HD to SD guide converter for electronic television schedule system

Claim 1

A method for displaying television program data on an electronic program guide (EPG) system; said EPG comprising a plurality of cells arranged in a two-dimensional grid having a first axis representing time and a second axis representing a plurality of channel designators; each cell included in said plurality of cells containing program data; a program in a first format occupying a single channel and a program in a second format occupying a plurality of channels; said method comprising the steps of: a) detecting a program exhibiting said second format; and b) joining cells of the EPG display representing a plurality of channel designators associated with respective ones of a plurality of channels occupied by said program exhibiting said second format to produce a single cell representing said program exhibiting said second format.

Claim 2

A method for displaying television program data on an electronic program guide (EPG) system; said EPG comprising a plurality of cells arranged in a two-dimensional grid having a first axis representing time and a second axis representing a plurality of channel designators; each cell included in said plurality of cells containing program data; a program in a first format occupying a single channel and a program in a second format occupying a plurality of channels; said method comprising the steps of: a) detecting a program exhibiting said second format; and b) joining cells of the EPG display representing a plurality of channel designators associated with respective ones of a plurality of channels occupied by said program exhibiting said second format to produce a single cell representing said program exhibiting said second format.

Claim 4

A method for displaying high definition television (HDTV) program data and standard definition television (SDTV) program data on an electronic program guide (EPG) system stored within a television, said EPG comprised of a set of cells arranged in a two-dimensional grid format in which one axis represents time and the other axis represents a channel designator each cell containing program data wherein SDTV programs occupy a single channel designator while HDTV programs occupy multiple channel designators, said method comprising the steps of: a) enabling the electronic program guide to access the program data in the EPG database; b) determining whether a program resides on a digital channel; c) determining whether the program is an HDTV program requiring more than one channel designator; d) determining how many channel designator cells the program requires; e) joining the cells on the EPG display of the channel numbers that are required by the program into a single program cell; f) repeating steps a) through e) for each program in the EPG database; and g) constructing the two-dimensional grid EPG display showing each program in a single cell regardless of how many channel designators are required for a given program.

Claim 5

A method for displaying high definition television (HDTV) program data and standard definition television (SDTV) program data on an electronic program guide (EPG) system stored within a television, said EPG comprised of a set of cells arranged in a two-dimensional grid format in which one axis represents time and the other axis represents a channel designator each cell containing program data wherein SDTV programs occupy a single channel designator while HDTV programs occupy multiple channel designators, said method comprising the steps of: a) enabling the electronic program guide to access the program data in the EPG database; b) determining whether a program resides on a digital channel; c) determining whether the program is an HDTV program requiring more than one channel designator; d) determining how many channel designator cells the program requires; e) joining the cells on the EPG display of the channel numbers that are required by the program into a single program cell; f) repeating steps a) through e) for each program in the EPG database; and g) constructing the two-dimensional grid EPG display showing each program in a single cell regardless of how many channel designators are required for a given program.

Claim 9

A system for displaying a mix of high definition television (HDTV) program data and standard definition television (SDTV) program data on an electronic program guide (EPG) system within a television, said EPG having a display comprised of a set of cells arranged in a two-dimensional grid format in which one axis represents time and the other axis represents a channel designator each cell containing program data wherein SDTV programs occupy a single channel designator while HDTV programs occupy multiple channel designators, said system comprising: a signal processor for generating an output signal suitable for coupling to a display device for displaying said EPG; and a memory unit coupled to said signal processor for storing EPG data; said signal processor accessing said stored EPG data for detecting a program occupying a plurality of channels; said signal processor generating said output signal such that said EPG display includes a single cell occupying an area of said EPG corresponding to a plurality of channel designators corresponding to said plurality of channels occupied by said channel; said single cell including program data for said program occupying said plurality of channels.

Claim 10

A system for displaying a mix of high definition television (HDTV) program data and standard definition television (SDTV) program data on an electronic program guide (EPG) system within a television, said EPG having a display comprised of a set of cells arranged in a two-dimensional grid format in which one axis represents time and the other axis represents a channel designator each cell containing program data wherein SDTV programs occupy a single channel designator while HDTV programs occupy multiple channel designators, said system comprising: a signal processor for generating an output signal suitable for coupling to a display device for displaying said EPG; and a memory unit coupled to said signal processor for storing EPG data; said signal processor accessing said stored EPG data for detecting a program occupying a plurality of channels; said signal processor generating said output signal such that said EPG display includes a single cell occupying an area of said EPG corresponding to a plurality of channel designators corresponding to said plurality of channels occupied by said channel; said single cell including program data for said program occupying said plurality of channels.