Client terminal for displaying program guide information associated with different programs within a pop-up

• US 7,577,973 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2001
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keen Personal Media, Inc. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Keen Personal Media, Inc. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Schwartz, Peter Jay, Elliott, Timothy J., Kapner, III, L. Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Ustaris, Joseph G
• Application Number:
  US09/872,197
• Time in Patent Office: 3,001 Days
• Field of Search: 725/37, 725/39, 725/44, 725/46, 725/47, 725/52, 715/716, 715/719
• US Class Current: 725/44
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• 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 21/4314 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 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• 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

Abstract

A client terminal providing an on-screen program guide that allows a user to easily navigate through program guide information within a pop-up for different programs on a selected channel. A head end provides program guide information (PGI) to the client terminal. The PGI includes first program data (FPD) associated with a first program and second program data (SPD) associated with a second program. The client terminal includes a terminal controller responsive to an on-screen display control program that causes: the display of channel identifiers, the selection of one of the channel identifiers in response to a first input, and the display of a pop-up for the selected channel identifier. The pop-up displays the FPD associated with the first program in response to the first input. In response to a second input, the pop-up displays the SPD associated with the second program.

Claims

1. A client terminal connectable to a head end and a display device, the head end provides program guide information including first program data associated with a first program and second program data associated with a second program, the client terminal comprising:

a channel input interface to receive the program guide information;

a user interface to receive a first input and a second input; and

a terminal controller responsive to an on screen display (OSD) control program for;

a. displaying an arrangement of a plurality of different channel icons associated with respective video program providers in a plurality of rows and columns simultaneously on the display device, the different channel icons representing at least one of broadcast channels and satellite channels;

b. selecting one of the plurality of different channel icons in response to the first input; and

c. displaying a pop-up for the selected channel icon on the display device while still displaying the arrangement of the plurality of different channel icons, the pop-up overlaying at least one other channel icon;

d. wherein;

i. the pop-up displays the first program data associated with the first program of the selected channel icon in response to the first input and the user interface receives the second input while the pop-up is displaying the first program data; and

ii. the pop-up displays the second program data associated with the second program of the selected channel icon in response to the second input selecting a selectable button within the pop-up while the arrangement of the plurality of different channel icons in the plurality of rows and columns is still displayed and the pop-up continues to overlay the at least one other channel icon.

2. The client terminal of claim 1, wherein, the selectable button is a next icon, such that the second input selects the next icon resulting in the display of second program data that is associated with a second program that occurs after the first program.

3. The client terminal of claim 1, wherein, the selectable button is a previous icon, such that the second input selects the previous icon resulting in the display of second program data that is associated with a second program that occurs before the first program.

4. The client terminal of claim 1, wherein, the pop-up includes a record icon, such that the second input selects the record icon resulting in the recording of the first program in a local memory.

5. The client terminal of claim 1, wherein, the program guide information displayed in the pop-up includes at least one of a channel number, a channel identifier, a program time, and a title of the program.

6. The client terminal of claim 5, wherein, the program guide information displayed in the pop-up further includes a description of the program.

7. The client terminal of claim 1, wherein, the client terminal displays predetermined channel icons in a predetermined order set by the user.

8. A computer program embodied in a computer readable storage medium for use in a client terminal connectable to a head end and a display device, the head end provides program guide information including first program data associated with a first program and second program data associated with a second program, the client terminal receiving a first input and a second input, the computer program comprising code segments for:

a. displaying an arrangement of a plurality of different channel icons associated with respective video program providers in a plurality of rows and columns simultaneously on the display device, the different channel icons representing at least one of broadcast channels and satellite channels;

b. selecting one of the plurality of different channel icons in response to the first input;

c. displaying a pop-up for the selected channel icon on the display device while still displaying the arrangement of the plurality of different channel icons, the pop-up overlaying at least one other channel icon;

d. wherein;

i. the pop-up displays the first program data associated with the first program of the selected channel icon in response to the first input and the client terminal receives the second input while the pop-up is displaying the first program data; and

ii. the pop-up displays the second program data associated with the second program of the selected channel icon in response to the second input selecting a selectable button within the pop-up while the arrangement of the plurality of different channel icons in the plurality of rows and columns is still displayed and the pop-up continues to overlay the at least one other channel icon.

9. The computer program of claim 8, further comprising, code segments for displaying the pop-up wherein the selectable button is a next icon, such that the second input selecting the next icon results in the display of second program data that is associated with a second program that occurs after the first program.

10. The computer program of claim 8, further comprising, code segments for displaying the pop-up wherein the selectable button is a previous icon, such that the second input selecting the previous icon results in the display of a second program data that is associated with the second program that occurs before the first program.

11. The computer program of claim 8, further comprising, code segments for displaying the pop-up wherein the pop-up includes a record icon, such that the second input selecting the record icon results in the recording of the first program in a local memory.

12. The computer program of claim 8, further comprising, code segments for displaying the program guide information wherein the program guide information displayed in the pop-up includes at least one of a channel number, a channel identifier, a program time, and a title of the program.

13. The computer program of claim 12, further comprising, code segments for displaying the program guide information wherein the program guide information displayed in the pop-up includes a description of the program.

14. The computer program of claim 8, further comprising, code segments for displaying predetermined channel icons in a predetermined order set by the user.

15. A method of displaying program guide information on a display device, the method comprising the steps of:

a. displaying an arrangement of a plurality of different channel icons associated with respective video program providers in a plurality of rows and columns simultaneously on the display device, the different channel icons representing at least one of broadcast channels and satellite channels;

b. receiving a first input to select one of the plurality of different channel icons;

c. providing program guide information associated with the selected channel icon, the program guide information including first program data associated with a first program and second program data associated with a second program;

d. displaying a pop-up for the selected channel icon on the display device while still displaying the arrangement of the plurality of different channel icons, the pop-up overlaying at least one other channel icon, the pop-up displaying the first program data associated with the first program of the selected channel icon in response to the first input; and

e. receiving a second input while the pop-up is displaying the first program data, the pop-up displaying the second program data associated with the second program of the selected channel icon in response to the second input selecting a selectable button within the pop-up while the arrangement of the plurality of different channel icons in the plurality of rows and columns is still displayed and the pop-up continues to overlay the at least one other channel icon.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein, the selectable button is a next icon, such that the second input selecting the next icon results in the display of second program data that is associated with a second program that occurs after the first program.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein, the selectable button is a previous icon, such that the second input selecting the previous icon results in the display of second program data that is associated with a second program that occurs before the first program.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein, the pop-up includes a record icon, such that the second input selecting the record icon results in the recording of the first program in a local memory.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein, the program guide information displayed in the pop-up includes at least one of a channel number, a channel identifier, a program time, and a title of the program.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein, the program guide information displayed in the pop-up includes a description of the program.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising, the step of displaying predetermined channel icons in a predetermined order set by the user.