Video mix program guide

• US 5,828,420 A
• Filed: 02/09/1996
• Issued: 10/27/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Prevue Networks Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Lemmons, Thomas R., Allison, Donald W., Marshall, Connie T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Application Number:
  US08/599,143
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 348/565, 348/589, 348/584, 348/13, 348/552, 348/563, 348/598, 348/906, 348/6, 348/7, 348/10, 348/12, 348/586, 348/564
• US Class Current: 725/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42653 for processing graphics
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0884 for the transmission of additional display-information, e.g. menu for programme or channel selection

Abstract

A system interactively controlled by a TV viewer remote superimposes portions of a scroll program guide over a basic programming signal for display on the viewer'"'"'s display screen. A tuner has an input for receiving TV signals in a plurality of cable channels and an output for passing a signal of any selected one of said channels. A computer has an input for receiving any of a plurality of control signals from the TV viewer remote and an output for controlling the tuner to pass the signal of the selected one of the channels in response to one of the plurality of control signals from the TV viewer remote. The computer receives and stores a scroll input picture image signal containing local program guide data and generates a scroll output picture image signal consisting of at least a portion of the scroll input picture image signal. A combiner superimposes output picture image signal over the passed signal to provide a display signal for input to the viewer'"'"'s display screen. The computer is responsive to control signals from the remote to cause the combiner to change the weight of the output picture image signal in relation to the passed signal.

Claims

1. A system interactively controlled by a remote control for displaying a program guide on a display screen, comprising:

a tuner for receiving television signals corresponding to a plurality of television channels and providing an output television signal corresponding to a selected television channel of the plurality of television channels;

computer circuitry for receiving control signals from the remote control and for receiving program guide data for the program guide, the computer circuitry generating a program guide output signal corresponding to at least a portion of the program guide data; and

superimposing circuitry for displaying the program guide with a perceived transparency on the selected television channel on the display screen by combining the program guide output signal and the output television signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer circuitry is responsive to control signals from the remote control that cause the superimposing circuitry to change a weight of the program guide output signal in relation to the output television signal, such that when the computer circuitry increases the weight of the program guide output signal, the combined signal generated by the superimposing circuitry causes a decrease in the perceived transparency of the displayed portions of the program guide on the display screen, thereby causing the selected television channel to appear less visible through the program guide.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the computer circuitry is responsive to control signals from the remote control to activate and deactivate the program guide, the computer circuitry setting the weight of the program guide output signal upon activation of the program guide to the weight set at the time of the most recent deactivation of the program guide.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer circuitry is responsive to control signals from the remote control that cause the superimposing circuitry to change a weight of the program guide output signal in relation to the output television signal, such that when the computer circuitry decreases the weight of the program guide output signal, the combined signal generated by the superimposing circuitry causes an increase in the perceived transparency of the displayed portions of the program guide on the display screen, thereby causing the selected television channel to appear more visible through the program guide.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the computer circuitry is responsive to control signals from the remote control to activate and deactivate the program guide, the computer circuitry setting the weight of the program guide output signal upon activation of the program guide to the weight set at the time of the most recent deactivation of the program guide.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the program guide output signal comprises a scroll program guide output signal for causing the display screen to display a scrolling program guide.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the display screen displays information representing the weight of the program guide output signal in relation to the output television signal.

8. A method of displaying a program guide on a display screen comprising the steps of:

receiving television signals corresponding to a plurality of television channels;

providing an output television signal corresponding to a selected television channel of the plurality of television channels;

receiving program guide data for the program guide;

generating a program guide output signal corresponding to at least a portion of the program guide data; and

displaying the program guide with a perceived transparency on the selected television channel on the display screen by combining the program guide output signal and the output television signal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the program guide output signal has a viewer selectable weight in relation to the output television signal, the method further comprising the step of increasing the weight of the program guide output signal, thereby causing a decrease in the perceived transparency of the displayed portions of the program guide on the display screen and causing the selected television channel to appear less visible through the displayed portions of the program guide.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of setting the weight of the program guide output signal upon activation of the program guide to the weight set at the time of the most recent deactivation of the program guide.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the program guide output signal has a viewer selectable weight in relation to the output television signal, the method further comprising the step of decreasing the weight of the program guide output signal, thereby causing an increase in the perceived transparency of the displayed portions of the program guide on the display screen and causing the selected television channel to appear more visible through the displayed portions of the program guide.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of setting the weight of the program guide output signal upon activation of the program guide to the weight set at the time of the most recent deactivation of the program guide.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the program guide output signal comprises a scroll program guide output signal, the method further comprising the step of displaying a scrolling program guide on the display screen.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of displaying information representing the weight of the program guide output signal in relation to the output television signal on the display screen.