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Description  |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an electronic program schedule system, which provides a user with schedule information for broadcast or cablecast programs viewed by the user on a television receiver. More particularly, it relates to an improved
electronic program guide that provides the user with a more powerful and convenient operating environment, while, at the same time, increasing the efficiency of navigation by the user through the guide. Most particularly, it relates to an improved EPG
having a scan feature. The EPG scan feature causes television programs and/or items of program schedule information to be displayed seriatim, each for a fixed time. The feature may be turned off at any point during the scan, whereupon, as described
below, the user may either continue to view the then-displayed program or schedule information, or return to the program or schedule information displayed at the time the scan was initiated.
Electronic program guides for television systems are known in the art. For example, one prior system used an electronic character generator to display textual schedule information on the full screen of a television receiver. Other prior systems
presented electronically stored program schedule information to a user for viewing while allowing the user to select display formats. Still other systems employed a data processor to input user-selection criteria, then stored only the program schedule
information meeting these criteria, and subsequently used the stored information to automatically tune a programmable tuner or activate a recording device at the time of broadcast of the selected television programs. Such prior systems are generally
discussed in "Stay Tuned for Smart TV," published in the November 1990 issue of Popular Science.
Collectively, the prior electronic program systems may be difficult to implement and cumbersome to use. They also fail to provide viewing capabilities that address in a more realistic manner the viewing habits of the users of these electronic
program systems. Moreover, many of these systems are complex in their design and are expensive to implement. Ease of use and economy are primary concerns of television program distributors and viewers as they contemplate dramatic increases in the
number and nature of program networks and other television-based services. And, as the number of television channels available to a user increases dramatically with the advent of new satellite and cable-based technologies, the utility of these prior
systems substantially diminishes.
The prior electronic program guides also lack a method for creating a viewing itinerary electronically while still viewing a program currently appearing on the television receiver. Moreover, these prior program guides leave much guess work for
the user as he navigates through a sequence of channels. When skimming through channels to ascertain the program then being displayed on any channel, commonly known as "channel surfing," the user needs to guess which program is currently being aired
from the video encountered as the user surfs through the channels. Since much--in some cases, up to 30%--of the programming appearing on any given channel at any given time is advertising or other commercial programming, the user is not provided with
any clues as to what program is appearing on a selected channel at a given time and must therefore wait until the advertisement or commercial is over before ascertaining the program then appearing on the selected channel. Thus a need exists for a
program guide which displays current program schedule information for each channel as the user surfs through the available channels.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a simplified electronic program schedule system that may be more easily implemented, and which is appealing and efficient in operation. There is also a need to provide the user with an electronic
program schedule system that displays both broadcast programs and electronic schedule information in a manner not previously available with other electronic program schedule systems, particularly those using a remote controller.
The present invention is directed to the incorporation of a "scan" feature into an EPG. Such a scan feature is useful to automatically cycle through a plurality of programs currently being received on a plurality of channels, or a plurality of
program schedule information in any of the various operating modes of an EPG as described below.
Certain scan features are known in the audio field, particularly in automobile radios to permit a user to sample the radio programs being received on a number of stations in a hands-free manner with the single touch of a button. Once a radio's
scan feature has been enabled, the radio tunes to each receivable radio station on the tuning band, in order, beginning at the presently tuned station and stopping for a preset time at each station before moving to the next. When the driver or other
listener wishes the radio to remain tuned to a particular one of the scanned stations, the scan function is deactivated and listening returns to normal.
In addition, some remote control devices for television, such as the Uniwand.TM. sold by Universal Electronics, include a "scan" key. When this key is pressed, the remote control device emits a stream of infrared signals at predetermined time
intervals to cause the television tuner to sequentially tune to the next channel. However, because the signals are transmitted by the remote control device, the user must keep the device aimed at the infrared receiver throughout the scan process so that
the infrared signals continue to be received by the television. This is awkward and cumbersome.
However, existing EPGs do not provide for user-controllable scanning of programs or program schedule information, which are desirable features in an EPG because the user need not manually scan, or "surf," through programs or schedule information
by continually depressing a channel or direction arrow key on a remote controller.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to incorporate a scan feature into an EPG.
It is a further object of the present invention to incorporate the scan feature into the various operating modes of the EPG.
A still further object of the present invention is to incorporate a scan feature into of an EPG such that a user can scan through actual television programs or program schedule information.
A still further object of the invention is to obviate the requirement for a user to keep the remote control device aimed at the television to perform a scan operation.
