Patent ID: 6128009
Filing Date: 2000-10-03
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A program guide control apparatus for controlling the display of a program table picture which indicates the scheduling of respective programs of available broadcasting channels on a display unit, the apparatus comprising:means for generating a program table picture including date information indicating a plurality of entries of broadcasting dates, hour information indicating a plurality of entries of broadcasting hours of respective programs, title information indicating titles of the respective programs and genre information classifying the respective programs of the available broadcasting channels by genre, with separate areas of said program table picture being respectively allocated for each of said hour information, date information, title information and genre information;output means for outputting the program table picture to the display unit;command receiving means for receiving a cursor control signal for moving the display position of at least an active one of multiple cursors superimposed on the program table picture for selectively designating any one of all of the date information, the hour information, the title information and the genre information, and for receiving a determination control signal; andcontrol means for controlling the program table picture on the basis of the cursor control signal and the determination control signal,wherein the program table picture generating means generates information relating to the broadcasting channel as part of the genre information, andwherein the control means controls the program table picture generating means so that when the command receiving means receives the determination control signal in a state where a genre information cursor designates an item relating to the broadcasting channel information, the titles of only the programs relating to the broadcasting channel are displayed in connection with the title information.