US005629733A
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`5,629,733
`May13, 1997
`
`Sep. 1991. Hirasawa Kazuo, Patent Abstracts ofJapan, vol.
`15, No. 480, “Information Reproducing Device.”
`
`Primary Examiner—John K. Peng
`Assistant Examiner—Chris Grant
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`United States Patent 15
`Youman et al.
`
`[54] ELECTRONIC TELEVISION PROGRAM
`GUIDE SCHEDULE SYSTEM AND METHOD
`WITH DISPLAY AND SEARCH OF
`PROGRAM LISTINGSBY TITLE
`
`[75]
`
`Inventors: Roger Youman, Wayne, Pa.; Marney
`Morris, Palo Alto, Calif.
`
`[73] Assignees: News America Publications, Inc., New
`York, N.Y.; Telecommunications of
`Colorado, Inc., Englewood, Colo.
`
`{21} Appl. No.: 346,603
`
`[22] Filed:
`Nov. 29, 1994
`[51]
`Tint, C1.cesssssssssscsssesscssecersessesenssnsssssssveeere.. HOAN 7/173
`[52] U.S. Ce ssessessesseuvssssesassssssscenees 348/7; 348/13; 455/4.2;
`345/146; 345/902; 395/327
`......cccccccccssssssceee 348/6, 7, 12, 13,
`[58] Field of Search.
`348/906; 455/3.1, 4.2, 5.1, 6.1; 395/156;
`345/146, 902; HO4N 7/16, 7/173
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`May 1993. Vito Brugliera, Digital On-Screen Display— A
`New Technology for the ConsumerInterface, 18th Interna-
`tional Television Symposium, Montreux, Switzerland,
`10-15 Jun.
`
`An electronic program schedule system which includes a
`receiver for receiving broadcast, satellite or cablecast tele-
`vision 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 andstores in
`a memory television program schedule information for a
`plurality of television programs to appear ontheplurality 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 television program schedule
`information. A video display generator receives video con-
`trol commandsfrom the data processor and program sched-
`8/1989 Weiner .......rcecsccerssrssereereeerares 364/521
`4,862,390
`ule information from the memory and displays a portion of
`4/1990 Duffield .
`4,914,517
`the program schedule information in overlaying relationship
`8/1993 Reed et al. siscssssssssssssseressenveene 395/600
`5,241,671
`5,253,066 10/1993
`with a television program appearing onatelevision channel
`5,353,121
`10/1994
`in at least one modeof operation of the television program-
`5,412,720
`5/1995
`ming guide. The data processor controls the video display
`5,416,508
`5/1995
`generator with video control commands,issued in response
`5,485,197
`1/1996
`to the user control commands, to display program schedule
`5,515,497
`5/1996
`information for any chosen oneof the plurality of television
`programs in overlaying relationship with at least one tele-
`vision program then appearing on any chosen one of the
`plurality of channels on the television receiver.
`
`23 Claims, 57 Drawing Sheets
`
`
`
`
`
`'VIDEO DISPLAYGEN._|
`a\g
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`
`
`SONY - Ex.-1010
`Sony Corporation - Petitioner
`
`

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`U.S. Patent
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`May 13, 1997
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`Sheet 1 of 57
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`U.S. Patent
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`May 13, 1997
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`US. Patent
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`May 13, 1997
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`U.S. Patent
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`May13, 1997
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`U.S. Patent
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`May 13, 1997
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`Sheet 9 of 57
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`U.S. Patent
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`May13, 1997
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`U.S. Patent
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`May13, 1997
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`Sheet 11 of 57
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`U.S. Patent
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`May 13, 1997
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`Sheet 12 of 57
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`U.S. Patent
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`May 13, 1997
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`Sheet 15 of 57
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`U.S. Patent
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`May 13, 1997
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`Sheet 16 of 57
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`U.S. Patent
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`P. 24
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`US. Patent
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`May 13, 1997
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`Sheet 24 of 57
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`5,629,733
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`Ruse
`Pay PerView
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`
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`Today 9:00p Tomwl2:00p Tomw 6:00p
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`FIG.23
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`P. 25
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`