These and other objects of the invention are achieved by an electronic program schedule system which includes a receiver for receiving broadcast, satellite or cablecast television programs for a plurality of television channels and a tuner for
tuning a television receiver to a selected one of the plurality of channels. A data processor receives and stores in a memory television program schedule information for a plurality of television programs to appear on the plurality of television
channels. A user control apparatus, such as a remote controller, is utilized by a viewer to choose user control commands and transmit signals in response to the data processor which receives the signals in response to user control commands. A
television receiver is used to display the television programs and television program schedule and other information. A video display generator receives video control commands from the data processor and program schedule information from the memory and
displays a portion of the program schedule information in either full screen mode or in overlaying relationship with a television program appearing on a television channel in at least one mode of operation of the television programming guide. The data
processor controls the video display generator with video control commands, issued in response to the user control commands, to display program schedule information for any chosen one of the plurality of television programs in either full screen mode or
in overlaying relationship with at least one television program then appearing on any chosen one of the plurality of channels on the television receiver.
In response to a single user control command, the data processor causes the tuner to scan channels and/or program schedule information seriatim. For example, in one mode of operation of the EPG of the present invention--referred to as FLIP mode
and described more fully below--the data processor causes the tuner to increment (or decrement) by one the currently tuned channel, display the received program for the channel together with program schedule information identifying the program for a
predetermined amount of time, and then increment (or decrement) by one the channel, display that channel and associated program schedule information for the predetermined amount of time, and so on, until a second user control command causes the tuner to
stop scanning and remain on the currently tuned channel, or until the data processor otherwise causes the tuner to stop the scan. Similarly, in another mode of operation of the EPG of the present invention--referred to as BROWSE mode and described more
fully below--the scan feature may be used to scan program schedule information (on either a channel or time basis) while the tuner remains tuned to the same channel.
In addition, the scan feature of the present invention may also be used in modes of an EPG that display full pages of program schedule information to permit a user to scan through the program schedule information with a single user control
command.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing various components of the preferred embodiment of the invention herein.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the combination of program and schedule information by the video overlay device utilized in the present invention.
FIG. 3 depicts a remote controller that can be used in connection with the electronic program guide system of the present application.
FIG. 4 depicts an alternative embodiment of the remote controller shown in FIG. 3.
FIG. 5A shows an overlay appearing on a television screen in one mode of operation of the present invention.
FIGS. 5B-C illustrate the operation of the scan feature in the "FLIP" mode of the present invention.
FIG. 6 illustrates a screen used in the present invention that permits a user to set the term of a scan operation.
FIG. 7 shows a graphic overlay appearing on a television screen in a "BROWSE" mode of operation of the present invention.
FIG. 8 shows a graphic overlay appearing on a television screen in a BROWSE mode of operation of the present invention having different information from that shown in FIG. 7.
FIG. 8A shows a graphic overlay appearing on a television screen in a BROWSE mode of operation in the present invention displaying schedule information for a time and channel other than that shown in FIG. 7.
FIG. 9A shows a graphic overlay appearing on a television screen in a BROWSE mode of operation in the present invention to permit a user to set a REMINDER message for a future program.
FIG. 9B shows yet another graphic overlay appearing in a REMINDER mode of operation of one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 shows a screen used in one embodiment of the present invention to permit a user to select a channel-wise or time-wise scan in the BROWSE mode of operation of one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 11A-C show three successive screen displays of a channel-wise scan in the BROWSE mode of operation of one embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 12A-12C show three successive screen displays of a time-wise scan in the BROWSE mode of operation of one embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 13A-13C show three successive screen displays of an alternate embodiment of a time-wise scan in the BROWSE mode of operation of one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 14 shows schedule information displayed in a Listings By Category mode of operation of one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 15 shows schedule information displayed in a Listings By Channel mode of operation of one embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
System Configuration
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing various components of the electronic program schedule system generally designated as 10. Physically, these system components can be located in a user's set-top cable converter box or other signal reception or
processing device, such as a satellite receiver. Alternatively, the components can be mounted in a separate housing, or included as part of a television receiver, VCR, personal computer, or multimedia player; or reside as a distributed application in a
broadband network architecture.
An input signal 11 is connected to a receiver 12, which receives a transmitted data stream from a data provider. The data stream may contain, for example, information about programs or services available in a particular market, geographical or
otherwise. The input signal 11 can originate, for example, as part of a standard broadcast, cablecast or satellite transmission, or other form of data transmission. The data provider is a program information provider, the satellite uplink manager, a
local cable operator, or a combination of these sources, and the data stream contains program schedule information for all television programs and other services available in the operator's geographical market.
