US 5,596,373 A · Method and apparatus for providing program oriented information in a multiple station broadcast system

Abstract

An innovative but easy to use on-line program list is provided to provide the user of a multiple channel television broadcast system a wealth of programming information in a simple format that is easy to understand. The guide enables the user to easily select a particular program to watch or to watch in the future. Unlike prior art television guides, the present invention presents a program list that is oriented according to the program instead of the channel. In particular, the program list provides program information and the times the program is broadcasted the displayed timeframe. This is particularly useful for viewing in one simple and easy-to-read format the start times of a pay-per-view program, which may, for example, be broadcasted every 1/2 hour over a variety of channels.

Claims26

Dependent claims

In a multiple channel broadcasting system in which programs are broadcast for display on a screen, a method for generating an on-screen program list to inform the user of programs available through the broadcasting system, said method comprising the steps of:

selecting a category of programs;
searching for selected programs occurring during a predetermined timeframe that are categorized as the selected category;
extracting program information comprising a program title and start time of selected programs;
and
generating an electronic program list on a display of the broadcasting system comprising the steps of;
identifying each selected program of the selected category by the program title;
identifying each start time of each selected program;
displaying the program title, and
displaying each start time of the program adjacent to the program title;
wherein a user can easily view by program category and start times such that multiple occurrences of the same program during the predetermined timeframe are viewable in one program list.

7 more elements

A multiple channel broadcasting system comprising:

a screen for displaying video of broadcasts of programs;
an input device for inputting a selected category of programs;
a processor for processing program information, said processor identifying programs occurring during a predetermined timeframe which are categorized as the selected category and extracting program information comprising a title and start time of each identified program;
and
an on-screen electronic program list identifying programs of the selected category which are broadcasted during the predetermined timeframe comprising:
a list of the program titles of the programs categorized as the selected category;
and
adjacent to each program title, each start time of the program;
wherein a user can easily view by program category and start times such that multiple occurrences of the same program during the predetermined timeframe are viewable in one program list.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for providing program oriented information in a multiple station broadcast system

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for providing program oriented information in a multiple station broadcast system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims26