Electronic program guide
First Claim
1. A video tape recorder system for utilizing broadcast video signals representative of a first video program serving as a guide for subsequent video programs, and for also utilizing broadcast video signals representative of such subsequent video programs, and for utilizing broadcast auxiliary signals related to the first and subsequent video programs, said video tape recorder system comprising:
- a receiver capable of receiving the broadcast video signals and the broadcast auxiliary signals;
recording circuitry coupled to said receiver for recording the broadcast video signals received by said receiver representative of the first program on a cassette tape in the form of at least one grid having a predetermined number of cells containing information representative of respective ones of said subsequent programs;
a decoder coupled to said receiver for decoding the auxiliary signals to produce information signals related to the first and subsequent programs; and
a controller coupled to said decoder for receiving the information signals and for utilizing the information signals to select one or more of the subsequent programs for recording for future viewing.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An indexing VCR system which responds to broadcast information to record a program guide which may subsequently be displayed to apprise the user of programs to be broadcast during the next day or week, etc. The program guide enables the user to condition the VCR to record selected programs when they are broadcast. The program guide may also include film clips of selected programs to assist the user in making a decision as to whether he/she desires to record any particular program. The program guide is preferably recorded on the video tape in the VCR in the form of a multi-cell grid and as full frame video so that information concerning each program may be displayed in respective cells in the grid. Other information, such as the PLUSCODE™, address of the corresponding clip, etc., may be transmitted to the user during the VBI intervals, or by other means.
626 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A video tape recorder system for utilizing broadcast video signals representative of a first video program serving as a guide for subsequent video programs, and for also utilizing broadcast video signals representative of such subsequent video programs, and for utilizing broadcast auxiliary signals related to the first and subsequent video programs, said video tape recorder system comprising:
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a receiver capable of receiving the broadcast video signals and the broadcast auxiliary signals; recording circuitry coupled to said receiver for recording the broadcast video signals received by said receiver representative of the first program on a cassette tape in the form of at least one grid having a predetermined number of cells containing information representative of respective ones of said subsequent programs; a decoder coupled to said receiver for decoding the auxiliary signals to produce information signals related to the first and subsequent programs; and a controller coupled to said decoder for receiving the information signals and for utilizing the information signals to select one or more of the subsequent programs for recording for future viewing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for utilizing broadcast video signals representative of a first video program serving as a guide for subsequent programs and also for utilizing broadcast video signals representative of such subsequent video programs, and for utilizing broadcast auxiliary signals related to the first and subsequent video programs, and which includes the following steps:
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receiving the broadcast video signals and auxiliary signals; recording the received broadcast video signals representative of the first program on a cassette tape in at least one grid having a predetermined number of cells, with each cell containing information relative to a corresponding one of said subsequent programs; decoding the received auxiliary signals to produce information signals related to the first and subsequent programs; and utilizing the information signals to select one or more of the subsequent programs for recording for future viewing. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A video tape recorder system for utilizing broadcast video signals representative of a first video program serving as a guide for subsequent video programs, and for also utilizing broadcast video signals representative of such subsequent video programs, and for utilizing broadcast auxiliary signals related to the first and subsequent video programs, said video tape recorder system comprising:
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a receiver capable of receiving the broadcast video signals and the broadcast auxiliary signals; recording circuitry coupled to said receiver for recording the broadcast video signals received by said receiver representative of the first program on a cassette tape in the form of at least one grid having a predetermined number of cells, each cell having a unique number and each cell containing information representative of respective ones of said subsequent programs; a decoder coupled to said receiver for decoding the auxiliary signals to produce information signals related to the first and subsequent programs; a display for displaying the grid of cells; and means for entering the number of a displayed cell for selecting the cell in order to record the corresponding subsequent program for future viewing. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for utilizing broadcast video signals representative of a first video program serving as a guide for subsequent programs and also for utilizing broadcast video signals representative of such subsequent video programs, and for utilizing broadcast auxiliary signals related to the first and subsequent video programs, and which includes the following steps:
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receiving the broadcast video signals and auxiliary signals; recording the received broadcast video signals representative of the first program on a cassette tape in at least one grid having a predetermined number of cells, each cell containing a unique number and containing information relative to a corresponding one of said subsequent programs; decoding the received auxiliary signals to produce information signals related to the first and subsequent programs; displaying the grid; and utilizing the displayed grid of cells and the information signals to select one or more of the subsequent programs for recording for future viewing. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification