Electronic television program guide schedule system and method including virtual channels
US5585866A · kind A · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 7, 1995 |
| Grant date | Dec 17, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 7, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N21/47
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An electronic program schedule system having virtual channels which includes a receiver for receiving broadcast, satellite or cablecast television programs for a plurality of television channels and a tuner for tuning a television receiver to a selected one of the plurality of channels. A data processor receives and stores in a memory television program schedule information for a plurality of television programs to appear on the plurality of television channels. A user control apparatus, such as a remote controller, is utilized by a viewer to choose user control commands and transmit signals in response to the data processor which receives the signals in response to user control commands. A television receiver is used to display the television programs and virtual channel programming. A video display generator receives video control commands from the data processor and generates and displays a plurality of virtual channels, each virtual channel being accessible as a channel and associated with a service delivered on a subset of the channels.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.