User interface for television schedule system

• US 6,850,693 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2003
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Starsight Telecast Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Starsight Telecast Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Anderson, David, Young, Patrick, Ebright, Alan R., Faber, Michael W., Roop, John H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chevalier, Robert
• Application Number:
  US10/393,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20030185545A1
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.591, H04/N.7025, 386/83, 386 46- 92, 386/95, 386/4, 386/52, 386/55, 725/39, 725/40, 725/45, 725/53, 725/55, 725/56, 725/86, 725/87
• US Class Current: 386/291
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 30/00 Supersonic type aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 15/006 for operating at a number of different times cigar or cigarette receptacles or boxes with means for limiting the frequency of smoking A24F15/005
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04892 Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/023 remotely controlled
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/65 wherein solid state memory is used for storing indexing information or metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/80 Indexing information stored in optical or magnetic or other strip attached to cassette or disc, e.g. barcodes attached to a recording medium
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/107 of operating tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3054 Vertical Interval Time code [VITC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/324 Duty cycle modulation of control pulses, e.g. VHS-CTL-coding systems, RAPID-time code, VASS- or VISS-cue signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/328 on a tape [TTOC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/36 Monitoring, i.e. supervising the progress of recording or reproducing for digital recording G11B20/00 and s.gr.; for monitoring, testing or measuring of TV recorders of the type covered by H04N5/76 and subgroups, see H04N17/06
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/10 Indicating arrangements; Warning arrangements G11B15/04, G11B19/04, G11B27/34, G11B27/36 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• 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 21/4314 : 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 21/4334 : 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 21/43622 : Interfacing an external recording device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4583 : Automatically resolving scheduling conflicts, e.g. when a recording by reservation has been programmed for two programs in the same time slot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 : End-user applications
• 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 21/482 : 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 21/485 : End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4858 : for modifying screen layout parameters, e.g. fonts, size of the windows
• 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 21/858 : Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44504 : Circuit details of the additional information generator, e.g. details of the character or graphics signal generator, overlay mixing circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 : Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• 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 7/025 : Systems for the transmission of digital non-picture data, e.g. of text during the active part of a television frame transmission of digital non-picture data during the vertical blanking interval only H04N7/088
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 : the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0884 : for the transmission of additional display-information, e.g. menu for programme or channel selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0887 : for the transmission of programme or channel identifying signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0888 : Subscription systems therefor
• 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

Screen (10) for a user interface of a television schedule system and process consists of an array (24) of irregular cells (26), which vary in length, corresponding to different television program lengths of one half hour to one-and-one half hours or more. The array is arranged as three columns (28) of one-half hour in duration, and twelve rows (30) of program listings. Some of the program listings overlap two or more of the columns (28) because of their length. Because of the widely varying length of the cells (26), if a conventional cursor used to select a cell location were to simply step from one cell to another, the result would be abrupt changes in the screen (10) as the cursor moved from a cell (26) of several hours length to an adjacent cell in the same row. An effective way of taming the motion is to assume that behind every array (24) is an underlying array of regular cells. By restricting cursor movements to the regular cells, abrupt screen changes will be avoided. With the cursor (32), the entire cell (26) is 3-D highlighted, using a conventional offset shadow (34). The offset shadow (34) is a black bar that underlines the entire cell and wraps around the right edge of the cell. To tag the underlying position—which defines where the cursor (32) is and thus, where it will move next—portions (36) of the black bar outside the current underlying position are segmented, while the current position is painted solid.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing television schedule information in a television guide system, the television schedule information including television program listings, each program listings comprising at least a program title;

displaying a television schedule guide including a portion of the television program listings;

receiving user input identifying a program listing in the television schedule guide; and

searching the television schedule information for program listings other than the identified program listing that correspond to the identified program listing.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising recording a television program corresponding to a selected occurrence of the corresponding program listings.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying a first updated television schedule guide wherein a selected occurrence of at least one of the corresponding program listings is indicated on the updated television schedule guide.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the indication on the updated television schedule guide is a link icon.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the link icon denotes the recording of a television program corresponding to an occurrence of the program listing in the updated television schedule information.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising deselecting the program listing in the updated television schedule information.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising displaying a second updated television schedule guide wherein the deselected occurrence of the program listing is indicated on the second updated television schedule guide.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the deselected occurrence of the program listing is indicated on the second updated television schedule guide by an omission of a link icon.

9. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

selecting the program listing in the updated television schedule guide;

displaying a second updated television schedule guide wherein the selected program listing is indicated on the second updated television schedule guide; and

wherein the selected program listing is indicated on the second updated television schedule guide by an omission of a link icon.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the identified program listing for recording.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising automatically recording a program identified by at least one of the corresponding program listings.

12. A system for generating a television schedule comprising:

one or more memories that store television schedule information, the television schedule information including television program listings, each program listing comprising at least a program title;

a display generator configured to display a television schedule guide, the television schedule guide including a portion of the television program listings;

an input configured to receive identification of a program listing in the television schedule guide; and

a processor coupled to the one or more memories and the input, wherein the processor is configured to search the television schedule information for program listings other than the identified program listing that correspond to the identified program listing.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to schedule recording of a television program corresponding to one or more of the corresponding program listings.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the display generator is further configured to display an updated television schedule guide, the updated schedule guide including a second portion of television program listings, and the display generator displays the updated television schedule guide, wherein the scheduled one or more program listings is indicated on the updated television schedule guide.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the scheduled one or more program listings is indicated on the updated television schedule guide with a link icon.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the link icon denotes the recording of a television program corresponding to the at least one of the corresponding program listings from the updated television schedule information.

17. The system of claim 14, the processor further characterized in that the processor receives a second selection of the program listing from the input device, the display generator displays a second updated television schedule guide, wherein the second selected program listing is indicated on the second updated television schedule guide.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the second selected program listing is indicated on the second updated television schedule guide by omission of a link icon.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to schedule recording of a television program corresponding to the identified program listing.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to automatically record a television program corresponding to at least one of the corresponding program listings.

21. A system for generating a television schedule comprising:

means for storing television schedule information in a television guide system, the television schedule information including television program listings, each program listings comprising at least a program title;

means for displaying a television schedule guide including a portion of the television program listings;

means for receiving user input identifying a program listing in the television schedule guide; and

means for searching the television schedule information for program listings other than the identified program listing that correspond to the identified program listing.

22. The system of claim 21 further comprising recording a television program corresponding to a selected occurrence of the corresponding program listings.

23. The system of claim 21 further comprising means for displaying a first updated television schedule guide wherein a selected occurrence of at least one of the corresponding program listings is indicated on the updated television schedule guide.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the indication on the updated television schedule guide is a link icon.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the link icon denotes the recording of a television program corresponding to an occurrence of the program listing in the updated television schedule information.

26. The system of claim 23 further comprising means for receiving user input to deselect the program listing in the updated television schedule information.

27. The system of claim 26 further comprising means for displaying a second updated television schedule guide wherein the deselected occurrence of the program listing is indicated on the second updated television schedule guide.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the deselected occurrence of the program listing is indicated on the second updated television schedule guide by an omission of a link icon.

29. The system as recited in claim 24, further comprising:

means for selecting the program listing in the updated television schedule guide; and

means for displaying a second updated television schedule guide wherein the selected program listing is indicated on the second updated television schedule guide;

wherein the selected program listing is indicated on the second updated television schedule guide by an omission of a link icon.

30. The system of claim 21, further comprising selecting the identified program listing for recording.

31. The system of claim 30, further comprising automatically recording a program identified by at least one of the corresponding program listings.