Method and apparatus for transmitting, storing, and processing electronic program guide data for on-screen display

• US 20020147976A1
• Filed: 05/28/2002
• Published: 10/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1994
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Daniel S. Kwoh, Elsie Y. Leung, Henry C. Yuen, Roy J. Mankovitz
• Original Assignee: Daniel S. Kwoh, Elsie Y. Leung, Henry C. Yuen, Roy J. Mankovitz
• Inventors: Mankovitz, Roy J., Kwoh, Daniel S., Yuen, Henry C., Leung, Elsie Y.
• Application Number:
  US10/159,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20020147976A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• 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 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0884 for the transmission of additional display-information, e.g. menu for programme or channel selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0887 for the transmission of programme or channel identifying signals

Abstract

A television viewer uses a PIP format for display of program related information such as television program listings from a program schedule data base in the background and moving, real time images of a program selected from the displayed listings in the PIP window. All the text of the background information lies outside the PIP window. In one embodiment, as the viewer selects a particular program from the display of current television program listings by means of a cursor or a code number, the corresponding program automatically appears in the PIP window.

Claims

1. An electronic program guide comprising:

a display;

a memory configured to store electronic program guide data, the electronic program guide data including a plurality of titles of television programs;

a tuner configured to receive a television transmission including a plurality of television programs, the tuner coupled to the display, the tuner configured to display one of the plurality of television programs in a first area of the display;

a microprocessor coupled to the memory, the microprocessor configured to access the memory to recover the electronic program guide data, the microprocessor further coupled to the tuner;

a video processor coupled to the microprocessor, the video processor configured to selectively display a first portion of the plurality of titles from the recovered electronic program guide data and a second portion of the plurality of titles from the recovered electronic program guide data in a second area of the display; and

an input device coupled to the microprocessor, the input device configured to highlight titles in the second area of the display, wherein in a first mode the one of the plurality of television programs displayed in the first area corresponds to the highlighted one of the first portion of the plurality of titles, and in a second mode the highlighted one of the second portion of the plurality of titles is independent of the one of the plurality of television programs displayed in the first area.

2. The electronic program guide of claim 1, wherein the video processor is further configured to display a description in a third area of the display, wherein in the first mode the description corresponds to the highlighted one of the first portion of the plurality of titles and in the second mode the description corresponds to the highlighted one of the second portion of the plurality of titles.

3. The electronic program guide of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the plurality of titles includes titles for current television programs and the second portion of the plurality of titles includes titles for future television programs.

4. The electronic program guide of claim 1, wherein in the second mode the video processor is further configured to display a title on the display, the title corresponding to the one of the plurality of television programs displayed in the first area.

5. The electronic program guide of claim 1, wherein the video processor is further configured selectively display a third portion of the plurality of titles from the recovered electronic program guide data, wherein in a third mode the a highlighted one of the third portion of the plurality of titles is independent of the one of the plurality of television programs displayed in the first area.

6. The electronic program guide of claim 5, wherein the video processor is further configured to display a description in a third area of the display, wherein in the third mode the description corresponds to the highlighted one of the third portion of the plurality of titles.

7. The electronic program guide of claim 5, wherein the third portion of the plurality of titles includes titles for television programs available for viewing at a specified time.

8. The electronic program guide of claim 7, wherein the input device is further configured to selectively input the specified time.

9. The electronic program guide of claim 5, wherein in the third mode the video processor is further configured to display a title on the display, the title corresponding to the one of the plurality of television programs displayed in the first area.

10. The electronic program guide of claim 1, wherein the electronic program guide data further includes category information, the video processor further configured selectively display a list of categories, the input device further configured to highlight categories in the second area of the display, wherein in a third mode the a highlighted one of the list of categories is independent of the one of the plurality of television programs displayed in the first area.

11. The electronic program guide of claim 10, wherein the video processor is further configured to display category information in a third area of the display, the category information corresponding to the highlighted category.

12. The electronic program guide of claim 10, wherein the input device is further configured to select the highlighted category, the video processor further configured to display a plurality of subcategories in the second area of the display, the plurality of subcategories corresponding to the selected category.

13. The electronic program guide of claim 5, wherein the electronic program guide data further includes category information, the video processor further configured selectively display a list of categories, the input device further configured to highlight categories in the second area of the display, wherein in a third mode the a highlighted one of the list of categories is independent of the one of the plurality of television programs displayed in the first area.

14. The electronic program guide of claim 13, wherein the video processor is further configured to display category information in a third area of the display, the category information corresponding to the highlighted category.

15. The electronic program guide of claim 13, wherein the input device is further configured to select the highlighted category, the video processor further configured to display a plurality of subcategories in the second area of the display, the plurality of subcategories corresponding to the selected category.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

displaying a description in a third area of the display, wherein the description corresponds to the highlighted title in the second area of the display.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the first portion of the plurality of titles includes titles for current television programs and the second portion of the plurality of titles includes titles for future television programs.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

displaying on the display, in the second mode, a title corresponding to the displayed one of the plurality of television programs.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

further selectively displaying a third portion of the plurality of titles in the second area of the display, wherein a highlighted title in the third portion of the plurality of titles is independent of the displayed one of the plurality of television programs in the first area.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

displaying a description in a third area of the display, wherein the description corresponds to highlighted title in the second area of the display.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein displaying a third portion of the plurality of titles in the second area of the display includes displaying titles of television programs available for viewing at a specified time.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

selecting the specified time using an input device coupled to the microprocessor.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

displaying on the display, in the second mode, a title corresponding to the displayed one of the plurality of television programs.

25. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

further selectively displaying a list of categories in the second area of the display, wherein a highlighted category in the list of categories is independent of the displayed one of the plurality of television programs in the first area.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

displaying category information in a third area of the display, the category information corresponding to the highlighted category.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

selecting the highlighted category using an input device coupled to the microprocessor; and

displaying a plurality of subcategories in the second area of the display, the plurality of subcategories corresponding to the selected category.

28. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

further selectively displaying a list of categories in the second area of the display, wherein a highlighted category in the list of categories is independent of the displayed one of the plurality of television programs in the first area.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

displaying category information in a third area of the display, the category information corresponding to the highlighted category.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

selecting the highlighted category using an input device coupled to the microprocessor; and

displaying a plurality of subcategories in the second area of the display, the plurality of subcategories corresponding to the selected category.

16. A method for processing electronic program guide data comprising:

receiving a transmission comprising a plurality of television programs;

storing electronic program guide data in a memory, the electronic program guide data including a plurality of titles;

retrieving the electronic program guide data from memory;

displaying one of the plurality of television programs in a first area of a display;

selectively displaying a first portion of the plurality of titles and a second portion of the plurality of titles in a second area of the display; and

wherein a highlighted title in the first portion of the plurality of titles corresponds to the displayed one of the plurality of television programs in the first area, and a highlighted title in the second portion of the plurality of titles is independent of the displayed one of the plurality of television programs in the first area.