Electronic television program guide schedule system and method
View Patent ↗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 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.
1. A method for allowing a user to browse program listings while viewing at least a substantial portion of a program on a display comprising:
displaying a program in at least a substantial of a program in at least a portion of the display;
displaying at least one interactive program listing on the display simultaneously with the at least a substantial portion of the program;
allowing the user to select the at least one interactive program listing; and
displaying a second program corresponding to the selected interactive program listing in at least a portion of the display, in response to receiving the selection from the user.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one interactive program listing comprises a program title and a program channel.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the program is selected from the group consisting of a television program, a promotional video clip, a prerecorded program, a video on demand program, a near video on demand program, or a pay per view program.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user selects the at least one interactive program listing on a user control means.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the program is displayed on a first portion of the display, the at least one interactive program listing is displayed on a second portion of the display, and said first portion is larger than said second portion.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the program is displayed on a first portion of the display, the at least one interactive program listing is displayed on a second portion of the display, and the first portion is smaller than the second portion.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising allowing the user to select a reminder message corresponding to a program to be viewed at a future date.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising displaying the reminder message at a time prior to the future date.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the time prior to the future date is determined by the user.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the reminder message is displayed on the display simultaneously with the program.
11. A system for allowing a user to browse program listings while viewing at least a substantial portion of a program on a display comprising:
means for displaying at least a substantial portion of a program in at least a portion of the display;
means for displaying at least one interactive program listing on the display simultaneously with the at least a substantial portion of the program;
means for allowing the user to select the at least one interactive program listing; and
means for displaying a second program corresponding to the selected interactive program listing in at least a portion of the display, in response to receiving the selection from the user.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one interactive program listing comprises a program title and a program channel.
13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the program is selected from the group consisting of a television program, a promotional video clip, a prerecorded program, a video on demand program, a near video on demand program, or a pay per view program.
14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the user selects the at least one interactive program listing on a user control means.
15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the program is displayed on a first portion of the display, the at least one interactive program listing is displayed on a second portion of the display, and said first portion is larger than said second portion.
16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the program is displayed on a first portion of the display generator, the at least one interactive program listing is displayed on a second portion of the display, and the first portion is smaller than the second portion.
17. The system of claim 11 , further comprising means for allowing the user to select a reminder message corresponding to a program to be viewed at a future date.
18. The system of claim 17 , further comprising means for displaying the reminder message at a time prior to the future date.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the time prior to the future date is determined by the user.
20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the reminder message is displayed on the screen simultaneously with the program.
21. An interactive media guide comprising:
a video display controller;
a microprocessor programmed to:
direct the video display controller to display at least one interactive program listing on a display simultaneously with at least a substantial portion of a program;
allow a user to select the at least one interactive program listing; and
direct the video display controller to display a second program corresponding to the selected interactive program listing in at least a portion of the display, in response to receiving the selection from the user.
22. The media guide of claim 21 , wherein the at least one interactive program listing comprises a program title and a program channel.
23. The media guide of claim 21 , wherein the program is selected from the group consisting of a television program, a promotional video clip, a prerecorded program, a video on demand program, a near video on demand program, or a pay per view program.
24. The media guide of claim 21 , wherein the user selects the at least one interactive program listing on a user control means.
25. The media guide of claim 21 , wherein the program is displayed on a first portion of the display, the at least one interactive program listing is displayed on a second portion of the display, and said first portion is larger than said second portion.
26. The media guide of claim 21 , wherein the program is displayed on a first portion of the display, the at least one interactive program listing is displayed on a second portion of the display, and the first portion is smaller than the second portion.
27. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to allow the user to select a reminder message corresponding to a program to be viewed at a future date.
28. The media guide of claim 27 , wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to direct the video display controller to display the reminder message at a time prior to the future date.
29. The media guide of claim 28 , wherein the time prior to the future date is determined by the user.
30. The media guide of claim 28 , wherein the reminder message is displayed on the screen simultaneously with the program.