Method of data display for electronic program guides (EPGs)
US6483548B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 28, 1998 |
| Grant date | Nov 19, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 28, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N21/84
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method of displaying Electronic Program Guide (EPG) data in substantially a grid format, without using “channel” information as an axis. Instead of being presented by channel and time, the data is presented only by time. Thus, program information from multiple channels may be displayed in a single row. Various truncation algorithms allow program descriptions to be shortened, enabling placement of the descriptions into gaps or empty cells in an available row, whereas without the truncation the program description would not have fit into the gaps. For example, when there is a program X in the grid on a first line with at least one gap, and another program Y in the grid on a second line, where Y spans a time slot corresponding to at least one of the gaps on program X's line, either X's title or Y's title, or both, can be truncated, and Y's title can be moved to X's line. Another opportunity occurs when there is a program X that runs for an extended period of the day, representing “ongoing” content, such that the exact start and end time of the program adds little value to an EPG display. Its listing in the EPG grid may be truncated at start and/or end as need…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.