Interactive video distribution systems – Operator interface – To facilitate tuning or selection of video signal
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-10
2002-12-24
Miller, John (Department: 2614)
Interactive video distribution systems
Operator interface
To facilitate tuning or selection of video signal
C725S045000, C725S056000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06499138
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONS
The present inventions relate to television and other media that present programs for viewing, and particularly relate to user interfaces for the display and the selection of programs for viewing.
BACKGROUND
Newspapers and other paper publications conveniently print guides to the programs available for viewing on television. But a newspaper or other paper publication may not always be available to a viewer when the viewer decides to watch some television. For convenience, cable companies typically display a guide to the programming they offer on a dedicated channel of the cable service. In addition to convenience, the guide may be provided by the cable company as a vehicle to carry advertising, and thus, provide additional revenue to the cable company. A viewer may tune his or her television to the channel carrying the guide and review the programming information to choose a program to watch. Such a guide on a television monitor may be referred to as a channel guide, program guide, electronic guide, electronic television guide, electronic programming guide (EPG), a user interface, program schedule, or by similar terms. Generally, herein the term “user interface” is used with respect to the present inventions.
Electronic programming guides are generally known. Examples of electronic programming guides are described in the patent to Mankovitz, U.S. Pat. No. 5,559,550, entitled “Apparatus and Methods for Synchronizing a Clock to a Network Clock,” as well as in other publicly available documents. Information regarding the extraction of a program schedule from a signal provided to a television so as to create a user interface may be obtained from the patent to Mankovitz, U.S. Pat. No. 5,640,484, entitled “Switch for Automatic Selection of Television Signal Sources for Delivery of Television Guide Data.”
In addition to television, electronic programming guides may be used in other environments. For example, an electronic programming guide may be useful in the context of the global information network (Internet) or other computer or data networks. Some of these networks offer multiple programs available for selection by a viewer to read, to watch, to use, to interact with, etc. To gain information about the available programs and to make a selection, the viewer may use an electronic programming guide that is displayed on a computer monitor or similar device used by the viewer. Televisions, computers, networked computers, and the like are referred to herein generally as “media devices”.
When using an electronic programming guide, a viewer typically is interested in information including: (1) the channel or other locator of an available program; (2) the temporal characteristics of an available program such as start time, duration, end time, current availability, etc.; and (3) the name, title, or other identifier of an available program. Also, a viewer may be interested in gaining information about the availability of programs of a particular type or related to a specific or specialty topic. For example, a viewer may be interested in knowing whether any sports programs are available, and particularly, whether any baseball games are available for viewing.
In addition, a viewer may be interested in knowing the available programming during a certain time slot or interval. For example, a viewer may have a choice with respect to scheduling time for television or other media use. Thus, the viewer may not necessarily be interested in the current or other near term programming available. Rather, the viewer is interested in knowing what programming is available when the viewer is likely to schedule his or her television or other media break. Based on a review of the available programming during any particular time slot, the viewer may decide to plan to take the television break at the initially selected time, or reschedule the break for a time when more interesting programming to the viewer is available.
Accordingly, there is a need for an electronic programming guide that provides a viewer with information such as: (1) the channel or other locator of an available program; (2) the temporal characteristics of an available program such as start time, duration, end time, current availability, etc.; and/or (3) the name, title, or other identifier of an available program. There is also a need for an electronic programming guide that provides a viewer with information about the availability of programs of a particular type or related to a specific or specialty topic. In addition, there is a need for an electronic programming guide that provides a viewer with information as to the available programming during a certain time slot or interval as selected by the viewer.
SUMMARY
Stated generally, the present inventions include methods, systems, and user interfaces for presenting information related to available programming to a viewer and/or other user. An exemplary user interface is presented on a monitor of a media device (such as television screen or computer screen). The exemplary user interface provides information as to the channels (or other location indicator), titles, and/or time characteristics of available programming.
Advantageously, the viewer may interact with the user interface so as to have a selected portion or portions of the user interface highlighted for clearer viewing or for other reasons. For example, the viewer may select a topic from a list of topics, and have a program or all programs related to the topic highlighted on the user interface. Further, the viewer may hone his or her programming selection by first selecting a general topic from the list of topics, and then further selecting a specialty topic from a specialty topic list that is related to the general topic selected by the viewer. The program or programs related to the specialty topic may be highlighted on the user interface. The viewer also may interact with the user interface so as to select programming (from the highlighted programs on the user interface or in other ways) and have the programming displayed on the monitor of the media device.
In addition, the viewer may interact with an exemplary user interface by designating a time period or time slot in which the viewer is interested. In response to the designation of a time period, the user interface may provide information such as channel (or other locator), title, and/or time characteristics of programming available during the designated time period. Advantageously, the viewer may change the time period. In response to the change, the user interface may change the information provided so as to accurately reflect the programming available during the changed, designated time period. Further, the viewer may interact with the user interface so as to choose a program available during the designated time period and have the program displayed on the monitor of the media device.
Particularly described, the exemplary embodiments of the present inventions provide user interfaces for presentation on a monitor of a media device. An exemplary user interface may include a topic list having topic entries such as “local news”, “national news”, “world news”, “all sports”, and the like. In addition, a topic entry may include or correspond to a specialty topic list. The specialty topic list may include specialty topic entries related to the topic entry. For example, a topic entry may be “all sports.” This topic entry may include a specialty topic list with the following specialty topic entries: “baseball”; “basketball”, “football”, and the like. Thus, the viewer may select a topic entry such as “all sports” from the topic list. In response, the specialty topic list corresponding to the selected topic entry may be displayed, and using the “all sports” topic entry, the specialty topic list may include the following specialty topic entries: “baseball”; “basketball”, and “football. Further, a specialty topic entry may be selected as an elected specialty topic entry and that elected specialty topic entry may be highlighted on the user interface.
In addition to th
Stefanik John
Swix Scott R.
BellSouth Intellectual Property Corporation
Hoye Michael W.
Kilpatrick & Stockton LLP
Miller John
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