The data stream may be modulated and then transmitted on the cable line in any number of ways, including as part of a dedicated channel transmission operating at a frequency of, for example, 75 MHz. Those of skill in the art will understand that
numerous other transmission schemes can be used to transmit the data stream, such as embedding it in the vertical blanking interval of a program broadcast signal. As will be discussed in greater detail below, according to the present invention, the
transmitted data stream may additionally contain application software for implementing or updating the electronic program guide at the user site.
The transmitted program schedule data or application software is received by the receiver 12 on signal input line 11. The received signal is passed from the receiver to a data demodulator 13, such as a QPSK demodulator or a GI Info-Cipher 1000R,
which demodulates the transmission and passes it to a buffer 15.
A microcontroller 16, such as a M68000EC, receives data passed to the buffer 15. Bootstrap operating software, which may be used for capturing electronic program guide application software updates, is stored in a read only memory (ROM) 17. The
microcontroller 16 uses the received program schedule information to build a database by storing the data in appropriately organized records in dynamic random access memory (DRAM) 18. The stored schedule information can be updated on a periodic basis,
such as hourly, daily or weekly, or at any time when changes in scheduling or other factors warrant an update. The system also includes a system clock 19.
Alternatively, the program schedule information could be supplied in a ROM, disk or other non-volatile memory, or it could be downloaded to a storage disk or other data storage device. The invention herein is not directed to the particular
method of transmission or reception of the schedule information.
If the microcontroller 16 recognizes the received data as application software which controls the program schedule system, as opposed to program schedule information, it stores it in non-volatile memory, such as an electrically erasable
programmable ROM (EEPROM) 20 or battery-backed static RAM (SRAM). This configuration allows revised or replacement versions of the application software to be downloaded directly from the software developer to the user site through the cable or other
transmission system.
In the case where an EEPROM is utilized, revised or replacement versions of the application software downloaded from the developer are first stored in DRAM 18 by the microcontroller 16, under direction of the downloading operating software stored
in the ROM 17. The stored application software can then be checked for accuracy by, for example, a checksum analysis or other verification routine.
After the accuracy of the application software has been verified, the microcontroller 16 initiates a routine to re-program the EEPROM 20, where the application software is permanently stored. The microcontroller 16 will issue proper control
commands to a reprogram circuit 21, which is adapted to supply the proper program voltage and logic control signals 22 required to erase and write to the EEPROM. It supplies this program voltage, Vprog, as well as any other required control signals,
such as read or write enable, to the EEPROM 20 upon command from the microcontroller 16. After the EEPROM 20 has been electrically erased, the microcontroller 16 initiates transfer of the new application software from the DRAM 18 to the EEPROM 20 for
storing.
When a battery-backed SRAM is utilized as non-volatile memory, the microcontroller stores the revised or replacement version of the application software downloaded from the developer directly in the SRAM, again under direction of the downloading
operating software stored in the ROM. The stored application software can then be checked for accuracy by, for example, a checksum analysis or other verification routine.
When power is first applied to the system 10, the bootstrap operating software verifies that the program guide application software is resident in memory. If it is not resident, the bootstrap operating software waits for a download of the
software. Once the application software is resident, the microcontroller 16 executes the application program software from a dedicated portion of the DRAM 18. Alternatively, the application software can be executed directly from the non-volatile memory
20. Under control of the program guide application software, the microcontroller 16 first verifies that the program schedule information is resident in DRAM 18. If it is not resident, the microcontroller waits for a download of the program schedule
information, as discussed above. Alternatively, if the application program is resident in memory, but the database records containing the program schedule information data are not yet available, the application software can be configured to carry out
other tasks, such as allowing the user to carry out functions not requiring the program schedule information data, as well as displaying an appropriate message indicating the database data is not yet available.
When the schedule system is operating, as discussed in greater detail hereinbelow, the microcontroller 16 takes the program schedule information stored in the DRAM 18 and, in conjunction with other downloaded data types such as stored bit maps
for the screen configuration and the graphic symbol or logo displays stored in non-volatile memory 20 or, alternatively, in DRAM 18, supplies it to a video display generator (VDG) 23, which in the present embodiment may be a commercially available
VGA-type graphics card, such as a Rocgen card manufactured by Roctec. The VDG includes a standard RGB video generator 24, which takes the digital program schedule information sent by the microcontroller 16 and converts it to an RGB format in accordance
with the bit map for the particular screen display then being presented to the user on the television receiver 27. The configuration of each screen is shown and discussed in greater detail in the System Operation section below.
