Combination of recorded program index and EPG

• US 8,134,645 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2007
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Index Systems Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Index Systems Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Yuen, Henry C., Mankovitz, Roy J., Kwoh, Daniel S., Leung, Elsie Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/894,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20080184293A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,667 Days
• Field of Search: 348/565, 348/569, 348/570, 348/563, 348/584, 348/731, 348/732, 348/554, 348/555, 725 37- 61
• US Class Current: 348/565
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/042 Auxiliary features sensing such features G11B15/06
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/36 Signals on record carriers or on containers and recorded by the same method as the main recording
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/032 on tapes G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/107 of operating tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• 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 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A television system has a television viewing mode and a guide mode. The guide mode includes an electronic program guide (EPG), which provides the viewer program information for tuned programs, and a tape index guide (TIG), which provides information for programs recorded on a video cassette. In both guides, real time images of a program are displayed in a PIP window on the television screen and guide information is displayed in the background. In both guides, the viewer may switch between a currently telecast program or a recorded program. The viewer may access either guide from the television mode and vice versa. In the guide mode, the viewer may independently switch the guide information and the type of program, i.e., tuned or recorded, in the PIP window.

Claims

1. A method of displaying program listings and video comprising:

receiving the video from a program source;

displaying the video in a display area of a display screen;

receiving a first user indication to display broadcast program listings;

in response to receiving the first user indication;

continuing to receive the video from the program source;

displaying the video in a window, wherein the window occupies a first portion of the display area; and

displaying in a listing area at least one broadcast program listing, wherein the listing area occupies a second portion of the display area;

receiving a second user indication to display at least one recorded program listing; and

in response to receiving the second user indication;

continuing to receive the video from the program source;

continuing to display the video in the window; and

displaying in the listing area the at least one recorded program listing instead of the at least one broadcast program listing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the program source is a source of broadcast programming.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the program source is a source of recorded programming.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying program information associated with one of the at least one broadcast program listing.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying program information associated with one of the at least one recorded program listing.

6. A system that displays program listings and video comprising:

a broadcast program listing generator;

a recorded program listing generator;

a guide switch for switching between the broadcast program listing generator and the recorded program listing generator;

a program source switch for switching between one or more program sources;

a picture in picture (PIP) generator for;

connecting to the guide switch and the program source switch;

displaying a window that displays a video output from the program source switch and a listing area displaying at least one broadcast program listing from the guide switch; and

a microprocessor for;

receiving a user indication to display at least one recorded program listing; and

controlling the PIP generator to display the at least one recorded program listing in the listing area and to continue to display the video output in the window.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the program source is a source of broadcast programming.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the program source is a source of recorded programming.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the PIP generator displays program information associated with one of the at least one broadcast program listing while displaying the at least one broadcast program listing.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the PIP generator displays program information associated with one of the at least one recorded program listing while displaying the at least one recorded program listing.

27. The system of claim 8, wherein the source of recorded programming is a local source of recorded programming.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the source of recorded programming is a VCR.

11. A method of displaying program listings and video comprising:

receiving the video from a program source;

displaying the video in a display area of a display screen;

receiving a first user indication to display recorded program listings;

in response to receiving the first user indication;

continuing to receive the video from the program source;

displaying the video in a window, wherein the window occupies a first portion of the display area; and

displaying in a listing area at least one recorded program listing, wherein the listing area occupies a second portion of the display area;

receiving a second user indication to display at least one broadcast program listing; and

in response to receiving the second user indication;

continuing to receive the video from the program source;

continuing to display the video in the window; and

displaying in the listing area the at least one broadcast program listing instead of the at least one recorded program listing.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the program source is a source of broadcast programming.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the program source is a source of recorded programming.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying program information associated with one of the at least one recorded program listing.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying program information associated with one of the at least one broadcast program listing.

34. The method of claim 13, wherein the source of recorded programming is a local source of recorded programming.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the source of recorded programming is a VCR.

16. A system that displays program listings and video comprising:

a broadcast program listing generator;

a recorded program listing generator;

a guide switch for switching between the broadcast program listing generator and the recorded program listing generator;

a program source switch for switching between one or more program sources;

a picture in picture (PIP) generator for;

connecting to the guide switch and the program source switch;

displaying a window that displays a video output from the program source switch and a listing area displaying at least one recorded program listing from the guide switch; and

a microprocessor for;

receiving a user indication to display at least one broadcast program listing; and

controlling the PIP generator to display the at least one broadcast program listing in the listing area and to continue to display the video output in the window.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the program source is a source of broadcast programming.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the program source is a source of recorded programming.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the PIP generator displays program information associated with one of the at least one recorded program listing while displaying the at least one recorded program listing.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the PIP generator displays program information associated with one of the at least one broadcast program listing while displaying the at least one broadcast program listing.

29. The system of claim 18, wherein the source of recorded programming is a local source of recorded programming.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the source of recorded programming is a VCR.

21. A system that displays program listings and video comprising:

a video receiver that receives the video from a program source;

a display generator that displays the video in a display area of a display screen;

a user input device that receives a first user indication to display broadcast program listings and a second user indication to display at least one recorded program listing; and

a microprocessor configured to;

in response to the first user indication;

cause the display generator to display the video in a window while the video receiver continues to receive the video from the program source, wherein the window occupies a first portion of the display area; and

cause the display generator to display in a listing area at least one broadcast program listing, wherein the listing area occupies a second portion of the display area; and

in response to the second user indication;

cause the display generator to display in the listing area the at least one recorded program listing instead of the at least one broadcast program listing while the video receiver continues to receive the video from the program source, and the display generator continues to display the video in the window.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the program source is a source of broadcast programming.

31. The system of claim 21, wherein the program source is a source of recorded programming.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the source of recorded programming is a local source of recorded programming.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the source of recorded programming is a VCR.

23. A system that displays program listings and video comprising:

a video receiver that receives the video from a program source;

a display generator that displays the video in a display area of a display screen;

a user input device that receives a first user indication to display recorded program listings and a second user indication to display at least one broadcast program listing; and

a microprocessor configured to;

in response to the first user indication;

cause the display generator to display the video in a window while the video receiver continues to receive the video from the program source, wherein the window occupies a first portion of the display area; and

cause the display generator to display in a listing area at least one recorded program listing, wherein the listing area occupies a second portion of the display area; and

in response to the second user indication;

cause the display generator to display in the listing area the at least one broadcast program listing instead of the at least one recorded program listing while the video receiver continues to receive the video from the program source, and the display generator continues to display the video in the window.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the program source is a source of recorded programming.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the source of recorded programming is a local source of recorded programming.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the source of recorded programming is a VCR.