Providing a link to programs in a program guide

• US 6,601,238 B2
• Filed: 12/22/1998
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Morrison, Hugh Boyd, Westlake, Mark Sheridan
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): YENKE, BRIAN P
• Application Number:
  US09/219,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20020073427A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,680 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.544, H04/N.964, 348/559, 348/560, 348/576, 348/578, 348/722, 725/45, 725/53, 725/58, 725/46, 725/50
• US Class Current: 725/50
• 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 21/4314 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 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• 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 a system for displaying program information for a plurality of information sources on an electronic program guide (EPG) is described. A matched program and its respective program source is first determined. This first matched program from the respective program source is then highlighted in the EPG. Additionally, an icon for a respective program source is displayed indicating a future or a previously matched program from the respective program source.

Claims

1. A method for displaying program information for a plurality of information sources on a program guide grid comprising the steps of:

determining a first matched program and its associated program source;

displaying a program guide grid having a plurality of displayed program sources on a first axis wherein the displayed program sources includes the associated program source for the first matched program, a displayed time interval on a second axis and programs associated with the plurality of displayed program sources for the displayed time interval;

highlighting said first matched program within said displayed program guide grid; and

indicating within the displayed program guide grid for each displayed program source whether the displayed program source has at least one other matched program schedule outside the displayed time interval.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating step and the highlighting step occur simultaneously.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating step comprises the step of indicating the number of the matched programs, associated with the displayed program source, scheduled outside the displayed time interval.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the indicating step further comprises the step of indicating the direction in time of the matched programs.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicating step comprises the step of displaying an icon for those displayed program sources having the at least one other matched program, the icon indicating a time and date outside the displayed time interval.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a selection of said icon;

advancing the program guide grid having the plurality of displayed program sources on the first axis, to a second displayed time interval on the second axis wherein the second displayed time interval includes the time and date of the selected icon and programs associated with the plurality of displayed program sources for the second displayed time interval; and

highlighting the matched program in the program guide grid associated with the selected icon.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

indicating the first matched program occurring in the first time interval when the program guide grid is advanced to the second displayed time interval; and

indicating within the program guide grid for each displayed program source whether the displayed program source has the at least one other matched program beyond the second displayed time interval.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the indicating steps and the highlighting step occur simultaneously.

9. A method for processing program guide information comprising the steps of:

receiving said program guide information;

receiving a user-entered request;

determining the occurrence of programs matching the user-entered request;

displaying a program guide grid identifying a plurality of program sources on a first axis, time information on a second axis and a plurality of programs associated with the program sources for a displayed time interval of said time information axis wherein the plurality of programs includes a first program matching said user-entered request;

highlighting said first program matching in said displayed program guide grid; and

simultaneously with the highlighting step, displaying within said displayed program guide grid an indicator for each respective program source having another matched program scheduled outside said displayed time interval.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of displaying within the displayed program guide grid further comprises the step of indicating, for each respective program source, the number of the matched programs, associated therewith scheduled outside the displayed time interval.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the indicating step further comprises the step of indicating the direction in time of the matched programs.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the indicating step comprises the step of displaying with said indicator for those displayed program sources having the at least one other matched program a time and date outside the displayed time interval.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a selection of said indicator;

advancing the program guide grid having the plurality of displayed program sources on the first axis, to a second displayed time interval on the second axis wherein the second displayed time interval includes the time and date of the selected indicator and programs associated with the plurality of displayed program sources for the updated displayed time interval; and

highlighting the matched program in the program guide grid associated with the selected indicator.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

indicating the first matched program occurring in the first time interval when the program guide grid is advanced to the second displayed time interval; and

indicating within the program guide grid for each displayed program source whether the displayed program source has the at least one other matched program beyond the second displayed time interval.

15. An apparatus for processing program guide information comprising:

means for receiving slid program guide information;

means for receiving a user-entered request;

means for determining the occurrence of programs matching the user-entered request;

means for displaying a program guide grid identifying a plurality of program sources on a first axis, time information on a second axis and a plurality of programs associated with the program sources for a displayed time interval of said time information axis wherein the plurality of programs includes a first program matching said user-entered request;

means for highlighting said first program matching in said displayed program guide grid; and

means for displaying within said displayed program guide grid, simultaneously with the highlighted first program, an indicator for each respective program source having another matched program scheduled outside said displayed time interval.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for displaying within the displayed program guide grid comprises means for indicating, for each respective program source, the number of the matched programs associated therewith scheduled outside the displayed time interval.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the indicating means comprises means for indicating the direction in time of the matched programs.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for displaying within the displayed program guide comprises means for displaying with said indicator for those displayed program sources having the at least one other matched program a time and date outside the displayed time interval.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

means for receiving a selection of said indicator;

means for advancing the program guide grid having the plurality of displayed program sources on the first axis, to a second displayed time interval on the second axis wherein the second displayed time interval includes the time and date of the selected indicator and programs associated with the plurality of displayed program sources for the updated displayed time interval; and

means for highlighting the matched program in the program guide grid associated with the selected indicator.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for displaying within the displayed program guide grid comprises:

means for indicating the first matched program occurring in the first time interval when the program guide grid is advanced to the second displayed time interval; and

means for indicating within the program guide grid for each displayed program source whether the displayed program source has the at least one other matched program beyond the second displayed time interval.