EP0721253A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
On screen programme list display for multiple channel broadcasting systems
Assignee: Sony Electronics Inc
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Filing: 1996-01-03
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2016-01-03
Abstract
Abstract An easy to use on-line guide provides the user of a multiple channel television broadcast system with a wealth of programming information in a simple format that is easy to understand. The guide enables the user to easily select a particular program to watch. In particular, when the guide is presented to the user, the guide covers only a portion of the actual television screen or display. The remaining portion of the television screen continues to broadcast the audio and video of the currently selected program. As a user scans through the guide and moves the pointer from one station to another, the system responds by automatically tuning to the channel pointed to by the pointer and provides the audio and displays the video in the portion of the screen not covered by the guide. Furthermore, a written description of the program currently broadcasted on a station that the cursor currently points to is also shown. In addition, the system provides an innovative mechanism to enable the user to scan program information of channels that the user has designated as his favorite channels. In another embodiment, a program list that is oriented according to the program, instead of the channel, is presented.
Inventors
- 👤 Fujio Noguchi
- 👤 Gail Karen White
- 👤 Richard Gioscia
- 👤 Peter Jordan
- 👤 Setsuko Watanabe Blaszkowski
- 👤 Kazuhiro Akaiki
- 👤 Mark Schaffer
- 👤 Noriko Kotabe
- 👤 Takashi Otani
- 👤 Tadashi Kajiwara
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 22:59
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/40; H04N21/43; H04N21/431; H04N21/4312; H03; H03J; H03J1/00; H03J1/0008; H03J1/0016; H03J1/0025; H03J9/00; H03J9/06; H04N21/20; H04N21/23; H04N21/235; H04N21/236; H04N21/2362; H04N21/25; H04N21/266; H04N21/2665; H04N21/41; H04N21/426; H04N21/4314; H04N21/434; H04N21/4345; H04N21/435; H04N21/45; H04N21/4508; H04N21/4532; H04N21/47; H04N21/475; H04N21/4755; H04N21/482; H04N21/4821; H04N21/80; H04N21/83; H04N21/84; H04N5/00; H04N5/44; H04N5/50; H04N7/00; H04N7/16; H04N7/162; H04N7/165; H04N7/173; H04N7/17345; H04N7/17363; H04N21/422; H04N21/42204; H04N21/4316; H04N5/445; H04N5/45
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
80 words
In a multiple channel broadcasting system in which programs are broadcasted for display on a screen, a method for generating an on-screen guide for a user to select channels to view, comprising the steps of: selecting at least one channel as the user's favorite channel; generating an electronic program guide identifying channels in the broadcasting system, said favorite channel displayed at the beginning of the electronic program guide wherein the user can easily view information regarding the user's favorite channel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
144 words
In a multiple channel broadcasting system in which programs are broadcasted for display on a screen, a method for generating an on-screen program list to inform the user of programs available through the broadcasting system, said method comprising the steps of: selecting a category of programs; searching for programs occurring during a predetermined timeframe that are categorized as the selected category; extracting program information comprising the title and start time of the program; and generating an electronic program list on a display of the broadcasting system comprising the steps of: identifying each program of the selected category by the program title; and adjacent to each program title, identifying each start time of the program; wherein a user can easily view by program category and start times such that multiple occurrences of the same program during the predetermined timeframe are viewable in one program list.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
92 words
The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the step of generating an electronic program list further comprises the steps of: displaying a time bar along a horizontal axis identifying time increments in the predetermined timeframe; displaying each program title on a row along a vertical axis; and said step of identifying each start time of the program comprises the step of providing a start marker in the same row as the program title and in a column, identified by the time bar, corresponding to the start time of the program.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
137 words
A multiple channel broadcasting system comprising: a screen for displaying video of broadcasts of programs; an input device for inputting a selected category of programs; a processor for processing program information, said processor identifying programs occurring during a predetermined timeframe which are categorized as the selected category and extracting program information comprising a title and start time of each identified program; and an on-screen electronic program list identifying programs of the selected category which are broadcasted during the predetermined timeframe comprising: a list of the program titles of the programs categorized as the selected category; and adjacent to each program title, each start time of the program; wherein a user can easily view by program category and start times such that multiple occurrences of the same program during the predetermined timeframe are viewable in one program list.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
