Graphical user interface for control of a home entertainment system

Apparatus for controlling the material displayed on a personal computer home entertainment system, comprising:

• a plurality of remote control devices for providing command signals;
• a personal computer further comprising:
• a processor;
• a main memory;
• a bus connecting the processor to the main memory;
• a display adapter coupled to the bus;
• a display driven by the display adapter;
• a circuit coupled to the bus for receiving signals from the plurality of remote control devices and decoding the signals to determine the commands, including cursor control signals, wherein the processor receives the cursor control information from the cursor control device and controls the position of a cursor on the display;
• at least one cell of video program information associated with a video program, displayed on said display by the processor;
• a record icon displayed on the display by the processor;
• a recording device coupled to the processor for recording the video program associated with the cell when the cell is dragged and dropped by the cursor control device onto the record icon;
• and
• a remind icon displayed on the display by the processor and operable to cause the processor to provide a reminder when a cell is dragged and dropped onto the remind icon to the time at which the associated video programming is available for display.

An icon driven interface for controlling application and video programming on a home entertainment system comprising:

• a first set of cells associated with video based programs and arranged in a time ordered manner on a display screen;
• a second set of cells associated with computer application programs on a display screen;
• a first set of icons on the display screen separate from the cells, and associated with functions to be performed related to the first set of cells;
• a cursor controllable by a user of the home entertainment system;
• a cursor control device for moving the cursor, and controlling the cursor to perform dragging and dropping of the cells on said icons to cause the system to perform the associated functions, and to select application programs from said second set of icons for execution on the system;
• and
• a remind icon displayed on the display by the processor and operable to cause the processor to provide a reminder when a cell is dragged and dropped onto the remind icon prior to the time at which the associated video programming is available for display.