Patent ID: 6216265
Filing Date: 2001-04-10
Classification: B64C,G04G,G04R,G11B,H04N

Abstract:
A method of compiling and displaying television schedule information data for use in a subscriber data processing system in a television schedule information transmission system having a central data processing system and a plurality of subscriber data processing systems, wherein the television schedule information data is transmitted to each of such subscriber data processing systems in a television broadcast signal and wherein, each of such subscriber data processing systems has a microprocessor, a memory, and a display monitor, said method comprising the steps of:receiving the television broadcast signal in the form of commands including instructions for the microprocessor and television schedule information data;extracting a portion of the television schedule information data from the television broadcast signal responsive to the instructions included in the commands;storing the portion of the television schedule information data in a database residing in the memory as database items, wherein each of the database items has a handle as an index into a handle table in the database identifying memory locations corresponding to the handle, the handle table being used by a computer program to reference the memory locations;assembling portions of the television schedule information data responsive to the instructions included in the commands; anddisplaying the portions of the television schedule information data on the display monitor.