The system as set forth in claim 4 , wherein each program is further identified by a sub-category, said system further conprising a sub-category menu comprising a list of sub-categories displayed on the screen, said user operating the control device to select sub-categories, wherein the program list comprises programs that are categorized by the selected category and sub-category.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
111 words
The system as set forth in claim 4 , further comprising: a receiver for receiving broadcasting data, said receiver comprising a tuner for tuning a selected channel; at least one speaker for outputting audio of broadcasts of programs; and said on-screen electronic program list being superimposed over a portion of video of a broadcast on a channel tuned to by the tuner such that the audio is output through the speakers and only the portion of the video of the broadcast is covered by the electronic program list; wherein the user can view the electronic program list while still receiving the audio and a portion of the video of the broadcast.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
115 words
In a multiple channel broadcasting system in which programs are broadcasted for display on a screen, a method for generating an on-screen guide for a user to select channels to view, comprising the steps of: tuning to a first channel to provide a broadcast of a first program on the screen; generating an electronic program guide identifying channels in the broadcasting system; and superimposing the electronic program guide over the broadcast on the screen, such that only a portion of the video of the broadcast is covered by the electronic program guide: wherein the user can view the electronic program guide while still receiving the audio and a portion of the video of the broadcast.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
94 words
The method as set forth in claim 7, further comprising the steps of: said user using a control device comprising a numeric keypad to indicate selection of a menu enabling the user to operate different functions of the system; said system replacing the electronic program guide with a menu comprising nine elements arranged in a 3x3 matrix, said matrix corresponding to a 3x3 matrix of the numeric keypad on the control device, each of said nine elements identifying different functions of the system; wherein the user can easily select different functions of the system.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
73 words
In a multiple channel broadcasting system in which programs are broadcasted for display on a screen, a method for generating an on-screen guide for a user to select channels to view, comprising the steps of: displaying a time bar identifying times of programming on the channels in the broadcasting system; and said user reserving future programming at selected times to view; and highlighting on the time bar those times reserved by the user.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
106 words
In a multiple channel broadcasting system in which programs are broadcasted for display on a screen, a method for viewing programming on different channels comprising the steps of: broadcasting a first program on a first channel, said first program of a first category of programs; using a control device, said user using direction control means to move to another channel broadcasting a program of the first category; said system responding to the direction control means to tune to the channel broadcasting the program of the first category; wherein the user can view successive channels broadcasting the same category of programming without using the electronic program guide.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
125 words
A multiple channel broadcasting system comprising: a receiver for receiving broadcasting data, said receiver comprising a tuner for tuning a selected channel; a screen for displaying video of broadcasts of programs; at least one speaker for outputting audio of broadcasts of programs; and an on-screen electronic program guide identifying channels in the broadcast system, said on-screen electronic program guide superimposed over a portion of video of a broadcast on a channel tuned to by the tuner such that the audio is output through the speakers and only the portion of the video of the broadcast is covered by the electronic program guide; wherein the user can view the electronic program guide while still receiving the audio and a portion of the video of the broadcast.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
57 words
A multiple channel broadcasting system comprising: an electronic program guide comprising channels and programs on each channel, each program is identified by a category, said programs that are identified to be a selected category are highlighted; wherein all programming can be viewed and the selected the category of programs is highlighted for easy viewing by the user.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
108 words
A multiple channel broadcasting system comprising: a receiver for receiving broadcasting data, said receiver comprising a tuner for tuning a selected channel; a screen for display of broadcasts of programs, said screen displaying a first program broadcasted on a first channel, said first program of a first category; a user control device comprising a direction control means to move to another channel broadcasting a program of the first category; said system responding to the direction control means to tune to the channel broadcasting the program of the first category; wherein the user can view successive channels broadcasting the same category of programming without using the electronic program guide.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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