Visual cue for programs in an electronic program guide

• US 8,789,099 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2011
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Foote, Evan Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): HANCE, ROBERT J
• Application Number:
  US13/993,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20130268966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,274 Days
• Field of Search: 725/37, 725/38, 725/39, 725/40
• US Class Current: 725/39
• 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 21/47 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 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time

Abstract

An electronic program guide includes a plurality of elements arrayed in a grid of rows and columns, with the rows corresponding to program sources and the columns corresponding to time intervals. Each element corresponds to a program played out from a particular program source during a corresponding time interval. The background of each element changes, such as by way of a color gradient or changing shape, to indicate one of a program beginning or ending. In this way, a viewer can ascertain the length of the program even if the element gets clipped upon updating the electronic program guide.

Claims

1. A method, executed by a processor, for providing an electronic program guide, comprising the steps of:

forming a grid array of elements by the processor, with each element corresponding to a window in time and each element having a foreground legend identifying at least a portion of a program from a particular program source appearing during a time interval associated with said each element, and

providing elements by the processor with a background having a contrasting half-oval color shape having a span in correspondence with program length, such that the half-oval shape has a visible portion beginning in a corresponding element at a time corresponding to program commencement and ending in the corresponding element at a time corresponding to program conclusion.

2. A processor for generating an electronic program guide for display on a display device, the electronic program guide generated by the processor comprising:

a grid array of elements, with each element corresponding to a window in time and each element having a foreground legend identifying at least a portion of a program from a particular program source appearing during a time interval associated with said each element, and

each element having a background having a contrasting half-oval color shape having a span in correspondence with program length, such that the half-oval shape has a visible portion beginning in a corresponding element at a time corresponding to program commencement and ending in the corresponding element at a time corresponding to program conclusion.