SMART CHANNEL ENTRY SYSTEM
An interactive system is provided in which information is displayed in response to the entry of the digits of a channel number. The interactive system may be implemented on a television, a computer, or a radio system. The displayed information may be program listings information such as the channel designator or the program currently airing on the channel. The displayed information may also be a list of channels. The list of channels may be associated with the entered digits, may be component channels, or channels of the same type and may be sorted by various techniques such as numerically, by favorite channels, by type, etc. The interactive system may allow a user to specify a source identifier to channels from different sources and display the channels with the source identifier when they are entered.
1 - 19 . (canceled)
20 . A method for facilitating selection of a desired program in a system, comprising:
receiving, using user input circuitry, a first character entered by a user; and
in response to receiving the first character, generating for display a first set of program listings on a video display device, wherein each displayed program listing in the first set of program listings displayed on the video display device comprises a program title for the respective program listing, and wherein the first set of program listings comprises:
a first displayed program listing associated with a first program corresponding to the first character;
a second displayed program listing associated with a second program beginning with the first character; and
the first displayed program listing is displayed adjacent to the second displayed program listing in the first set;
receiving, using the user input circuitry, a second character entered by the user; and
in response to receiving the second character, generating for display a second set of program listings on the video display device in place of the first set of program listings, wherein the second set is formed by combining the first character followed by the second character, and wherein each displayed program listing in the second set of program listings comprises a program title for the respective program listing, and wherein the second set of program listings comprises:
a third displayed program listing associated with a third program corresponding to the combination of the first character followed by the second character; and
a fourth displayed program listing associated with a fourth program corresponding to the combination of the first character followed by the second character.
21 . The method defined in claim 20 , wherein the program listings comprise channel designators.
22 . The method defined in claim 20 further comprising arranging the display of the program listings in the first set according to a favorite designation or according to a frequency in which the program listings are viewed.
23 . The method defined in claim 20 further comprising:
generating for display a movable highlight region for selecting a desired one of the program listings in the first set;
receiving a user selection of the desired one of the program listings using the movable highlight region; and
generating for display a program associated with the selected program listing.
24 . The method defined in claim 20 further comprising generating for display the first set of program listings on the user input circuitry.
25 . The method defined in claim 24 further comprising generating for display a desired one of the first set of program listings displayed on the user input circuitry by selecting a program listing.
26 . The method defined in claim 20 further comprising arranging the program listings in the first set according to numerical order.
27 . The method defined in claim 20 , wherein the displayed program listings in the first set comprise at least one of start times, end times, and durations.
28 . The method defined in claim 20 , wherein the second set of program listings further comprises:
a fifth displayed program listing associated with a fifth program that is related to the third program.
29 . The method defined in claim 23 , wherein the generating for display the program comprises generating for display a Web page.
30 . A system for facilitating selection of a desired channel comprising
user input circuitry configured to:
receive a first character entered by a user; and
receive a second character entered by the user; and
control circuitry configured to:
in response to receiving the first character, generate for display a first set of program listings on a video display device, wherein each displayed program listing in the first set of program listings displayed on the video display device comprises a program title for the respective program listing, and wherein the first set of program listings comprises:
a first displayed program listing associated with a first program corresponding to the first character;
a second displayed program listing associated with a second program beginning with the first character; and
the first displayed program listing is displayed adjacent to the second displayed program listing in the first set; and
in response to receiving the second character, generate for display a second set of program listings on the video display device in place of the first set of program listings, wherein the second set is formed by combining the first character followed by the second character, and wherein each displayed program listing in the second set of program listings comprises a program title for the respective program listing, and wherein the second set of program listings comprises:
a third displayed program listing associated with a third program corresponding to the combination of the first character followed by the second character; and
a fourth displayed program listing associated with a fourth program corresponding to the combination of the first character followed by the second character.
31 . The system defined in claim 30 , wherein the program listings comprise channel designators.
32 . The system defined in claim 30 comprises control circuitry further configured to arrange the display of the program listings in the first set according to a favorite designation or according to a frequency in which the program listings are viewed.
33 . The system defined in claim 30 comprises control circuitry further configured to:
generate for display a movable highlight region for selecting a desired one of the program listings in the first set;
receive a user selection of the desired one of the program listings in the first set using the movable highlight region; and
generate for display a program associated with the selected program listing.
34 . The system defined in claim 30 comprises control circuitry further configured to generate for display the first set on the user input circuitry.
35 . The system defined in claim 34 comprises control circuitry further configured to generate for display a desired one of the first set of program listings displayed on the user input circuitry by selecting a program listing.
36 . The system defined in claim 30 comprises control circuitry further configured to:
arrange the program listings in the first set according to numerical order.
37 . The system defined in claim 30 , wherein the displayed program listings in the first set comprise at least one of start times, end times, and durations.
38 . The system defined in claim 30 , wherein the second set of program listings further comprises:
a fifth displayed program listing associated with a fifth program that is related to the third program.
39 . The system defined in claim 33 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate for display the program by generating for display a Web page.