Use of rotating banners for items in grid epg

• US 20050235315A1
• Filed: 06/12/2003
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Baker, Keith
• Application Number:
  US10/518,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20050235315A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/44
• 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 method and apparatus for displaying information in cells of a grid electronic program guide is disclosed. A banner with the information for each cell of the grid electronic program guide is first stored in a memory. One or more cells are then selected. The banner in each selected cell is then rotated to display the banner a predetermined number of times.

Claims

1. A method of displaying information in cells of a grid electronic program guide, the method comprising the steps of:

storing a banner with the information for each cell of the grid electronic program guide;

selecting at least one cell; and

rotating the banner in each cell in the at least one selected cell to display the banner a predetermined number of times.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the banner for each cell is an animated GIF file.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cell is a column of cells.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cell is a row of cells.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the column of cells closest to the current time is selected.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of:

selecting successive columns of cells, starting with the column representing a second closest to the current time and rotating the banners in the selected column of cells a predetermined period of time.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one cell is selected by the user.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the user selects the at least one cell by using a pointing device.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

jittering the rotation speed of some banners to make the banners more difficult to read.

10. An apparatus for displaying information in cells of a grid electronic program guide, the apparatus comprising:

means for storing a banner with the information for each cell of the grid electronic program guide;

means for selecting at least one cell; and

means for rotating the banner in each cell in the at least one selected cell to display the banner a predetermined number of times.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the banner for each cell is an animated GIF file.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the at least one cell is a column of cells.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the at least one cell is a row of cells.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the column of cells closest to the current time is selected.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

means for selecting successive columns of cells, starting with the column representing a second closest to the current time and rotating the banners in the selected column of cells a predetermined period of time.

16. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the at least one cell is selected by the user.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the user selects the at least one cell by using a pointing device.

18. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

means for jittering the rotation speed of some banners to make the banners more difficult to read.

19. A computer program product enabling a programmable device, when executing said computer program product, to function as an apparatus as defined in claim 10.