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Electronic television program guide schedule system and method

Electronic television program guide schedule system and method description/claims

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/410,853, filed Oct. 1, 1999, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/114,811, filed Jul. 13, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,661,468, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/247,101, filed on May 20, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,781,246. These prior applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a system that will allow the user to view a broadcast program while, at the same time, interactively viewing program schedule information for other programs.

It is another object of the present invention to provide the user with the ability to select from among a plurality of display formats for the program schedule information.

It is yet another object of the present invention to indicate to the user of the program schedule system those keys on the remote controller active in the particular mode of operation of the system at the time of use.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide the user of the electronic program schedule system with the capability of setting programmable reminder messages for any future program.

It is yet a further object of this invention to provide the system user with comprehensive information about pay-per-view events, premium services or other packaged programming to which the user does not subscribe and the capability to automatically purchase such programming on demand or impulse.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an electronic guide system that provides a reliable and efficient method of updating or replacing the application software programs that implement the electronic guide at the user sites.

It is still another object of the electronic program guide to operate as a shell or window to provide the user with the capability to access other applications or information systems which are not part of the electronic program guide application or data. It is yet another object of the electronic program guide to provide a system whereby video promotion of television programs and services are functionally linked and visually displayed in an integrated fashion to facilitate the marketing and sale of such programs and services.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide password control for access to individual programs, as well as channels, using a protected interactive flexible and uncomplicated on-screen interface.

Another object of the present invention is to provide the user with current programming information for all programs as the user surfs through the available channels.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a system in which the user can access his current billing information on demand.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a system which overlays television program listings against varying background views.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved display of text in the grid cells comprising a page of television program listings.

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 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 overlaying relationship with at least one television program then appearing on any chosen one of the plurality of channels on the television receiver.

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 preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 depicts a remote controller that can be used in connection with the preferred embodiment of the electronic program guide system of the present application.

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