Interactive scroll program guide
First Claim
1. A system interactively controlled by a remote control for displaying scroll program guide data on a display screen comprising:
- a tuner having an input for receiving television signals corresponding to a plurality of television channels and an output for providing an output television program signal corresponding to a selected one of said channels;
a processor having input means for receiving control signals from the remote control, output means for directing said tuner to tune to said selected one of said channels in response to one of said control signals from said remote control, means for receiving said scroll program guide data, and means for generating a scroll picture image corresponding to a portion of said scroll program guide data; and
means for continuously and smoothly scrolling said scroll picture image on said display screen as scrolling grid, said processor being responsive to a single forward control signal from said remote control to initiate continuous and smooth scrolling of said grid in a forward direction in pixel line increments, being responsive to a single reverse control signal from said remote control that is different than said single forward control signal to initiate continuous and smooth scrolling of said grid in a reverse direction in pixel line increments, and being responsive to a single stop control signal from said remote control to stop said continuously and smoothly scrolling grid from scrolling.
17 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system interactively controlled by a TV viewer remote control transmitter displays portions of a scroll program guide on the viewer'"'"'s display screen. A tuner receives TV radio frequency or optical transmission signals in a plurality of cable channels and passes a viewer usable signal to a signal combiner. A computer receives control signals from the TV viewer remote control transmitter. It controls the tuner to pass the viewer usable signal in response to one of the control signals. It 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. The signal combiner combines the viewer usable signal from the tuner with the output picture image signal from the computer to provide a display signal for input to the viewer'"'"'s display screen. The computer is responsive to variable control signals from the remote to advance, back up, and freeze the scroll output picture image signal. It is also responsive to directional control signals from the remote to reposition "highlight" background to corresponding program data slots on the scroll grid and to display further program information coresponding to the program of the data slot shown in "highlight". In addition, it is responsive to further directional control signals to redraw the grid to display earlier or later time segment program data than is normally displayed on the viewer'"'"'s screen.
127 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A system interactively controlled by a remote control for displaying scroll program guide data on a display screen comprising:
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a tuner having an input for receiving television signals corresponding to a plurality of television channels and an output for providing an output television program signal corresponding to a selected one of said channels; a processor having input means for receiving control signals from the remote control, output means for directing said tuner to tune to said selected one of said channels in response to one of said control signals from said remote control, means for receiving said scroll program guide data, and means for generating a scroll picture image corresponding to a portion of said scroll program guide data; and means for continuously and smoothly scrolling said scroll picture image on said display screen as scrolling grid, said processor being responsive to a single forward control signal from said remote control to initiate continuous and smooth scrolling of said grid in a forward direction in pixel line increments, being responsive to a single reverse control signal from said remote control that is different than said single forward control signal to initiate continuous and smooth scrolling of said grid in a reverse direction in pixel line increments, and being responsive to a single stop control signal from said remote control to stop said continuously and smoothly scrolling grid from scrolling.
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2. A system interactively controlled by a remote control for displaying scroll program guide data on a display screen comprising:
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means for receiving said scroll program guide data; means for displaying said scroll program guide data on said display screen as a continuously, smoothly, and automatically scrolling grid, said means for displaying being responsive to a single forward control signal from said remote control to continuously and smoothly scroll said grid in a forward direction in pixel line increments, being responsive to a single reverse control signal from said remote control that is different than said single forward control signal to continuously and smoothly scroll said grid in a reverse direction in pixel line increments, and being responsive to a single stop control signal from said remote control to stop said continuously and smoothly scrolling grid from scrolling in pixel line increments; and means for adjusting the speed at which said continuously and smoothly scrolling grid is automatically scrolled. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of displaying television program guide data on a display using a program guide system, comprising the steps of:
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receiving scroll program guide data; displaying said scroll program guide data on said display in the form of a continuously, smoothly, and automatically scrolling grid; directing the grid to continuously and smoothly scroll in a forward direction in pixel line increments by transmitting a single forward control signal from a remote control to said program guide system; directing the grid to continuously and smoothly scroll in a reverse direction in pixel line increments by transmitting a single reverse control signal from said remote control that is different than said single forward control signal to said program guide system; stopping the grid from continuously and smoothly scrolling in pixel line increments by transmitting a single stop control signal from said remote control to said program guide system; and adjusting the speed at which said continuously and smoothly scrolling grid is automatically scrolled. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of displaying television program guide data on a display using a program guide system, comprising the steps of:
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receiving scroll program guide data; displaying said scroll program guide data on said display as a continuously, smoothly, and automatically scrolling grid; directing the grid to continuously and smoothly scroll in a forward direction in pixel line increments by transmitting a single forward control signal from a remote control to said program guide system; directing the grid to continuously and smoothly scroll in a reverse direction in pixel line increments by transmitting a single reverse control signal from said remote control to said program guide system; and stopping the grid from continuously and smoothly scrolling by transmitting a single stop control signal from said remote control to said program guide system.
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Specification