User interface for television schedule system

• US 5,479,268 A
• Filed: 02/18/1994
• Issued: 12/26/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Starsight Telecast Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Faber, michael W., Anderson, David, Young, Patrick, Roop, John H., Ebright, Allan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Tommy P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Truong, Khoi
• Application Number:
  US08/198,538
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 358/335, 358/310, 455/171.1, 455/186, 360/33.1, 360/69, 348/734, 348/906, 348/578, 348/6, 348/13, 345/146
• US Class Current: 386/291
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 30/00 Supersonic type aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 15/006 for operating at a number of different times cigar or cigarette receptacles or boxes with means for limiting the frequency of smoking A24F15/005
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04892 Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/023 remotely controlled
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/65 wherein solid state memory is used for storing indexing information or metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/80 Indexing information stored in optical or magnetic or other strip attached to cassette or disc, e.g. barcodes attached to a recording medium
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/107 of operating tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3054 Vertical Interval Time code [VITC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/324 Duty cycle modulation of control pulses, e.g. VHS-CTL-coding systems, RAPID-time code, VASS- or VISS-cue signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/328 on a tape [TTOC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/10 Indicating arrangements; Warning arrangements G11B15/04, G11B19/04, G11B27/34, G11B27/36 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• 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 21/42204 : 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 21/4314 : for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• 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 21/43622 : Interfacing an external recording device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4583 : Automatically resolving scheduling conflicts, e.g. when a recording by reservation has been programmed for two programs in the same time slot
• 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 21/482 : 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 21/4828 : for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 : End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4858 : for modifying screen layout parameters, e.g. fonts, size of the windows
• 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 21/858 : Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44504 : Circuit details of the additional information generator, e.g. details of the character or graphics signal generator, overlay mixing circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 : Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• 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 7/025 : Systems for the transmission of digital non-picture data, e.g. of text during the active part of a television frame transmission of digital non-picture data during the vertical blanking interval only H04N7/088
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 : the inserted signal being digital
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0888 : Subscription systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 : Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

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.

Claims

1. An interactive television schedule system, which comprises:

a television display,

means coupled to said television display for displaying the television schedule on said television display as a grid of two-dimensionally arranged, adjacent irregular cells which vary in length corresponding to time duration of programs, with a title of a program being displayed in each of said irregular cells, said grid having a plurality of channels listed in a first dimension and time listed in a second dimension,

user input means coupled to said means for displaying the television schedule, said user input means including a program selector and a movement control for a visual identification of ones of said irregular cells which initiates movement of said visual identification in the first dimension, and irregular movement of said visual identification in the second dimension in steps corresponding to variation in cell size, responsive to an input by a user to said movement control, between first and second ones of said irregular cells to select a desired one of said irregular cells corresponding to a desired program,

a tuner coupled to said user input means for tuning to the desired program, and

means coupled to said means for displaying the television schedule for displaying a program note overlay including a program description for the desired program on said television display.

2. The interactive television schedule system of claim 1 additionally comprising means coupled to said means for displaying the television schedule for selecting the desired visually identified program in response to activation of said program selector, and

a receiver coupled to said means for selecting the desired program to tune said receiver to a select channel for the desired program.

3. The interactive television schedule system of claim 1 additionally comprising means coupled to said means for displaying the television schedule for selecting the desired visually identified program in response to activation of said program selector, and

a recording device coupled to said means for selecting the desired program to record the desired program.

4. The interactive television schedule system of claim 1 in which said means for displaying the program note overlay is configured to display the program note overlay in different locations over said grid depending on a location of said visual identification on said grid to avoid masking said visual identification.

5. The interactive television schedule system of claim 4 in which said means for displaying the program note overlay is configured to display the program note overlay above said visual identification when said visual identification is near a bottom of said grid.

6. The interactive television schedule system of claim 4 in which said means for displaying the program note overlay is configured to display the program note overlay below said visual identification when said visual identification is near a top of said grid.

7. The interactive television schedule system of claim 1 in which said visual identification comprises a cursor.

8. An interactive television schedule system, which comprises:

a television display,

means coupled to said television display for displaying the television schedule on said television display as a grid of two-dimensionally arranged, adjacent irregular cells which vary in length corresponding to time duration of programs, with a title of a program being displayed in each of said irregular cells, said grid having a plurality of channels listed in a first dimension and time listed in a second dimension,

user input means coupled to said means for displaying the television schedule, said user input means including a program selector and a movement control for a visual identification of ones of said irregular cells which initiates movement of said visual identification in the first dimension, and irregular movement of said visual identification in the second dimension in steps corresponding to variation in cell size, responsive to an input by a user to said movement control, between first and second ones of said irregular cells to select a desired one of said irregular cells corresponding to a desired program,

means coupled to said means for displaying the television schedule for selecting the desired visually identified program in response to activation of said program selector,

means coupled to said means for displaying the television schedule for displaying a program note overlay including a program description for the desired program on said television display, and

a programmable tuner coupled to said means for selecting the desired program for tuning said programmable tuner to a selected channel for the desired program while the program note overlay is displayed on said television display.

9. The interactive television schedule system of claim 8 in which said visual identification comprises a cursor.

10. An interactive television schedule system, which comprises:

a television display,

means coupled to said television display for displaying the television schedule on said display as a grid of two-dimensionally arranged, adjacent irregular cells which vary in length corresponding to time duration of programs, with a title of a program being displayed in each of said irregular cells, said grid having a plurality of channels listed in a first dimension and time listed in a second dimension,

user input means coupled to said means for displaying the television schedule, said user input means including a program selector and a movement control for a visual identification of ones of said irregular cells which initiates movement of said visual identification in the first dimension, and irregular movement of said visual identification in the second dimension in steps corresponding to variation in cell size, responsive to an input by a user to said movement control, between first and second ones of said irregular cells to select a desired one of said irregular cells corresponding to a desired program,

means coupled to said means for displaying the television schedule for selecting the desired visually identified program in response to activation of said program selector,

means coupled to said means for displaying the television schedule for displaying a program note overlay including a program description for the desired program on said television display,

a recording device coupled to said means for selecting the desired program for recording the desired program, and

a tuner coupled to said program selector for tuning to the desired program while the program note overlay is displayed on said television display.

11. The interactive television schedule system of claim 10 in which said visual identification comprises a cursor.