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`U.S. Patent
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`May 13, 1997
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`Sheet 25 of 57
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`5,629,733
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`PayPerView
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`You haverequested to order:
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`—-FIG.24
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`P. 26
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`US. Patent
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`May13, 1997
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`Sheet 26 of 57
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`5,629,733
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`Pay Per View
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`You have requested to order:
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`Passenger 57 has been Ordered!
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`
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`
`Tune to Channel | Today at 9:00pm.
`
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`PPV/|
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`
`FIG.24A
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`P. 27
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`

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`
`U.S. Patent
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`May13, 1997
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`Sheet 27 of 57
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`5,629,733
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`LISTINGS
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`Mystery!
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`| Love Lucy
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`FIG.25
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`P. 28
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`

`

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`U.S. Patent
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`May 13, 1997
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`Premium
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`Services
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`Home BoxOffice $10.40/Month
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`Movie,special events,and family programming!
`
`You are not a Subscriber. Press [Enter|o Subscribe!
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`FIG.26
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`P. 29
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`U.S. Patent
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`May13, 1997
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`Sheet 29 of 57
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`P. 30
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`P. 30
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`U.S. Patent
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`May 13, 1997
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`Sheet 30 of 57
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`5,629,733
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`P. 31
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`U.S. Patent
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`May 13, 1997
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`Sheet 31 of 57
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`P. 32
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`

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`U.S. Patent
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`May 13, 1997
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`Sheet 32 of 57
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`P. 33
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`

`

`
`U.S. Patent
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`May 13, 1997
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`Sheet 33 of 57
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`5,629,733
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`< [Enter!
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`FIG.30
`
`
`
`P. 34
`
`
`P. 34
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`

`

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`U.S. Patent
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`May13, 1997
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`Sheet 34 of 57
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`IeOls
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`P. 35
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`P. 35
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`U.S. Patent
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`May 13, 1997
`
`Sheet 35 of 57
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`P. 36
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
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`May 13, 1997
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`Sheet 36 of 57
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`5,629,733
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`i807©@S0}0/M07]1H
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`P. 37
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`

`

`US. Patent
`
`May 13, 1997
`
`Sheet 37 of 57
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`5,629,733
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`STORIES
`
`KPRESS
`
`Jun 7
`
`US World News
`Cubans use Vitamins to combat epidemic
`Geneva - A costly campaign to provide vitamins to
`all Cubans has helped curb a mysterious epidemic that has
`afflicted thousands with vision problems, a World Health
`Organization offical said yesterday.
`The outbreak of optical neuritis has dimmed the
`vision of about 20,000 Cubans and a related malady has
`affected 6,000 other people, mostly women.
`
`FIG.34
`
`

`

`USS. Patent
`
`May 13, 1997
`
`Sheet 38 of 57
`
`5,629,733
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`errs
`
`Major League Baseball
`Yesterdayin National League Action
`—
`Colorado 7, Houston 5
`San Francisco 5, Chicago 4
`
`Yesterday in American League Action
`Detroit 4, Boston 1
`Toronto 4, Milwaukee 2
`
`FIG.35
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 13, 1997
`
`Sheet 39 of 57
`
`5,629,733
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`FLIP
`TONETOCHANNEL
`TIMED QUERLAY
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`PREMIUM/PPY
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`TIME
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`PREMIUM/APY
`SERVICE
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`SERVICES
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`PRESENT
`TIME
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`FUTURE
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`
`
`
`
`FIG. 36A
`
`FEM/NOER
`SET
`
`P. 40
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`

`

`USS. Patent
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`May 13, 1997
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`Sheet 40 of 57
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`5,629,733
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`
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`RVICES)
`
`LISTINGS BY
`CATEGORYW/
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`QVERLAY WILL
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`GeagiNAL
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`au:
`
`P.41
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
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`May13, 1997
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`Sheet 41 of 57
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`5,629,733
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`FULL SCREEN
`MENU
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`HOMETHEATER“Sw
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`FREMIUM
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`PREMIUM/PPY
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`KEVACCESS
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`NEW
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`
`FIG. 36C
`
`P. 42
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
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`May13, 1997
`
`Sheet 42 of 57
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`5,629,733
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`CLOCK
`TIMER
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`REMINDER
`SCHEDULE
`
`REMINDER
`(OVERLAY)
`
`EkeWEE(MIT(OK)
`
`ONSCREEN
`HELP
`
`FAVORITE
`CHANNEL
`
`FIG. 36D
`
`

