Home entertainment system and method of its operation
First Claim
1. A method for operating a home entertainment system, the method comprising the steps of:
- storing, in a memory, files containing program schedule information corresponding to a first television program and program schedule information corresponding to a second television program;
linking, in the memory, the program schedule information corresponding to the first television program to the program schedule information corresponding to the second television program such that the program schedule information corresponding to the second television program can be retrieved from the memory by accessing the program schedule information corresponding to the first television program;
generating a display of a video of a telecast of the first television program, wherein the video of the telecast includes an announcement or advertisement of the second television program;
signaling the availability of an electronic program guide function with respect to the second television program during the announcement or advertisement of the second television program;
receiving a first user command invoking the electronic program guide function with respect to the second television program in response to the signaling;
retrieving, from the program schedule information corresponding to the first television program, the program schedule information corresponding to the second television program in response to the first user command; and
executing the electronic program guide function with respect to the second television program by using the information corresponding to the second television program retrieved from the program schedule information corresponding to the first television program, wherein the program schedule information corresponding to the first television program uniquely identifies the first and the second television programs.
13 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An EPG database for a home entertainment system includes files that contain information about television programs retrievable by time and channel. The files are linked to each other so information about a future television program can be obtained by accessing a file about a current television program. A current television program displayed on the screen of a home entertainment system includes an announcement or advertisement of a future television program. The availability of an electronic program guide function (e.g., record, watch, details, display time, display channel, display by theme, and Internet connection) is signaled during, before, or after the announcement. A command is issued to invoke the EPG function. The information about the future television program is retrieved from the file about the current television program in the database. The EPG function is executed with the retrieved information. As a result, an EPG function can be performed with respect to a future television program without embedding information about the future television program in the television signal.
72 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method for operating a home entertainment system, the method comprising the steps of:
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storing, in a memory, files containing program schedule information corresponding to a first television program and program schedule information corresponding to a second television program; linking, in the memory, the program schedule information corresponding to the first television program to the program schedule information corresponding to the second television program such that the program schedule information corresponding to the second television program can be retrieved from the memory by accessing the program schedule information corresponding to the first television program; generating a display of a video of a telecast of the first television program, wherein the video of the telecast includes an announcement or advertisement of the second television program; signaling the availability of an electronic program guide function with respect to the second television program during the announcement or advertisement of the second television program; receiving a first user command invoking the electronic program guide function with respect to the second television program in response to the signaling; retrieving, from the program schedule information corresponding to the first television program, the program schedule information corresponding to the second television program in response to the first user command; and executing the electronic program guide function with respect to the second television program by using the information corresponding to the second television program retrieved from the program schedule information corresponding to the first television program, wherein the program schedule information corresponding to the first television program uniquely identifies the first and the second television programs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A home entertainment system comprising:
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a receiver adapted to receive a telecast of a first television program for generation of a display, wherein the telecast includes an announcement or advertisement of a second television program; a memory storing, in files, program schedule information corresponding to the first television program and program schedule information corresponding to the second television program, wherein the program schedule information corresponding to the first television program is linked in the memory to the program schedule information corresponding to the second television program such that the program schedule information corresponding to the second television program can be retrieved from the memory by accessing the program schedule information corresponding to the first television program; and a microprocessor configured to; accept a first user command to invoke an electronic program guide function with respect to the second television program in response to a signal signaling the availability of the electronic program guide function during the announcement or advertisement of the second television program, retrieve, from the program schedule information corresponding to the first television program, the program schedule information corresponding to the second television program in response to the first user command, and execute the electronic program guide function with respect to the second television program by using the information corresponding to the second television program retrieved from the program schedule information corresponding to the first television program, wherein the program schedule information corresponding to the first television program uniquely identifies the first and the second television programs. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method comprising:
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storing, in a memory, files containing program schedule information corresponding to a first program and program schedule information corresponding to a second program; generating a display of a video of the first program, wherein the video includes an announcement or advertisement of the second program; generating an indication of the availability of an application function with respect to the second program during the announcement or advertisement of the second program; receiving a user command invoking the application function with respect to the second program responsive to the indication; retrieving, from the program schedule information corresponding to the first program, the program schedule information corresponding to the second program in response to the user command; and executing the application function with respect to the second program by using the information corresponding to the second program retrieved from the program schedule information corresponding to the first program, wherein the program schedule information corresponding to the first program uniquely identifies the first and the second programs.
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Specification