User interface for television schedule system

• US 7,151,886 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2005
• Issued: 12/19/2006
• 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, Roop, John H, Faber, Michael W, Ebright, Alan R
• Primary Examiner(s): Chevalier, Robert
• Application Number:
  US11/181,188
• Publication Number:
  US 20050251836A1
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 386/83, 386/46, 386/125, 386/126, 386/1, 725/39, 725/80, 725/180
• 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 program listings in a television guide system;

displaying a guide screen including television program listings corresponding to television programs, wherein at least one of the television program listings corresponds to a television program in a series of television programs; and

displaying an identifier with the at least one television program listing indicating to a viewer that the television program is in the series of television programs.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifier further indicates to the viewer that the series of television programs has been scheduled for recording.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifier further indicates to the viewer that the television program has been recorded.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising scheduling at least one of the television programs for recording.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the series of programs comprises linked programs of the same title.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying an identifier with the program listings corresponding to programs scheduled for recording comprises displaying a recording indicator.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein displaying a guide screen including television program listings corresponding to television programs comprises indicating to the viewer a time at which the at least one television program is scheduled for recording.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein displaying a guide screen including television program listings corresponding to television programs comprises indicating to the viewer a channel number or channel name on which the at least one television program is scheduled for recording.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein displaying a guide screen including television program listings corresponding to television programs comprises indicating to the viewer a date on which the at least one television program is scheduled for recording.

10. The method of claim 4 wherein displaying a guide screen including television program listings corresponding to television programs comprises indicating to the viewer a day of the week on which the at least one television program is scheduled for recording.

11. The method of claim 4 wherein displaying a guide screen including television program listings corresponding to television programs comprises indicating to the viewer a title of the at least one television program scheduled for recording.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the guide screen includes at least one television program listing that has been scheduled for recording.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the guide screen includes at least one television program listing that has been recorded.

14. A system comprising:

a monitor;

one or more memories configured to store television program listings;

a processor coupled to the one or memories configured to display a guide screen on the monitor including television program listings corresponding to television programs, wherein at least one of the television program listings corresponds to a television program in a series of television programs; and

the processor being further configured to display an identifier with the at least one television program listing indicating to a viewer that the television program is in the series of television programs.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the identifier further indicates to the viewer that the series of television programs has been scheduled for recording.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the identifier further indicates to the viewer that the television program has been recorded.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the processor is further configured to schedule at least one of the television programs for recording.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the series of programs comprises linked programs of the same title.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the identifier displayed with the program listings corresponding to programs scheduled for recording comprises a recording indicator.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the guide screen comprises a time at which the at least one television program is scheduled for recording.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein the guide screen comprises a channel number or channel name on which the at least one television program is scheduled for recording.

22. The system of claim 17 wherein the guide screen comprises a date on which the at least one television program is scheduled for recording.

23. The system of claim 17 wherein the guide screen comprises a day of the week on which the at least one television program is scheduled for recording.

24. The system of claim 17 wherein the guide screen comprises a title of the at least one television program scheduled for recording.

25. The system of claim 14 wherein the guide screen includes at least one television program listing that has been scheduled for recording.

26. The system of claim 14 wherein the guide screen includes at least one television program listing that has been recorded.