Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/515,997, filed Feb. 29, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,542,169 which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/227,481, filed Jan. 7, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,072,460, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/763,615, filed Dec. 11, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,892,498, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/225,246, filed Apr. 8, 1994, now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to interactive video communications and more particularly concerns viewer controlled channel programming guide displays. 
     Channel programming guide information is presently displayed to the home TV viewer in a non-interactive scroll. When the home viewer selects the channel programming guide display, the display is viewed as it is transmitted from the cable network. Consequently, the viewer may have to wait for almost the entire running time of the scroll for a desired segment of the scroll to be displayed on the viewer&#39;s screen. Furthermore, the program information on the scroll is changed at discrete time intervals selected by the cable provider. Consequently, only the programming information included in the discrete time interval of the transmitted scroll can be observed by the home viewer. Later programming information will become available to the viewer only when that programming information comes into the particular discrete time interval selected for transmission by the cable provider. In other words, the viewer has no alternative but to wait for the scroll to display the desired programming time slot and, when it is displayed, can view it only for as long as that scroll segment remains on the screen during its normal running time. Any distraction at this juncture starts a new waiting period. It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a process and in-home scrolling hardware by which a home viewer may interactively control a channel programming guide. Another object of this invention is to provide a process and in-home scrolling hardware in which the scroll can be stopped by the home viewer. Another object of this invention is to provide a process and in-home scrolling hardware by which a home viewer may forward scroll the channel programming guide. Another object of this invention is to provide a process and in-home scrolling hardware by which a home viewer may reverse scroll the channel program guide. Another object of this invention is to provide a process and in-home scrolling hardware by which a home viewer may select a discrete time interval of channel program guide information from a plurality of discrete time intervals of such information. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the invention, a system interactively controlled by a TV viewer remote control transmitter displays portions of a scroll program guide on the viewer&#39;s display screen. A tuner receives TV radio frequency or optical transmission signals in a plurality of cable channels and passes a viewer usable signal of a selected one of the channels to a signal combiner. A computer receives any of a plurality of control signals from the TV viewer remote control transmitter. It also controls the tuner to pass the viewer usable signal in response to one of the control signals from the TV viewer remote control transmitter. It also receives and stores a scroll input picture image signal containing local program guide data and generates a scroll output picture image signal consisting of at least a portion of the scroll input picture image signal. The signal combiner combines the viewer usable signal from the tuner with the output picture image signal from the computer to provide a display signal for input to the viewer&#39;s display screen. The computer is responsive to a “forward” control signal from the remote to advance the scroll output picture image signal, to a “reverse” control signal from the remote to back up the scroll output picture image signal and to a “stop” control signal from the remote to freeze the scroll output picture image signal. It is also responsive to directional control signals from the remote to reposition a “highlight” background to corresponding program data slots on the scroll grid and to display further program information corresponding to the program of the data slot shown in “highlight”. In addition, it is responsive to further directional control signals to redraw the grid to display earlier or later time segment program data than is normally displayed on the viewer&#39;s screen. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a preferred embodiment of the hardware of the interactive scroll program guide; 
         FIG. 2  is a flow chart illustrating the basic process and options of the interactive scroll program guide; 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating further options of the interactive scroll program guide; 
         FIG. 4  is a representation of an interactive scroll program guide display for a selected date and time; 
         FIG. 5  is a representation of the interactive scroll program guide display of  FIG. 4  in a “scrolled down” condition relative to  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a representation of the interactive scroll program guide display of  FIG. 5  in a “highlighted” condition relative to  FIG. 5 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is a representation of the interactive scroll program guide display showing selected information describing the program highlighted in  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     While the invention will be described in connection with a preferred embodiment and process, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to that embodiment or process. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Turning first to  FIG. 1 , the components of the interactive scroll program guide are illustrated. A computer  11  having a command information receiver, preferably an infrared or radio frequency receiver  13 , provides a control signal  15  to a tuner  17  and a picture image signal  19  to a digital video board  21 . The tuner  17  converts or demodulates radio frequencies or optical transmission to a signal usable by the viewer to output a signal  23  selected from a plurality of signals  25  input to the tuner  17  from the cable source (not shown), typically frequency division multiplexed video, audio and data signals transmitted via a coaxial cable, over-the-air radio frequencies or fiber optics. The digital video board  21  converts digital data into a video signal. The tuner output signal  23  is superimposed on or combined with a scroll information picture image signal  27  from the digital video board  21  in a genlock signal combiner or overlayer  29 . The combined scroll and TV picture signal  31  is then displayed on a video signal display device such as the display screen  33  of the viewer&#39;s television. The viewer sends commands to the receiver  13  to control the operation of the computer  11  by the use of a remote control transmitter, preferably an infrared or radio frequency transmitter  35 . The computer  11  is based on a microprocessor and may utilize random access (RAM) and/or read only (ROM) memory. The software necessary to operate the microprocessor may be embedded in the device or downloaded via the cable system to the device. 
     The above described interactive scroll program guide components operate in response to the control of the computer  11 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , when the home viewer elects to view the scroll mode  51  by operation of the viewer remote control  35 , the computer  11  automatically resets to the top of the grid  53  so as to set the display of the scroll at its beginning point for viewing. The computer  11  then provides a control signal  15  to the tuner  17  to select the channel designated by the home viewer&#39;s cable system as its programming data channel  55 . The computer  11  further causes the portion of the display  33  on which the program data is to appear to be masked  57 . With the existing program guide area of the display masked, the computer  11  causes the picture image signal  19  to be generated, thus causing the program guide grid to be drawn  59 . With the grid drawn, the computer  11  further initiates operation of a millisecond timer  61  which causes the picture image signal  19  to be fired in millisecond intervals. The operation of the millisecond timer  61  adjusts the speed of the scroll by changing the number of lines of pixels moved at one time. When a timer interrupt  63  permits a change, the software scrolls the grid by causing deletion of the forward lines  65 , copying of the rest of the lines forward to overlay the deleted lines  67  and addition of new lines to the rear of the grid  69 . This is repeated every few milliseconds so that a smooth scroll is accomplished. 
     Each text line is generated when the first pixel line in that text line is needed. This text line is stored in a memory buffer until all of its pixel lines are used and then is replaced by the next text line. This allows the pixels to be used without having to regenerate them each time the scroll is updated. When the last text line is reached, the first text line is generated and added onto the screen in a circular fashion. Thus, the scroll becomes a continuous loop. Typically, the scroll will be changed in one to three pixel line increments and preferably in two pixel line increments for a display having an approximately two hundred pixel line scroll. The current text line is remembered and, if the viewer stops the grid, the current text line is positioned at the top of the grid and the scroll timer halted. Looking at  FIG. 4 , the viewer display screen  33  displays, on approximately its top half, the display defined by the viewer usable signal  23  passed by the tuner  17  (display not shown). It also displays, on approximately the bottom half, a first horizontal data slot divided into vertical columns indicating the proper date  201  and second the program times, as shown, in two half hour increments  203  and  205 . Second, third and fourth horizontal data slots are divided into a vertical column showing sequential channel identifications  207 ,  209  and  211  and into other vertical columns showing program identification data for corresponding channels and times  213 ,  215  and  217 . As shown, the scroll has advanced to illustrate data for channels 15 MAX on slots  207  and  213 , 16 ENCORE in slots  209  and  215  and 17 TJC in slots  211  and  217 . As scrolling continues the channel 15 MAX data will be removed, the channel 16 ENCORE data and 17 TJC data will move up to slots  207  and  213  and  209  and  215 , respectively, channel data will be presented in the lower slots  211  and  217 . When the scroll is reversed, the above described process is executed in opposite fashion. That is, the rear bit lines are deleted, the bit lines are moved rearwardly and the last bit lines are added to the front of the grid. Looking at  FIG. 5 , the scroll of  FIG. 4  has been reversed so that the channel 17 TJC and channel 16 ENCORE data have been removed, the channel 15 MAX data has moved down to the lower slots  211  and  217  and channel 14 HBO and 13 PREV data have been added to the slots  209  and  215  and  207  and  213 , respectively. 
     In one preferred operating mode of the invention, the “back arrow” key of the remote would be used for reverse scrolling operation, the “forward arrow” key of the remote would be used for forward scrolling, the “enter” key of the remote would be used to stop the scroll, the “right arrow” key of the remote would be used to forward the time slot, the “left arrow” key of the remote would be used to back up the time slot, the “stop” key of the remote would be used to exit and the “power” key of the remote would be used as an off switch. 
     The computer routine will inquire as to whether one of the computer keys used in the routine has been pressed  71 . If the answer is “NO”, the routine returns to point  73  to maintain the inquiry. If the answer is “YES”, the routine continues via another route  75 . In the “YES” route  75 , the next inquiry may be whether the viewer has selected a user exit  77  by pressing the “stop” key. If the answer to this inquiry is “YES”, the routine returns to the previous menu  79 . If the answer to this inquiry is “NO”, the routine may determine if the viewer has selected a scroll reverse direction  81  by pressing the “back arrow” key. If the answer to this inquiry is “YES”, the routine continues through a reversal stage  83  which shifts the pixel rotation as above described and then returns to the routine at point  73  to the key pressed inquiry  71 . If the response to the reverse direction inquiry  81  is “NO”, the routine may next inquire whether the viewer has chosen to stop the scroll  85  by pressing the “enter key”. If the response to this inquiry is “YES”, the routine is routed to stop the timer  87  so as to cease the sequence of pixel line rotation. At this point, the routine further directs that the grid be redrawn to the current top channel  89  so as to index the grid to display complete programming data for the top channel displayed on the grid. With the grid thus redrawn, the routine may place the system into a highlight mode  91  to be hereafter explained. In any event, the redrawn grid will be displayed until the viewer selects a new mode of operation. 
     The user may also select a different programming time slot, thus changing the program information displayed. That is, a different picture image signal  19  corresponding to the time slot selected by the viewer will be generated by the computer  11  for display. The entire grid will thus be redrawn for the time slot chosen. Thus, if the response to the stop the scroll inquiry  85  is “NO”, the routine may continue to a time forward inquiry  93 . At this point in the routine, the screen display continues as shown in  FIG. 4 , with the channel identification and program identification slots scrolling in a normal forward sequence as hereinbefore described. If the viewer has pressed the time forward or “right arrow” key, a “YES” response to the time forward inquiry  93  will cause the time slots to be advanced by a predetermined increment time  95  and the grid redrawn  100  so that the scroll will display information relevant to a different time slot. The time slots can be arranged in any predetermined increments, the increments normally being chosen in one hour segments. With the grid redrawn, the routine returns through point  73  to the key pressed inquiry  71  for a repeat of the routine. If the answer to the time forward inquiry  93  is “NO”, the routine continues on to a time backward inquiry  97 . If the time backward or “left arrow” key has been depressed, a “YES” response will cause the time slots to be backed up by a predetermined decrement time  99  and the grid redrawn  100  to the next earlier time segment in opposite fashion as for the increment time  95  portion of the routine. With the grid redrawn  100 , the routine then returns through point  73  to the key pressed inquiry  71  to be repeated. If the answer to the time backward inquiry  97  is “NO”, the routine returns through the point  73  to the key pressed inquiry  71  to again continue the routine. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 3 , another routine option is presented beginning with the highlight mode  91  earlier discussed in relation to  FIG. 2 . If the viewer has proceeded through the stop scroll inquiry  85  with a “YES” response, the top program identification slot  213  will be automatically drawn highlighted  101  by a background color different than the remainder of the grid. At this point, the viewer may select one of several keys. For example, the “enter” key would indicate a command to display the first program information highlighted. Alternatively, the “up arrow”, “down arrow”, “right arrow” and “left arrow” would indicate directional movements of the highlight condition in reference to the program information then highlighted. For example, in  FIG. 6 , the viewer has opted to “down arrow” the highlight to the second program identification slot  215 . Finally, the “exit” key would be used to indicate a desire to exit the highlight routine of the program. If, at a key pressed inquiry  103 , the answer is “NO”, the routine returns through point  105  to maintain the key pressed inquiry  103 . If, however, the answer is “YES”, the routine proceeds to an “enter key” inquiry  107 . If the answer to this inquiry is “YES”, the routine continues to the display program information stage  109  so that specific information regarding the highlighted program will be displayed on the screen as shown in  FIG. 7 . The program would then continue to another key pressed inquiry  111 . If the answer to this inquiry is “YES”, this will indicate the desire of the viewer to exit the display of that particular selected information and the routine is returned through point  105  to the earlier key pressed inquiry  103  to continue the highlight routine. If the answer to the key pressed inquiry  111  is “NO”, the routine returns to the same key pressed inquiry  111  to maintain the display presently existing for the viewer. If the response to the enter key inquiry  107  is “NO”, the routine proceeds to a direction key inquiry  113 . If the answer to this inquiry is “YES”, the highlight will move in the direction of the key pressed  115  as above described and the grid will be redrawn  117  to show the highlight moved. With the highlight so moved, the routine will continue through point  105  to the key pressed inquiry  103  for continuance of the highlight routine. If the response to the direction key inquiry  113  is “NO”, the routine will proceed to an exit key inquiry  119 . If the answer to the exit key inquiry  119  is “YES”, the routine will exit back to the user selection or scroll mode  51  shown in  FIG. 2 . If the answer to the exit key inquiry  119  is “NO”, the routine will continue through point  105  to the key pressed inquiry  103  for continuation of the highlight routine. 
     Thus, each individual viewer will be provided with an interactive scroll program guide which can be programmed at intervals by the cable provider to provide programming data for a multiplicity of viewing time segments. The home viewer can in turn interactively determine whether the scroll of data should be forwarded, reversed, stopped or changed as to the time displayed. In addition, the viewer may select to highlight certain data or to display additional information relevant to a selected program. 
     Thus, it is apparent that there has been provided, in accordance with the invention, an interactive scroll program guide that fully satisfies the objects, aims and advantages set forth above. While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art and in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the spirit of the appended claims.

Technology Category: h