System and method for using television schedule information

• US 6,323,911 B1
• Filed: 04/28/1997
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Starsight Telecast Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Alba, Theresa, Hunwick, Keith, Leftwich, James J., Schein, Steven M., King, Molly K., Folker, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lo, Linus H.
• Application Number:
  US08/847,726
• Time in Patent Office: 1,674 Days
• Field of Search: 348/563, 348/564, 348/565, 348/569, 348/906, 348/552, 345/902, 725/56-59
• US Class Current: 348/552
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/063 Setting decision thresholds using feedback techniques only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4181 for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4182 for identification purposes, e.g. storing user identification data, preferences, personal settings or data restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code in combination with an additional device, e.g. dongle or smart card G06F21/123
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/422 Input-only peripherals , i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] input devices also receiving signals from specially adapted client devices H04N21/4104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• 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 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42214 using alphanumerical characters
• 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 21/433 Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• 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 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 : Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 : End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 : for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 : for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• 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 21/4722 : for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 : for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 : for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 : Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 : Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• 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 21/4858 : for modifying screen layout parameters, e.g. fonts, size of the windows
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 : for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 : specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• 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 21/854 : Content authoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 : by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 : Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• 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 7/08 : Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band , e.g. by time division H04N7/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0887 : for the transmission of programme or channel identifying signals
• 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

A television schedule system and method for displaying television schedule information on a television screen includes a program guide having a schedule information area that depicts the programs that are being presented on each channel at each time during the day. An input device allows the viewer to browse through the schedule information area and/or obtain more information about programs of particular interest. In one aspect, the viewer may watch a program on the currently-tuned channel, while browsing through the other channels on a portion of the television screen. In another aspect, the viewer may watch programs currently being shown on the television, while he or she browses through the program guide. In yet another aspect, the system includes a database, a processor and associated software for automatically customizing the television schedule guide to an individual viewer or a group of viewers, e.g., a family, to facilitate use of the television schedule.

Claims

1. A television schedule system for displaying television schedule information on a display screen comprising:

an on-screen program guide including a plurality of television program listings in which, an on screen cursor can be moved over the plurality of television program listings;

a program area for displaying a live video of a first currently telecast television program;

a third area for displaying a live video of a second currently telecast of a television program other than the first currently telecast program wherein, the live video of the second currently telecast of a television program changes as the cursor is moved over a different television program listing and wherein, the on-screen program guide, the program area, and the third area are simultaneously displayed on the screen to permit a viewer to browse through the second currently telecast program while viewing the first currently telecast television program; and

an input device for switching the sound between the first currently telecast television program and the second currently telecast television program.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the currently telecast television program is a last watched program.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the currently telecast television program is a highlighted television program listing.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising an input device for activating and deactivating the on-screen program guide, the program area, and the third area, and for moving through television program listing within the on-screen program guide to selectively highlight a television program listing to change the data displayed in the third area.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the on-screen program guide includes times and channels for each television program and means for scrolling through the times and the channels.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the on-screen program guide includes a message area for displaying a message to a user.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprising means for activating the message area to obtain more information associated with the message.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the on-screen program guide includes a matrix of cells, each cell containing information associated with a television program and a length that is proportional to a duration of the television program.

9. The system of claim 8 further comprising visual display means within each cell for displaying an amount of time left in the associated television program.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the visual display means comprises means for highlighting a portion of each cell, the highlighted portion representing an amount of time left in the associated television program.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising means for continuously reducing the length of the highlighted portion to indicate the amount of time left in the associated program.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a database containing information about each television program within the television schedule, the database including a plurality of criteria, each television program being associated with one or more criteria; and

means for searching the database to match television programs that include a selected criterion.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising means for automatically placing the matched television programs into a selection window and means for providing a visual indication for each matched program in the on-screen program guide.

14. A method for displaying television schedule information on a screen comprising the steps of:

displaying a program guide including a plurality of television program listings in which, a television program listing can be selectively highlighted;

displaying, in a program area, the live video of a first currently telecast television program;

displaying, in a third area, a live telecast of a second television program, other than the first currently telecast program wherein, the program guide, the program area, and the third area are displayed on the screen simultaneously to permit a viewer to browse through the second currently telecast program while viewing the first currently telecast television program;

changing the display of the live video of the second currently telecast of a television program as the cursor is moved over a different television program listing; and

switching the sound between the first currently telecast television program and the second currently telecast television program by an input device.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the currently telecast television program is a last watched program.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the currently telecast television program is a highlighted television program listing.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of displaying a program guide includes displaying times and channels for each television program and scrolling through the time and the channels for highlighting a program.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of displaying a program guide includes displaying a message to a user in a message area.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of activating the message area to obtain more information associated with the message.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the on-screen program guide includes a matrix of cells, each cell containing information associated with a television program and a length that is proportional to a duration of the television program.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of visually displaying an amount of time left in the associated television program.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the visually displaying step comprises the step of highlighting a portion of each cell, the highlighted portion representing an amount of time left in the associated television program.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of continuously reducing the length of the highlighted portion to indicate the amount of time left in the associated program.

24. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of searching a database to match television programs that include a selected criterion, the database containing information about each television program within the television schedule, and including a plurality of criteria, each television program being associated with one or more criteria.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of automatically placing the matched television programs into a selection window and providing a visual indication for each matched program in the displayed program guide.

26. A television schedule system for displaying television schedule information on a display screen comprising:

an on-screen program guide including a plurality of television program listings in which, a television program title can be selectively highlighted;

a program area for displaying a live telecast of a last watched television program;

a third area for displaying a live telecast of a second television program, other than the currently telecast program wherein, the live video of the second currently telecast of a television program changes as the cursor is moved over a different television program listing and wherein, the on-screen program guide, the program area, and the third area are simultaneously displayed on the screen; and

an input device for moving through television program listing within the on-screen program guide to selectively point to a television program listing to change the live telecast of the highlighted television program displayed in the third area to permit a viewer to browse through the second currently telecast program while viewing the first currently telecast television program and wherein, the input device is capable of switching the sound between the last watched television program and the second currently telecast television program.