Interactive program guide systems and processes

• US 8,555,316 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2011
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: UV Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Lemmons, Thomas R., Allison, Donald W., Henshaw, Jerry D., Marshall, Connie T.
• Primary Examiner(s): RABOVIANSKI, JIVKA A
• Application Number:
  US13/168,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20110258663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 725/43, 725/40, 725/44, 725/53, 725/116
• US Class Current: 725/43
• 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 21/4312 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• 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 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape

Abstract

Interactive program guide systems and related processes are provided which can automatically tune a television, or program a VCR, based on program selections made from program schedule information displayed on a television or other suitable video monitor. The interactive program guide is preferably implemented using a microprocessor-controlled set-top box that is coupled to the viewer'"'"'s television set. The set-top box receives program schedule information and software from a headend telecasting center. Preferably, program schedule information for the current day and at least six subsequent days is stored in a memory within the set-top box. The interactive program guide provides a display mode for allowing the viewer to apply a restrictive search selection criterion and a nonrestrictive sort attribute to the program schedule information.

Claims

1. A method for accessing program information, the method comprising:

generating for simultaneous display on a display screen, using a control unit, a plurality of day part options each day part option corresponding to a different portion of a day for which program information is available, wherein the different portion of a day includes a plurality of time cells in a program guide;

receiving, at the control unit, a selected day part option of one of the plurality of day part options; and

generating, using the control unit, program information, for display on the display screen, that corresponds to the selected day part option.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, using the control unit, a plurality of selectable day options, each day option corresponding to a different day for which program information is available, wherein a plurality of day options simultaneously indicates a corresponding plurality of day numbers of days of a month for which the program information is available;

receiving, at the control unit, a selected day option of one of the plurality of day options; and

generating, using the control unit, program information, associated with both the selected day option and the selected day part option.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising generating, using the control unit, the plurality of day part options simultaneously with the plurality of day options.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of day parts options corresponds to an equal portion of a day.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically generating, using the control unit, program information corresponding to a default day part prior to receiving a selected day part.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the default day part corresponds to a most recent day part received as the selected day part.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating, using the control unit, for display on the display screen, a cursor

designating one of the plurality of day part options;

receiving, at the control unit, a cursor movement instruction;

repositioning, using the control unit, the cursor in response to the cursor movement instruction; and

receiving, at the control unit, as the selected day part option one of the plurality of day parts designated by the cursor.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of day part options is defined by a transmission from a remote location.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the month for which day options are

generated corresponds to a first month and the method further comprising:

simultaneously generating, using the control unit, the day options for the first month and at least one new day option which corresponds to a second month that is different from the first month; and

receiving, at the control unit, as the selected day option one of the at least one new day option corresponding to the second month.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of day options is defined by a transmission from a remote location.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising selecting, using the control unit, a default day option as the selected day option prior to receiving the selected day option.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the default day option corresponds to a prior day option for which program information was previously presented.

13. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

generating, at the control unit, for display on the display screen, a cursor

designating one of the plurality of day options;

receiving, at the control unit, a cursor movement instruction;

repositioning, using the control unit, the cursor in response to the cursor movement instruction; and

receiving, at the control unit, as the selected day option one of the plurality of day options designated by the cursor.

14. The method of claim 2, further comprising generating, at the control unit, for display on the display screen, at least one day option that corresponds to a day for which program information is not available.

15. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of day options for which program information is available is equal to seven day options.

16. A system for accessing program information on a display, the system comprising:

a user input device; and

a control unit that (a) causes to be presented simultaneously on the display a plurality of day part options, each day part option corresponding to a different portion of a day for which program information is available, wherein the different portion of a day includes a plurality of time cells in a program guide (b) receives from the user input device a selected day part option of one of the plurality of day part options, and (c) causes to be presented on the display program information that corresponds to the selected day part option.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the control unit further:

causes to be presented on the display a plurality of selectable day options, each day option corresponding to a different day for which program information is available, wherein a plurality of day options simultaneously indicates a corresponding plurality of day numbers of days of a month for which program information is available;

receives a selected day option of one of the plurality of day options; and

causes to be presented on the display program information associated with both the selected day option and the selected day part option.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the control unit causes the plurality of day options to presented simultaneously with the plurality of day part options.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of day parts options corresponds to an equal portion of a day.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the control unit selects a default day part as the selected day part option prior to receiving from the user input device the selected day part option.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the default day part corresponds to a most recent day part received as the selected day part option from the user input device.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the control unit:

causes a cursor designating one of a plurality of day parts to be displayed;

receives from the user input device a cursor movement instruction;

repositions the cursor in response to the cursor movement instruction; and

receives as the selected day part option one of the plurality of day parts designated by the cursor.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of day part options is defined by a transmission from a remote location.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of day options is defined by a transmission from a remote location.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the month for which day options are presented corresponds to a first month and wherein the control unit:

causes to be presented simultaneously with the plurality of day options for the first month, at least one new day option which corresponds to a second month that is different from the first month; and

receives as the selected day option one of the at least one new day option corresponding to the second month.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the control unit selects a default day option as the selected day option prior to receiving the selected day option.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein the control unit:

causes a cursor designating one of the plurality of day options to be displayed;

receives from the user input device a cursor movement instruction;

repositions the cursor in response to the cursor movement instruction; and

receives as the selected day option one of the plurality of day options designated by the cursor.

28. The system of claim 17, wherein the control unit causes at least one day option that corresponds to a day for which program information is not available to be included in the plurality of day options.

29. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of day options for which program information is available is equal to seven day options.