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US 8,799,956 B2Granted
EPG content tree
AssigneeEchoStar Technologies L.L.C.
InventorKaren Taxier
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosure is generally directed to outputting an electronic programming guide (EPG) content tree from a television receiver for display on an output device. A content tree consistent with this disclosure may include a number of interconnected nodes that present programming content that is available for viewing or recording through the operation of the television receiver.
Claims18
An electronic programming guide method, comprising:
- outputting a first signal from a television receiver to an output device, the television receiver receiving a program service transmission from a service provider;
- the first signal causing the output device to display an electronic programming guide tree having nodes including a time node, content nodes, and linked nodes, a first content node connected to one or more first linked nodes that are program nodes,
- receiving a directional input at the television receiver, the directional input indicating a particular one of the one or more first linked nodes;
- and
- in response to the directional input, outputting a second signal from the television receiver to the output device,
- the second signal causing the output device to display a second content node, the second content node connected to one or more second linked nodes including the first content node, the second content node being a particular one of the one or more first linked nodes indicated by the directional input as a first category of programs available for viewing,
- each one of the program nodes having a size proportional to a number of programs in a first category, the size being independent of user input.
4 more elements
An electronic programming guide method, comprising:
- outputting a signal from a television receiver to an output device, the television receiver receiving a program service transmission from a service provider;
- the signal causing the output device to display a time node of an electronic programming guide tree, the time node indicating a time of day;
- and
- the signal causing the output device to display a plurality of program nodes for the electronic programming guide tree, each one of the program nodes connected to the time node, the plurality of program nodes including at least a first program node indicating a first category of programs available for viewing at the time of day indicated by the time node;
- wherein each one of the program nodes has a size that is proportional to a number of programs in the first category, the size being independent of user input.
2 more elements
A television receiver, comprising:
- a tuner operable to receive a program service transmission from a service provider, the program service transmission having a plurality of channels, the tuner operable to select one of the plurality of channels and to process the selected channel to be output in a video signal to an output device;
- a memory connected to the tuner, the memory having a tangible storage medium operable to store computer readable instructions and data including electronic programming guide data received from the service provider;
- a processor connected to the memory and operable to run computer executable code stored in the memory;
- a display module including a memory having computer readable instructions stored therein, the instructions causing the processor to process the electronic programming guide data and to output at least a portion of the electronic programming guide data in a data signal to the output device, the data signal causing the output device to display an electronic programming guide tree having at least a time node and a first program node connected to the time node;
- and
- the first program node indicating a programming category, the first program node having a size proportional to a number of programs that belong to the programming category and that are available for viewing at a time of day indicated by the time node, the size being independent of user input.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.