Interactive program guide systems and processes

• US 20040078815A1
• Filed: 11/21/2003
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1995
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Lemmons, Thomas R., Henshaw, Jerry D., Allison, Donald W., Marshall, Connie T.
• Application Number:
  US10/719,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20040078815A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• 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 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape

Abstract

Interactive program guide systems and related processes are provided which can automatically tune a television, or program a VCR, based on program selections made from program schedule information displayed on a television or other suitable video monitor. The interactive program guide is preferably implemented using a microprocessor-controlled set-top box that is coupled to the viewer'"'"'s television set. The set-top box receives program schedule information and software from a headend telecasting center. Preferably, program schedule information for the current day and at least six subsequent days is stored in a memory within the set-top box. The interactive program guide provides a display mode for allowing the viewer to apply a restrictive search selection criterion and a nonrestrictive sort attribute to the program schedule information.

Claims

1. An interactive program guide system for allowing viewer selection of television programs from selected program schedule information displayed on a display, the system comprising:

tuning circuitry for receiving as input, television signals corresponding to a plurality of television channels and for providing an output television signal corresponding to a selected one of said channels;

memory for storing program schedule information;

a user input device for providing user inputs including a nonrestrictive program sort attribute, and a program choice; and

a control unit for (a) receiving said user inputs, (b) selecting from said memory, program schedule information meeting said restrictive program selection criterion for display on said display, (c) causing said display to display said selected program schedule information in an order prescribed by said nonrestrictive program sort attribute, and (d) causing said tuning circuitry to provide said output television signal in accordance with said program choice made from said selected program schedule information.