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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. In an interactive viewing system having a head end in two-way
communication with a plurality of viewer stations having a video display
operatively coupled to a controller, the head end providing to the viewer
stations programming comprising a plurality of programs, the head end
storing program schedule information identifying for the plurality of
programs a time at which the program is available and a channel on which
the program is available, the controller of at least one viewer station
being capable of storing at least a portion of the program schedule
information at the controller, a method of providing a user with program
schedule information, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving at a controller a request from a user for program schedule
information;
determining whether the requested program schedule information is stored at
the controller;
in the case of a negative determination, communicating the request from the
controller to the head end; and
retrieving the requested program schedule information from the head end
in the case of a positive determination, retrieving the requested program
schedule information at the controller; and
displaying a display of the requested program schedule information on a
video display.
2. The method of claim 1 in which the display comprises:
a grid having channels displayed along one axis and time along another
axis;
a plurality of program tiles, each program tile corresponding to a program,
the program tiles positioned within the grid at the intersection of the
channel on which corresponding program is available and the time at which
the corresponding program is available; and
a focus frame identifying one of said program tiles.
3. The method of claim 2 in which the focus frame can be moved in response
to a user's command to selectively identify a selected program tile, the
command being input to the controller with an input device.
4. The method of claim 3 in which the user can move the focus frame to
select a time and channel for which program schedule information is
displayed.
5. The method of claim 4 in which at least one of the program tiles
corresponds to a program that is a computer executed application.
6. The method of claim 5 in which time is displayed on a horizontal axis of
the grid and channels are displayed along a vertical axis of the grid.
7. The method of claim 5 in which time is displayed along a vertical axis
of the grid and channels are displayed along a horizontal axis of the
grid.
8. The method of claim 4 in which the size of the program tile corresponds
to the length in time of the corresponding program.
9. The method of claim 8 in which a program tile that is too large to be
completely displayed within the grid is provided with an indicator to
indicate that the program tile is only partially displayed.
10. The method of claim 2 in which program tiles corresponding to currently
available programs are displayed in a visually distinct manner from
program tiles corresponding to currently unavailable programs.
11. The method of claim 10 in which program tiles corresponding to
currently available programs are displayed in a first color and program
tiles corresponding to currently unavailable programs are displayed in a
second color.
12. The method of claim 2 in which the grid defines vertical columns and
horizontal rows, each column being associated with a particular time
period and each row being associated with a particular channel, the
program tiles capable of spanning more than one column to represent a
program with a length greater than the time period, and in which a user
can move the focus frame vertically by entering a first command and
horizontally by entering a second command, vertical movement of the focus
frame being tied to an anchor column, the anchor column being changeable
by a user inputting the second command.
13. An interactive system for providing program scheduling information to
the user of an interactive program viewing system having a central head
end in bidirectional communication with multiple viewer stations that
include a video display operably coupled to a controller and an input
device for inputting commands to the controller, the head end delivering a
plurality of programs at different times over a plurality of channels to
the plurality of viewer stations, the system comprising:
a first memory located at the head end for storing program schedule
information, the program schedule information identifying for the
plurality of programs a time at which the program is available and a
channel on which the program is available;
a second memory located at a controller for storing a portion of the
program schedule information stored at the head end;
the controller operative, in response to a command input through the input
device, to generate a display of a selected first portion of the program
schedule information on the video display, the selected first portion
including program schedule information for at least two of the plurality
of programs, the selected first portion being determined by a user of the
system, wherein if the selected first portion is not stored in the second
memory the controller retrieves the selected first portion from the first
memory for display.
14. The system of claim 13 wherein the display includes a grid having time
along a first axis and channels along a second axis.
15. The system of claim 14 in which the plurality of programs included
within the selected first portion of program schedule information are each
represented by a program tile positioned within the grid at the
intersection of the times at which the program is available and the
channel on which the program is available.
16. The system of claim 15 further comprising a focus frame which
identifies one of the program tiles.
