Methods, systems, and products for customized programming

• US 8,082,567 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2005
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Steading, David
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEPARD, JUSTIN E
• Application Number:
  US11/256,980
• Publication Number:
  US 20060117347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,248 Days
• Field of Search: 725/44, 725/45
• US Class Current: 725/44
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for providing programming. An electronic programming guide (EPG) is received. The EPG has events associated with products and a programming grid simultaneously listing a wrapper associated with each product and each product'"'"'s associated events. An input is received that scrolls from one product to another product within the electronic programming guide. Another input is received that scrolls from one event to another event within the same product.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving information regarding events associated with packages;

processing the information as a programming grid of cells in an electronic programming guide, the programming grid of cells simultaneously listing a wrapper associated with each package and the events associated with each package, the wrapper surrounding only cells in the programming grid of cells that are associated with the events for each package, the electronic programming guide having a first mode in which inputs to a navigator scroll from one wrapper to another wrapper of different packages of programming, and the electronic programming guide having a second mode in which inputs to the navigator scroll from a cell associated with an event in a package to another cell associated with another event within the package; and

linking the programming grid of cells to a prerecorded event stored in local memory.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising processing an input to scroll within the programming grid of cells.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising processing another input that scrolls from one event to another event within the package.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising simultaneously listing in the programming grid of cells a start time and a stop time of each event within each package.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising highlighting each wrapper as an input scrolls from the package to another package.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

expanding the electronic programming guide to include time and channel information concerning the events within the packages; and

collapsing the electronic programming guide in which only time information concerning the packages is displayed.

7. A system, comprising:

a processor executing code stored in memory that causes the processor to;

receive information regarding events associated with packages;

process the information as a programming grid of cells in an electronic programming guide, the programming grid of cells simultaneously listing a wrapper associated with each package and events associated with each package, the wrapper surrounding only cells in the programming grid of cells that are associated with the events for each package, the electronic programming guide having a first mode in which inputs to a navigator scroll along the programming grid of cells from one wrapper to another wrapper of different packages of programming, and the electronic programming guide having a second mode in which inputs to the navigator scroll along the programming grid of cells from a cell associated with an event in a package to another cell associated with another event within the package; and

link the programming grid of cells to a prerecorded event stored in local memory.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the code further causes the processor to process an input that scrolls within the programming grid of cells.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the code further causes the processor to process another input that scrolls from one event to another event within the package.

10. The system according to claim 7, wherein the code further causes the processor to process the programming grid of cells to simultaneously list a start time and a stop time of each event within each package.

11. The system according to claim 7, wherein the code further causes the processor to highlight each wrapper as the programming grid of cells is scrolled from one package to another package.

12. The system according to claim 7, wherein the code further causes the processor to cause the electronic programming guide to expand to include time and channel information concerning the events within the package and to collapse in which only time information concerning the package is displayed.

13. A computer readable memory storing processor executable instructions for performing a method, the method comprising:

receiving information regarding events associated with packages;

processing the information as a programming grid of cells in an electronic programming guide, the programming grid of cells simultaneously listing a wrapper associated with each package and events associated with each package, the wrapper surrounding only cells in the programming grid of cells that are associated with the events for each package, the electronic programming guide having a first mode in which inputs to a navigator scroll along the programming grid of cells from one wrapper to another wrapper of different packages of programming, and the electronic programming guide having a second mode in which inputs to the navigator scroll along the programming grid of cells from a cell associated with an event in a package to another cell associated with another event within the package; and

linking the programming grid of cells to a prerecorded event stored in local memory.

14. The computer readable memory according to claim 13, further comprising instructions for processing an input to scroll within the programming grid of cells.

15. The computer readable memory according to claim 13, further comprising instructions for processing another input that scrolls from one event to another event within the package.

16. The computer readable memory according to claim 13, further comprising instructions for simultaneously listing in the programming grid of cells a start time and a stop time of each event within each package.

17. The computer readable memory according to claim 13, further comprising instructions for highlighting each wrapper.