Information system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of arranging and managing information for an on-screen electronic program guide having a display screen comprising the steps of:
- receiving television schedule information in a data stream;
displaying some of the television schedule information as a plurality of TV program listings in a guide format in a first area of the screen;
receiving a first user input for selecting a TV program from the displayed plurality of TV program listings;
simultaneous with the TV program listings, displaying promotional information other than TV program listings in a second area of the screen with the TV program listings, wherein;
the second area of the screen is in a fixed position on the screen;
the promotional information is displayed not in response to a user'"'"'s selection of the TV program; and
the displayed promotional information is responsive to inputs from the viewer;
receiving a second user input to navigate an on-screen cursor from the first area of the screen to the promotional information displayed in the second area of the screen; and
selecting, using the on-screen cursor, the displayed promotional information after the promotional information is displayed to activate a function related to the promotional information displayed in the second area.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for displaying an electronic program schedule guide is provided. The system has areas for displaying program schedule information. In addition, the system also has areas that may be used for advertising programs, products or services. In another embodiment, the system has areas for displaying messages to the user.
131 Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method of arranging and managing information for an on-screen electronic program guide having a display screen comprising the steps of:
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receiving television schedule information in a data stream; displaying some of the television schedule information as a plurality of TV program listings in a guide format in a first area of the screen; receiving a first user input for selecting a TV program from the displayed plurality of TV program listings; simultaneous with the TV program listings, displaying promotional information other than TV program listings in a second area of the screen with the TV program listings, wherein; the second area of the screen is in a fixed position on the screen; the promotional information is displayed not in response to a user'"'"'s selection of the TV program; and the displayed promotional information is responsive to inputs from the viewer; receiving a second user input to navigate an on-screen cursor from the first area of the screen to the promotional information displayed in the second area of the screen; and selecting, using the on-screen cursor, the displayed promotional information after the promotional information is displayed to activate a function related to the promotional information displayed in the second area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An electronic program guide system comprising:
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a display screen; a microprocessor; a data stream for receiving television schedule information including information about television programs; means for displaying some of the television schedule information as a plurality of TV program listings in a first area of the screen; an input device for receiving a first user input for selecting a TV program from the displayed plurality of TV program listings; means for simultaneous with the TV program listings, displaying promotional information other than TV program listings in a second area of the screen with the TV program listings, wherein; the second area of the screen is in a fixed position on the screen; the promotional information is displayed not in response to a user'"'"'s selection of the TV program; and the displayed promotional information is responsive to inputs from the viewer; means for receiving a second user input to navigate an on-screen cursor from the first area of the screen to the promotional information displayed in the second area of the screen; and means for selecting, using the on-screen cursor, the displayed promotional information after the promotional information is displayed to activate a function related to the promotional information displayed in the second area.
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22. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer and embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for arranging and managing information for an on-screen electronic program guide having a display screen, comprising the steps of:
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receiving television schedule information in a data stream; displaying some of the television schedule information as a plurality of TV program listings in a first area of the screen; receiving a first user input for selecting a TV program from the displayed plurality of TV program listings; simultaneous with the TV program listings, displaying promotional information other than TV program listings in a second area of the screen, wherein; the second area of the screen is in a fixed position on the screen; the promotional information is displayed not in response to a user'"'"'s selection of the TV program; and the displayed promotional information is responsive to inputs from the viewer; receiving a second user input to navigate an on-screen cursor from the first area of the screen to the promotional information displayed in the second area of the screen; and selecting, using the on-screen cursor, the displayed promotional information after the promotional information is displayed to activate a function related to the promotional information displayed in the second area.
