Apple has been granted a patent for a “Channel Bar User Interface” for its Apple TV app.
About the patent
In the patent, Apple notes that for many years, broadcast television was the sole provider of video content to viewer’s homes across the globe. As time has passed, and particularly with the advent of the Internet, numerous other sources of video content have arisen. In addition to broadcast television, cable television and satellite based television providers have begun providing access to video on demand and other audio and video content.
In addition, special purpose set-top boxes, such as that provided by Roku, provided a gateway for viewer’s to access other sources of video content not provided by their television service provider. With such boxes, viewers were able to connect to these other content providers in order to obtain desired video content.
Apple says that, currently, there are countless video providers in the marketplace. In addition, music and other audio content is available through various communication channels. Many are subscription based services, and some provide free content. While the explosion of video content providers in the marketplace may seem a boon for viewer’s, the large number of choices and providers complicates the viewing experience.
Apple says that in view of all these factors improved media content delivery systems, methods and mechanisms are needed. An the company apparently thinks it can provide this with its Apple TV app.
Summary of the patent
Here’s Apple’s abstract of the patent: “Systems and methods for a media content user interface. A media content provider includes storage for storing and serving video content to subscribers. The media content provider records and or otherwise stores video content from around the world. Subscribers are provided a user interface to the system that includes a side bar. The side bar includes multiple elements representing different categories of video content.
“By selecting a given category, available content is filtered according to the selected category and presented. Content which is presented may include live broadcast video for multiple channels on multiple television networks or other content providers. The side bar may further include a collection category specific to a given viewer. Selection of such a category may display video content within the collection. Subcategories in the side bar may be selected for further filtering of available content.”