`

`
`U.S. Patent
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`May 13, 1997
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`Sheet 43 of 57
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`5,629,733
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`IN
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`LOCATOR
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`Broadcast:
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`Clear ALL favorite channels
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`FIG. 37
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`P. 44
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`P. 44
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May13, 1997
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`Sheet 44 of 57
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`5,629,733
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`CUSTOMER SERVICE
`
`HOME THEATER
`
`FIG.38
`
`

`

`USS. Patent
`
`May 13, 1997
`
`Sheet 45 of 57
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`5,629,733
`
`MENU
`
`By
`Time
`
`By
`Channel!
`
`Locator
`
`—
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`(GUID
`
`Movies
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`FIG.38A
`
`

`

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`US. Patent
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`May 13, 1997
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`Sheet 46 of 57
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 13, 1997
`
`Sheet 47 of 57
`
`5,629,733
`
`
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`P. 48
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May13, 1997
`
`Sheet 48 of 57
`
`5,629,733
`
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`U.S. Patent
`
`May 13, 1997
`
`Sheet 49 of 57
`
`5,629,733
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`U.S. Patent
`
`May13, 1997
`
`Sheet 50 of 57
`
`5,629,733
`
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`

`
`US. Patent
`
`
`
`May 13, 1997
`
`
`
`
`
`Sheet 51 of 57
`
`
`
`
`
`5,629,733
`
`
`
`TV
`GUIDE
`
`
`
`
`
`Change
`
`
`
`Rating: 6 PG
`Movie 6
`
`
`
`
`Forental d Adult Themes
`
`
`
`
`Channel:
`¢ 2KWGN
`3PPV
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`
`
`R
`PG-I3
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`_
`
`
`— Sexual Situations
`Pp
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`4KONC Al >
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`
`
`
`
`
`Locked
`Program:
`
`
`
`im
`.
`1/0 lock out a program orseries. see Help
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`"
`
`
`
`
`Lockout
`
`Code:
`
`Clear
`
`
`
`
`
`
`FIG. 39
`
`
`
`P. 52
`
`
`P. 52
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 13, 1997
`
`Sheet 52 of 57
`
`5,629,733
`
`SETUP
`
`275
`{GUIDE
`Text Location:
`Top of Screen
`Lockout Code: [New|
`—- 265
`Purchase Code:
`
`L270
`
`to select
`
`This button sets the text location to the bottom of the
`
`Screen.
`
`Press
`
`FIG. 40
`
`P. 53
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May13, 1997
`
`Sheet 53 of 57
`
`5,629,733
`
`8:32PM
`
`You donot have a
`Lockout Codeset.
`Torestrictthe availability
`of certain channels
`or programs,
`
`use VOuEJremote to
`nter four digits
`(for example, 4567).
`Code:Oe
`
`Lockout
`
`
`(x_xxx)
`
`FIG.40A
`
`To restrict the abilityto orde
`programming, use your remote
`to enter fourdigits
`(for example,
`1234),
`Purchase Code:
`
`FIG.40B
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May13, 1997
`
`Sheet 54 of 57
`
`5,629,733
`
`please re-enter your —
`fourdigits.
`
`Purchase Code:
`Cyes)¢>CNo_) then Press COK)
`
`FIG.40C
`
`FIG.40D
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May13, 1997
`
`Sheet 55 of 57
`
`5,629,733
`
`Purchase Code:
`
`enter your current
`four-digit
`Purchase Code.
`
`FIG.40E
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May13, 1997
`
`Sheet 56 of 57
`
`5,629,733
`
`RESTRICTED!
`TO VIEW THIS PROGRAM, ENTER YOURFOUR-DIGIT
`LOCKOUT CODE NUMBER,THEN PRESS OK
`
`LOCKOUT CODE:
`
`Easy Does it
`
`FLIP
`
`|[23 DSC]
`
`(2:30-3p)
`
`FIG.4I
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`May 13, 1997
`
`Sheet 57 of 57
`
`5,629,733
`
`Danaece]eras
`T17LES
`ony
`SIZELISTINGS
`ARE NEEDED
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`DATA BASE
`UNEDITED
`LISTINGS
`
`DETERMINE
`
`SPACE
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`
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`GEIS |HOME
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`IN ELVTEDO
`LIGKARY
`OF TITLES 7
`
`
`
`
`
`WITH 7/7LE
`
`FROM EDITED
`
`
`LIBRARY
`
`
`REPLACE
`
`
`
`
`PROMPT
`
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`
`SHORTENED
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`NEXT
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`LISTINGS
`
`
`
`P. 58
`
`

