US 7,174,126 B2Granted

Technique for effectively accessing programming listing information in an entertainment delivery system

AssigneeTime Warner Interactive Video Group, Inc.

InventorsDavid McElhatten, Steven Johnson, Robert Benya, Robert B. Golden, James W. Kasanin

Life of this patent

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Abstract

In a broadband communications system, e.g., a cable system, programming content can be readily reserved and accessed for viewing using an interactive program guide, a network home graphic user interface (GUI), Quick View Guide, etc., in accordance with the invention. Such programming content may include in-progress programs, future programs and previously broadcast programs which are recorded at a headend in the cable system, and which may or may not have overlapping broadcast times. In addition, the user may reserve programs at a set-top terminal, and may also do so remotely from the terminal through a communications network such as, the Internet, a public switched telephone network (PSTN), a wireless telephone network, etc.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method for facilitating user access to programming content via a program guide, comprising:

listing on the program guide available program channels corresponding to a plurality of different content providers in channel number order, at least some channels corresponding to a program content provider being separated in said listing by channels included in said listing corresponding to another programming content provider;
in response to a user selection corresponding to said content provider, identifying at least one group of program channels which are associated with said programming content provider;
listing on the program guide a content provider program channel group which is an aggregation of program channels corresponding to said programming content provider, at least some channels in the content provider program channel group being separated in said listing of available program channels by a channel corresponding to said another programming content provider, said content provider program channel group being exclusive of any indicator indicating a program channel corresponding to said another programming content provider;
and
allowing a selection of one of the program channels in said content provider program channel group to access programming content offered by the program channel indicated thereby.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/430,161Filed 5 May 2003 · continuation in part
Priority: 3 May 2002
Published: US 2003/0208763 A127 Nov 2003
Granted: 6 Feb 2007
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification49 codes

H04N 21/4821
End-user interface for programme selection: using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
G06F 3/0482
Based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like…:…
H04N 5/445
Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards: for displaying additional information
H04N 5/782
Using magnetic recording: on tape

Family

Application60/377,963Us provisional application · filed 3 May 2002
Application10/302,550Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 22 Nov 2002
US 2003/0220100 A1Pre-grant publication · published 27 Nov 2003
US 2003/0208763 A1Published application
US 7,073,189 B2Related patent
US 7,174,126 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.