Method for providing program information in a hierarchical manner and interactive program guide system implementing the method
View Patent ↗In one aspect, the invention provides a method for operating an electronic program guide system. The method comprises displaying a first view wherein graphical indicators each of which corresponds to a broadcast channel are displayed on a display; detecting input selecting one of the graphical indicators; and displaying a second view in response to the detected input, wherein programming information relating to a channel corresponding to the selected graphical indicator is displayed on the display.
1. A method comprising:
receiving programming data comprising a broadcast schedule relating to programs of at least one broadcast channel; and
displaying the programming data in a hierarchical form;
receiving input from a user, the input associated with modifying a portion of the displayed programming data; and
in response to receiving said input, expanding the portion of the programming data to display at least a portion of the broadcast schedule if the at least a portion of the broadcast schedule is not currently displayed,
otherwise, collapsing the portion of the programming data to hide the at least a portion of the broadcast schedule, while still displaying the programming data in a hierarchical form.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving input selecting a subset of broadcast channels to display in the hierarchical form.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
receiving input selecting a particular program from the broadcast schedule; and
in response to receiving the input, performing one or more functions in association with the selection.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the one or more functions include displaying program information on the selected program.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving input corresponding to an identification of a subset of the programming data, wherein the identification is made by a selection of one or more programming data categories; and
in response to said received input, displaying programming data corresponding to the selected one or more programming data categories.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein at least one category of the one or more programming data categories is user definable.
7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
receiving programming data comprising a broadcast schedule relating to programs of a broadcast channel; and
displaying the programming data in a hierarchical form;
receiving input from a user, the input associated with modifying a portion of the displayed programming data; and
in response to receiving said input, expanding the portion of the programming data to display at least a portion of the broadcast schedule if the at least a portion of the broadcast schedule is not currently displayed,
otherwise, collapsing the portion of the programming data to hide the at least a portion of the broadcast schedule, while still displaying the programming data in a hierarchical form.