Patents Assigned to Starsight Telecast, Inc.
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Patent number: 6072983Abstract: The present invention provides a scheme for margin television schedule information received from multiple sources (26, 28, 30 and 34). In the preferred embodiment, a microprocessor (36) mixes and sorts the schedule information received from multiple source devices (26, 28, 30 or 34). The schedule information is then displayed in a television schedule guide (50). A user can select a program (60 or 62) by pointing to that program in the displayed schedule information (50). The system (10) then carries out an automatic switching/tuning such that the required source device (26, 28, 30 or 34) is input to the destination device (22), and a tuner is then tuned to the selected program's channel (52).Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 1998Date of Patent: June 6, 2000Assignee: StarSight Telecast, Inc.Inventor: Brian Lee Klosterman
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Patent number: 6002394Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for providing television schedule information to a viewer, and for allowing the viewer to link, search, select and interact with information in a remote database, e.g., a database on the internet. The television schedule information can be displayed on a variety of viewer interfaces, such as televisions screens, computer monitors, PCTV screens and the like. The television schedule information may be stored on the viewer's computer, television, PCTV, or a remote server (e.g., a website), or the television schedule information may be downloaded from a remote database to the viewer's computer, television or PCTV.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 1997Date of Patent: December 14, 1999Assignee: StarSight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Steven M. Schein, Sean A. O'Brien, James Jay Leftwich, Susan Broughton
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Patent number: 5991498Abstract: According to the invention, a method for referencing schedule information of a television program comprises partitioning the information into first and second code segments, the first code segment having starting day and time information, and the second code segment having program identifier and length information. A system of the present invention comprises a VCR and a programming controller, the programming controller programming the VCR to record the television program according to the schedule information in the: partitioned code.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 1996Date of Patent: November 23, 1999Assignee: StarSight Telecast, Inc.Inventor: Patrick Young
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Patent number: 5969748Abstract: A television schedule system with a user interface which allows a user to control access to television programs by time, rating, content, and/or channel. Criteria for blocking television programs from being viewed are entered by a user with a password. A television program listing is selected for viewing or recording from an on-screen program guide. A viewer is prompted on the screen to enter a password if the selected program meets the blocking criterion, If a viewer enters the appropriate password, the selected program that meets the blocking criterion is unblocked. The blocking criterion is restored after the program is over or the program is no longer tuned to. Furthermore, the user may set a limit on pay-per-view (PPV) spending to limit the purchase of PPV programs.Type: GrantFiled: May 29, 1996Date of Patent: October 19, 1999Assignee: StarSight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Marcy Casement, Andrew Burgess, David Folker
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Patent number: 5959688Abstract: An improved television guide system. According to one embodiment of the invention, television guide information is provided that includes multiple occurrences of a single show. The guide system of the present invention allows the user to identify a show and, thereafter, identify when the identified show will be played again. Accordingly, the user may more easily select shows for viewing or recordation.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 1998Date of Patent: September 28, 1999Assignee: StarSight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Steven M. Schein, David P. Warden, Molly K. King, Theresa A. Alba, Robert E. Russman
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Patent number: 5949954Abstract: Screen (10) for a user interface of a television schedule system and process consists of an array (24) of irregular cells (26), which vary in length, corresponding to different television program lengths of one half hour to one-and-one half hours or more. The array is arranged as three columns (28) of one-half hour in duration, and twelve rows (30) of program listings. Some of the program listings overlap two or more of the columns (28) because of their length. Because of the widely varying length of the cells (26), if a conventional cursor used to select a cell location were to simply step from one cell to another, the result would be abrupt changes in the screen (10) as the cursor moved from a cell (26) of several hours length to an adjacent cell in the same row. An effective way of taming the motion is to assume that behind every array (24) is an underlying array of regular cells. By restricting cursor movements to the regular cells, abrupt screen changes will be avoided.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1995Date of Patent: September 7, 1999Assignee: StarSight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Patrick Young, John H. Roop, Alan R. Ebright, Michael W. Faber, David Anderson
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Patent number: 5940073Abstract: A system and method for displaying an electronic program schedule guide is provided. The system has areas for displaying program schedule information. In addition, the system also has areas that may be used for advertising programs, products or services. In another embodiment, the system has areas for displaying messages to the user.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 1997Date of Patent: August 17, 1999Assignee: StarSight Telecast Inc.Inventors: Brian Lee Klosterman, Steven Schein
