IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,493,643
Granted Patent B2
US 7,493,643 · App. 10/865,699 · Granted Feb 17, 2009

Program guide system with video-on-demand browsing

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,493,643
App. No.
10/865,699
Granted
Feb 17, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

An interactive television program guide system is provided in which a viewer may direct a television to simultaneously display a selected television program and a program guide display. A viewer may use the program guide display to browse available video-on-demand (VOD) while continuing to view a previously selected program in the background. The viewer may browse through video-on-demand programs on the program guide display using a variety of keys on a remote control unit. The viewer may direct the program guide to order a given video-on-demand program, and set a desired broadcast time for that program.

Claims (33)

1. An interactive television video-on-demand program guide system implemented on viewer television equipment having a main display screen comprising:

means for displaying a program guide display on the viewer television equipment that displays at least one video-on-demand program listing;

means for indicating that a video clip preview is available for a video-on-demand program that is associated with a video-on-demand program listing wherein the indication is provided with the video-on-demand program listing;

means for allowing a viewer to select to view the video clip preview from the program guide display;

means for displaying the video clip preview on the viewer television equipment; and

means for displaying an ordering display screen after the video clip preview of the video-on-demand program is displayed, wherein the ordering display screen provides the viewer with the opportunity to select an ordering option to order the video-on-demand program.

2. The interactive television program guide system defined in claim 1 wherein the indicating means is an icon.

3. The interactive television program guide system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for displaying a requested video clip preview in a video window.

4. The interactive television program guide system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for displaying a requested video clip preview in a full screen video window.

5. The interactive television program guide system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for displaying a requested video clip preview in a partial screen video window while the program guide display is displayed.

6. The interactive television program guide system defined in claim 5 further comprising means for displaying a given television program while the partial screen video window and the program guide display are displayed.

7. A method for providing an interactive television video-on-demand program guide system implemented on viewer television equipment having a main display screen comprising:

displaying a program guide display on the viewer television equipment that displays at least one video-on-demand program listing;

indicating that a video clip preview is available for a video-on-demand program that is associated with a video-on-demand program listing wherein the indication is provided with the video-on-demand program listing;

allowing a viewer to select to view the video clip preview from the program guide display;

displaying the video clip preview on the viewer television equipment; and

displaying an ordering display screen after the video clip preview of the video-on-demand program is displayed, wherein the ordering display screen provides the viewer with the opportunity to select an ordering option to order the video-on-demand program.

8. The method defined in claim 7 wherein the indicating further comprises using an icon.

9. The method defined in claim 7 wherein the displaying the video clip preview further comprises displaying a requested video clip preview in a video window.

10. The method defined in claim 7 wherein the displaying the video clip preview further comprises displaying a requested video clip preview in a full screen video window.

11. The method defined in claim 7 wherein the displaying the video clip preview further comprises displaying a requested video clip preview in a partial screen video window while the program guide display is displayed.

12. The method defined in claim 11 wherein the displaying the video clip preview further comprises displaying a given television program while the partial screen video window and the program guide display are displayed.

13. Machine-readable media for use in an interactive television video-on-demand program guide system in which an interactive television program guide is implemented on viewer television equipment of a viewer, the viewer television equipment comprising an audio output and a video output, wherein the media is encoded with machine-readable instructions for performing the method comprising:

displaying a program guide display on the viewer television equipment that displays at least one video-on-demand program listing;

indicating that a video clip preview is available for a video-on-demand program that is associated with a video-on-demand program listing wherein the indication is provided with the video-on-demand program listing;

allowing a viewer to select to view the video clip preview from the program guide display;

displaying the video clip preview on the viewer television equipment; and

displaying an ordering display screen after the video clip preview of the video-on-demand program is displayed, wherein the ordering display screen provides the viewer with the opportunity to select an ordering option to order the video-on-demand program.

14. The machine-readable media defined in claim 13 wherein the indicating further comprises using an icon.

15. The machine-readable media defined in claim 13 wherein the displaying the video clip preview further comprises displaying a requested video clip preview in a video window.

16. The machine-readable media defined in claim 13 wherein the displaying the video clip review further comprises displaying a requested video clip preview in a full screen video window.

17. The machine-readable media defined in claim 13 wherein the displaying the video clip preview further comprises displaying a requested video clip preview in a partial screen video window while the program guide display is displayed.

18. The machine-readable media defined in claim 17 wherein the displaying the video clip preview further comprises displaying a given television program while the partial screen video window and the program guide display are displayed.

Assignments (10)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 1, 2020
From: ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; TIVO SOLUTIONS INC.; VEVEO, INC.; INVENSAS CORPORATION; INVENSAS BONDING TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; TESSERA, INC.; TESSERA ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DTS, INC.; PHORUS, INC.; IBIQUITY DIGITAL CORPORATION
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053468/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 25, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: APTIV DIGITAL INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; SONIC SOLUTIONS LLC; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
Reel/Frame 051145/0090 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 20, 2015
From: UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
To: UV CORP.
Reel/Frame 034762/0973 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 20, 2015
From: UV CORP.
To: TV GUIDE, INC.
Reel/Frame 034763/0001 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 20, 2015
From: TV GUIDE, INC.
To: ROVI GUIDES, INC.
Reel/Frame 034763/0028 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Jul 24, 2014
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ALL MEDIA GUIDE, LLC; APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ROVI CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; TV GUIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 033396/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 24, 2014
From: APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; SONIC SOLUTIONS LLC; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 033407/0035 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2011
From: APTIV DIGITAL, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC, A BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS COMPANY; ROVI CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 027039/0168 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 29, 2010
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. (A NATIONAL ASSOCIATION)
To: ALL MEDIA GUIDE, LLC; APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ODS PROPERTIES, INC.; ROVI DATA SOLUTIONS, INC. (FORMERLY KNOWN AS TV GUIDE DATA SOLUTIONS, INC.); ROVI GUIDES, INC. (FORMERLY KNOWN AS GEMSTAR-TV GUIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.); ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION (FORMERLY KNOWN AS MACROVISION CORPORATION); ROVI SOLUTIONS LIMITED (FORMERLY KNOWN AS MACROVISION EUROPE LIMITED); ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; TV GUIDE, INC.; TV GUIDE ONLINE, LLC; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 025222/0731 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 15, 2008
From: APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; GEMSTAR-TV GUIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.; INDEX SYSTEMS INC; MACROVISION CORPORATION; ODS PROPERTIES, INC.; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; TV GUIDE ONLINE, LLC; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 020986/0074 →