Method and apparatus for rapid access of program guide information

• US 7,100,184 B1
• Filed: 08/03/2000
• Issued: 08/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kahn, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUYNH, AN SON PHI
• Application Number:
  US09/630,534
• Time in Patent Office: 2,217 Days
• Field of Search: 725/39, 725 52- 53, 725/40
• US Class Current: 725/39
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time

Abstract

A method for rapidly accessing program guide information is described. The method includes displaying program guide information on a grid showing a channel axis and a time axis, with each program positioned at a location in the grid representing a channel of transmission and a corresponding time of transmission. The method includes the steps of: (a) displaying the program guide information; (b) placing a time selection field on the display; (c) highlighting and activating the time selection field; (d) determining a time index in response to the activating step; (e) calculating a new time of transmission for display based on the time index; and (f) displaying the program guide information at the new time of transmission. The time selection field includes a page field, a day field and a date field. The page field is adapted to provide a six-hour time index, the day field is adapted to provide a 24-hour time index, and the date field is adapted to provide a seven-day time index. The method includes activating the time selection field to index forward in time and backwards in time.

Claims

1. In an apparatus for displaying program guide information and a cursor on a grid showing a channel axis and a time axis, with each program positioned at a location in the grid representing a channel of transmission and a corresponding time of transmission, the apparatus responsive to a user action command corresponding to a single action key associated with a user interface, a method for rapidly accessing the program guide information at a desired new time of transmission, comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying the program guide information;

(b) placing a plurality of time selection fields on the display, the plurality of time selection fields representing respective incremental time indexes having respectively different magnitudes, each time selection field configured to be activated responsive to receipt of the user action command corresponding to the single action key;

(c) selecting one time selection field of the plurality of time selection fields by positioning the cursor on the one time selection field, wherein the plurality of time selection fields includes a page field, a day field and a date field and wherein the page field provides a multi-hour time index, the day field provides a 24-hour time index, and the date field provides a seven-day time index;

(d) activating the selected time selection field to select the respective incremental time index responsive to receipt of the user action command corresponding to the single action key while the cursor is positioned on the one time selection field;

(e) calculating a new time of transmission for display by adding the selected incremental time index to one of the times of transmission currently displayed; and

(f) displaying the program guide information at the new time of transmission.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step (d) determines a magnitude of the selected incremental time index and the method further includes the step of activating one of first and second direction inputs to determine an arithmetic sign of the selected incremental time index.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (f) includes displaying the program guide information at a current time of transmission, if the calculated new time of transmission is earlier than the current time of transmission.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein step (f) includes displaying the program guide information at a latest time of transmission, if the calculated new time of transmission is later than the latest time of transmission, the latest time of transmission corresponding to the latest program guide information stored in the apparatus.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is implemented in a set top box.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the apparatus includes a computer coupled to a network for receiving program guide information from the network.

7. The method of claim 1, further including the step of assigning a value to at least one of the incremental time indexes of the respective time selection fields.

8. An apparatus for displaying program guide information and a cursor on a grid showing a channel axis and a time axis, with each program positioned at a location in the grid representing a channel of transmission and a corresponding time of transmission, the apparatus responsive to a user action command corresponding to a single action key associated with a user interface, the apparatus comprising

a display for displaying the program guide information for a current time interval;

a memory device for storing the program guide information; and

a processor for processing software for accessing the program guide information, the software including;

a plurality of time selection fields for selecting respective incremental time indexes responsive to receipt of the user action command corresponding to the single action key with the cursor positioned on the time selection field of the respective incremental time index to be selected, the respective incremental time indexes having respectively different magnitudes, wherein the plurality of time selection fields includes a page field, a day field, and a date field and wherein the selected incremental time index is a multi-hour incremental time index when the page field is selected, a 24-hour incremental time index when the day field is selected, and a seven-day incremental time index when the date field is selected;

a calculator for calculating a new time of transmission for display by adding the selected incremental time index to a time value in the current time interval;

wherein, the display displays the program guide information for the new time of transmission.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the time selection fields determine a magnitude of the selected incremental time index and the apparatus further includes first and second direction inputs for selecting an arithmetic sign of the selected incremental time index.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the calculator limits the program guide information at current time of transmission, if the calculated new time of transmission is earlier than the current time of transmission.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the calculator limits displaying the program guide information at a latest time of transmission, if the calculated new time of transmission is later than the latest time of transmission, the latest time of transmission corresponding to the latest program guide information stored in the memory device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the apparatus is a set top box.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor further includes software for assigning a value to at least one of the incremental time indexes of the respective time selection fields.