17. The system of claim 16 in which the focus frame can be moved within the
grid to selectively identify one of the program tiles.
18. The system of claim 17 in which the focus frame can be moved to select
a second selected portion of the program schedule information, the second
selected portion being displayed in place of the first selected portion in
the display.
19. The system of claim 18 wherein the controller obtains at least part of
the second selected portion from the first memory.
20. In an interactive viewing system having a head end in two-way
communication with multiple viewer stations having a video display
operably coupled to a controller and an input device for inputting
commands to the controller, the head end delivering a plurality of
programs at different times over a plurality of channels to the multiple
viewer stations, the system comprising:
a first memory located at the head end for storing program schedule
information said program schedule information identifying for the
plurality of programs a time at which the program is available and a
channel on which the program is available; and
a second memory located at the controller for storing a portion of the
program schedule information stored at the head end,
the controller operative, in response to a user command input through the
input device, to generate a display of program schedule information on the
video display, the display comprising:
a grid with a plurality of times along a first axis and a plurality of
channels along a second axis;
a plurality of program tiles, each associated with a program, positioned
within the grid at the junction of the time at which the program is
available and the channel on which the program is available; and
a focus frame indicating a selected program tile, the focus frame being
movable in response to commands input through the input device to allow
user selection of the times and channels for which program schedule
information is displayed, wherein the controller obtains the program
schedule information for the display from the first memory if it is not
stored in the second memory.
21. In a controller for an interactive viewing system having a head end in
two-way communication with multiple viewer stations having a video display
operably coupled to the controller and an input device for inputting
commands to the controller, the head end delivering a plurality of
programs at different times over a plurality of channels to the multiple
viewer stations, the head end comprising a first memory located at the
head end for storing program schedule information said program schedule
information identifying for the plurality of programs a time at which the
program is available and a channel on which the program is available, the
system comprising:
a second memory located at the controller for storing a portion of the
program schedule information stored at the head end,
the controller operative, in response to a user command input through the
input device, to generate a display of program schedule information on the
video display, the display comprising:
a grid with a plurality of times along a first axis and a plurality of
channels along a second axis;
a plurality of program tiles, each associated with a program, positioned
within the grid at the junction of the time at which the program is
available and the channel on which the program is available; and
a focus frame indicating a selected program tile, the focus frame being
movable in response to commands input through the input device to allow
user selection of the times and channels for which program schedule
information is displayed, wherein the controller obtains the program
schedule information for the display from the first memory if it is not
stored in the second memory. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an interactive program time guide that
allows a user to selectively view and browse through program schedule
information and, more particularly, to a program time guide that displays
a time-based grid of program schedule information and allows the user to
selectively navigate through the grid to browse program schedule
information and identify desired programs.
2. Description of Related Art
As communication technology continues to expand, individuals are faced with
an ever increasing number of information sources. For example, many cable
television services offer dozens of different channels from which a user
can choose. Some available satellite systems claim to offer hundreds of
channels and it is widely expected that cable services will expand in an
effort to match or exceed this capability. Similar gains in the quantity
of available programs and services are anticipated in areas of
communication other than television.
This dramatic increase in the amount of available programs and services
greatly increases the amount and type of information accessible by a user.
However, it also complicates the process of program selection. Unless a
user is able to quickly and easily identify desired programs and services
and determine when those programs and services are available, most users
will not be able to realize the full potential of the ever expanding
access to new programs, services and information.
In traditional broadcast television, because there were typically only a
relatively few programs available, it was frequently possible for a user
to simply remember the time and channel of desired programs based on prior
viewing experience. With the advent of expanded cable and satellite
television systems having an ever increasing number of channel and program
options, it is increasingly difficult to select programs in this manner.
Accordingly, many users select programs by stepping through channels to
identify available programs. Once identified, the user can select from
available programs for further viewing. However, as the number of
available channels expands, the time needed to step through the channels
also expands and the viability of this program selection method decreases.
Moreover, the process of identifying programs is sometimes complicated
because commercials or the like are being shown at the time that a
particular channel is selected. This process also does not allow a user to
determine what programs will be available in the future. Thus, the user
might select a current program that conflicts with a later program that
the user would prefer.
To assist users, many publishers provide printed schedule information.
Typically such printed schedule information is presented as a time-based
grid with increments of time arranged in columns and various channels
arranged in rows. Program titles are printed in the grid at the
intersection of the time at which they air and the channel on which they
are broadcast. Such information, however, may often be incomplete and
include information for only prime time programs or for only the most
widely available channels. The use of printed program guides can also be
cumbersome and inconvenient because the printed guides can be misplaced or
lost and are not always readily available when a user wishes to select a
program. Moreover, as the number of available program alternatives
expands, such printed program guides become more and more unwieldy.
Some service providers provide on-line program guides. For example, on some
systems a channel is dedicated for broadcasting a display of program
schedule information. Typically, the information is presented as a
time-based grid similar to conventional printed program guides. However,
because the size of the screen is limited, such systems can typically
display only a small amount of program schedule information at any given
time.
To accommodate the limited display size, such systems typically limit the
time period for which information is displayed. Commonly, schedule
information is displayed only for about four half-hour time periods,
beginning with the current half-hour time period. To allow the display of
program schedule information for all available channels, such systems
typically scroll automatically through the available channels, usually in
numerical order.
Such systems typically cannot be controlled by the user. Thus, the user
cannot select the time or channel for which program schedule information
is displayed. Rather, a user seeking information about a particular
channel must wait for the system to scroll to that channel in the grid.
This can be frustrating and time consuming, particularly for systems
displaying information for a large number of available channels. These
systems typically provide no way for a user to view program information
for a time different than the limited time period displayed in the
automatically scrolling grid. Thus, a user cannot review past program
information and cannot view future program information unless it happens
to fall within the limited time period included in the scrolling grid.
This shortcoming limits a user's ability to plan future viewing in
advance.
At least one available system allows a viewer limited ability to control
the presentation of television program schedule information. In this
system, a limited amount of television program schedule information is
encoded and broadcast as a non-visible part of a television signal. A
viewer can purchase special decoder equipment, which may be included as
part of a television, to intercept and decode the transmitted television
program schedule information. The decoded information is then stored
within the viewer's decoder equipment where it can be displayed and viewed
on demand. This system, however, allows for only a limited amount of
television program schedule information to be stored on-site and does not
allow a viewer to query, on demand, the source of the program schedule
information to obtain additional program information. Thus, although the
viewer may control display of that television program schedule information
which is stored on-site, the viewer cannot obtain or view additional
program schedule information on demand.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a system
that allows a user of an interactive viewing system to quickly and easily
identify programs for viewing.
A system in accordance with one aspect of the present invention provides a
program time guide for an interactive viewing system. The interactive
viewing system typically includes a central head end in bidirectional
communication with one or more viewer stations. Each viewer station has an
interactive station controller, a video display operably coupled to the
interactive station controller and an input device for providing user
input to the interactive station controller. The head end makes available
to the user stations a number of programs at different times and on
different channels.
The program time guide in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
present invention includes a first memory located at the head end. The
first memory stores program schedule information that identifies the times
and channels on which various programs are available. A second memory is
located at the interactive station controller. The second memory stores a
portion of the same program schedule information that is stored at the
head end.
The interactive station controller, in response to a user command input
through the input device, generates a display on the video display of part
of the program schedule information. The user can input commands, using
the input device, to select the time period for which program schedule
information is displayed and the channels for which program schedule
information is displayed. If the selected time period or channel is not
already displayed, the interactive station controller determines whether
the program schedule information is stored in the second memory. If it is,
the interactive station controller retrieves the program schedule
information from the second memory for display on the video display. If
the selected program schedule information is not stored in the second
memory, the interactive station controller queries the first memory at the
head end for the information.
