Information processing device and method, and recording medium

• US 20020078448A1
• Filed: 08/17/2001
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Wakahara, Tatsuya
• Application Number:
  US09/931,798
• Publication Number:
  US 20020078448A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/39
• 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 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4858 for modifying screen layout parameters, e.g. fonts, size of the windows
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73

Abstract

In a program table displayed on the screen of a television receiver, past programs (programs which already have been broadcast), programs currently being broadcast and future programs (programs which will be broadcast) are displayed with different colors so as to be distinguishable from one another. A selected program frame is displayed with still another color. When the selected program frame is a program currently being broadcast, the display is switched to the selected program, and when it is a future program, a process of programming the recording of the selected program is executed.

Claims

1. An information processing device for displaying an electronic programming guide, comprising

a display including representations of a past program whose broadcast time is prior to a present time, a present program whose broadcast time contains said present time and a future program whose broadcast time is subsequent to said present time, said representation of said past program being in a first color, said representation of said present program being in a second color different from said first color, and said representation of said future program being in a third color different from said first and second colors.

2. The information processing device as claimed in claim 1, said display further includes a representation of a program selected by a user, said representation of said selected program being displayed in a fourth color different from said first, second and third colors.

3. The information processing device as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a cursor, said cursor being located on said representation of said program selected by the user.

4. The information processing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first, second and third colors are set according to the user'"'"'s favorite colors.

5. The information processing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said display always includes a latest electronic program guide containing said present time.

6. A method for controlling the display of an electronic program guide, comprising:

displaying in a first color a representation of a past program whose broadcast time is prior to a present time;

displaying in a second color different from said first color a representation of a present program whose broadcast time contains said present time; and

displaying in a third color a representation of a future program whose broadcast time is subsequent to said present time, said third color being different from said first and second colors.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

selecting a program; and

displaying in a fourth color a representation of said selected program, said fourth color being different from said first, second and third colors.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said selecting step includes locating a cursor on said representation of said selected program.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said first, second and third colors are set according to a user'"'"'s favorite colors.

10. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said displaying steps display said electronic program guide so that a latest electronic program guide containing said present time is displayed at all times.

11. A recording medium recorded with a computer-readable program for controlling the display of an electronic program guide, the program comprising:

displaying in a first color a representation of a past program whose broadcast time is prior to a present time;

displaying in a second color different from said first color a representation of a present program whose broadcast time contains said present time; and

displaying in a third color a representation of a future program whose broadcast time is subsequent to said present time, said third color being different from said first and second colors.

12. The recording medium as claimed in claim 11, wherein said program further comprises:

selecting a program; and

displaying in a fourth color a representation of said selected program, said fourth color being different from said first, second and third colors.

13. The recording medium as claimed in claim 12, wherein said selecting step includes locating a cursor on said representation of said selected program.

14. The recording medium as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first, second and third colors are set according to a user'"'"'s favorite colors.

15. The recording medium as claimed in claim 11, wherein said displaying steps display said electronic program guide so that a latest electronic program guide containing said present time is displayed at all times.