Interactive program guide navigator menu system

• US 6,262,722 B1
• Filed: 07/08/1997
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Allison, Donald Wayne, Williamson, Steven Carl, Herrington, Walter Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, John W.
• Application Number:
  US08/889,526
• Time in Patent Office: 1,470 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.710, H04/N.714, H04/N.708, H04/N.7083, H04/N.7084, H04/N.7085, H04/N.7087, H04/N.7088, H04/N.544, H04/N.5445, 345/326, 345/327, 345/339-341, 348/906, 348/6, 348/7, 348/10, 348/12, 348/13, 348/461, 348/468, 348/469, 348/473, 348/476-479, 348/553, 348/563, 348/564, 348/569, 455/3.1, 455/4.1, 455/4.2, 455/5.1, 455/6.1, 455/6.2, 455/6.3
• US Class Current: 725/39
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• 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

Abstract

An interactive program guide system is provided. The program guide system has a logically flat navigator menu structure made up of program guide categories and selectable program guide options. Program guide categories correspond to fairly broad groups of program guide features. Selectable program guide options correspond to more specific program guide features. Each program guide category has associated selectable program guide options. Program guide categories may be displayed in a row across the top of the display screen. Selectable program guide options may be displayed in the same column as the program guide category with which they are associated. A highlight region may be positioned on one of the selectable program guide options. The selectable program guide options may be scrolled using a pair of vertical cursors. Pressing a horizontal cursor while the highlight region is on one of the selectable program guide options causes a new program guide category and associated column of selectable program guide options to be displayed in place of the originally displayed program guide category and associated selectable program guide options.

Claims

1. An interactive program guide, comprising:

control circuitry that;

simultaneously displays a line of program guide categories and only a single perpendicular line of program guide options, such that one end of the perpendicular line of program guide options is at least partially aligned with a given one of the displayed program guide categories with which the program guide options are associated;

replaces at least some of the displayed program guide categories and program guide options with new program guide categories and program guide options by shifting the new program guide categories and program guide options into position in place of the displayed program guide categories and program guide options; and

displays program guide listings for a plurality of television programs in accordance with one of the program guide options selected by a user of the interactive program guide.

2. The interactive program guide defined in claim 1 wherein the control circuitry displays a highlight region on one of the program guide options.

3. The interactive program guide defined in claim 2 wherein the control circuitry shifts the new program guide categories and program guide options into position in response to a command from a cursor key.

4. The interactive program guide defined in claim 3 wherein the control circuitry displays the highlight region at the same position within the new program guide options as the highlight region was displayed in the program guide options replaced by the new program guide options.

5. The interactive program guide defined in claim 2 wherein the control circuitry displays an informative message for the one of the program guide options on which the highlight region is displayed.

6. The interactive program guide defined in claim 2 wherein the control circuitry positions the highlight region among the program guide options in the perpendicular line in response to a command from a cursor key.

7. The interactive program guide defined in claim 2 wherein the control circuitry selects the one of the program guide options on which the highlight region is to be displayed in response to a command from a remote control select button.

8. The interactive program guide defined in claim 1 wherein the control circuitry scrolls the program guide options.

9. The interactive program guide defined in claim 1 wherein the control circuitry displays the program guide categories in a row.

10. The interactive program guide defined in claim 1 wherein the control circuitry displays the program guide options in a column.

11. A method for providing an interactive program guide, comprising:

simultaneously displaying a line of program guide categories and only a single perpendicular line of program guide options, such that one end of the perpendicular line of program guide options is at least partially aligned with a given one of the displayed program guide categories with which the program guide options are associated;

replacing at least some of the displayed program guide categories and program guide options with new program guide categories and program guide options by shifting the new program guide categories and program guide options into position in place of the displayed program guide categories and program guide options; and

displaying program guide listings for a plurality of television programs in accordance with one of the program guide options selected by a user of the interactive program guide.

12. The method defined in claim 11 further comprising displaying a highlight region on one of the program guide options.

13. The method defined in claim 12 further comprising shifting the new program guide categories and program guide options into position in response to a command from a cursor key.

14. The method defined in claim 13 further comprising displaying the highlight region at the same position within the new program guide options as the highlight region was displayed in the program guide options replaced by the new program guide options.

15. The method defined in claim 12 further comprising displaying an informative message for the one of the program guide options on which the highlight region is displayed.

16. The method defined in claim 12 further comprising positioning the highlight region among the program guide options in the perpendicular line in response to a command from a cursor key.

17. The method defined in claim 12 further comprising selecting the one of the program guide options on which the highlight region is to be displayed in response to a command from a remote control select button.

18. The method defined in claim 11 further comprising scrolling the program guide options.

19. The method defined in claim 11 further comprising displaying the program guide categories in a row.

20. The method defined in claim 11 further comprising displaying the program guide options in a column.