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Patent number: 5923362Abstract: The present invention provides a scheme for merging television schedule information received from multiple sources (26, 28, 30 and 34). In the preferred embodiment, a microprocessor (36) mixes and sorts the schedule information received from multiple source devices (26, 28, 30 or 34). The schedule information is then displayed in a television schedule guide (50). A user can select a program (60 or 62) by pointing to that program in the displayed schedule information (50). The system (10) then carries out an automatic switching/tuning such that the required source device (26, 28, 30 or 34) is input to the destination device (22), and a tuner is then tuned to the selected program's channel (52).Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 1997Date of Patent: July 13, 1999Assignee: StarSight Telecast, Inc.Inventor: Brian Lee Klosterman
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Patent number: 5828945Abstract: The present invention provides a scheme for merging television schedule information received from multiple sources (26, 28, 30 and 34). In the preferred embodiment, a microprocessor (36) mixes and sorts the schedule information received from multiple source devices (26, 28, 30 or 34). The schedule information is then displayed in a television schedule guide (50). A user can select a program (60 or 62) by pointing to that program in the displayed schedule information (50). The system (10) then carries out an automatic switching/tuning such that the required source device (26, 28, 30 or 34) is input to the destination device (22), and a tuner is then tuned to the selected program's channel (52).Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 1996Date of Patent: October 27, 1998Assignee: StarSight Telecast, Inc.Inventor: Brian Lee Klosterman
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Patent number: 5809204Abstract: Screen (10) for a user interface of a television schedule system and process consists of an array (24) of irregular cells (26), which vary in length, corresponding to different television program lengths of one half hour to one-and-one half hours or more. The array is arranged as three columns (28) of one-half hour in duration, and twelve rows (30) of program listings. Some of the program listings overlap two or more of the columns (28) because of their length. Because of the widely varying length of the cells (26), if a conventional cursor used to select a cell location were to simply step from one cell to another, the result would be abrupt changes in the screen (10) as the cursor moved from a cell (26) of several hours length to an adjacent cell in the same row. An effective way of taming the motion is to assume that behind every array (24) is an underlying array of regular cells. By restricting cursor movements to the regular cells, abrupt screen changes will be avoided.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1995Date of Patent: September 15, 1998Assignee: StarSight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Patrick Young, John H. Roop, Alan R. Ebright, Michael W. Faber, David Anderson
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Patent number: 5808608Abstract: Screen (10) for a user interface of a television schedule system and process consists of an array (24) of irregular cells (26), which vary in length, corresponding to different television program lengths of one half hour to one-and-one half hours or more. The array is arranged as three columns (28) of one-half hour in duration, and twelve rows (30) of program listings. Some of the program listings overlap two or more of the columns (28) because of their length. Because of the widely varying length of the cells (26), if a conventional cursor used to select a cell location were to simply step from one cell to another, the result would be abrupt changes in the screen (10) as the cursor moved from a cell (26) of several hours length to an adjacent cell in the same row. An effective way of taming the motion is to assume that behind every array (24) is an underlying array of regular cells. By restricting cursor movements to the regular cells, abrupt screen changes will be avoided.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 1996Date of Patent: September 15, 1998Assignee: StarSight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Patrick Young, John H. Roop, Michael W. Faber
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Patent number: 5801787Abstract: An improved television guide system. According to one embodiment of the invention, television guide information is provided that includes multiple occurrences of a single show. The guide system of the present invention allows the user to identify a show and, thereafter, identify when the identified show will be played again. Accordingly, the user may more easily select shows for viewing or recordation.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 1996Date of Patent: September 1, 1998Assignee: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Steven M. Schein, David P. Warden, Molly K. King, Theresa A. Alba, Robert E. Russman
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Patent number: 5790198Abstract: Television schedule information transmission and utilization systems (50A-50D) transmit TV schedule data and associated network control messages provided by computer (54) as packets via the Video Blanking Interval (VBI) lines in the TV signal from various television program providers (51). This data is acquired by regional data processing systems and forwarded by the regional data processing systems to subscriber units (52) and used to construct an internal database. This internal database can be accessed by the subscriber unit (52) to display a TV schedule for the channels that are received by the user's TV.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 1994Date of Patent: August 4, 1998Assignee: StarSight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: John H. Roop, Alan R. Ebright, Jeffrey J. Kochy, David P. Warden, Konstantine Sokolik, Giambattista A. Alegiani
