Hierarchical program guide

A method of displaying a hierarchical program guide, comprising:

• displaying a channel array as a column of channel icons, each channel icon corresponding to a channel of programs;
• receiving a selection of one of said channel icons;
• displaying a time list as a vertical series of time rows, each time row indicating a time and a program, wherein said time list corresponds to the channel corresponding to said selected channel icon so that the time rows displayed indicate programs broadcast on that channel at the indicated times.

A hierarchical program guide interface stored and executed in a multimedia processing device and displayed on a display device, comprising:

• a channel array including a plurality of channel icons, each channel icon corresponding to a channel of programs;
• a program entry list including a plurality of program entries, each program entry indicating a program and having a corresponding time, wherein said program entry list corresponds to a channel corresponding to one of said channel icons so that the program entries displayed indicate programs broadcast on that channel starting at the indicated times.

A method of controlling a hierarchical program guide, comprising:

• selecting one of a plurality of hierarchical levels in the guide by using left and right directional commands;
• selecting an item in the selected hierarchical level by using up and down directional commands;
• wherein items displayed for a lower hierarchical level are determined by a selected item in the immediately upper hierarchical level.

A method of controlling a hierarchical program guide, comprising:

• selecting an item in a lower hierarchical level by using up and down directional commands;
• selecting an item in an upper hierarchical level by using left and right directional commands;
• wherein items displayed for said lower hierarchical level are determined by the selected item in said upper hierarchical level.

A computer program, stored on a tangible storage medium, for use in selecting a scheduled content item, the program comprising executable instructions that cause a computer to:

• select a first level content item from a first list of content items;
• select a second level content item from a second list of content items, wherein said second list corresponds to said selected first level content item and said selected second level content item indicates scheduled content data having a scheduled time;
• access said content data at said scheduled time.

A computer program, stored on a tangible storage medium, for use in controlling a hierarchical program guide, the program comprising executable instructions that cause a computer to:

• select one of a plurality of hierarchical levels in the guide in response to left and right directional commands;
• select an item in the selected hierarchical level in response to up and down directional commands;
• wherein items displayed for a lower hierarchical level are determined by a selected item in the immediately upper hierarchical level.

A computer program, stored on a tangible storage medium, for use in controlling a hierarchical program guide, the program comprising executable instructions that cause a computer to:

• select an item in a lower hierarchical level in response to up and down directional commands;
• select an item in an upper hierarchical level in response to left and right directional commands;
• wherein items displayed for said lower hierarchical level are determined by the selected item in said upper hierarchical level.

A system for selecting a scheduled content item, comprising:

• means for selecting a first level content item from a first list of content items;
• means for selecting a second level content item from a second list of content items, wherein said second list corresponds to said selected first level content item and said selected second level content item indicates scheduled content data having a scheduled time;
• means for accessing said content data at said scheduled time.

A system for controlling a hierarchical program guide, comprising:

• means for selecting one of a plurality of hierarchical levels in the guide by using left and right directional commands;
• means for selecting an item in the selected hierarchical level by using up and down directional commands;
• wherein items displayed for a lower hierarchical level are determined by a selected item in the immediately upper hierarchical level.

A system for controlling a hierarchical program guide, comprising:

• means for selecting an item in a lower hierarchical level by using up and down directional commands;
• means for selecting an item in an upper hierarchical level by using left and right directional commands;
• wherein items displayed for said lower hierarchical level are determined by the selected item in said upper hierarchical level.