US6147714A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Control apparatus and control method for displaying electronic program guide
Assignee: Sony Corp
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Filing: 1996-07-19
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Granted: 2000-11-14
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Expires: 2016-07-19
Abstract
Abstract A desired program is selected speedily and reliably from a plurality of programs. Reduced-sized still pictures of typical frames of programs to be broadcast on the respective channels are divided by program category and displayed as an electronic program guide. A cursor is shifted in the left and right directions to select a desired category. When an instruction is given to shift the cursor in the upward and downward directions, the still pictures of the selected category are scrolled. When the picture is determined by a selecting operation, its program is received.
Inventors
- 👤 Hideo Terasawa
- 👤 Tomohisa Shiga
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 05:12
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/20; H04N21/23; H04N21/235; H04N21/40; H04N21/47; H04N21/472; H04N21/4722; H04N21/4725; H04N21/236; H04N21/2362; H04N21/25; H04N21/266; H04N21/2665; H04N21/43; H04N21/431; H04N21/4312; H04N21/4316; H04N21/434; H04N21/4345; H04N21/435; H04N21/482; H04N21/80; H04N21/81; H04N21/8146; H04N21/8153; H04N21/41; H04N21/426; H04N5/00; H04N5/44; H04N5/445; H04N5/45
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
105 words
A control apparatus for displaying an electronic program guide that is used for selecting a program and includes a reduced-sized still picture of a typical frame of said program, said control apparatus comprising: still-picture display means for categorizing a plurality of still pictures into a first plurality of categories and for displaying one still picture from each of a second plurality of said categories in one of a single row and a single column; designating means for designating with a cursor a predetermined still picture selected from said plurality of still pictures; and selection means for selecting said still picture designated by said designating means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
105 words
A control apparatus for displaying an electronic program guide that is used for selecting a program and includes a reduced-sized still picture of a typical frame of said program, said control apparatus comprising: still-picture display means for categorizing a plurality of still pictures into a first plurality of categories and for displaying one still picture from each of a second plurality of said categories in one of a single row and a single column; designating means for designating with a cursor a predetermined still picture selected from said plurality of still pictures; and selection means for selecting said still picture designated by said designating means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
124 words
A control apparatus for displaying an electronic program guide that is used for selecting a program and includes a reduced-sized still picture of a typical frame of said program, said control apparatus comprising: still-picture display means for categorizing a plurality of said still pictures and displaying them in one of a single row or a single column; designating means for designating with a cursor a predetermined still picture selected from said plurality of still pictures; and selection means for selecting said still picture designated by said designating means, wherein said still-picture display means scrolls said categorized still pictures designated by said cursor when an instruction is given to shift said cursor in the direction perpendicular to the row or column arrangement of said pictures.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
124 words
A control apparatus for displaying an electronic program guide that is used for selecting a program and includes a reduced-sized still picture of a typical frame of said program, said control apparatus comprising: still-picture display means for categorizing a plurality of said still pictures and displaying them in one of a single row or a single column; designating means for designating with a cursor a predetermined still picture selected from said plurality of still pictures; and selection means for selecting said still picture designated by said designating means, wherein said still-picture display means scrolls said categorized still pictures designated by said cursor when an instruction is given to shift said cursor in the direction perpendicular to the row or column arrangement of said pictures.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
134 words
A control apparatus for displaying an electronic program guide that is used for selecting a program and includes a reduced-sized still picture of a typical frame of said program, said control apparatus comprising: still-picture display means for categorizing a plurality of said still pictures and displaying them in one of a single row or a single column; designating means for designating with a cursor a predetermined still picture selected from said plurality of still pictures; and selection means for selecting said still picture designated by said designating means, wherein said still-picture display means scrolls said still pictures to display a still picture other than said categorized still pictures when an instruction is given to further outwardly shift said cursor which is positioned at an edge of the row or column arrangement of said pictures.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
134 words
A control apparatus for displaying an electronic program guide that is used for selecting a program and includes a reduced-sized still picture of a typical frame of said program, said control apparatus comprising: still-picture display means for categorizing a plurality of said still pictures and displaying them in one of a single row or a single column; designating means for designating with a cursor a predetermined still picture selected from said plurality of still pictures; and selection means for selecting said still picture designated by said designating means, wherein said still-picture display means scrolls said still pictures to display a still picture other than said categorized still pictures when an instruction is given to further outwardly shift said cursor which is positioned at an edge of the row or column arrangement of said pictures.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
91 words
A control method for displaying an electronic program guide that is used for selecting a program and includes a reduced-sized still picture of a typical frame of said program, said method comprising the steps of: categorizing a plurality of still pictures into a first plurality of categories; displaying one still picture from each of a second plurality of said categories in one of a single row and a single column; designating with a cursor a predetermined still picture selected from said plurality of still pictures; and selecting the designated still picture.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
91 words
A control method for displaying an electronic program guide that is used for selecting a program and includes a reduced-sized still picture of a typical frame of said program, said method comprising the steps of: categorizing a plurality of still pictures into a first plurality of categories; displaying one still picture from each of a second plurality of said categories in one of a single row and a single column; designating with a cursor a predetermined still picture selected from said plurality of still pictures; and selecting the designated still picture.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
A control apparatus for displaying an electronic program guide according to claim 1, wherein each of said still pictures displayed in said row or column includes a category icon representing a category of a program.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
