Talking remote control with display

A television system comprising:

• a source of data representing a program guide containing a schedule of program listings wherein the listings include a plurality of program titles;
• a system transmitter for transmitting the program guide data;
• a plurality of apparatus at a user site;
• and
• a remote controller at the user site for selectively controlling the plurality of apparatus, comprising
• a receiver for receiving the transmitted program guide data including voice data corresponding to the schedule of program listings in the program guide,
• a memory for storing the program guide data,
• a display screen,
• user input means for inputting user commands,
• a microcontroller configured to retrieve a selected portion of the program guide data, including a portion of the schedule of program listings, from the memory in response to a first user command and display the selected portion of the program guide on the display screen, wherein the microcontroller is further configured to retrieve from the memory that portion of the voice data that corresponds to the retrieved portion of the schedule of program listings in the program guide displayed on the display screen, convert the voice data to voice messages, and output the voice messages through a speaker, and
• a remote controller transmitter for transmitting signals to a selected one of the plurality of apparatus.

In a remote controller having a display screen, a method for navigating a program guide comprising information regarding a plurality of television programs comprising the steps of:

• receiving a signal including data representative of the program guide guide containing a schedule of program listings, wherein the listings include a plurality of program titles and voice data corresponding to the schedule of program listings in the program guide;
• storing the program guide and voice data in a memory;
• selecting a program guide display in response to a user command;
• retrieving a first portion of the program guide, including a first portion of the schedule of program listings, from the memory that includes information regarding a currently selected program broadcast on a currently selected channel;
• displaying the first portion of the program guide on the display screen;
• retrieving voice data that corresponds to the first portion of the schedule of program listings in the first portion of the program guide displayed on the display screen;
• converting the voice data to a voice message;
• announcing the voice message through a speaker;
• selecting a second portion of the program guide in response to a user command;
• retrieving the second portion of the program guide from the memory;
• and
• displaying the second portion of the program guide on the display screen.

A remote controller for controlling a user terminal having a television tuner, comprising:

• a display screen displaying a television program guide containing a schedule of television programs;
• a receiver receiving transmitted data representing the program guide;
• a memory storing the received program guide data;
• user input means for inputting user commands;
• a microcontroller configured to select one of the television programs on the display screen in response to a first user command, wherein the microcontroller determines whether the selected television program is currently being broadcast and wherein the microcontroller automatically tunes the television tuner to the selected television program in response to the first user command if the selected television program is currently being broadcast, and wherein the microcontroller is further configured to automatically program an associated VCR to record the selected television program in response to the first user command if the selected television program is scheduled to be broadcast in future;
• and
• a transmitter coupled to the microcontroller for transmitting signals that tunes the television tuner or program the associated VCR;
• wherein the microcontroller is configured to transmit the program guide data to the television tuner through the transmitter.