Folder-style program guide with categories and sub-categories

• US 20020056104A1
• Filed: 06/28/2001
• Published: 05/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nishikawa, Yuko, Golden, Dayan, Burnhouse, Tara
• Application Number:
  US09/896,340
• Publication Number:
  US 20020056104A1
• 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 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A method and system for generating a folder guide used to generate tailored broadcast system electronic program guides is described. In one embodiment, at least one category folder is displayed. The user can then select a category folder of interest. Sub-category folders related to the selected category are then displayed. The user can then select one or more sub-category folders and generate a category specific electronic program guide automatically.

Claims

1. A method for generating an electronic program guide on a display device comprising generating a folder-style guide comprising:

generating at least one category folder, said at least one category folder generated on a display;

selecting one or more at least one category folders from said folder guide displayed;

generating on the display at least one sub-category folder for each selected at least one sub-category folder;

selecting at least one sub-category folder; and

generating an electronic program guide in accordance with the at least one sub-category folder selected.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein categories of category folders in said folder guide are selected from the group consisting of drama, sports, news, comedy, action, foreign, horror, education and children.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising modifying the folder style guide, said modifying selected from the group consisting of adding types of category folders, adding types of sub-category folders, adding types of programs, removing types of category folders, removing types of sub-category folders, removing types of programs, wherein said category of said folder in said folder guide being a type of category that may be created by a service provider or user, and said user or said service provider being able to add and delete folder categories at anytime.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the display from selecting said sub-category-folder comprises a return feature, said return feature selectable by a user, said selecting said return feature allowing a user to navigate back to a sub-category-folder previously selected.

5. A computer readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed by a processing system, perform a method for generation of a folder-style guide comprising:

generating at least one category folder, said at least one category folder generated on a display;

selecting at least one category folder from said folder guide displayed;

generating on the display at least one sub-category folder for each selected at least one sub-category folder;

selecting at least one sub-category folder; and

generating an electronic program guide in accordance with the at least one sub-category folder selected.

6. The machine-readable medium as set forth in claim 5, further comprising instructions, which when executed by a processing system, perform the steps of modifying the folder style guide, said modifying selected from the group consisting of adding types of category folders, adding types of sub-category folders, adding types of programs, removing types of category folders, removing types of sub-category folders, removing types of programs, wherein said category of said folder in said folder guide being a type of category that may be created by a service provider or user, and said user or said service provider being able to add and delete folder categories at anytime.

7. The machine-readable medium as set forth in claim 5, wherein the display in response to selecting said sub-category-folder comprises a return feature, said return feature selectable by a user, said selecting said return feature allowing a user to navigate back to sub-category-folder previously selected.

8. A folder-style guide comprising:

at least one category folder;

said category folder being associated with a type of programming, at least one sub-category folder within said category folder, said subcategory folder being associated with a type of sub-category of programming of one type of programming of the category folder; and

a display of programming associated with the at least one sub-category folder and displayed in response to a selection of a selected category folder of the at least one sub-category folder.

9. The folder-style guide of claim 8, wherein categories of category folders in said folder guide are selected from the group consisting of drama, sports, news, comedy, action, foreign, horror, education and children.