Passive program completion status indicator for an electronic program guide

• US 20020144264A1
• Filed: 03/27/2001
• Published: 10/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Digeo Incorporated (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Broadus, Charles R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,203,952 B2
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

A line indicating the current time is displayed across at least a portion of an electronic program guide (EPG). The line is perpendicular to the time axis of the EPG and bisects at least one program element of the EPG into an elapsed portion and a remaining portion, each being proportional in size to the time periods represented thereby. The ratio of the elapsed time to the running time of the program is an indication of the completion status of the program. In certain implementations, the line bisects a plurality of elements of the EPG, allowing the user to immediately determine the completion status of a plurality of programs.

Claims

1. A method for indicating a completion status of a media program, the method comprising:

displaying an electronic program guide (EPG) having first and second axes and a plurality of elements, the first axis corresponding to a plurality of media providers, the second axis corresponding to a plurality of time slots, each element corresponding to a media; and

displaying a line indicating a current time across at least a portion of the EPG, wherein the line is perpendicular to the second axis and bisects an element of the EPG into an elapsed portion and a remaining portion, the elapsed portion being proportional in size to an elapsed time of a media program corresponding to the element, and the remaining portion being proportional in size to a remaining time thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the line bisects a plurality of elements of the EPG.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the media program is selected from the group consisting of a television program, a radio program, a streaming video program, and a streaming audio program.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

moving the line along the second axis to indicate a change in the current time.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a separate visual indication of a completion status for a media program in response to a corresponding element not being fully displayed on the EPG.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the separate visual indication is displayed on the corresponding element.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the separate visual indication is selected from the group consisting of a pie chart, a ratio bar graph, and a numeric value indicating a completed percentage of a corresponding media program.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the separate visual indication comprises an elapsed portion and a remaining portion, the elapsed portion being proportional in size to an elapsed time of a corresponding media program, the remaining portion being proportional in size to a remaining time thereof.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the elapsed portion is displayed in a first color and the remaining portion is displayed in a second color.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first color is red.

11. A system for indicating a completion status of a media program, the system comprising:

an electronic program guide (EPG) component for displaying an EPG having first and second axes and a plurality of elements, the first axis corresponding to a plurality of media providers, the second axis corresponding to a plurality of time slots, each element corresponding to a media program; and

a completion status component configured to display a line indicating a current time across at least a portion of the EPG, wherein the line is perpendicular to the second axis and bisects an element of the EPG into an elapsed portion and a remaining portion, the elapsed portion being proportional in size to an elapsed time of a media program corresponding to the element, the remaining portion being proportional in size to a remaining time thereof.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the line bisects a plurality of elements of the EPG.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the completion status component is configured to move the line along the second axis to indicate a change in the current time.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the media program is selected from the group consisting of a television program, a radio program, a streaming video program, and a streaming audio program.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the completion status component is further configured to display a separate visual indication of a completion status for a media program in response to a corresponding element not being fully displayed on the EPG.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the separate visual indication is displayed on the corresponding element.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the separate visual indication is selected from the group consisting of a pie chart, a ratio bar graph, and a numeric value indicating a completed percentage of a corresponding media program.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the separate visual indication comprises an elapsed portion and a remaining portion, the elapsed portion being proportional in size to an elapsed time of a corresponding media program, the remaining portion being proportional in size to a remaining time thereof.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the elapsed portion is displayed in a first color and the remaining portion is displayed in a second color.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first color is red.

21. A user interface for indicating a completion status of a media program, the user interface comprising:

an electronic program guide (EPG) having first and second axes and a plurality of elements, the first axis corresponding to a plurality of media providers, the second axis corresponding to a plurality of time slots, each element corresponding to a media program; and

a line indicating a current time displayed across at least a portion of the EPG, wherein the line is perpendicular to the second axis and bisects an element of the EPG into an elapsed portion and a remaining portion, the elapsed portion being proportional in size to an elapsed time of a media program corresponding to the element, the remaining portion being proportional in size to a remaining time thereof.

22. The user interface of claim 21, wherein the line bisects a plurality of elements of the EPG.

23. The user interface of claim 21, wherein the line is configured to move along the second axis to indicate a change in the current time.

24. The user interface of claim 21, wherein the media program is selected from the group consisting of a television program, a radio program, a streaming video program, and a streaming audio program.

25. The user interface of claim 21, further comprising:

a separate visual indication of a completion status for a media program displayed in response to a corresponding element not being fully displayed on the EPG.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the separate visual indication is displayed on the corresponding element.

27. The user interface of claim 25, wherein the separate visual indication is selected from the group consisting of a pie chart, a ratio bar graph, and a numeric value indicating a completed percentage of a corresponding media program.

28. The user interface of claim 25, wherein the separate visual indication comprises an elapsed portion and a remaining portion, the elapsed portion being proportional in size to an elapsed time of a corresponding media program, the remaining portion being proportional in size to a remaining time thereof.

29. The user interface of claim 28, wherein the elapsed portion is displayed in a first color and the remaining portion is displayed in a second color.

30. The user interface of claim 29, wherein the first color is red.