Information system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of arranging and managing information for an on-screen electronic program guide having a display screen comprising the steps of:
- receiving television schedule information in a data stream;
displaying some of the television schedule information as a plurality of TV program listings in a guide format in a first area of the screen;
receiving user inputs for selecting a TV program from the displayed plurality of TV program listings;
simultaneous with the TV program listings, displaying promotional information other than TV program listings in a second area of the screen with the TV program listings, wherein the promotional information is displayed not in response to a user'"'"'s selection of the TV program and the displayed promotional information is responsive to inputs from the viewer; and
selecting the displayed promotional information after the promotional information is displayed to activate a function related to the promotional information displayed in the second area.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for displaying an electronic program schedule guide is provided. The system has areas for displaying program schedule information. In addition, the system also has areas that may be used for advertising programs, products or services. In another embodiment, the system has areas for displaying messages to the user.
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Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method of arranging and managing information for an on-screen electronic program guide having a display screen comprising the steps of:
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receiving television schedule information in a data stream;
displaying some of the television schedule information as a plurality of TV program listings in a guide format in a first area of the screen;
receiving user inputs for selecting a TV program from the displayed plurality of TV program listings;
simultaneous with the TV program listings, displaying promotional information other than TV program listings in a second area of the screen with the TV program listings, wherein the promotional information is displayed not in response to a user'"'"'s selection of the TV program and the displayed promotional information is responsive to inputs from the viewer; and
selecting the displayed promotional information after the promotional information is displayed to activate a function related to the promotional information displayed in the second area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An electronic program guide system comprising:
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a display screen;
a microprocessor;
a data stream for receiving television schedule information including information about television programs;
means for displaying some of the television schedule information as a plurality of TV program listings in a first area of the screen;
an input device for receiving user inputs for selecting a TV program from the displayed plurality of TV program listings;
means for simultaneous with the TV program listings, displaying promotional information other than TV program listings in a second area of the screen with the TV program listings, wherein the promotional information is displayed not in response to a user'"'"'s selection of the TV program and the displayed promotional information is responsive to inputs from the viewer; and
means for selecting the displayed promotional information after the promotional information is displayed to activate a function related to the promotional information displayed in the second area.
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23. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer and embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for arranging and managing information for an on-screen electronic program guide having a display screen, comprising the steps of:
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receiving television schedule information in a data stream;
displaying some of the television schedule information as a plurality of TV program listings in a first area of the screen;
receiving user inputs for selecting a TV program from the displayed plurality of TV program listings;
simultaneous with the TV program listings, displaying promotional information other than TV program listings in a second area of the screen, wherein the promotional information is displayed not in response to a user'"'"'s selection of the TV program and the displayed promotional information is responsive to inputs from the viewer; and
selecting the displayed promotional information after the promotional information is displayed to activate a function related to the promotional information displayed in the second area.
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24. A method of arranging and managing information for an on-screen electronic program guide having a display screen comprising the steps of:
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receiving television schedule information in a data stream from a remote site;
displaying some of the television schedule information as a plurality of TV program listings including time and channel for at least a portion of the displayed television schedule information in a first area of the screen;
receiving user inputs for selecting a TV program from the displayed plurality of TV program listings;
simultaneous with the TV program listings, displaying promotional information other than TV program listings in a second area of the screen, wherein the displayed promotional information is not directly determined by a user'"'"'s selection of the TV program; and
selecting the displayed promotional information after the promotional information is displayed to activate a function related to the promotional information displayed in the second area. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of arranging and managing information for an electronic program guide having a display screen comprising:
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receiving television schedule information and promotional information in a data stream;
displaying some of the television schedule information as a plurality of TV program listings in a grid guide format in a first area of the screen;
generating a promotional information other than TV program listings at a TV viewer'"'"'s site; and
simultaneous with the TV program listings, displaying the promotional information in a second area of the screen, wherein the promotional information is displayed not in response to the viewer'"'"'s selection of the displayed TV program listings and the displayed promotional information is responsive to inputs from the viewer. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of displaying promotional information for an on-screen electronic program guide having a display screen comprising the steps of:
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displaying a plurality of television schedule information items in the display screen in a guide format;
selecting promotional information other than displayed television schedule information items for display;
simultaneous with the displayed television schedule information items, displaying the selected promotional information; and
selecting the displayed promotional information to activate a function related to the displayed promotional information. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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Specification