The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 13, 1997
Filed:
May. 05, 1995
Phivos C Aristides, Seattle, WA (US);
Brian D Crites, Redmond, WA (US);
Robert M Hohman, Renton, WA (US);
Frank A Lawler, Seattle, WA (US);
Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA (US);
Abstract
Disclosed herein is an interactive entertainment distribution network including a headend which is connected to provide programs to a plurality of user interface units in individual homes. The user interface units are configured to run electronic program guides for displaying available programs categorized by discrete time slots. Each of the programs has a scheduled time period which occupies at least a portion of one or more of the discrete time slots. The headend maintains a database with a plurality of program data records. Each program data record is indexed by one of a plurality of bucket numbers. The bucket numbers correspond respectively to the plurality of discrete time slots. Each particular program is represented by a program data record and associated bucket number for each of the one or more discrete time slots which the program occupies. The electronic program guide requests programming information from the headend by specifying one or more bucket numbers to the headend.