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23. A method of arranging and managing information for an electronic program guide having a display screen comprising:
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receiving television schedule information and promotional information in a data stream; displaying some of the television schedule information as a plurality of TV program listings in a grid guide format in a first area of the screen; generating promotional information other than TV program listings at a TV viewer'"'"'s site; simultaneous with the TV program listings, displaying the promotional information in a second area of the screen, wherein the promotional information is displayed not in response to the viewer'"'"'s selection of the displayed TV program listings and the displayed promotional information is responsive to inputs from the viewer; receiving a user input to navigate an on-screen cursor from the first area of the screen to the promotional information displayed in the second area of the screen; and selecting, using the on-screen cursor, the displayed promotional information after the promotional information is displayed to activate a function related to the promotional information displayed in the second area, wherein the function is establishing a link to an Internet website and launching an application for displaying information related to the information displayed in the second area from the Internet website in the second area of the screen. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. A method of displaying promotional information for an on-screen electronic program guide having a display screen comprising the steps of:
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displaying a plurality of television schedule information items in the display screen in a guide format; selecting promotional information other than displayed television schedule information items for display; simultaneous with the displayed television schedule information items, displaying the selected promotional information; receiving a user input to navigate an on-screen cursor from one of the displayed plurality of television schedule information items to the displayed promotional information; and selecting the displayed promotional information to activate a function related to the displayed promotional information, wherein the function is establishing a link to an Internet website and launching an application for displaying information related to the information displayed in the second area from the Internet website in the second area of the screen. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method of arranging and managing information for an on-screen electronic program guide having a display screen comprising the steps of:
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receiving television schedule information in a data stream; displaying some of the television schedule information as a plurality of TV program listings in a guide format in a first area of the screen; receiving a first user input for selecting a TV program from the displayed plurality of TV program listings; simultaneous with the TV program listings, displaying promotional information other than TV program listings in a second area of the screen with the TV program listings, wherein the promotional information is displayed not in response to a user'"'"'s selection of the TV program and the displayed promotional information is responsive to inputs from the viewer; receiving a second user input to navigate an on-screen cursor from the first area of the screen to the promotional information displayed in the second area of the screen, wherein the promotional information displayed in the second area changes as the cursor is moved from the second area; and selecting, using the on-screen cursor, the displayed promotional information after the promotional information is displayed to activate a function related to the promotional information displayed in the second area.
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36. An electronic program guide system comprising:
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a display screen; a microprocessor; a data stream for receiving television schedule information including information about television programs; means for displaying some of the television schedule information as a plurality of TV program listings in a first area of the screen; an input device for receiving a first user input for selecting a TV program from the displayed plurality of TV program listings; means for simultaneous with the TV program listings, displaying promotional information other than TV program listings in a second area of the screen with the TV program listings, wherein the promotional information is displayed not in response to a user'"'"'s selection of the TV program and the displayed promotional information is responsive to inputs from the viewer; means for receiving a second user input to navigate an on-screen cursor from the first area of the screen to the promotional information displayed in the second area of the screen, wherein the promotional information displayed in the second area changes as the cursor is moved from the second area; and means for selecting, using the on-screen cursor, the displayed promotional information after the promotional information is displayed to activate a function related to the promotional information displayed in the second area.
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37. A method of arranging and managing information for an on-screen electronic program guide having a display screen comprising the steps of:
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receiving television schedule information in a data stream; displaying some of the television schedule information as a plurality of TV program listings in a guide format in a first area of the screen; receiving a first user input for selecting a TV program from the displayed plurality of TV program listings; simultaneous with the TV program listings, displaying promotional information other than TV program listings in a second area of the screen with the TV program listings, wherein the promotional information is displayed not in response to a user'"'"'s selection of the TV program and the displayed promotional information is responsive to inputs from the viewer; receiving a second user input to navigate an on-screen cursor from the first area of the screen to the promotional information displayed in the second area of the screen; and selecting, using the on-screen cursor, the displayed promotional information after the promotional information is displayed to activate a function related to the promotional information displayed in the second area, wherein the function is establishing a link to an Internet website and launching an application for displaying information related to the information displayed in the second area from the Internet website in the second area of the screen.
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38. An electronic program guide system comprising:
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a display screen; a microprocessor; a data stream for receiving television schedule information including information about television programs; means for displaying some of the television schedule information as a plurality of TV program listings in a first area of the screen; an input device for receiving a first user input for selecting a TV program from the displayed plurality of TV program listings; means for simultaneous with the TV program listings, displaying promotional information other than TV program listings in a second area of the screen with the TV program listings, wherein the promotional information is displayed not in response to a user'"'"'s selection of the TV program and the displayed promotional information is responsive to inputs from the viewer; means for receiving a second user input to navigate an on-screen cursor from the first area of the screen to the promotional information displayed in the second area of the screen; and means for selecting, using the on-screen cursor, the displayed promotional information is displayed to activate a function related to the promotional information displayed in the second area, wherein the function is establishing a link to an Internet website and launching an application for displaying information related to the information displayed in the second area from the Internet website in the second area of the screen.
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Specification