Electronic program guide with interactive areas

• US 7,137,135 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2002
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Starsight Telecast Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Schein, Steven Michael, Hunwick, Keith, Folker, David M., Leftwich, Jim
• Primary Examiner(s): BUI, KIEU OANH T
• Application Number:
  US10/092,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20020129366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,713 Days
• Field of Search: 725 37- 40, 725/41, 725/42, 725 45- 47, 725/53, 725114-116, 725/43, 725/87, 715/705, 715/711, 715/830, 348/563, 348/564
• US Class Current: 725/40
• 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 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• 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

Abstract

A television schedule system and method for displaying television schedule information on a television screen includes a program guide having a schedule information area that depicts the programs that are being presented on each channel at each time during the day. An input device allows the viewer to move a pointer over different interactive areas of the guide and the function performed when the area is activated is displayed in a contextual help window. Various control glyphs provide for recursive interaction with the guide. Additionally, a video window is interactive and provides tuning functions.

Claims

1. A method for displaying on a screen an interactive electronic program guide (IPG) comprising the steps of:

displaying a plurality of television program listings in a first area of the screen as a grid of two-dimensional cells, the displayed grid having a plurality of channels displayed in a first dimension and time displayed in a second dimension;

simultaneously displaying with the program listings an action control glyph in a second area of the screen;

selectively marking one of the cells corresponding to one of the displayed plurality of channels;

activating the action control glyph responsive to a user command; and

responsive to the activation of the action control glyph, rotating the grid of two-dimensional cells so that the one of the displayed plurality of channels is displayed in the second dimension and time is displayed in the first dimension.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of displaying a title of a program in each cell.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of selecting a title of a program from the displayed grid and recording the selected program when it is telecast.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising the step of selecting a title of a program from the displayed grid and tuning to the selected program when it is telecast.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the displayed rotated grid includes an additional cell on the time dimension displaying an additional program for the displayed channel.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of displaying a second action control glyph in the second area and activating the second action control glyph to rotate the grid of two-dimensional cells back to its original format so that the plurality of channels are displayed back in the first dimension and time is displayed back in the second dimension.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of displaying a contextual help window and displaying contextual help data associated with an interactive area in the contextual help window as the cursor moves to the interactive area.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the contextual help window is displayed in a fixed location within the IPG.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of displaying contextual help data comprises of displaying text data for informing a user of actions that can be done.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of displaying a video window within the IPG for a currently-tuned television program.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of displaying a video window within the IPG for a future-scheduled television program.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of accessing a related Internet site from the IPG.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of purchasing a pay-per-view channel.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of purchasing a merchandise.

15. An interactive electronic program guide (IPG) displayed on a screen comprising:

a plurality of television program listings displayed in a first area of the screen as a grid of two-dimensional cells, the displayed grid having a plurality of channels displayed in a first dimension and time displayed in a second dimension;

an action control glyph simultaneously displayed with the program listings in a second area of the screen;

an input device for selectively marking one of the cells corresponding to one of the displayed plurality of channels and activating the action control glyph responsive to a user command; and

a display processor for rotating the grid of two-dimensional cells so that the one of the displayed plurality of channels is displayed in the second dimension and time is displayed in the first dimension responsive to the activation of the action control glyph.

16. The IPG of claim 15 wherein the input device is one or more of a keyboard, a remote controller, a pointer device, and a voice activated device.

17. The IPG of claim 16 further comprising means for selecting a title of a program from the displayed grid and recording the selected program when it is telecast.

18. The IPG of claim 16 further comprising means for selecting a title of a program from the displayed grid and tuning to the selected program when it is telecast.

19. The IPG of claim 15 wherein each cell includes a title of a program.

20. The IPG of claim 15 wherein the displayed rotated grid includes an additional cell on the time dimension displaying an additional program for the displayed channel.

21. The IPG of claim 15 further comprising a second action control glyph displayed in the second area to rotate the grid of two-dimensional cells back to its original format so that the plurality of channels are displayed back in the first dimension and time is displayed back in the second dimension.

22. The IPG of claim 15 further comprising a contextual help window to display contextual help data associated with an interactive area as the cursor moves to the interactive area.

23. The IPG of claim 22 wherein the contextual help window is displayed in a fixed location within the IPG.

24. The IPG of claim 22 wherein the contextual help data is text data for informing a user of actions that can be done.

25. The IPG of claim 15 further comprising a video window displayed within the IPG for displaying a currently-tuned television program.

26. The IPG of claim 15 further comprising a video window within the IPG for displaying a future-scheduled television program.

27. The IPG of claim 15 further comprising an Internet connection for accessing a related Internet site from the IPG.

28. The IPG of claim 15 further comprising means for purchasing a pay-per-view channel.

29. The IPG of claim 15 further comprising means for purchasing a merchandise.