Program guide system with video-on-demand browsing
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.
1. A method for providing media guidance of video-on-demand media assets, comprising:
receiving a first user command to invoke a media guidance application;
based on receiving the first user command, generating for display a media guidance display that comprises a video-on-demand media asset identifier;
generating for display an indicator that a video clip preview is available for a video-on-demand media asset that is associated with the video-on-demand media asset identifier, wherein the indicator is generated for display with the video-on-demand media asset identifier;
receiving a second user command to view the video clip preview for the video-on-demand media asset;
based on receiving the second user command, requesting the video clip preview from a server;
receiving the video clip preview from the server;
generating for display the received video clip preview from the server, without displaying during an entire duration of the video clip preview an offer to order the video-on-demand media asset; and
generating for display an ordering option after an entirety of the video clip preview of the video-on-demand media asset is displayed.
2. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
generating for display, the ordering option after the video clip preview of the video-on-demand media asset is displayed, without requiring any additional user command.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media guidance display further comprising a category of media assets, further comprising:
receiving a third user command to navigate to a different category of media assets;
based on receiving the third user command, retrieving a media asset identifier that is associated with the different category of media assets; and
updating the media guidance display to replace the category of media assets with the different category of media assets, and to replace the video-on-demand media asset identifier with the retrieved media asset identifier that is associated with the different category of media assets.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a third user command to access additional media asset identifier information associated with the video-on-demand media asset identifier; and
based on receiving the third user command, generating for display the additional media asset identifier information associated with displayed the video-on-demand media asset identifier.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating for display a scheduled media asset; and
wherein the media guidance display is generated for display in an overlay.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the video-on-demand media asset identifier and the indicator are generated for display within a listing display element.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising,
receiving, from a user input device, a start-time for the video-on-demand media asset while the ordering option is displayed; and
generating for display the video-on-demand media asset at the received start-time.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating for display the received video clip preview in a video window.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
generating for display the received video clip preview in the video window over a display of a media asset.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating for display the received video clip preview in a full screen display.
11. A system for providing media guidance of video-on-demand media assets, comprising:
a user input device configured to receive commands from a first user; and
control circuitry configured to:
receive, from the user input device, a first user command to invoke a media guidance application;
generate for display, based on receiving the first user command, a media guidance display that comprises a video-on-demand media asset identifier;
generate for display an indicator that a video clip preview is available for a video-on-demand media asset that is associated with the video-on-demand media asset identifier, wherein the indicator is generated for display with the video-on-demand media asset identifier;
receive from the user input device, a second user command to view the video clip preview for the video-on-demand media asset;
request, based on receiving the second user command, the video clip preview from a server;
receive the video clip preview from the server;
generate for display the received video clip preview from the server, without displaying during an entire duration of the video clip preview an offer to order the video-on-demand media asset; and
generate for display an ordering option after an entirety of the video clip preview of the video-on-demand media asset is displayed.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
generate for display, the ordering option after the video clip preview of the video-on-demand media asset is displayed, without requiring any additional user command.
13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the media guidance display further comprising a category of media assets, and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
receive a third user command to navigate to a different category of media assets;
retrieve, based on receiving the third user command, a media asset identifier that is associated with the different category of media assets; and
update the media guidance display to replace the category of media assets with the different category of media assets, and to replace the video-on-demand media asset identifier with the retrieved media asset identifier that is associated with the different category of media assets.
14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
receive a third user command to access additional media asset identifier information associated with the video-on-demand media asset identifier; and
generate for display, based on receiving the third user command, the additional media asset identifier information associated with displayed the video-on-demand media asset identifier.
15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
generate for display a scheduled media asset; and
wherein the media guidance display is generated for display in an overlay.
16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the video-on-demand media asset identifier and the indicator are generated for display within a listing display element.
17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
receive, from the user input device, a start-time for the video-on-demand media asset while the ordering option is displayed; and
generate for display the video-on-demand media asset at the received start-time.
18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
generate for display the received video clip preview in a video window.
19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
generate for display the received video clip preview in the video window over a display of a media asset.
20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
generate for display the received video clip preview in a full screen display.