US6181333B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Television graphical user interface having channel and program sorting capabilities
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
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Filing: 1996-11-12
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Granted: 2001-01-30
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Expires: 2016-11-12
Abstract
Abstract A TV graphical user interface is provided with a graphical channel changer for enabling a user to select a required TV channel among about 1000 channels offered by a satellite TV system. The graphical channel changer contains a vertical channel bar composed of channel boxes that display numbers and logos of selected TV channels. To switch the TV set to a required TV channel, the user directs the pointing device at the graphical channel box that indicates the required channel. A program guide that contains a list of TV programs may be provided based on the channel changer. Vertical program bars that display TV programs are aligned with the channel boxes indicating TV channels that carry the corresponding TV programs. An arrange guide mode is provided to enable the user to arrange the program guide in order of TV channel numbers, or in alphabetical order according to names of TV channels or TV programs. The graphical configurations of the channel changer and icons associated with the channel changer remain unchanged in any arrangement of the program guide to present TV channels and programs in a common format.
Inventors
- 👤 Jack Chaney
- 👤 Steve Blonstein
- 👤 Fai-To Leung
- 👤 Donald Gillespie
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 20:50
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/40; H04N21/43; H04N21/431; H04N21/4312; H04N21/4314; H04N21/47; H04N21/482; H04N21/4821; H04N21/4823
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
92 words
A television (TV) system comprising: a CPU, and a TV monitor controlled by said CPU for displaying a TV program guide including a graphical channel changer having channel objects for indicating TV channels, wherein in a first mode of operation, said channel objects are arranged by said CPU according to numbers of said TV channels, and in a second mode of operation, said channel objects are arranged by said CPU according to names of said TV channels; and whereby said graphical channel changer allows selection of a desired TV program for viewing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
92 words
A television (TV) system comprising: a CPU, and a TV monitor controlled by said CPU for displaying a TV program guide including a graphical channel changer having channel objects for indicating TV channels, wherein in a first mode of operation, said channel objects are arranged by said CPU according to numbers of said TV channels, and in a second mode of operation, said channel objects are arranged by said CPU according to names of said TV channels; and whereby said graphical channel changer allows selection of a desired TV program for viewing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein graphical configuration of said channel changer remains unchanged between said second mode compared to said first mode.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein in a third mode of operations, said channel objects are arranged according to names of TV programs carried by said TV channels.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 3 , wherein graphical configuration of said channel changer remains unchanged in said third mode compared to said first mode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
The system of claim 3 , wherein in a fourth mode of operation, said TV program guide comprises a menu having a first option for switching into said first mode, a second option for switching into said second mode, and a third option for switching into said third mode.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 5 , wherein graphical configuration of said channel changer remains unchanged in said fourth mode compared to said first mode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 1 , wherein in said second mode, said channel objects indicate the names of said TV channels sorted in alphabetical order.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 3 , wherein in said third mode, said TV programs are arranged in alphabetical order.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 7 , wherein in said second mode, said TV program guide further comprises a direct access object having a graduated scale representing the names of said TV channels.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system of claim 9 , wherein said channel objects indicate a selected group of the names of said TV channels when a user directs a pointing device at an area of said scale representing said selected group.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 8 , wherein in said third mode, said TV program guide further comprises a direct access object having a graduated scale representing the names of said TV programs carried by said TV channels.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system of claim 11 , wherein said channel objects indicate a group of said TV channels carrying TV programs with selected names, when a user directs a pointing device at an area of said scale representing said selected names.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 3 , wherein said TV program guide further comprises TV program objects for indicating the TV programs carried by said TV channels and are similarly displayed in said first second and third modes.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 13 , wherein said TV program objects are aligned with said channel objects.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 3 , wherein said channel changer automatically returns from said second and third modes to said first mode when a user makes a selection.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 5 , wherein in said first, second and third modes, said TV program guide comprises an arrange guide object for switching said TV program guide into said fourth mode.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
160 words
A system for displaying a graphical user interface (GUI), comprising: a CPU, and a display controlled by said CPU for displaying the GUI including: a channel selector displayed in a channel selection mode of the GUI and having channel objects for defining TV channels, and enabling a user to switch a TV receiver to a selected TV channel by directing a pointing device at a channel object defining said selected channel, and a TV program schedule displayable, together with said channel selector, in program guide modes of the GUI for indicating TV programs carried by the TV channels, wherein in a first of said program guide modes, said channel objects are arranged according to numbers of the TV channels, in a second of said program guide modes, said channel objects are arranged according to names of the TV channels, and in a third of said program guide modes, said channel objects are arranged according to names of the TV programs.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
160 words
A system for displaying a graphical user interface (GUI), comprising: a CPU, and a display controlled by said CPU for displaying the GUI including: a channel selector displayed in a channel selection mode of the GUI and having channel objects for defining TV channels, and enabling a user to switch a TV receiver to a selected TV channel by directing a pointing device at a channel object defining said selected channel, and a TV program schedule displayable, together with said channel selector, in program guide modes of the GUI for indicating TV programs carried by the TV channels, wherein in a first of said program guide modes, said channel objects are arranged according to numbers of the TV channels, in a second of said program guide modes, said channel objects are arranged according to names of the TV channels, and in a third of said program guide modes, said channel objects are arranged according to names of the TV programs.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
43 words
The system of claim 17 , wherein said channel selector is displayed in a program guide arrange mode of said GUI, together with a menu box having options for switching into one of said first, second and third of the program guide modes.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
103 words
In a television system having a graphical channel selector with a plurality of channel objects for identifying a plurality of TV channels, a method of arranging a graphical program guide displayed on a TV monitor to show a schedule of TV programs carried by said plurality of TV channels, comprising the steps of: displaying said graphical channel selector having the channel objects arranged to identify said plurality of TV channels in order of channel numbers, and rearranging said channel objects to identify said plurality of TV channels in order of channel names so as to maintain configuration of said graphical channel selector unchanged.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
103 words
In a television system having a graphical channel selector with a plurality of channel objects for identifying a plurality of TV channels, a method of arranging a graphical program guide displayed on a TV monitor to show a schedule of TV programs carried by said plurality of TV channels, comprising the steps of: displaying said graphical channel selector having the channel objects arranged to identify said plurality of TV channels in order of channel numbers, and rearranging said channel objects to identify said plurality of TV channels in order of channel names so as to maintain configuration of said graphical channel selector unchanged.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 19 , further comprising the step of rearranging said channel objects to identify said plurality of TV channels in order of names of the TV programs carried by the TV channels, so as to maintain configuration of said graphical channel selector unchanged.
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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) | 2004-01-30 | 2004-07-31 | 2005-01-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-01-30 | 2008-07-31 | 2009-01-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-01-30 | 2012-07-31 | 2013-01-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |