Television program guide

• US 20010010094A1
• Filed: 01/16/2001
• Published: 07/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pace Micro Technology PLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Moir, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 7,200,854 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time

Abstract

The invention relates to a television or electronic program guide (EPG) of the type which is displayed on the screen of a television set to indicate channels, and programs, which are available for viewing over a time period indicated by a time bar (4). In accordance with the invention the length of the program is indicated by a cell in a displayed grid (2) and, if the program has started or will finish prior to or after the time period displayed, a display is generated which indicates to the viewer the time which has lapsed since the program started or the time remaining of the program.

Claims

1. A television programme guide display providing information relating to programmes which can be selected to be viewed, said display including a grid (2) having a time bar (4) to indicate the particular time period to which the display relates, a series of cells (10), each cell representing a programme, and one or a number of the cells representing a programme channel, at least one of said cells (10) selectable to select a programme for viewing and characterised in that if a programme indicated by a cell does not start or finish within the time period represented by the time bar (4) on the display, a display portion is generated on the display with respect to the said cell for the programme at an appropriate location and said display portion shows the time which has elapsed since the said programme started and/or which will lapse beyond the time period shown before the programme ends.

2. A television programme guide display according to

claim 1

characterised in that for any particular time period a plurality of cells (10) corresponding to a plurality of programmes show the time which has elapsed since each programme started and/or which will lapse beyond the time period shown before the programme ends.

3. A television programme guide display according to

claim 1

characterised in that the time displayed is calculated from the start or end times for the time period shown.

4. A television programme guide display according to

claim 1

characterised in that the time displayed is calculated with respect to the time at which the display is being viewed by the user.

5. A method of generating a television programme guide, said television programme guide including at least one display page comprising a grid (2), generating said grid (2) by providing a time bar (4), a series of cells (10), each cell indicating a programme to be shown on a particular channel over the time period displayed, and the size of each cell, indicating the start, finish and length of each programme with respect to the time bar (4) and characterised in that if a cell for a particular programme indicates that the said programme has already started prior to the time period displayed on the display page or finishes after the time period displayed on the display page, a calculation is undertaken between the start or finish times of the time bar (4) which is displayed and the start or finish times of the particular programme as appropriate and the difference is displayed with respect to the said programme cell on the display.

6. A method of generating a television guide display according to

claim 5

characterised in that the display is provided as an additional portion of the cell so that those cells which indicate programmes which have started or will finish outside the time period which is displayed on the display page, will protrude from the appropriate side edge of the grid (2) and, in said additional portion, will be displayed the time which has elapsed or will lapse from the start or before the finish of the programme as appropriate.

7. A method according to

claim 5

characterised in that the calculation, and data relating to the calculation, is transmitted from a broadcaster at a remote location to a broadcast data receiver so that, during the processing of the data, the broadcast data receiver can generate the display page to include said time indications.