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US 8,799,946 B2Granted
Apparatus and method for providing program guide with channel signal strength
AssigneeThomson Licensing
InventorDennis Lee Cake
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus provides an on-screen program guide that includes information indicating channel signal strength. According to an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus includes a memory operative to store data related to the program guide, and a processor operative to enable display of the program guide using the stored data. The program guide includes a plurality of program titles. The processor determines a program title pointed to by a pointer and determines a channel associated with the determined program title. Signal strength of the determined channel is displayed along with the program guide.
Claims30
A method for providing a program guide, comprising steps of:
- displaying said program guide comprising a plurality of program titles, each said program title being associated with a channel;
- measuring signal quality of each said channel associated with said program titles that are currently displayed;
- detecting one of said program titles being highlighted;
- measuring said signal quality of said channel associated with said highlighted program title in response to said detection;
- and
- displaying said measured signal quality for each of said channels simultaneously along with said program guide, wherein each of said plurality of channels displayed in said program guide includes a graphical, non-numeric signal quality indicator displayed against a single signal level meter including a plurality of index marks that enable a user to compare said measured signal qualities of all of said plurality of channels simultaneously by comparing each of said graphical, non-numeric signal quality indicators against said index marks.
3 more elements
A method for providing a program guide, comprising steps of:
- measuring signal quality of each of a plurality of channels associated with a plurality of program titles that are currently displayed in said program guide;
- detecting one of said program titles being highlighted;
- measuring said signal quality of said channel associated with said highlighted program title in response to said detection;
- displaying indications of said measured signal quality for each of said plurality of channels simultaneously along with said program guide, wherein each of said plurality of channels displayed in said program guide includes a graphical, non-numeric signal quality indicator displayed against a single signal level meter including a plurality of index marks that enable a user to compare said measured signal qualities of all of said plurality of channels simultaneously by comparing each of said graphical, non-numeric signal quality indicators against said index marks;
- and
- wherein, if said measured signal quality for any one of said plurality of channels displayed in said program guide is below a threshold, said indication of said measured signal quality for said channel includes one of:
- a message indicating a corrective action that may be taken, and a message indicating that said channel is not available.
4 more elements
An apparatus for providing a program guide, comprising:
- first means for storing data related to said program guide;
- second means for enabling display of said program guide using said stored data, said program guide comprising a plurality of program titles, each said program title being associated with a channel;
- said second means detecting one of said program titles being highlighted and measuring signal quality of said channel associated with said highlighted program title in response to said detection;
- and
- said second means enabling display of said measured signal quality for each of said channels simultaneously along with said program guide, wherein each of said channels displayed in said program guide includes a graphical, non-numeric signal quality indicator displayed against a single signal level meter including a plurality of index marks that enable a user to compare said measured signal qualities of all of said plurality of channels simultaneously by comparing each of said graphical, non-numeric signal quality indicators against said index marks.
2 more elements
An apparatus for providing a program guide, comprising:
- first means for storing data related to said program guide;
- second means for measuring signal quality of each of a plurality of channels associated with a plurality of program titles that are currently displayed in said program guide;
- said second means detecting one of said program titles being highlighted and measuring said signal quality of said channel associated with said highlighted program title in response to said detection;
- said second means enabling indications of said measured signal qualities for all of said plurality of channels to be displayed simultaneously along with said program guide, wherein each of said plurality of channels displayed in said program guide includes a graphical, non-numeric signal quality indicator displayed against a single signal level meter including a plurality of index marks that enable a user to compare said measured signal qualities of all of said plurality of channels simultaneously by comparing each of said graphical, non-numeric signal quality indicators against said index marks;
- and
- wherein, if said measured signal quality for any one of said plurality of channels displayed in said program guide is below a threshold, said indication of said measured signal quality for said channel includes one of:
- a message indicating a corrective action that may be taken, and a message indicating that said channel is not available.
4 more elements
An apparatus for providing a program guide, comprising:
- a memory operative to store data related to said program guide;
- a processor operatively coupled to said memory, said processor being operative to enable display of said program guide using said stored data, said program guide comprising a plurality of program titles, each said program title being associated with a channel;
- said processor detecting one of said program titles being highlighted and measuring signal quality of said channel associated with said highlighted program title in response to said detection;
- and
- said processor enabling display of said measured signal quality for each of said channels simultaneously along with said program guide, wherein each of said plurality of channels displayed in said program guide includes a graphical, non-numeric signal quality indicator displayed against a single signal level meter including a plurality of index marks that enable a user to compare said measured signal qualities of all of said plurality of channels simultaneously by comparing each of said graphical, non-numeric signal quality indicators against said index marks.
2 more elements
An apparatus for providing a program guide, comprising:
- a memory operative to store data related to said program guide;
- a processor operatively coupled to said memory, said processor being operative to measure signal quality of each of a plurality of channels associated with a plurality of program titles that are currently displayed in said program guide;
- said processor detecting one of said program titles being highlighted and measuring said signal quality of said channel associated with said highlighted program title in response to said detection;
- said processor enabling indications of said measured signal qualities for all of said plurality of channels to be displayed simultaneously along with said program guide, wherein each of said plurality of channels displayed in said program guide includes a graphical, non-numeric signal quality indicator displayed against a single signal level meter including a plurality of index marks that enable a user to compare said measured signal qualities of all of said plurality of channels simultaneously by comparing each of said graphical, non-numeric signal quality indicators against said index marks;
- and
- wherein, if said measured signal quality for any one of said plurality of channels displayed in said program guide is below a threshold, said indication of said measured signal quality for said channel includes one of:
- a message indicating a corrective action that may be taken, and a message indicating that said channel is not available.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.