Method and apparatus for providing an on-screen guide for a multiple channel broadcasting system

• US 6,518,986 B1
• Filed: 10/17/1997
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Mugura, Kazuto
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao H.
• Application Number:
  US08/953,031
• Time in Patent Office: 1,943 Days
• Field of Search: 345/327, 345/853, 345/854, 345/836, 345/848, 345/849, 345/810, 348/473, 348/731, 348/906, 348/732, 348/734, 725/39, 725/49, 725/47, 725/40, 725/43
• US Class Current: 715/810
• 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 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• 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 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73

Abstract

A method and apparatus for channel surfing while using an electronic program guide are provided. A multiple channel broadcasting system is tuned to a first channel to provide a display of a broadcast of a first program on a screen. An electronic program guide is displayed that identifies a plurality of channels and programming on the channels. A first display information packet containing a description of the first program is displayed with the electronic program guide. A system pointer is manipulated in response to input by the user to an area of the electronic program guide associated with a second program. The display of the first display information packet is subsequently replaced with a display of a second display information packet containing a description of the second program. A method and apparatus for providing a status indication of a tuner and a pointer in a multiple channel broadcasting system are also provided. A system pointer is supplied that points to a location in an electronic program guide that identifies a channel program in the broadcasting system. An indication is provided to the user as to the status of the broadcasting system tuner and the system pointer.

Claims

1. A method for a broadcast system, the method comprising:

providing an electronic program guide on a screen, the screen simultaneously displaying a broadcast and the electronic program guide, the electronic program guide listing a plurality of programs and channels corresponding to the programs;

providing a controllable pointer used to select one of the plurality of programs, a first selected program being displayed on the screen as the broadcast; and

providing a first description related to content being displayed within the broadcast on the screen, the first description displayed simultaneously with the first selected program and the electronic program guide; and

replacing the first description with a second description related to different content of a second selected program selected by the controllable pointer, the screen capable of displaying the second description while simultaneously displaying the first selected program broadcast and electronic program guide, and wherein the selected program listing is to appear protruding from the screen and non-selected program listings are to appear depressed in the screen.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

replacing the broadcast of the first selected program with the second selected program selected by the controllable pointer.

3. A broadcast system comprising:

a memory to store electronic program guide data; and

a processor to provide an electronic program guide on a screen using the electronic program guide data in the mernory, the screen simultaneously displaying broadcast and the electronic program guide, the electronic program guide listing a plurality of programs and channels corresponding to the programs, to provide a controllable pointer used to select one of the plurality of programs, a first selected program being displayed on the screen as the broadcast, and to provide a first description related to content being displayed within the broadcast on the screen, the first description displayed simultaneously with the first selected program and the electronic program guide, and to replace the first description with a second description related to different content of a second selected program selected by the controllable pointer, the screen capable of displaying the second description while simultaneously displaying the first selected program broadcast and electronic program guide, and wherein the selected program listing is to appear protruding from the screen and non-selected program listings are to appear depressed in the screen.

4. The broadcast system of claim 3, wherein the processor is to replace the broadcast of the first selected program with the second selected program selected by the controllable pointer.

5. A computer-readable medium providing executable instructions, which if executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform an operation comprising:

providing an electronic program guide on a screen, the screen simultaneously displaying a broadcast and the electronic program guide, the electronic program guide listing a plurality of programs and channels corresponding to the programs;

providing a controllable pointer used to select one of the plurality of programs, a first selected program being displayed on the screen as the broadcast; and

providing a first description related to content being displayed within the broadcast on the screen, the first description displayed simultaneously with the first selected program and the electronic program guide; and

replacing the first description with a second description related to different content of a second selected program selected by the controllable pointer, the screen capable of displaying the second description while simultaneously displaying the first selected program broadcast and electronic program guide, and wherein the selected program listing is to appear protruding from the screen and non-selected program listings are to appear depressed in the screen.