101 words
A control apparatus for displaying an electronic program guide that is used for selecting a program and includes a reduced-sized still picture of a typical frame of said program, said control apparatus comprising: still-picture display means for categorizing a plurality of said still pictures and displaying them in one of a single row or a single column; designating means for designating with a cursor a predetermined still picture selected from said plurality of still pictures; and selection means for selecting said still picture designated by said designating means, wherein said still-picture display means displays a title bar with said still pictures.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
101 words
A control apparatus for displaying an electronic program guide that is used for selecting a program and includes a reduced-sized still picture of a typical frame of said program, said control apparatus comprising: still-picture display means for categorizing a plurality of said still pictures and displaying them in one of a single row or a single column; designating means for designating with a cursor a predetermined still picture selected from said plurality of still pictures; and selection means for selecting said still picture designated by said designating means, wherein said still-picture display means displays a title bar with said still pictures.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
127 words
A control apparatus for displaying an electronic program guide that is used for selecting a program and includes a reduced-sized still picture of a typical frame of said program, said control apparatus comprising: still-picture display means for categorizing a plurality of said still pictures and displaying them in one of a single row or a single column; designating means for designating with a cursor a predetermined still picture selected from said plurality of still pictures; and selection means for selecting said still picture designated by said designating means, wherein each of said still pictures displayed in said row or column includes a category icon representing a category of a program, wherein said category icon is deleted when said cursor is moved on one of said still pictures.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
127 words
A control apparatus for displaying an electronic program guide that is used for selecting a program and includes a reduced-sized still picture of a typical frame of said program, said control apparatus comprising: still-picture display means for categorizing a plurality of said still pictures and displaying them in one of a single row or a single column; designating means for designating with a cursor a predetermined still picture selected from said plurality of still pictures; and selection means for selecting said still picture designated by said designating means, wherein each of said still pictures displayed in said row or column includes a category icon representing a category of a program, wherein said category icon is deleted when said cursor is moved on one of said still pictures.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
119 words
A control apparatus for displaying an electronic program guide that is used for selecting a program and includes a reduced-sized still picture of a typical frame of said program, said control apparatus comprising: still-picture display means for categorizing a plurality of said still pictures and displaying them in one of a single row or a single column; designating means for designating with a cursor a predetermined still picture selected from said plurality of still pictures; and selection means for selecting said still picture designated by said designating means, wherein said still-picture display means displays a title bar with said still pictures, and wherein said title bar includes a category icon, a station logo and a title of a program.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
119 words
A control apparatus for displaying an electronic program guide that is used for selecting a program and includes a reduced-sized still picture of a typical frame of said program, said control apparatus comprising: still-picture display means for categorizing a plurality of said still pictures and displaying them in one of a single row or a single column; designating means for designating with a cursor a predetermined still picture selected from said plurality of still pictures; and selection means for selecting said still picture designated by said designating means, wherein said still-picture display means displays a title bar with said still pictures, and wherein said title bar includes a category icon, a station logo and a title of a program.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
107 words
A control apparatus for displaying an electronic program guide that is used for selecting a program and includes a reduced-sized still picture of a typical frame of said program, said control apparatus comprising: still-picture display means for classifying by channel a plurality of still pictures representative of currently available and future programs and for displaying one classified still picture for each of a plurality of channels in one of a single row or a single column; designating means for designating with a cursor a predetermined still picture selected from said plurality of still pictures; and selection means for selecting said still picture designated by said designating means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
107 words
A control apparatus for displaying an electronic program guide that is used for selecting a program and includes a reduced-sized still picture of a typical frame of said program, said control apparatus comprising: still-picture display means for classifying by channel a plurality of still pictures representative of currently available and future programs and for displaying one classified still picture for each of a plurality of channels in one of a single row or a single column; designating means for designating with a cursor a predetermined still picture selected from said plurality of still pictures; and selection means for selecting said still picture designated by said designating means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
93 words
A control method for displaying an electronic program guide that is used for selecting a program and includes a reduced-sized still picture of a typical frame of said program, said method comprising the steps of: classifying by channel a plurality of still pictures representative of currently available and future programs; displaying one classified still picture for each of a plurality of channels in one of a single row and a single column; designating with a cursor a predetermined still picture selected from said plurality of still pictures; and selecting the designated still picture.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
93 words
A control method for displaying an electronic program guide that is used for selecting a program and includes a reduced-sized still picture of a typical frame of said program, said method comprising the steps of: classifying by channel a plurality of still pictures representative of currently available and future programs; displaying one classified still picture for each of a plurality of channels in one of a single row and a single column; designating with a cursor a predetermined still picture selected from said plurality of still pictures; and selecting the designated still picture.
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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) | 2003-11-14 | 2004-05-15 | 2004-11-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-11-14 | 2008-05-15 | 2008-11-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-11-14 | 2012-05-15 | 2012-11-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |