United Video Properties, Inc.

Jeffrey A Ross

Michael D Ellis

William L Thomas

Edward Bruce Knudson

Joel Gerard Hassell

David M Berezowski

Steven J Reynolds

W Benjamin Herrington

Kenneth F Carpenter, Jr

Steven Carl Williamson

David M Rudnick

Daniel C Hagenbuch

Pamela L McKissick

Rose A Reynolds

Donald Rasson, Deceased

Robert R Predolich

An interactive television program guide system and method is provided. Time separators are displayed within lists of program listings to allow users to more easily view the program listings. On-screen arrows have their display characteristics changed according to user actions. Similar program listings are displayed only once when using search program listings. Users are provided with an opportunity to view channel information before setting channels as favorites. Information from local information services is provided in program guide display screens that are configurable by a main facility. Users are provided with an opportunity to centrally lock and unlock programs, and to bypass locks when desired.

Interactive program guide system and method

A system is provided for distributing television program guide data from a main facility to set-top boxes or similar receivers via local television systems. Program guide data is placed in a number of selectively configurable queues. The configuration of the queues is determined by queue configuration data that may be supplied by the operator of the main facility. The operator can readily reconfigure the queues by altering the queue configuration data. Program guide data from the queues may be distributed to the receivers using multiple feed generators, each of which distributes program guide data to receivers with different addresses. The feed generators determine which receivers are busy processing recently transmitted data, so that data may be directed toward receivers that are not currently busy.

Program guide data distribution system with configurable queues

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Littleton, CO, United States of America

Jeffrey A Ross