Electronic program guide with super-program sequence
An interactive television program guide system with digital storage is provided. The program guide gives users the ability to store information associated with recorded programs in a directory in the digital storage device thereby providing easy access to program information. The program guide may also provide a global media library for indicating the programs stored on removable storage media used with the program guide. The guide may also allow the user to manage and maintain a user media library to do the same. Non-time-sensitive data associated with recorded programs may be stored in a way that allows the user to interact with the data on playback as if the program were being originally aired. The program guide also allows the user to define “super-programs” for playback of a sequence of stored programs or program segments.
1. A system in which programs and associated program data are displayed for users by an interactive television program guide implemented on user television equipment, comprising:
a digital storage device in the user television equipment for digitally storing the programs and associated program data using the interactive television program guide;
means for defining a super-program sequence based on a user selection of at least one digitally stored program or at least one segment of a digitally stored program; and
means for displaying the user selection with associated program data according to the defined super-program sequence on the user television equipment using the interactive television program guide.
2. The system defined in claim 1 wherein the defining means further comprises means for displaying a super-program screen on the user television equipment using the interactive television program guide.
3. The system defined in claim 2 wherein the super-program screen comprises:
an area indicating programs stored on the digital storage device; and
means for providing a user with an opportunity to select a program to be included in the super-program sequence.
4. The system defined in claim 2 wherein:
the super-program screen further comprises an area for providing a user with an opportunity to define play segments; and
the display means further comprises means for displaying play segments of the programs and associated program data according to the super-program sequence on the user television equipment using the interactive television program guide.
5. The system defined in claim 4 wherein the area for providing a user with an opportunity to define play segments comprises:
a play segment indicator; and
one or more markers for defining the play segment.
6. The system defined in claim 2 wherein the super-program screen further comprises a video feedback area.
7. The system defined in claim 1 further comprising means for transferring the digitally stored programs according to the defined super-program to a secondary storage device using the interactive television program guide.
8. A method in which programs and associated program data are displayed for users by an interactive television program guide implemented on user television equipment, comprising the steps of:
digitally storing the programs and associated program data using the interactive television program guide;
defining a super-program sequence based on a user selection of at least one digitally stored program or at least one segment of a digitally stored program; and
displaying the user selection with associated program data according to the defined super-program sequence on the user television equipment using the interactive television program guide.
9. The method defined in claim 8 further comprising the step of displaying a super-program screen on the user television equipment using the interactive television program guide.
10. The method defined in claim 9 further comprising the steps of:
indicating programs stored on the digital storage device; and
providing a user with an opportunity to select a program to be included in the super-program sequence.
11. The method defined in claim 9 further comprising the steps of:
providing a user with an opportunity to define play segments; and
displaying play segments of the programs and associated program data according to the super-program sequence on the user television equipment using the interactive television program guide.
12. The method defined in claim 11 further comprising the steps of:
displaying a play segment indicator; and
providing one or more markers for defining the play segment.
13. The method defined in claim 9 further comprising the step of providing a video feedback area.
14. The method defined in claim 8 further comprising the step of transferring the digitally stored programs according to the defined super-program to a secondary storage device using the interactive television program guide.