# US 6,160,546 A · Program guide systems and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,160,546 A - Document ID: US6160546A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 09/071,516 - Filed: 1998-05-01 - Granted: 2000-12-12 - Earliest claimed: 1998-05-01 - Assignees: United Video Properties, Inc. - Inventors: John Garret Thompson; David Michael Berezowski - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6160546A ## CPC - H04N 21/47: End-user applications - H04N 21/235: Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors - H04N 21/25825: {involving client display capabilities, e.g. screen resolution of a mobile phone (optimising the visualisation of content during browsing in the Internet G06F16/9577; processing of terminal status or physical abilities in wireless networks H04W8/22; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06)} - H04N 21/25841: {involving the geographical location of the client (retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; arrangements for identifying locations of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/51; location of the user terminal in data switching networks H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00)} - H04N 21/2668: Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles {(information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063)} - H04N 21/4316: {for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window} - H04N 21/482: End-user interface for programme selection - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract A television program guide system is provided which includes a plurality of television distribution facilities, each connected to a plurality of associated television units. Each television distribution facility receives a global video stream which includes a stream of promotional videos from a main facility, receives program listings and program listings group information for the program listings from the main facility, and provides a video signal over the given channel to television units. At each television unit, the promotional information is displayed in the promotional information region and the program listings are displayed in the program listings region in accordance with the program listings group information. The display format is controllable from a main facility. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for providing promotional information and program listings on a given channel to viewer television units, each television unit having a display screen, comprising: a main facility for providing at least one global stream of promotional videos, program listings, and program listings group information, wherein the program listings group information serves as a template for determining groupings of channels; a plurality of television distribution facilities, each connected to a plurality of associated television units, each television distribution facility receiving the at least one global stream of promotional videos, program listings, and program listings group information from the main facility, and providing a video signal over the given channel wherein the promotional information is displayed on the display screen and the program listings are displayed in groups on the display screen based on the program listings group information without user intervention. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system defined in claim 1 wherein: each of the plurality of television distribution facilities further receives a display specification for determining the graphic attributes of the display screen of each television unit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system defined in claim 2 wherein: each of the plurality of television distribution facilities further receives a temporal specification for synchronizing the program listings group information and the display specification. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system defined in claim 1 wherein: the global video stream contains video advertisements, each television distribution facility providing the video advertisements to each associated television unit for display in the promotional information region. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system defined in claim 1 wherein: local promotional information is provided to each television distribution facility, each television distribution facility providing the local promotional information to each associated television unit for display in the promotional information region. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system defined in claim 5 wherein: the local promotional information is a local video advertisement. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The system defined in claim 5 wherein: the local promotional information is a logo. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system defined in claim 1 wherein: the program listings region contains scrolling program listings. ### Claim 9 A method for providing promotional information and program listings on a given channel to viewer television units, each television unit having a display screen, the method comprising: providing at least one global stream of promotional videos, program listings, and program listings group information that serves as a template for determining groupings of channels, from a main facility to a plurality of television distribution facilities, each television distribution facility being connected to a plurality of associated television units; receiving the at least one global stream of promotional videos, program listings, and program listings group information from the main facility at each television distribution facility; and providing a video signal over the given channel wherein the promotional information is displayed on the display screen and the program listings are displayed in groups on the display screen based on the program listings group information without user intervention. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method defined in claim 9 further comprising: receiving at each television distribution facility a display specification for determining the graphic attributes of the display screen of each television unit. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method defined in claim 9 further comprising: receiving at each television distribution facility a temporal specification for synchronizing the program listings group information and the display specification. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method defined in claim 9 further comprising: providing the promotional videos from the global video stream to each associated television unit for display in the promotional information region. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method defined in claim 9 further comprising: providing local promotional information to each television distribution facility, each television distribution facility providing the local promotional information to each associated television unit for display in the promotional information region. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method defined in claim 13 wherein: the local promotional information is a local video advertisement. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method defined in claim 13 wherein: the local promotional information is a logo. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method defined in claim 9 further comprising: scrolling the program listings in the program listings region. ### Claim 17 A system for providing promotional information and program listings on a given channel to viewer television units, each television unit having a display screen, comprising: a main facility for providing at least one global stream of promotional videos, program listings, program listings group information that serves as a template for determining groupings of channels, and a display specification; a plurality of television distribution facilities, each connected to a plurality of associated television units, each television distribution facility receiving the at least one global stream of promotional videos, program listings, program listings group information that serves as a template for determining groupings of channels, and display specification from the main facility, and providing a video signal over the given channel wherein: the program listings are displayed in groups on the display screen based on the program listings group information without user intervention and the graphic attributes of the display screen are determined by the display specification and correspond to the groups of program listings. ### Claim 18 A method for providing promotional information and program listings on a given channel to viewer television units, each television unit having a display screen, the method comprising: providing at least one global stream of promotional videos, program listings, program listings group information that serves as a template for determining groupings of channels, and a display specification from a main facility to a plurality of television distribution facilities, each television distribution facility being connected to a plurality of associated television units; receiving the at least one global stream of promotional videos, program listings, program listings group information and display specification from the main facility at each television distribution facility; and providing a video signal over the given channel wherein: the program listings are displayed in groups on the display screen based on the program listings group information without user intervention; and the graphic attributes of the display screen are determined by the display specification and correspond to the groups of program listings. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 further comprising: coordinating the display specification with selected ones of: colors, graphic icons, and video images.