Patent ID: 6151059
Filing Date: 2000-11-21
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A system for directly invoking actions from interactive areas of an EPG displayed on a screen comprising:an EPG display controller that processes display data to display an EPG display, and including interactive areas and a contextual help window in a fixed location within the EPG, and displaying a pointer/cursor on the screen, with the interactive areas configured to invoke EPG actions, associated with interactive areas, when the interactive areas are selected by a viewer;a memory for storing an EPG database containing display data, where said display data includes contextual help text associated with each interactive area, and program data;an input module that receives user pointer/cursor movement commands;a processor, coupled to the memory, the input module, and the EPG display controller, with processor configured to process:database engine program data to execute a database engine that generates EPG screen data, access contextual help text, performs searches of said database to generate same program and same channel show lists;user interface program data to execute a user interface that user pointer/cursor movement commands, and generates response screens, with the user interface responsive to movement of the pointer/cursor over an interactive area to display contextual help text in the contextual help window explaining the action to be invoked by selecting the interactive area.