US6072983A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Merging multi-source information in a television system
Assignee: Adeia Guides Inc
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Filing: 1998-10-13
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Granted: 2000-06-06
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Expires: 2018-10-13
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides a scheme for margin television schedule information received from multiple sources (26, 28, 30 and 34). In the preferred embodiment, a microprocessor (36) mixes and sorts the schedule information received from multiple source devices (26, 28, 30 or 34). The schedule information is then displayed in a television schedule guide (50). A user can select a program (60 or 62) by pointing to that program in the displayed schedule information (50). The system (10) then carries out an automatic switching/tuning such that the required source device (26, 28, 30 or 34) is input to the destination device (22), and a tuner is then tuned to the selected program's channel (52).
Inventors
- 👤 Brian Lee Klosterman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 23:02
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N5/00; H04N5/76; H04N5/78; H04N5/782; H04N21/00; H04N21/40; H04N21/41; H04N21/4104; H04N21/4135; H04N21/43; H04N21/435; H04N21/45; H04N21/462; H04N21/4622; H04N21/47; H04N21/482; H04N21/80; H04N21/83; H04N21/84; H04N7/00; H04N7/16; H04N7/162; H04N7/163; H04N5/765
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
A method of providing a consolidated television program guide of listings of television programs telecast from a plurality of sources, e.g., antenna, cable, and satellite, to a television system, the method comprising the steps of: (A) receiving from the plurality of sources data representing individual listings of television programs and a source identifier for each listing, the source identifier allowing an automatic switching of a television signal to a source corresponding to the source identifier upon user selection of a program listing from a grid guide; and (B) merging the individual listings and source identifiers to form the consolidated television program guide.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
102 words
A method of providing a consolidated television program guide of listings of television programs telecast from a plurality of sources, e.g., antenna, cable, and satellite, to a television system, the method comprising the steps of: (A) receiving from the plurality of sources data representing individual listings of television programs and a source identifier for each listing, the source identifier allowing an automatic switching of a television signal to a source corresponding to the source identifier upon user selection of a program listing from a grid guide; and (B) merging the individual listings and source identifiers to form the consolidated television program guide.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1, additionally comprising the step of sorting the individual listings of television programs in the consolidated television program guide according to a predetermined sorting routine.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the sorting step sorts channels associated with the individual listings of television programs in the consolidated television program guide according to a user-defined ordering scheme.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 2, wherein the sorting step sorts channels associated with the individual listings of television programs in the consolidated television program guide according to numerical order.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving step receives the data representing individual listings of television programs and the source identifier for each listing from the group consisting of cable, antenna, satellite, telephone line, optical fiber, manual input medium, and recorded medium.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1, additionally comprising the step of displaying the consolidated program guide in the form of a grid guide.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1, additionally comprising the step of transmitting the consolidated program guide to the television system.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 7, wherein the transmitting step transmits the consolidated program guide over a television signal source selected from the group consisting of cable, antenna, and satellite.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
91 words
The method of claim 6, additionally comprising the steps of: storing the merged individual listings and source identifiers in a memory; receiving selection of one of the individual listings from the displayed consolidated program guide; retrieving from the memory data representing the selected individual listing and the corresponding source identifier; reading the corresponding source identifier in the retrieved data; and coupling the television signal from the source corresponding to the read source identifier to an input of a television unit, the coupled signal carrying a program represented by the selected listing.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
102 words
A system for providing a consolidated television program guide of listings of television programs telecast from a plurality of sources, to a television system, the system comprising: a receiver for receiving from the plurality of sources data representing individual listings of television programs and a source identifier for each listing, the source identifier allowing an automatic switching of a television signal to a source corresponding to the source identifier upon user selection of a program listing from a grid guide; and a microprocessor attached to the receiver for merging the individual listings and source identifiers to form the consolidated television program guide.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
102 words
A system for providing a consolidated television program guide of listings of television programs telecast from a plurality of sources, to a television system, the system comprising: a receiver for receiving from the plurality of sources data representing individual listings of television programs and a source identifier for each listing, the source identifier allowing an automatic switching of a television signal to a source corresponding to the source identifier upon user selection of a program listing from a grid guide; and a microprocessor attached to the receiver for merging the individual listings and source identifiers to form the consolidated television program guide.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 10, additionally comprising a display for displaying the consolidated program guide in the form of a grid guide.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 10, additionally comprising a transmitter coupled to the microprocessor for transmitting the consolidated program guide to the television system.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 12, wherein the transmitter transmits the consolidated television program guide over a television signal source selected from the group consisting of cable, antenna, and satellite.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 10, wherein the microprocessor sorts the individual listings of television programs in the consolidated television program guide according to a predetermined sorting routine.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 14, wherein the microprocessor sorts channels associated with the individual listings of television programs in the consolidated television program guide according to a user-defined ordering scheme.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 14, wherein the microprocessor sorts channels associated with the individual listings of television programs in the consolidated television program guide according to numerical order.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system of claim 10, wherein the receiver receives the data representing individual listings of television programs and the source identifier for each listing from the group consisting of cable, antenna, satellite, telephone line, optical fiber, manual input medium, and recorded medium.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
133 words
The system of claim 11, additionally comprising: a memory for storing the merged individual listings and source identifiers in a memory; a remote control for marking one of the individual listings from the displayed consolidated program guide; a controller, coupled to the memory, for receiving an indicator signal associated with the marked individual listing from the remote control, wherein the controller: retrieves from the memory data representing the marked individual listing and the corresponding source identifier; and reads the corresponding source identifier in the retrieved data; and an emitter, coupled to the controller, for transmitting a control signal, the control signal coupling the television signal from the source corresponding to the marked program listing to an input of a television unit, wherein the coupled signal carries a program represented by the marked listing.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
79 words
In a multi-source television scheduling guide system, a method of providing a consolidated television program guide of listings of television programs telecast from at least two broadcast sources, the method comprising the steps of: receiving from a data transmission source data representing listings of television programs and a source identifiers for each listing, the source identifiers corresponding to one of the broadcast sources; and merging the program listings and the corresponding source identifiers to form the consolidated program guide.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
79 words
In a multi-source television scheduling guide system, a method of providing a consolidated television program guide of listings of television programs telecast from at least two broadcast sources, the method comprising the steps of: receiving from a data transmission source data representing listings of television programs and a source identifiers for each listing, the source identifiers corresponding to one of the broadcast sources; and merging the program listings and the corresponding source identifiers to form the consolidated program guide.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 19, wherein the broadcast source is selected from the group consisting of cable, antenna, and satellite.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 19, wherein the data transmission source is selected from the group consisting of cable, antenna, satellite, telephone line, optical fiber, manual input medium, and recorded medium.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 19, additionally comprising the step of displaying the consolidated program guide in the form of a grid guide.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
88 words
The method of claim 22, further comprising the steps of: storing the merged program listings and the corresponding source identifiers in a memory; receiving selection of one of the program listings; retrieving from the memory data representing the selected program listing and the corresponding source identifier; reading the corresponding source identifier in the retrieved data; and coupling the television signal from the broadcast source corresponding to the read source identifier to an input of a television unit, the coupled signal carrying a program represented by the selected listing.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 19, additionally comprising the step of transmitting the consolidated program guide to a television unit.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-06-06 | 2003-12-06 | 2004-06-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-06-06 | 2007-12-06 | 2008-06-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-06-06 | 2011-12-06 | 2012-06-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |