Method and apparatus for merging television program schedule information received from multiple television schedule information sources
US5550576A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 17, 1995 |
| Grant date | Aug 27, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 17, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N5/765
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention provides a scheme for merging television schedule information received from multiple sources (26, 28, 30 and 34). In the preferred embodiment, a microprocessor (36) mixes and sorts the schedule information received from multiple source devices (26, 28, 30 or 34). The schedule information is then displayed in a television schedule guide (50). A user can select a program (60 or 62) by pointing to that program in the displayed schedule information (50). The system (10) then carries out an automatic switching/tuning such that the required source device (26, 28, 30 or 34) is input to the destination device (22), and a tuner is then tuned to the selected program's channel (52).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.