The VDG also includes a Video Overlay Device 25, which accepts the RGB video input, as well as an input from conventional television tuner 28, such as a conventional tuner manufactured by General Instrument or a Jerrold DPBB tuner, which supplies
a program signal in standard NTSC video format. The overlay device 25 converts and combines the RGB signal with the signal from the tuner 28, and produces a composite NTSC output signal containing both the program signal and the program schedule
information, as shown in FIG. 2. This composite video signal is supplied to a modulator 26, shown in FIG. 1, which can be a modulator such as available from Radio Shack, and then to the television receiver 27, which the user keeps tuned to the modulated
channel, for example, channel 3 or 4. The composite video signal can also be supplied directly to the television receiver 27 or other receiving device from the VDG through a video port 25A on the VDG.
The system components identified in connection with FIG. 1 can all be implemented in a preferred platform by, for example, an IBM personal computer equipped with a transmission link and a video graphics card, such as those manufactured by Roctec. Other platforms, such as a cable converter box equipped with a microprocessor and memory, or a broadband network also could be used. Examples of the particular components are as follows: Microcontroller--Motorola part no. MC68331-16; ROM--Texas
Instruments part no. TMS27PC512; DRAM--Texas Instruments part no. TM4256; EEPROM--Intel part no. 28F001BX-T. In any event, those of skill in the art will appreciate that the particular details of the hardware components and data storage are a function of
the particular implementation of the system, and are not the subject of the present invention.
As discussed in detail below, the user may navigate through the program schedule system with a remote controller, such as that shown in FIG. 3, which operates on conventional principles of remote control transmitter-receiver logic, such as by
infrared or other signalling, or other suitable user interface. The remote controller 31 communicates with the microcontroller 16 through the remote controller receiver 29, shown in FIG. 1, which can be a Silent Partner IR receiver and which receives
signals transmitted by the remote controller 31 and supplies the microcontroller 16 with a corresponding digital signal indicating the key depressed by the user.
A remote controller suitable for the present invention, such as shown in FIG. 3, which can be a remote controller manufactured by Universal Electronics or Presentation Electronics' Silent Partner, may include a power switch 32, volume 33 and mute
34 controls, an ENTER key 35, 0-9 digit keys 36, four direction arrow keys 37A and 37B, a MODE key 38 and an information key 39 that is designated with a lower case "i." The power 32, volume 33 and mute 34 keys operate in the same manner as conventional
remote controllers typically used with present-day television receivers. The numeric digit keys 36 also function in much the same manner as conventional remote controllers. A brief description of the remaining keys follows.
The MODE key 38 takes the user through various layers of the electronic program schedule system 10 and generally allows the user to return to a previous screen when he is in a submenu. The up/down direction arrow keys 37A allow a user to
navigate through the different TV program channels when the program schedule system is in a FLIP or BROWSE mode, as will be fully described below, and also allow the user to navigate through highlighted bars displayed on the TV screen when in a MENU
mode. The left/right direction arrow keys 37B allow the user to navigate through selected time periods when the program schedule system is in the BROWSE mode, as will also be described below. They further allow the user to navigate across
subject-matter categories while in the "Categories" submenu of the MENU mode, as well as to navigate across time periods when the program schedule system is in a pay-per-view ordering mode and, in general, navigate in left or right directions to select
various icons and other objects. In addition, the up/down 37A and left/right 37B arrow keys may be utilized to control the scan feature of the present invention as more fully described below. The information, or "i," key 39 allows the user to view
supplemental program and other information during the various modes of the program schedule system. The ENTER 35 key fulfills and inputs a command once the user has made a selection from the remote controller keys. The function and operation of these
keys will be made more apparent in the detailed discussion of the FLIP, BROWSE and MENU modes below.
A second embodiment of the remote controller 40 is shown in FIG. 4. This embodiment of the remote controller also includes a power key 41, numeric digit keys 42, direction arrow keys 43A and 43B, information key 48, ENTER or SELECT or "OK" key
44, volume control 45, lockout key 45A, mute keys 46 and help key 49. It also includes pound sign and star keys.
This embodiment of the remote controller further includes a number of icon keys 47A and 47B, which correspond to different submenus or modes of the program schedule system. The icons 47A and 47B may also be displayed on the TV screen when the
program schedule system is operating. The icon keys essentially replace the MODE key 38 used in the embodiment of the remote controller shown in FIG. 3. Using these keys, the user can move from one mode to another simply by depressing the icon key
corresponding to the desired mode of operation of the program schedule system. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the icons 47A and 47B are shown as graphic symbols situated directly above a corresponding color-coded key. Alternatively, the color-coded keys
could be eliminated and keys could be formed in the image of the icon itself.
The embodiment of the remote controller shown in FIG. 4 also includes three color-coded viewer preference or favorite channel keys, 48A, 48B and 48C that are situated directly above the icon keys. Each of these keys indicates to the program
schedule system a distinct user-created "Channel Preference" or "Favorite Channel" | | |
