Systems and methods for navigating program listings simultaneously displayed with a program in a media guidance application

• US 9,113,108 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2010
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Sinha, Gaurav, Arai, China, Conness, Jason, Peterson, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDRAMUNO, FRANKLIN S
• Application Number:
  US12/773,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20110154403A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,932 Days
• Field of Search: 725/52, 725/60
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/28 Arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• 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 21/4334 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape

Abstract

Systems and methods for navigating program listings in a media guidance application are provided. A program listing may be displayed that corresponds to a first time period. A user request to change the first time period may be received. In response to the request to change the time period, a hopscotch display may be provided that gives the user access to a plurality of consecutive time periods from which the user can select to have corresponding program listings displayed. A user selection of one of the displayed time periods may be received and a second program listing corresponding to the selected time period may be displayed.

Claims

1. A method for navigating about an interactive media guidance application, the method comprising:

generating a simultaneous display of a video program and a first program listing corresponding to a first time period;

receiving a user request to display a second program listing corresponding to a second time period;

in response to receiving the user request, generating a simultaneous display of the video program, the first program listing and a plurality of alternate time periods associated with no program listing being displayed, wherein;

the displayed plurality of alternate time periods comprises a plurality of cells each representing a different time period within a particular day of the week; and

each of the different time periods represented by each of the plurality of cells corresponds to a time interval equal to a time interval of the first time period;

receiving a user selection of one of the displayed alternate time periods; and

generating a simultaneous display of the second program listing, corresponding to the selected one of the alternate time periods, the plurality of alternate time periods and the video program.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the user request comprises receiving a user selection of an icon displayed with the first program listing.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the user request comprises receiving a plurality of identical user instructions a predetermined number of times.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of identical user instructions causes the media guidance application to shift a time period for which program listings are displayed to another adjacent time period.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein a first of the plurality of identical user instructions causes the media guidance application to display a third program listing corresponding to a third time period adjacent to the first time period.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the alternate time periods are consecutive in time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first program listing is overlaid over the video of the program.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the plurality of alternate time periods comprises excluding the second program listing from the display.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of alternate time periods is displayed in an overlay on top of the video program.

8. A system for navigating about an interactive media guidance application, the system comprising:

processing circuitry configured to;

generate a simultaneous display of a video program and a first program listing corresponding to a first time period;

receive a user request to display a second program listing corresponding to a second time period;

in response to receiving the user request, generate a simultaneous display of the video program, the first program listing and a plurality of alternate time periods associated with no program listing being displayed, wherein;

the displayed plurality of alternate time periods comprises a plurality of cells each representing a different time period within a particular day of the week; and

each of the different time periods represented by each of the plurality of cells corresponds to a time interval equal to a time interval of the first time period;

receive a user selection of one of the displayed alternate time periods; and

generate a simultaneous display of the second program listing, corresponding to the selected one of the alternate time periods, the plurality of alternate time periods and the video program.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to receive as the user request a user selection of an icon displayed with the first program listing.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to receive as the user request a plurality of identical user instructions a predetermined number of times.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of identical user instructions causes the media guidance application to shift a time period for which program listings are displayed to another adjacent time period.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein a first of the plurality of identical user instructions causes the media guidance application to display a third program listing corresponding to a third time period adjacent to the first time period.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the alternate time periods are consecutive in time.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the first program listing is overlaid over the video of the program.

16. The system of claim 8 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to exclude the second program listing from the display of the plurality of alternate time periods.

18. The system of claim 8 wherein the plurality of alternate time periods is displayed in an overlay on top of the video program.