Technique for delivering via a communications network data for image display with a desired aspect ratio

1. A system for delivering a graphical image file and non-graphical data to construct a program guide through a communications network comprising:

a headend connected to the communications network and comprising instructions for generating a first record comprising a first version of the graphical image file formatted for a first aspect ratio and a second record comprising a second version of the graphical image file formatted for a second aspect ratio,

wherein the graphical image file comprises at least one of a single video frame, a series of video frames, and an icon; and wherein the non-graphical data comprises at least one of time information, channel information, and text messages;

a transmission channel in the communications network, wherein the transmission channel is assigned to transport both the first record and second record in a first data stream, and the non-graphical data in a second data stream to a user terminal connected to the communications network,

a display device connected to the user terminal, wherein the display device is configured to display the graphical image file using an aspect ratio selected from the first and the second aspect ratios; and

wherein the user terminal further comprises instructions for:

selecting a record from the first and second records from the first data stream;

storing the selected record;

constructing the program guide based on the selected record of the graphical image file corresponding to the aspect ratio associated with the display device and the non-graphical data; and

communicating to the display device the program guide.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first aspect ratio is 4:3.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second aspect ratio is 16:9.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the communications network comprises a hybrid fiber coaxial (HFC) cable network.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the transmission channel is configured for transmissions by a broadcast file system (BFS).

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the user terminal comprises a cable set-top terminal.

7. A user apparatus for receiving a graphical image file and non-graphical data to construct a program guide through a communications network:

a display device connected to the user apparatus, wherein the display device is configured to use an aspect ratio selected from first and second aspect ratios;

an interface for accessing a transmission channel in the communications network, wherein the transmission channel is assigned to transport a first record comprising a first version of the graphical image file formatted for the first aspect ratio and a second record comprising a second version of the graphical image file formatted for the second aspect ratio in a first data stream and the non-graphical data in a second data stream the user apparatus, wherein the graphical image comprises at least one of a single video frame, a series of video frames, and an icon and wherein the non-graphical data comprises at least one of time information, channel information, and text messages;

a processor comprising instructions for:

identifying an aspect ratio of the display device connected to the user apparatus;

selecting a record from the first and second records from the first data stream;

storing the selected record;

constructing the program guide based on the selected record of the graphical image file corresponding to the aspect ratio associated with the display device and the non-graphical data; and

communicating to the display device the program guide.

8. The user apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the first aspect ratio is 4:3.

9. The user apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the second aspect ratio is 16:9.

10. The user apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the communications network comprises an HFC cable network.

11. The user apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the transmission channel is configured for transmissions by a BFS.

12. The user apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the version of the graphical image in the selected record comprises a first resolution and wherein the instruction for communicating to the display device the program guide further comprises instructions for:

acquiring the version of the graphical image file in the selected record;

modifying the graphical image file to generate a graphical image having a second resolution that is different from the first; and

constructing the program guide based on the graphical image having the second resolution.

13. The user apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first resolution is higher than the second resolution.

14. The user apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first resolution is 1920×1080 pixels.

15. The user apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the second resolution is 1280×720 pixels.

16. The user apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first resolution is lower than the second resolution.

17. The user apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the first resolution is 960×540 pixels.

18. The user apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the second resolution is 1920×1080 pixels.

19. A method for delivering a graphical image file and non-graphical data to construct a program guide through a communications network comprising:

generating a first record comprising a first version of the graphical image file formatted for a first aspect ratio and a second record comprising a second version of the graphical image file formatted for a second aspect ratio,

wherein the graphical image file comprises at least one of a single video frame, a series of video frames, and an icon; and wherein the non-graphical data comprises at least one of time information, channel information, and text messages:

assigning a transmission channel in the communications network to transport the first record and second record;

sending through the transmission channel a first data stream comprising the first record and the second record, and a second data stream comprising the non-graphical data to a user terminal;

determining at the user terminal an aspect ratio of a display device connected to the user terminal;

selecting a record from the first and second records from the first data stream;

storing the selected record;

constructing the program guide based on the selected record of the graphical image file corresponding to the aspect ratio associated with the display device and the non-graphical data; and

communicating to the display device the program guide.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the first aspect ratio is 4:3.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the second aspect ratio is 16:9.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein the communications network comprises an HFC cable network.

23. The method of claim 19 , wherein the transmission channel is configured for transmissions by a BFS.

24. The method of claim 19 , wherein the user terminal comprises a cable set-top terminal.

25. A method for use in a user apparatus for receiving a graphical image file and non-graphical data to construct a program guide through a communications network comprising:

identifying an aspect ratio of a display device associated with the user apparatus, wherein the display device is configured to use an aspect ratio selected from first and second aspect ratios;

accessing a transmission channel in the communications network, the transmission channel transporting a plurality of records in a first data stream comprising at least a first record comprising a first version of the graphical image file formatted for the first aspect ratio and a second record comprising a second version of the graphical image file formatted for the second aspect ratio in a first data stream, and the non-graphical data in a second data stream to the apparatus;

wherein the graphical image comprises at least one of a single video frame, a series of video frames, and an icon; and wherein the non-graphical data comprises at least one of time information, channel information, and text messages:

selecting a record from the plurality of records;

storing the selected record;

constructing the program guide based on the selected record of the graphical image file corresponding to the aspect ratio associated with the display device and the non-graphical data; and

communicating to the display device the program guide.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the first aspect ratio is 4:3.

27. The method of claim 25 , wherein the second aspect ratio is 16:9.

28. The method of claim 25 , wherein the communications network comprises an HFC cable network.

29. The method of claim 25 , wherein the transmission channel is configured for transmissions by a BFS.

30. The method of claim 25 , wherein the version of the graphical image file in the selected record comprises a first resolution and wherein the instruction for communicating to the display device the program guide further comprises instructions for:

acquiring the version of the graphical image files in the selected record;

modifying the graphical image file to generate a graphical image having a second resolution that is different from the first; and

constructing the program guide based on the graphical image having the second resolution.

31. The method of claim 30 , wherein the first resolution is higher than the second resolution.

32. The method of claim 31 , wherein the first resolution is 1920×1080 pixels.

33. The method of claim 31 , wherein the second resolution is 1280×720 pixels.

34. The method of claim 30 wherein the first resolution is lower than the second resolution.

35. The method of claim 34 , wherein the first resolution is 960×540 pixels.

36. The method of claim 34 , wherein the second resolution is 1920×1080 pixels.