In another aspect of the invention, the display of program schedule
information includes a grid with increments of time along a first axis and
channels along a second axis. Within the grid are program tiles, each
associated with a program, positioned at the junction of the time at which
the program is available and the channel on which the program is
available. A focus frame that indicates a selected program tile is also
visible in the display. The focus frame can be moved by a user to select
various program tiles. Moving the focus frame to a column or row of the
grid that is not currently fully displayed causes the interactive station
controller to scroll the displayed program schedule information and reveal
that column or row. Additional program schedule information required to
scroll the display is retrieved by the interactive station controller from
the second memory if it is present in the second memory. Otherwise, the
interactive station controller queries the first memory for the additional
program schedule information.
In a further aspect of the invention, the movement of the focus frame is
anchored to a particular time increment. As the focus frame is incremented
through various channels, it will expand or contract to conform with the
displayed portion of the currently identified program tile. However,
unless moved by the user along the time axis, the focus frame will always
identify the program on the selected channel that is available during the
anchoring time increment.
In another aspect of the invention, the display is color coded to indicate
which programs are currently available. For example, the program tiles for
currently available programs might be white and past and future programs
might be shaded. As time elapses, the indication of current availability
is automatically updated without requiring user input.
In yet another aspect of the invention, the program time guide treats
television programs, executable applications, and other services all as
channels. Thus, for example, a computer game that is available on the
interactive viewer system is assigned a channel number. The game, or any
other application or service, is then displayed in the program time guide
just as a conventional television program. If the game, or other
application, is always available, the program tile extends off both ends
of the program time guide and is always colored to indicated current
availability. Selection of a channel assigned to a computer executed
program launches that program.
In still another aspect of the invention, where a channel number is shared
by two or more program providers that are available at different times,
each provider is allocated a separate row in the program time guide.
During the time that any one of the sharing providers is active, program
schedule information for that provider is displayed in the normal manner.
At the same time, no program schedule information is displayed for
inactive providers. Rather, the rows for the inactive providers will
contain a reference to the then active provider sharing that channel
number.
Other objects and aspects of the invention will become apparent to those
skilled in the art from the detailed description of the invention which is
presented by way of example and not as a limitation of the present
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an interactive viewing system incorporating a
preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a viewer station as illustrated in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 illustrates the screen of the video display on which a sample of a
preferred display of the program time guide is shown.
FIGS. 4a-4d are schematic diagrams of a program grid in accordance with a
preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrating movement of the
focus frame within the displayed portion of a program grid.
FIGS. 5a-5b are a flow diagram illustrating the operation of a preferred
embodiment of a program time guide in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 illustrates the screen of the video display of FIG. 3 after time has
elapsed without user input.
FIG. 7 illustrates a portion of the screen of the video display on which a
sample of an exemplary current program options menu panel illustrating
available options for a selected currently available program is displayed.
FIG. 8 illustrates a screen of the video display on which another sample of
a preferred display of the program time guide is shown along with an
exemplary future program options menu panel.
FIG. 9 illustrates a portion of the screen of the video display on which a
sample of an exemplary past program options menu panel is displayed.
FIGS. 10a-10c are simple block diagrams illustrating the relationships
between the different memories for storing program schedule information
and the displayed program schedule information in accordance with one
embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 11 illustrates a screen of the video display on which another sample
of a preferred display of the program time guide is shown illustrating the
display of a computer executable application as an available channel.
FIG. 12 illustrates a screen of the video display on which another sample
of a preferred display of the program time guide is shown illustrating the
display of program schedule information for a shared channel.
DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT
A simple block diagram of an exemplary interactive viewing system 10 is
illustrated in FIG. 1. The interactive viewing system 10 has a central
head end 12 that supplies programming over a network 14 to multiple viewer
stations 16 that are typically located in the homes of system users or
subscribers. Each viewer station typically includes an interactive station
controller 18, a video display 20, and a user input device 22. The viewer
stations 16 accept user input and can, in addition to receiving
programming from the head end 12, transmit information back to the head
end. In this manner, the interactive viewing system 10, allows for
independent two-way communication between the head end 12 and each of the
viewer stations 16.
The interactive viewing system 10, which is an interactive television
system in the illustrated example, serves as an operating environment for
implementing a program time guide in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the present invention. Of course, it should be appreciated
that the program time guide of the present invention can be implemented in
a variety of other environments and may be adapted to a wide variety of
systems in which time-dependant programming is provided. In particular,
the programming provided by the head end 12 is not limited to traditional
television programs. Rather, the programming may include standard analog
video signals (e.g., NTSC, PAL or SECAM), digital video signals (e.g.,
MPEG1 or MPEG2), digital information related to computer-executed
applications, or other types of programming. The present program time
guide is suitable for use with systems offering a variety of program
formats and types.
For purposes of simplicity, the interactive viewing system 10 is described
with reference to widely available systems and standards, including
conventional analog television receivers and cable-based video networks.
It should also be appreciated, however, that the particular components of
the interactive viewing system 10 may be implemented in accordance with a
variety of conventions, standards, or technologies without departing from
the underlying concepts of the present invention. For example, the
conventional analog television receivers and cable-based video network
illustrated in FIG. 1 could be implemented as digital video receivers and
a satellite downlink transmission system, respectively. Likewise, the
cable-based network could be an electrically conductive cable network, an
optically conductive cable network, some other network technology, or a
combination of these technologies.
As shown in FIG. 1, the head end 12 of the illustrated interactive viewing
system includes a digital local area network (LAN) 24 that includes
multiple computer servers 26 for performing various interactive system
applications or functions and a digital communication gateway 28 to a wide
area network (WAN) (not shown). The servers 26, which store and process
information at the head end, may include, for example, service and
application servers 30, continuous media servers 32, and electronic
program guide data servers 34.
The service and application servers 30 process interactive service requests
from subscribers and provide services and applications associated with
network security, monitoring, object storage, financial transactions, data
access, and other administrative functions. The continuous media servers
32 provide storage and on-demand or near on-demand delivery of digitized
video information. The digitized video information can include video
programming of substantially any duration ranging from individual image
frames and brief video clips to full-length motion pictures.
The electronic program guide data server 34 stores program schedule
information. For example, the program schedule information may include a
program schedule database that identifies what program is available on a
given channel at a given time. The program schedule information may also
contain additional information about any particular program, such as, a
brief description of the program, the stars of the program, a link to a
video preview (stored on the continuous media server 32) for the program,
whether the program is closed captioned, whether the program is stereo or
a variety of other information. Such information is commercially
available, for example, from Tribune Media Services or TV Data, both of
Glens Falls, N.Y. Preferably, such information is delivered to the head
end 12 via digital communication gateway 28 and an associated wide area
network.
As used here, the servers 26 may include various types of memories for
storing information and various types of processors for processing
information. Various functions of the servers described here may be
combined so as to be carried out by a single server or may be divided and
allocated among more than one server. Moreover, there may likely be a
variety of functions and services carried out by the servers 26 which are
not described here. The servers 26 communicate with the viewer stations 16
via a network communication switch 36, such as an asynchronous transfer
mode (ATM) switch. For communication from the servers 26 to the viewer
stations 16, the network communication switch 36 arranges digital
information from the servers 26 in a standard bidirectional digital
communication format for transmission over the network 14. For
communication from the viewer stations 16 to the servers 26, the network
communication switch 36 converts digital information from a standard
bidirectional digital communication format for delivery to the servers 26.
In the exemplary system illustrated in FIG. 1, digital information from the
servers 26 is frequency modulated by a digital modulator system 38 for
transmission over the network 14. Digital information that includes video
programming is preferably modulated at frequencies greater | | |
