrick Newberry, Westfield, IN (US);
Liangzhone Wang, Carmel, IN (US);
Glen Wakeman Ruch, Indianapolis, IN (US);
Steven Charles Rhoads, Carmel, IN (US);
Thomas Patrick Newberry, Westfield, IN (US);
Liangzhone Wang, Carmel, IN (US);
Glen Wakeman Ruch, Indianapolis, IN (US);
Steven Charles Rhoads, Carmel, IN (US);
Thomson Licensing, Boulogne-Billancourt, FR;
Abstract
A system of defining, creating and decoding composite virtual channels advantageously supports dynamic channel and event substitution. A method, for use in a decoder for acquiring a program conveyed on more than one broadcast channel, involves generating a program guide display. The program guide display lists programs being broadcast on a plurality of broadcast channels during specified broadcast time segments and also lists a particular program on both a first and a second broadcast channel. The particular program is acquired from the first broadcast channel in response to user selection of either of the first and second broadcast channels. A plurality of prioritized channel maps are used in substituting an alternative program for a first program on a broadcast channel.