`

`- 5,629,733
`
`
`
`
`1
`ELECTRONIC TELEVISION PROGRAM
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`GUIDE SCHEDULE SYSTEM AND METHOD
`WITH DISPLAY AND SEARCH OF
`
`
`
`
`
`PROGRAM LISTINGSBY TITLE
`
`
`
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`
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`This invention relates to an electronic program schedule
`
`
`
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`
`
`system, which provides a user with schedule information for
`
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`broadcast or cablecast programs viewed by the user on a
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`
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`television receiver. More particularly,
`it relates to an
`
`
`
`
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`
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`improved electronic program guide that provides the user
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`
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`with a more powerful and convenient operating
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`
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`environment, while, at the same time, increasing the effi-
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`ciency of navigation by the user through the guide.
`
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`Electronic program guides for television systems are
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`
`
`known in the art. For example, one prior system used an
`
`
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`
`
`electronic character generator to display textual schedule
`information on the full screen of a television receiver. Other
`
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`prior systems presented electronically stored program
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`schedule information to a user for viewing while allowing
`
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`the user to select display formats. Still other systems
`
`
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`employed a data processor to input user-selection criteria,
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`then stored only the program schedule information meeting
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`these criteria, and subsequently used the stored information
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`to automatically tune a programmable tuner or activate a
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`recording device at the time of broadcast of the selected
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`television programs. Such prior systems are generally dis-
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`
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`
`
`cussed in “Stay Tuned for Smart TV,” published in the
`
`
`
`
`November 1990 issue of Popular Science.
`
`
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`
`
`Collectively, the prior electronic program systems may be
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`difficult to implement and cumbersometo use. They also fail
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`to provide viewing capabilities that address in a more
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`realistic manner the viewing habits of the users of these
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`electronic program systems. Moreover, many of these sys-
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`tems are complex in their design and are expensive to
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`implement. Ease of use and economy are primary concerns
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`of television program distributors and viewers as they con-
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`template dramatic increases in the number and nature of
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`program networks and other television-based services. And,
`as the number of television channels available to a user
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`increases dramatically with the advent of new satellite and
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`cable-based technologies, the utility of these prior systems
`
`
`substantially diminishes.
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`These prior-art systems also fail to provide the user with
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`sufficient information, for example pricing and the like,
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`about pay-per-view events, premium services or other pack-
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`aged programming to which the user does not subscribe, nor
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`do they provide the user with the capability to automatically
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`impulse.
`purchase such programming on demand or
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`Moreover, these prior-art systems are deficient in that they
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`fail to provide an efficient and automatic method of updating
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`or replacing the application software programs that imple-
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`mentthe electronic guide at the user sites, relying instead on
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`manual or other cumbersome forms of revision or replace-
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`ment or hardware-based systems that can not be updated
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`without physical replacement of integrated circuits and/or
`
`
`other parts.
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`Nor do these prior electronic guide systems have the
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`capability of linking the user to other applications or infor-
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`mation systems which arenot part of the electronic program
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`guide application or data.
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`Nordothese priorelectronic guide systems provide video
`
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`Promotion of television programs and services that are
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`functionally linked and visually displayed in an integrated
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`
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`fashion. Program promotion is an important element of the
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`
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`effective marketing of television programming. The promo-
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`2
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`tion of pay-per-view pay (i.e., “a la carte”) programs and
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`other unregulated program servicesis particularly important
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`to cable television operators in the wake of re-regulation by
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`the federal government. The current method of promoting
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`such programing using video is through dedicated “barker”
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`channels that use full screen continuous trailers (i.e.,
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`previews) which may or may not be accompanied by prices
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`and ordering information. Recently, such promotional vid-
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`eos have been shownin split screens where part of the screen
`shows general schedule information for a time period
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`roughly corresponding to the time period during which the
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`general program being promoted is shown. Accordingly,
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`there exists a need for an electronic program guide which
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`can provide improved display and linking of video promo-
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`tions with program schedule information and order process-
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`ing functions.
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`The prior electronic program guides also fail to provide
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`the user with a simple and efficient method of controlling
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`access to individual channels and individual programs. The
`
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`amount of adult situations involving sex and violence has
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`steadily increased during the last 40 years. The issue of how
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`this affects children or other viewers has gained national
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`attention. Providing a parent with the ability to lock-out a
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`channel is a well known and widespread feature of certain
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`television receivers and cable converter boxes. Despite this
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`availability, the feature is seldom used by parents. The main
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`impediments to its effective use are the cumbersome waysin
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`which it is generally implemented, as well as the require-
`mentthat entire channels be blocked in order to block access
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`to any objectional programming. A channel-oriented paren-
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`tal lock is unfair to other programmers on the blocked
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`channel—who, for example, offer adult-oriented program-
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`ming in the evening and youth-oriented programming the
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`following morning—and inconvenient for viewers who
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`want access to such programs. Thus, there is a particular
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`need for a system which provides password control
`to
`
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`individual programs and channels using a flexible and
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`uncomplicated on-screen user interface.
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`The prior electronic program guides are also deficient in
`
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`that they do not provide the user with the ability to view on
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`demand currentbilling status and, thus, a need exists for a
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`system which can provide the user with current billing
`information on the user’s demand.
`
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`An additional problem with prior program guides is that
`
`
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`
`
`when displaying schedule information in grid format,i-e.,
`
`
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`
`
`columns representing time slots and rows representing
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`channels, program titles generally are width-wise truncated
`
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`to fit into the cells of the grid. The width of a grid cell varies
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`with the duration of the program. Since a 30 minute program
`
`
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`
`is allotted only a small amount of space for the program title
`and description,titles and/or descriptions for half and even
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`full hour programs often must be truncated in order to fit into
`
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`
`the allotted space. Some systems simply cut off the descrip-
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`tion of a program without abbreviating it in any way, such
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`
`that the user is unable to determine the subject matter of the
`
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`program. For example, a recent television program display
`
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`
`
`
`included the following text in a grid cell: “Baseball: Yankees
`
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`v.” Although some systems partially alleviate this problem
`
`
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`
`
`by providing twolines of text in each grid cell, this solution
`
`
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`
`
`is not ideal because program descriptions may still be
`truncated.
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`
`A similar problem arises as the time slots change, either
`
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`
`automatically or in response to a user control command.
`
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`Typically, 90 minutes of schedule informationis displayed at
`one time and the 90 minute windowisshiftable in 30-minute
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`increments. In the case where a 30 minute shift causes a 30
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`minute size grid cell to display, e.g., a two-hour movie,it is
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`10
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`15
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`20
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`25
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`30
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`45
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`50
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`55
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`65
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`P. 59
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`P. 59
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`5,629,733
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`3
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`likely that the full title of the movie will notfit into the cell.
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`Truncation of the title is thus required in this situation as
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`well. In this case, while two lines of text may be desirable
`to fit the title in the 30 minutecell, the 60 and 90 minute cells
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`may require only one line of text to display thetitle.
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`The prior electronic program guides also lack a method
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`for creating a viewing itinerary electronically while still
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`viewing a program currently appearing on the television
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`receiver. Moreover, these prior program guides leave much
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`guess work for the user as he navigates through a sequence
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`of channels. When skimming through channels to ascertain
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`the program then being displayed on any channel, com-
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`monly known as “channel surfing,” the user needs to guess
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`which program is currently being aired from the video
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`encountered as the user surfs through the channels. Since
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`much—in some cases, up to 30%—of the programming
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`appearing on any given channel at any given time is adver-
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`tising or other commercial programming, the user is not
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`provided with any clues as to what program is appearing on
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`a selected channel at a given time and must therefore wait
`until the advertisement or commercial is over before ascer-
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`taining the program then appearing on the selected channel.
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`Thus a need exists for a program guide which displays
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`current program schedule information for each channel as
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`the user surfs through the available channels.
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`Prior art program guides also lack a meansfor locating a
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`television program where only the title of the program,
`movie, or event is known.
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`Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a simplified
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`electronic program schedule system that may be more easily
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`implemented, and which is appealing andefficient in opera-
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`tion. There is also a need to provide the user with an
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`electronic program schedule system that displays both
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