Electronic program guide displayed simultaneously with television programming

• US 7,197,759 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2001
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: WebTV Networks Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Barrett, Peter T., Yaksick, Jeffrey D., Danker, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Kelley; Chris
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hossain; Farzana E.
• Application Number:
  US09/854,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20020170057A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,143 Days
• Field of Search: 725 39- 40, 725 44- 47, 725/52, 725/43
• US Class Current: 725/43
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

A method for displaying an electronic program guide (EPG) to a viewer. The method includes displaying one or more data slices representative of broadcast programming to a viewer. In response to input from the viewer, the displayed number of data slices is increased, for example, from one slice to two slices. In browser mode the viewer can scroll through multiple EPG data slices without selecting to view full mode EPG, while in full mode the EPG can expand from a single column of data slices to multiple columns of data slices based upon viewer selections. The EPGs of the present invention can display programming that a viewer is more likely to watch at a particular time than other programming. A data slice representing the predicted programming can be inserted into the EPG so that the viewer can identify programming that is likely to be of interest.

Claims

1. A method for display of electronic program guide information to a viewer while viewing a television program, wherein the electronic program guide information is organized in various slices each containing at least a channel identifier and a program element for a given time element, and wherein the viewer selectively determines how to expand the program guide information when initially presented to the viewer in browse mode so as to present additional program guide information, the method comprising steps for:

retrieving from an electronic program guide at least a first slice of program guide information;

displaying in a browse mode the retrieved slice in a window that is simultaneously presented for viewing with a displayed television program;

in response to a viewer-activated scrolling command scrolling toward a new slice that is not currently viewable to the viewer, expanding the displayed number of slices on a slice-by-slice basis by one additional slice of program guide information to said browse mode window corresponding to the new slice that is not currently viewable to the viewer while continuing to display the retrieved slice; and

the viewer selectively continuing to add another additional slice of program guide information to said browse mode window using a viewer-activated scrolling command while continuing to display the retrieved slice until a pre-defined number of slices is reached.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising a step for selectively removing from the browse mode window a slice of program guide information in response to a viewer-activated command.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein said electronic program guide is stored in one of a local data source and a remote data source.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the data slices are displayed in numerical order based on the channel identifier of each data slice added to the browse mode window for display.

5. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein a pre-defined maximum number of data slices that can be added to the browse mode window is defined by viewer-activated input.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one data slice added to the browse mode window in response to a viewer-activated command is selected by performing a step for predicting that the viewer is more likely to view the program identified by that data slice than others.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the step for predicting comprises the act of:

retrieving stored demographic information associated with the viewer;

analyzing the stored demographic information to identify at least one type of program that a viewer is more likely to watch than other types of program; and

based upon the identified type of program, analyzing the available programs to identify at least one program of the plurality of programs that a viewer is more likely to watch at a particular time than others of the plurality of programs at the particular time.

8. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the step for predicting comprises the act of:

retrieving stored data associated with viewing preferences of the viewer;

analyzing the stored data to identify at least one type of program that a viewer is more likely to watch than other types of program; and

based upon the identified type of program, analyzing the plurality of data slices to identify at least one program of the plurality of programs that a viewer is more likely to watch at a particular time than others of the plurality of programs at the particular time.

9. A computer program product for implementing a method for display of electronic program guide information to a viewer while viewing a television program, wherein the electronic program guide information is organized in various slices each containing at least a channel identifier and a program element for a given time element, and wherein the viewer selectively determines how to expand the program guide information when initially presented to the viewer in browse mode so as to present additional program guide information, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for implementing said method; and

wherein said computer-executable instructions are comprised of computer-program code means for performing the following steps;

a step for retrieving from an electronic program guide at least a first slice of program guide information;

a step for displaying in browse mode the retrieved slice in a window that is simultaneously presented for viewing with a displayed television program;

in response to a viewer-activated scrolling command scrolling toward a new slice that is not currently viewable to the viewer while continuing to display the retrieved slice, a step for expanding the displayed number of slices on a slice-by-slice basis by one additional slice of program guide information to said browse mode window corresponding to the new slice that is not currently viewable to the viewer; and

a step for selectively continuing to add another additional slice of program guide information to said browse mode window using a viewer-activated scrolling command while continuing to display the retrieved slice until a pre-defined number of slices is reached.

10. A computer program product as defined in claim 9, further comprising a step for selectively removing from the browse mode window a slice of program guide information in response to a viewer-activated command.

11. A computer program product as defined in claim 9 wherein said electronic program guide is stored in one of a local data source and a remote data source.

12. A computer program product as defined in claim 9 wherein the data slices are displayed in numerical order based on the channel identifier of each data slice added to the browse mode window for display.

13. A computer program product as defined in claim 9 wherein a pre-defined maximum number of data slices that can be added to the browse mode window is defined by viewer-activated input.

14. A computer program product as defined in claim 9 wherein at least one data slice added to the browse mode window in response to a viewer-activated command is selected by performing a step for predicting that the viewer is more likely to view the program identified by that data slice than others.

15. A computer program product as recited in claim 14, wherein the step for predicting comprises the act of:

retrieving stored demographic information associated with the viewer;

analyzing the stored demographic information to identify at least one type of program that a viewer is more likely to watch than other types of program; and

based upon the identified type of program, analyzing the available programs to identify at least one program of the plurality of programs that a viewer is more likely to watch at a particular time than others of the plurality of programs at the particular time.

16. A computer program product as recited in claim 14, wherein the step for predicting comprises the act of:

retrieving stored data associated with viewing preferences of the viewer;

analyzing the stored data to identify at least one type of program that a viewer is more likely to watch than other types of program; and

based upon the identified type of program, analyzing the plurality of data slices to identify at least one program of the plurality of programs that a viewer is more likely to watch at a particular time than others of the plurality of programs at the particular time.

17. A method for display of electronic program guide information to a viewer while viewing a television program, wherein the electronic program guide information is organized in various slices each containing at least a channel identifier and a program element for a given time element, and wherein the viewer selectively determines how to expand the program guide information when initially presented to the viewer in browse mode so as to present additional program guide information, the method comprising steps for:

retrieving from an electronic program guide first slice of program guide information;

displaying in browse mode the first slice in a window that is simultaneously presented for viewing with a displayed television program;

in response to a viewer-activated scrolling command scrolling toward a new time element that is not currently visible to the viewer, expanding the displayed number of time elements on a time period-by-time period basis by one or more time elements that are simultaneously viewable within said browse mode window in addition to the first slice of program guide information and the time element for said first slice of program guide information; and

selectively adding one additional slice of program guide information to said browse mode window using a viewer-activated scrolling command, while continuing to display the retrieved slice, until a pre-defined number of slices is reached, and wherein

each slice of program guide information that is added for a particular time element so that the viewer is allowed to scroll the browse mode window on a time period-by-time period basis.

18. A method as defined in claim 17, further comprising a step for selectively removing from the browse mode window a slice of program guide information in response to a viewer-activated command.

19. A method as defined in claim 17 wherein said electronic program guide is stored in one of a local data source and a remote data source.

20. A method as defined in claim 17 wherein the data slices are displayed in numerical order based on the channel identifier of each data slice added to the browse mode window for display.

21. A method as defined in claim 17 wherein a pre-defined maximum number of data slices that can be added to the browse mode window is defined by viewer-activated input.

22. A method as defined in claim 17 wherein at least one data slice added to the browse mode window in response to a viewer-activated command is selected by performing a step for predicting that the viewer is more likely to view the program identified by that data slice than others.

23. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein the step for predicting comprises the act of:

retrieving stored demographic information associated with the viewer;

analyzing the stored demographic information to identify at least one type of program that a viewer is more likely to watch than other types of program; and

based upon the identified type of program, analyzing the available programs to identify at least one program of the plurality of programs that a viewer is more likely to watch at a particular time than others of the plurality of programs at the particular time.

24. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein the step for predicting comprises the act of:

retrieving stored data associated with viewing preferences of the viewer;

analyzing the stored data to identify at least one type of program that a viewer is more likely to watch than other types of program; and

based upon the identified type of program, analyzing the plurality of data slices to identify at least one program of the plurality of programs that a viewer is more likely to watch at a particular time than others of the plurality of programs at the particular time.

25. A method as defined in claim 17 wherein said first slice of program guide information is displayed in connection with a single column headed by a given time element.

26. A method as defined in claim 25 wherein each time element that is added is formatted at the head of a separate column that is added to the browse mode window so that each additional slice of program guide information that is added is added to a column headed by a time element.

27. A computer program product for implementing a method for display of electronic program guide information to a viewer while viewing a television program, wherein the electronic program guide information is organized in various slices each containing at least a channel identifier and a program element for a given time element, and wherein the viewer selectively determines how to expand the program guide information when initially presented to the viewer in browse mode so as to present additional program guide information, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for implementing said method; and

wherein said computer-executable instructions are comprised of computer-program code means for performing the following steps;

a step for retrieving from an electronic program guide a first slice of program guide information;

a step for displaying in browse mode the first slice in a window that is simultaneously presented for viewing with a displayed television program;

in response to a viewer-activated scrolling command scrolling toward a new time element that is not currently visible to the viewer, a step for expanding the displayed number of time elements on a time period-by-time period basis by one or more time elements that are simultaneously viewable within said browse mode window in addition to the first slice of program guide information and the time element for said first slice of program guide information; and

a step for selectively adding one additional slice of program guide information to said browse mode window using a viewer-activated scrolling command while continuing to display the retrieved slice, until a pre-defined number of slices is reached, and wherein

each slice of program guide information that is added is added for a particular time element so that the viewer is allowed to scroll the browse mode window on a time period-by-time period basis.

28. A method as defined in claim 27, further comprising a step for selectively removing from the browse mode window a slice of program guide information in response to a viewer-activated command.

29. A method as defined in claim 27 wherein said electronic program guide is stored in one of a local data source and a remote data source.

30. A method as defined in claim 27 wherein the data slices are displayed in numerical order based on the channel identifier of each data slice added to the browse mode window for display.

31. A method as defined in claim 27 wherein a pre-defined maximum number of data slices that can be added to the browse mode window is defined by viewer-activated input.

32. A method as defined in claim 27 wherein at least one data slice added to the browse mode window in response to a viewer-activated command is selected by performing a step for predicting that the viewer is more likely to view the program identified by that data slice than others.

33. A method as recited in claim 32, wherein the step for predicting

comprises the act of:

retrieving stored demographic information associated with the viewer;

analyzing the stored demographic information to identify at least one type of program that a viewer is more likely to watch than other types of program; and

based upon the identified type of program, analyzing the available programs to identify at least one program of the plurality of programs that a viewer is more likely to watch at a particular time than others of the plurality of programs at the particular time.

34. A method as recited in claim 32, wherein the step for predicting

comprises the act of:

retrieving stored data associated with viewing preferences of the viewer;

analyzing the stored data to identify at least one type of program that a viewer is more likely to watch than other types of program; and

based upon the identified type of program, analyzing the plurality of data slices to identify at least one program of the plurality of programs that a viewer is more likely to watch at a particular time than others of the plurality of programs at the particular time.

35. A method as defined in claim 27 wherein said first slice of program guide information is displayed in connection with a single column headed by a given time element.

36. A method as defined in claim 35 wherein each time element that is added is formatted at the head of a separate column that is added to the browse mode window so that each additional slice of program guide information that is added is added to a column headed by a time element.