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Patent number: 5727060Abstract: Screen (10) for a user interface of a television schedule system and process consists of an array (24) of irregular cells (26), which vary in length, corresponding to different television program lengths of one half hour to one-and-one half hours or more. The array is arranged as three columns (28) of one-half hour in duration, and twelve rows (30) of program listings. Some of the program listings overlap two or more of the columns (28) because of their length. Because of the widely varying length of the cells (26), if a conventional cursor used to select a cell location were to simply step from one cell to another, the result would be abrupt changes in the screen (10) as the cursor moved from a cell (26) of several hours length to an adjacent cell in the same row. An effective way of taming the motion is to assume that behind every array (24) is an underlying array of regular cells. By restricting cursor movements to the regular cells, abrupt screen changes will be avoided.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 1993Date of Patent: March 10, 1998Assignee: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventor: Patrick Young
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Patent number: 5619274Abstract: Television schedule information transmission and utilization systems (50A-50D) transmit TV schedule data and associated network control messages provided by computer (54) as packets via the Video Blanking Interval (VBI) lines in the TV signal from various television program providers (51). This data is acquired by regional data processing systems and forwarded by the regional data processing systems to subscriber units (52) and used to construct an internal database. This internal database can be accessed by the subscriber unit (52) to display a TV schedule for the channels that are received by the user's TV.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 1994Date of Patent: April 8, 1997Assignee: StarSight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: John H. Roop, Alan R. Ebright, Jeffrey J. Kochy, David P. Warden, Konstantine Sokolik, Giambattista A. Alegiani
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Patent number: 5532754Abstract: Screen (10) for a user interface of a television schedule system and process consists of an array (24) of irregular cells (26), which vary in length, corresponding to different television program lengths of one half hour to one-and-one half hours or more. The array is arranged as three columns (28) of one-half hour in duration, and twelve rows (30) of program listings. Some of the program listings overlap two or more of the columns (28) because of their length. Because of the widely varying length of the cells (26), if a conventional cursor used to select a cell location were to simply step from one cell to another, the result would be abrupt changes in the screen (10) as the cursor moved from a cell (26) of several hours length to an adjacent cell in the same row. An effective way of timing the motion is to assume that behind every array (24) is an underlying array of regular cells. By restricting cursor movements to the regular cells, abrupt screen changes will be avoided.Type: GrantFiled: April 11, 1994Date of Patent: July 2, 1996Assignee: Starsight Telecast Inc.Inventors: Patrick Young, John H. Roop, Michael W. Faber
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Patent number: 5479266Abstract: Screen (10) for a user interface of a television schedule system and process consists of an array (24) of irregular cells (26), which vary in length, corresponding to different television program lengths of one half hour to one-and-one half hours or more. The array is arranged as three columns (28) of one-half hour in duration, and twelve rows (30) of program listings. Some of the program listings overlap two or more of the columns (28) because of their length. Because of the widely varying length of the cells (26), if a conventional cursor used to select a cell location were to simply step from one cell to another, the result would be abrupt changes in the screen (10) as the cursor moved from a cell (26) of several hours length to an adjacent cell in the same row. An effective way of taming the motion is to assume that behind every array (24) is an underlying array of regular cells. By restricting cursor movements to the regular cells, abrupt screen changes will be avoided.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1995Date of Patent: December 26, 1995Assignee: Starsight Telecast Inc.Inventors: Patrick Young, John H. Roop, Allan R. Ebright, Michael W. Faber, David Anderson
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Patent number: 5479268Abstract: Screen (10) for a user interface of a television schedule system and process consists of an array (24) of irregular cells (26), which vary in length, corresponding to different television program lengths of one half hour to one-and-one half hours or more. The array is arranged as three columns (28) of one-half hour in duration, and twelve rows (30) of program listings. Some of the program listings overlap two or more of the columns (28) because of their length. Because of the widely varying length of the cells (26), if a conventional cursor used to select a cell location were to simply step from one cell to another, the result would be abrupt changes in the screen (10) as the cursor moved from a cell (26) of several hours length to an adjacent cell in the same row. An effective way of taming the motion is to assume that behind every array (24) is an underlying array of regular cells. By restricting cursor movements to the regular cells, abrupt screen changes will be avoided.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 1994Date of Patent: December 26, 1995Assignee: Starsight Telecast Inc.Inventors: Patrick Young, John H. Roop, Allan R. Ebright, michael W. Faber, David Anderson
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Patent number: 5353121Abstract: A schedule system utilizing a background display. The schedule system provides a background schedule information system in which the background schedule information is displayed over a portion of a television screen in response to activation. A primary television display is displayed on the television screen in conjunction with the background schedule information. The system provides for the background television schedule information to have a status upon activation similar to a status upon prior suspension.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 1993Date of Patent: October 4, 1994Assignee: StarSight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Patrick Young, John H. Roop, Michael W. Faber