Patent · US Expired

Combination of VCR index and EPG

US6147715A · kind A · utility

181Cited by
8References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 24, 1998
Grant dateNov 14, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 24, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11B2220/90
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A television system has a television viewing mode (50) and a guide mode (56, 58). The guide mode includes an electronic program guide (EPG), which provides the viewer program information for tuned programs, and a tape index guide (TIG), which provides information for programs recorded on a video cassette (16). In both guides, real time images of a program are displayed in a PIP window (50) on the television screen and guide information (56, 58) is displayed in the background. In both guides, the viewer may switch between a currently telecast program or a recorded program. The viewer may access either guide from the television mode and vice versa. In the guide mode, the viewer may independently switch the guide information and the type of program, i.e., tuned or recorded, in the PIP window.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.