Television schedule system
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Screen (10) for a user interface of a television schedule system and process consists of an array (24) of irregular cells (26), which vary in length, corresponding to different television program lengths of one half hour to one-and-one half hours or more. The array is arranged as three columns (28) of one-half hour in duration, and twelve rows (30) of program listings. Some of the program listings overlap two or more of the columns (28) because of their length. Because of the widely varying length of the cells (26), if a conventional cursor used to select a cell location were to simply step from one cell to another, the result would be abrupt changes in the screen (10) as the cursor moved from a cell (26) of several hours length to an adjacent cell in the same row. An effective way of taming the motion is to assume that behind every array (24) is an underlying array of regular cells. By restricting cursor movements to the regular cells, abrupt screen changes will be avoided. With the cursor (32) , the entire cell (26) is 3-D highlighted, using a conventional offset shadow (34). The offset shadow (34) is a black bar that underlines the entire cell and wraps around the right edge of the cell. To tag the underlying position—which defines where the cursor (32) is and thus, where it will move next—portions (36) of the black bar outside the current underlying position are segmented, while the current position is painted solid.
150 Citations
61 Claims
-
1-30. -30. (canceled)
-
31. A method of navigating a data base of television program listings, the method comprising the steps of:
-
storing in electronic memory a channel listing and television program listings for a plurality of channels, the channel listing having a list of channel indicators for at least some of the plurality of channels;
displaying the list of channel indicators for the channel listing on a monitor screen; and
arranging the list of channel indicators for the channel listing in a user determined order, the user determined order based at least in part on a user selection of an order of a particular channel indicator within the list of channel indicators. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 41, 42, 43, 44)
-
-
37. An electronic program guide comprising:
-
a time and channel listing guide having a plurality of cells wherein television program listings for a plurality of channels in a channel listing are displayed, wherein the plurality of channels in the channel listing are arranged in a user determined order, the user determined order based at least in part on a user selection of an order of a particular channel within the channel listing. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
-
-
45. A system for displaying an electronic program guide comprising:
-
a memory for storing a channel listing and a plurality of television program listings, each of the plurality of television program listings corresponding to one or more channels;
an input coupled to the memory for receiving user commands; and
a processor coupled to the input, the processor configured to;
display the channel listing on a monitor screen, the channel listing including a plurality of channels;
receive a user determined channel listing order, the user determined channel listing order based at least in part on a user selection of an order of a particular channel within the channel listing; and
display an electronic program guide having at least some of the plurality of television program listings, wherein the order of displayed television program listings corresponds to at least a portion of the user determined channel listing order. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
-
-
52. A system for viewing television programs comprising:
-
a tuner;
a memory for storing a channel listing;
an input coupled to the memory for receiving user commands; and
a processor coupled to the input, the processor configured to;
display the channel listing on a monitor screen, the channel listing including a plurality of channels;
receive a user determined channel listing order, the user determined channel listing order based at least in part on a user selection of an order of a particular channel within the channel listing; and
command the tuner to sequentially tune to a plurality of television channels in an order corresponding to the user determined channel listing order. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
-
-
60. An apparatus for displaying an electronic program guide comprising:
-
means for storing a channel listing and a plurality of television program listings, each of the plurality of television program listings corresponding to one or more channels;
means for receiving user commands;
means for displaying the channel listing on a monitor screen, the channel listing including a plurality of channels;
means for receiving a user determined channel listing order, the user determined channel listing order based at least in part on a user selection of an order of a particular channel within the channel listing; and
means for displaying an electronic program guide having at least some of the plurality of television program listings, wherein the order of displayed television program listings corresponds to at least a portion of the user determined channel listing order.
-
-
61. An apparatus for viewing television programs comprising:
-
means for storing a channel listing;
means for receiving user commands;
means for displaying the channel listing on a monitor screen, the channel listing including a plurality of channels;
means for receiving a user determined channel listing order, the user determined channel listing order based at least in part on a user selection of an order of a particular channel within the channel listing; and
means for sequentially displaying a plurality of television programs in an order corresponding to the user determined channel listing order.
-
Specification