Television graphical user interface having channel and program sorting capabilities
US6181333A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 12, 1996 |
| Grant date | Jan 30, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 12, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N21/4823
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A TV graphical user interface is provided with a graphical channel changer for enabling a user to select a required TV channel among about 1000 channels offered by a satellite TV system. The graphical channel changer contains a vertical channel bar composed of channel boxes that display numbers and logos of selected TV channels. To switch the TV set to a required TV channel, the user directs the pointing device at the graphical channel box that indicates the required channel. A program guide that contains a list of TV programs may be provided based on the channel changer. Vertical program bars that display TV programs are aligned with the channel boxes indicating TV channels that carry the corresponding TV programs. An arrange guide mode is provided to enable the user to arrange the program guide in order of TV channel numbers, or in alphabetical order according to names of TV channels or TV programs. The graphical configurations of the channel changer and icons associated with the channel changer remain unchanged in any arrangement of the program guide to present TV channels and programs in a common format.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.