US 7,748,018 B2 · Arranging channel indicators in a television schedule system

Abstract

Screen for a user interface of a television schedule system and process consists of an array of irregular cells, which vary in length, corresponding to different television program lengths of one half hour to one-and-one half hours or more. The array is arranged as three columns of one-half hour in duration, and twelve rows of program listings. Some of the program listings overlap two or more of the columns because of their length. Because of the widely varying length of the cells, if a conventional cursor used to select a cell location were to simply step from one cell to another, the result would be abrupt changes in the screen as the cursor moved from a cell of several hours length to an adjacent cell in the same row.

Claims29

Dependent claims

A method of navigating a database of television program listings for a plurality of channels in user television equipment, the method comprising steps of:

storing in electronic memory a list of channel indicators for the plurality of channels, the list comprising first and second channel indicators;
displaying in a first menu on a screen, the first channel indicator with a corresponding first television program listing and the second channel indicator with a corresponding second television program listing;
displaying the list of channel indicators in a second menu on the screen;
receiving a user selection, from the list of displayed channel indicators in the second menu, to move the first displayed channel indicator from a first location in the list to a second location in the list relative to the second displayed channel indicator;
arranging the list of displayed channel indicators in a user determined order based at least in part on the user selection;
and
as a result of the user selection, automatically changing locations of the first and second channel indicators and the corresponding first and second television program listings that are displayed in the first menu to new locations in the first menu that correspond to the order in which the channel indicators, displayed in the second menu, are arranged.

4 more elements

An electronic program guide for user television equipment, comprising:

means for storing a list of channel indicators for a plurality of channels, the list comprising first and second channel indicators;
means for displaying, in a first menu on a screen, the first channel indicator with a corresponding first television program listing and the second channel indicator with a corresponding second television program listing;
means for displaying, in a second menu on the screen, the list of channel indicators;
means for receiving a user selection, from the list of displayed channel indicators in the second menu, to move the first displayed channel indicator from a first location in the list to a second location in the list relative to the second displayed channel indicator;
means for arranging the list of displayed channel indicators in a user determined order based at least in part on the user selection;
and
means for, as a result of the user selection, automatically changing locations of the first and second channel indicators and the corresponding first and second television program listings that are displayed in the first menu to new locations in the first menu that correspond to the order in which the channel indicators, displayed in the second menu, are arranged.

4 more elements

A system for viewing television programs, the system comprising:

a tuner;
a memory for storing a list of channel indicators for a plurality of television channels, the list comprising first and second channel indicators;
a screen for displaying, in a first menu, the first channel indicator with a corresponding first television program listing and the second channel indicator with a corresponding second television program listing;
an input device coupled to the memory for receiving user commands;
and
a processor coupled to the input device, the processor configured to:
display the list of channel indicators in a second menu on the screen;
receive a user selection, from the list of displayed channel indicators in the second menu, to move the first displayed channel indicator from a first location in the list to a second location in the list relative to the second displayed channel indicator;
arrange the list of displayed channel indicators in a user determined order based at least in part on the user selection;
as a result of the user selection, automatically change locations of the first and second channel indicators and the corresponding first and second television program listings that are displayed in the first menu to new locations in the first menu that correspond to the order in which the channel indicators, displayed in the second menu, are arranged;
and
command the tuner to sequentially tune to the plurality of television channels in an order corresponding to the order in which the channel indicators, displayed in the second menu, are arranged.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Arranging channel indicators in a television schedule system

Life of this patent

Arranging channel indicators in a television schedule system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims29