Program guide system with browsing display

A method for using an interactive television program guide system implemented on user television equipment, comprising:

• simultaneously displaying (a) a program list that contains multiple program listings, that only contains program listings for programs that are currently being broadcast, and that has a highlight region for highlighting a given one of the program listings, (b) a video window that contains an unobstructed view of a television program, and (c) a detailed program description of the highlighted program listing;
• allowing the user to position the highlight region only among the program listings for programs that are currently being broadcast;
• allowing the user to position the highlight region in the program list with a first set of remote control keys, wherein when the first set of remote control keys is used to position the highlight region on a new program listing, the detailed program description is updated to correspond with the highlighted program listing while the television program displayed in the video window remains unchanged;
• and
• allowing the user to position the highlight region in the program list with a second set of remote control keys, wherein the second set of remote control keys are not the same as any of the first set of remote control keys and wherein when the second set of remote control keys is used to position the highlight region on a new program listing, both the detailed program description and the television program displayed in the video window are updated to correspond with the highlighted program listing.

An interactive television program guide system comprising user television equipment configured to:

• simultaneously display (a) a program list that contains multiple program listings, that only contains program listings for programs that are currently being broadcast, and that has a highlight region for highlighting a given one of the program listings, (b) a video window that contains an unobstructed view of a television program, and (c) a detailed program description of the highlighted program listing;
• allow the user to position the highlight region only among the program listings for programs that are currently being broadcast;
• allow the user to position the highlight region in the program list with a first set of remote control keys, wherein when the first set of remote control keys is used to position the highlight region on a new program listing, the detailed program description is updated to correspond with the highlighted program listing while the television program displayed in the video window remains unchanged;
• and
• allow the user to position the highlight region in the program list with a second set of remote control keys, wherein the second set of remote control keys are not the same as any of the first set of remote control keys and wherein when the second set of remote control keys is used to position the highlight region on a new program listing, both the detailed program description and the television program displayed in the video window are updated to correspond with the highlighted program listing.