Starsight Telecast Incorporated

United Video Properties, Inc.

Rovi Solutions Corporation

John H Roop

Patrick E Young

Michael William Faber

Alan R Ebright

David Anderson

David P Warden

Jeffrey J Kochy

Konstantine Sokolik

Giambattista A Alegiani

Allan R Ebright

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. An effective way of taming the motion is to assume that behind every array () is an underlying array of regular cells. By restricting cursor movements to the regular cells, abrupt screen changes will be avoided. With the cursor (), the entire cell () is 3-D highlighted, using a conventional offset shadow (). The offset shadow () is a black bar that underlines the entire cell and wraps around the right edge of the cell. To tag the underlying position&#x2014;which defines where the cursor () is and thus, where it will move next&#x2014;portions () of the black bar outside the current underlying position are segmented, while the current position is painted solid.

User interface for television schedule system

Television schedule information transmission and utilization systems transmit TV schedule data and associated network control messages provided by computer as packets via the Video Blanking Interval (VBI) lines in the TV signal from various television program providers. This data is acquired by regional data processing systems and forwarded by the regional data processing systems to subscriber units and used to construct an internal database. This internal database can be accessed by the subscriber unit to display a TV schedule for the channels that are received by the user's TV.

System and method for transmitting and utilizing electronic programs guide information

An electronic program guide displays televsion program listings in a time and channel guide format on a monitor screen. A cursor is provided for display on the monitor screen to selectively highlight one of the television program listings in the guide. Various guide functions are activated in response to movement of the cursor in the guide. For example, program note corresponding to the highlighted television program listing is displayed simultaneously with the television program listings, such that the program note changes as the cursor moves in the guide.

Television schedule system

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. An effective way of taming the motion is to assume that behind every array ( ) is an underlying array of regular cells. By restricting cursor movements to the regular cells, abrupt screen changes will be avoided. With the cursor ( ), the entire cell ( ) is 3-D highlighted, using a conventional offset shadow ( ). The offset shadow ( ) is a black bar that underlines the entire cell and wraps around the right edge of the cell. To tag the underlying position&mdash;which defines where the cursor ( ) is and thus, where it will move next&mdash;portions ( ) of the black bar outside the current underlying position are segmented, while the current position is painted solid.

Television schedule information transmission and utilization systems (,A-,D) transmit TV schedule data and associated network control messages provided by computer (,) as packets via the Video Blanking Interval (VBI) lines in the TV signal from various television program providers (,). This data is acquired by regional data processing systems and forwarded by the regional data processing systems to subscriber units (,) and used to construct an internal database. This intern database can be accessed by the subscriber unit (,) to display a TV schedule for the channels that are received by the user's TV.

System and method for transmitting and utilizing electronic program guide information

Screen (10) for a user interface of a television schedule system and process consists of an array (24) of irregular cells (26), 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 (28) of one-half hour in duration, and twelve rows (30) of program listings. Some of the program listings overlap two or more of the columns (28) because of their length. Because of the widely varying length of the cells (26), 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 (10) as the cursor moved from a cell (26) of several hours length to an adjacent cell in the same row. An effective way of taming the motion is to assume that behind every array (24) is an underlying array of regular cells. By restricting cursor movements to the regular cells, abrupt screen changes will be avoided. With the cursor (32), the entire cell (26) is 3-D highlighted, using a conventional offset shadow (34). The offset shadow (34) is a black bar that underlines the entire cell and wraps around the right edge of the cell. To tag the underlying position--which defines where the cursor (32) is and thus, where it will move next--portions (36) of the black bar outside the current underlying position are segmented, while the current position is painted solid.

System and process for control of recording and reproducing apparatus

Background television schedule system

Television schedule information transmission and utilization systems (50A-50D) transmit TV schedule data and associated network control messages provided by computer (54) as packets via the Video Blanking Interval (VBI) lines in the TV signal from various television program providers (51). This data is acquired by regional data processing systems and forwarded by the regional data processing systems to subscriber units (52) and used to construct an internal database. This internal database can be accessed by the subscriber unit (52) to display a TV schedule for the channels that are received by the user's TV.

Television schedule information transmission and utilization system and

Screen (10) for a user interface of a television schedule system and process consists of an array (24) of irregular cells (26), 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 (28) of one-half hour in duration, and twelve rows (30) of program listings. Some of the program listings overlap two or more of the columns (28) because of their length. Because of the widely varying length of the cells (26), 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 (10) as the cursor moved from a cell (26) of several hours length to an adjacent cell in the same row. An effective way of timing the motion is to assume that behind every array (24) is an underlying array of regular cells. By restricting cursor movements to the regular cells, abrupt screen changes will be avoided. With the cursor (32 ), the entire cell (26) is 3-D highlighted, using a conventional offset shadow (34). The offset shadow (34) is a black bar that underlines the entire cell and wraps around the right edge of the cell. A background mode for the television program guide presents several lines of guide information overlying a portion of the current television program.

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Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

John H Roop