INTERACTIVE TELEVISION PROGRAM GUIDE SYSTEM WITH OPERATOR SHOWCASE
First Claim
1. A system for providing an interactive television program guide on user television equipment that contains a database of television listings data, the program guide displaying at least one operator showcase television listings screen on the user television equipment based on content criteria selected by a service provider, comprising:
- means for providing the content criteria selected by the service provider to the user equipment without intervention by the user;
means for generating a set of television listings information for the operator showcase television listings screen from the television listings data in the database based on the content criteria provided to the user equipment; and
means for displaying the set of television listings information in the operator showcase television listings screen on the user equipment.
14 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system is provided in which an interactive television program guide is implemented on user television equipment such as a set-top box. The program guide provides an operator showcase in the form of one or more operator showcase television listings screens, each of which contains a set of television listings information. The sets of television listings information are generated by querying a database of television listings data in a database in the set-top box. Each database query is based on content criteria previously selected by the cable system operator or other service provider. The service provider is also able to define the format with which the television listings information is displayed in the television listings screens. A title and logos may also be selected by the service provider for each screen. The operator showcase television listings screens may therefore by customized and branded by the service provider. The user may access multiple operator showcase television listings screens using a centralized operator showcase menu.
70 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A system for providing an interactive television program guide on user television equipment that contains a database of television listings data, the program guide displaying at least one operator showcase television listings screen on the user television equipment based on content criteria selected by a service provider, comprising:
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means for providing the content criteria selected by the service provider to the user equipment without intervention by the user;
means for generating a set of television listings information for the operator showcase television listings screen from the television listings data in the database based on the content criteria provided to the user equipment; and
means for displaying the set of television listings information in the operator showcase television listings screen on the user equipment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for providing an interactive television program guide on user television equipment that contains a database of television listings data, the program guide displaying at least one operator showcase television listings screen on the user television equipment based on content criteria selected by a service provider, comprising the steps of:
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providing the content criteria selected by the service provider to the user equipment without intervention by the user;
generating a set of television listings information for the operator showcase television listings screen from the television listings data in the database based on the content criteria provided to the user equipment; and
displaying the set of television listings information in the operator showcase television listings screen on the user equipment. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification