| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20090307724 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GRAZING TELEVISION CHANNELS FROM AN ELECTRONIC PROGRAM GUIDE - A television system comprises an electronic program guide (EPG) including a picture-in-picture (PIP) window and means for returning to a last channel viewed full screen (LCF) in a television viewing mode prior to entering the guide mode. The EPG displays a program list including a listing for the LCF and text identifying it as such. This last channel listing is positioned at the top of a program list area in the guide. The viewer returns directly to the LCF in the television viewing mode by setting a cursor to the last channel listing prior to exiting the guide mode. In guides including listings for future programs, the last channel listing remains in a designated position of the program list area. To return to the LCF from the guide mode, the viewer cursors to the last channel listing in the program list and then presses a GUIDE/TV button, designates the LCF as the default channel to which the system automatically tunes when exiting the guide mode, or presses a LAST CHANNEL button on the remote control unit to simultaneously exit the guide mode and tune the system to the LCF. Alternately, the system may employ separate television and PIP tuners. In the guide mode, the television input is switched to the PIP tuner and the television tuner remains tuned to the LCF. Thus, when the viewer reselects the television viewing mode, the program being telecast on the LCF is displayed full screen. | 12-10-2009 |
| 20100157156 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING, STORING AND PROCESSING ELECTRONIC PROGRAM GUIDE DATA FOR ON-SCREEN DISPLAY - A television viewer uses a PIP format for display of program related information such as television program listings from a program schedule data base in the background and moving, real time images of a program selected from the displayed listings in the PIP window. All the text of the background information lies outside the PIP window. In one embodiment, as the viewer selects a particular program from the display of current television program listings by means of a cursor or a code number, the corresponding program automatically appears in the PIP window. | 06-24-2010 |
| 20100310238 | ACCESS TO INTERNET DATA THROUGH A TELEVISION SYSTEM - A television system provides access to Internet data simultaneously with a displayed television program. Data units including data address sites available through a networked computer system such as the Internet are embedded in a television signal along with a television program. Information representing the data address site, such as an icon or descriptive text, is displayed simultaneously with the television program on the television. If the user selects the data address site, a data retrieval terminal in two-way communication with the network and associated with the television establishes a connection with the network and requests the data corresponding to the selected data address site. The retrieved information is then formatted for display. | 12-09-2010 |
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| 20080301733 | Method and system for displaying advertisements between schedule listings - In one embodiment, the invention is a system and method for simultaneously displaying advertisements with an electronic program guide (EPG). The system displays television schedule information in rows of schedule information items including the time and channel for at least a portion of the displayed television schedule information items. An advertisement is selected for display from a plurality of advertisements, and the selected advertisement is displayed between two rows of the schedule information items simultaneously with the displayed television schedule information items. | 12-04-2008 |
| 20100118187 | ACCESS TO INTERNET DATA THROUGH A TELEVISION SYSTEM - A television system provides access to Internet data simultaneously with a displayed television program. Data units including data address sites available through a networked computer system such as the Internet are embedded in a television signal along with a television program. Information representing the data address site, such as an icon or descriptive text, is displayed simultaneously with the television program on the television. If the user selects the data address site, a data retrieval terminal in two-way communication with the network and associated with the television establishes a connection with the network and requests the data corresponding to the selected data address site. The retrieved information is then formatted for display. | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100223643 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DISPLAYING ADVERTISEMENTS BETWEEN SCHEDULE LISTINGS - In one embodiment, the invention is a system and method for simultaneously displaying advertisements with an electronic program guide (EPG). The system displays television schedule information in rows of schedule information items including the time and channel for least a portion of the displayed television schedule information items. An advertisement is selected for display from a plurality of advertisements, and the selected advertisement is displayed between two rows of the schedule information items simultaneously with the displayed television schedule information items. | 09-02-2010 |
| 20110138419 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING VIDEO CLIPS - A television viewer uses a PIP format for display of program related information such as television program listings from a program schedule data base in the background and moving, real time or stored video clip images of a program selected from the displayed listings in the PIP window. All the text of the background information lies outside the PIP window. In one embodiment, as the viewer selects a particular program from the display of current television program listings by means of a cursor or a code number, the corresponding program automatically appears in the PIP window. | 06-09-2011 |
| 20110167451 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING, STORING AND PROCESSING ELECTRONIC PROGRAM GUIDE DATA FOR ON-SCREEN DISPLAY - A television viewer uses a PIP format for display of program related information such as television program listings from a program schedule data base in the background and moving, real time images of a program selected from the displayed listings in the PIP window. All the text of the background information lies outside the PIP window. In one embodiment, as the viewer selects a particular program from the display of current television program listings by means of a cursor or a code number, the corresponding program automatically appears in the PIP window. | 07-07-2011 |
