Interactive program guide for designating information on an interactive program guide display

• US 6,772,433 B1
• Filed: 11/03/1998
• Issued: 08/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Cable Enterprises LLC (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Time Warner Entertainment Company LP (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Inventors: Johnson, Stephen M., Krakirian, Haig H., Buehl, Joseph G., LaJoie, Mike L., Brown, Ralph W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava, Vivek
• Assistant Examiner(s): Koenig, Andrew Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/185,179
• Time in Patent Office: 2,100 Days
• Field of Search: 725/44, 725/52, 725/53, 725/38, 345/830, 345/828, 345/829, 345/831, 345/784, 345/786
• US Class Current: 725/52
• 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 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• 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 21/4402 involving reformatting operations of video signals for household redistribution, storage or real-time display details of conversion of video standards at pixel level H04N7/01; video transcoding H04N19/40; adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal G09G5/005; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764
• 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 21/4753 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• 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 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/46 for receiving on more than one standard at will deflecting circuits of multi-standard receivers H04N3/27
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A system and method are provided for providing a full service cable television system. The cable system incorporates a digital and analog transmission architecture capable of delivering a high number of high quality television programs, advanced cable services, and online services to a subscriber'"'"'s home. The cable system comprises a cable headend, at least one fiber transport, at least one distribution hub, at least one hybrid fiber coax plant, and a plurality of set-top terminals. Programs and services are transmitted to the set-top terminals in both digital and analog formats to maintain downward compatibility with existing systems. The set-top terminal incorporates a central processing unit, a unified memory architecture, a memory management unit, communications circuitry, I/O control circuitry, and audio and video output circuitry. Through these components the set-top terminal provides advanced cable services such as a comprehensive channel navigator, an interactive program guide, Impulse Pay-Per-View activation, Near-Video-On-Demand and Video-On-Demand programming, and advanced configuration controls. The set-top terminal also provides online services such as World Wide Web browsing, Internet E-Mail, and Home Shopping.

Claims

1. An interactive program guide for displaying information regarding a plurality of television programs on an interactive program guide display, said interactive program guide comprising:

a grid having a plurality of cells, each cell corresponding to a television program; and

an indicator for designating a cell, said indicator anchored at a fixed position with respect to said display;

wherein;

said grid is moveable with respect to said indicator in two directions in each of two dimensions such that different cells can be designated by said indicator at said fixed position by movement of said grid.

2. The interactive program guide of claim 1 wherein said cells move horizontally and vertically with respect to said indicator.

3. The interactive program guide of claim 1 wherein said cells have a plurality of sizes and said indicator changes size to highlight a cell after said grid is moved.

4. The interactive program guide of claim 1 wherein said cells scroll in at least one of said two dimensions with respect to said indicator.

5. The interactive program guide of claim 1 wherein said indicator comprises a cursor.

6. A system for providing an interactive program guide that displays information regarding a plurality of television programs on an interactive program guide display, said system comprising:

a receiver for receiving said information;

a display driver for generating displayable video output for said display;

a grid control for receiving user inputs; and

a processor for causing said display driver to;

display on said display a grid having a plurality of cells, each cell including at least a portion of said information received by said receiver;

display on said display an indicator for designating a cell, said indicator anchored at a fixed position with respect to said display; and

move said grid on said display in two directions in each of two dimensions with respect to said indicator at said fixed position in accordance with said user inputs received by said grid control.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said grid can be moved horizontally and vertically with respect to said indicator.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein said cells have a plurality of cell sizes and said indicator can change size to highlight a cell after said processor causes said display driver to move said grid.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein said indicator comprises a cursor.

10. A system for providing an interactive program guide that displays information regarding a plurality of television programs on an interactive program guide display, said display including a grid of cells, each cell corresponding to a television program, said system comprising:

means for designating a cell on said display at a fixed position with respect to said display; and

means for moving said grid in each of two dimensions with respect to said fixed position such that different cells can be designated by said means for designating by movement of said grid, said movement independent of said means for designating.

11. The interactive program guide of claim 10 wherein said means for moving moves said grid horizontally and vertically with respect to said fixed position.

12. The interactive program guide of claim 10 wherein said means for moving scrolls said cells in at least one of said two dimensions with respect to said fixed position.

13. The interactive program guide of claim 12 wherein said means for moving scrolls said cells horizontally and vertically with respect to said fixed position.

14. A method of designating a cell in a grid of cells, said cells displaying information regarding a plurality of television programs on an interactive program guide display, said method comprising:

designating any cell at only one fixed position on said display;

moving said grid in a first direction in a first dimension to designate a first cell upon said first cell moving into said fixed position;

moving said grid in a second direction in said first dimension to designate a second cell upon said second cell moving into said fixed position;

moving said grid in both said first direction in said first dimension and said first direction in said second dimension to designate a third cell upon said third cell moving into said fixed position; and

moving said grid in both said second direction in said first dimension and said second direction in said second dimension to-designate a fourth cell upon said fourth cell moving into said fixed position, wherein said first and second directions of said first dimension are opposite each other.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said moving said grid in both said first direction in said first dimension and said first direction in said second dimension comprises moving said grid horizontally rightward and vertically downward with respect to said fixed position.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said moving said grid in both said second direction in said first dimension and said second direction in said second dimension comprises scrolling said cells horizontally leftward and vertically upward with respect to said fixed position.

17. An interactive program guide for displaying information regarding a plurality of television programs on an interactive program guide display, said interactive program guide comprising:

a grid having a plurality of cells, each cell corresponding to a television program; and

an indicator having a fixed position on said display;

wherein;

said grid is moveable in each of two dimensions with respect to said indicator, said indicator highlighting a cell when said cell is positioned at said fixed position, said grid movement independent of said indicator fixed position.

18. The interactive program guide of claim 17 wherein said indicator comprises a cursor.

19. Software on a computer readable medium for designating a cell in a grid of cells, said cells displaying information regarding a plurality of television programs on an interactive program guide display, said software comprising;

establishing only one fixed position on said display at which cells are designated;

allowing said grid to move with respect to said fixed position in each of two directions in each of two dimensions; and

designating a cell when said cell is positioned at said established position.

20. A method of designating a cell in a grid of cells, said cells displaying information regarding a plurality of television programs on an interactive program guide display, said method comprising;

designating a cell on said display at a fixed position with respect to said display; and

moving said grid in each of two dimensions with respect to said fixed position such that different cells can be designated at said fixed position by said moving of said grid, said moving independent of said designating.