Abstract: An interactive television program guide system is provided in which targeted advertisements may be presented to a user and targeted actions taken in the program guide based on the user's interests. The program guide monitors the user's interactions with the program guide to determine the user's interests. Interactions that may be monitored include interactions that indicate the categories of programming that interest the user (e.g., movies, sports, children's programming, etc.), setting a reminder for a program, purchasing a program, requesting information on a program, browsing program listings for a particular time or channel, etc.

Abstract: Advanced features for interactive television applications are described, including a back feature, a forward feature, a history feature, a go to feature, an extras feature, a reminder feature, a favorites feature, a parental control feature, and a search feature. Features may be inter-resource. Support for multiple data paths, Internet access, interactive services, and user profiles are also described.

Abstract: An interactive television application with mosaic browsing is provided. Selectable cells that may be associated with entities are used to display information corresponding to the entities. Information may include brand marks such as logos or any other suitable entity identifier. A cell may be in focus or it may not be in focus. When a cell is in focus the information displayed in the cell may be different than the information displayed when the cell is not in focus. Users may navigate among cells. The cells may be grouped into regions based on, for example, their association with similar entities.

Abstract: An interactive television program guide is provided in which advertisements may be displayed on program guide screens. Banner advertisements may be displayed above and below program listings. Panel advertisements may be provided adjacent to program listings. The advertisements may contain video. The advertisements may be used to promote television programs and conventional goods and services. When a user selects an advertisement, the program guide provides the user with an opportunity to order products or services, request information, set reminders for upcoming programs, view program descriptions, record programs, or take other such actions. Embedded advertisements may be provided within the program listings region and may be automatically displayed immediately adjacent to related program listings.

Abstract: An interactive television program guide is provided in which advertisements may be displayed in program listings display regions on program guide screens. The program listings display regions may be browse displays or flip displays. The program guide screens contain video for the current channel to which the user is tuned. The program listings display regions containing the advertisements may be overlaid on top of the current channel. Alternatively, the video for the current channel may be provided in a reduced-size video window. The advertisements may contain video. The advertisements may be used to promote television programs and conventional goods and services. Advertisements may be selectable. When a user selects an advertisement, the program guide provides the user with an opportunity to order products or services, request information, set reminders for upcoming programs, view program descriptions, record programs, or take other such actions.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for implementing palette management for displaying regular graphic objects on a video monitor. A plurality of sets of three-dimensional color components for each of a plurality of gradients is determined. Each of the plurality of sets of three-dimensional color components is stored in a respective one of a plurality of color look up tables. A processor determines which one of the plurality of color look up tables to display for any given scan line on the video monitor. A selected one of the plurality of sets of three-dimensional color components is retrieved from one of the plurality of color look up tables. Using the selected one of the plurality of sets of three-dimensional color components, the video monitor is caused to illuminate at least one pixel of the respective scan line.

Abstract: An interactive television program guide system is provided in which targeted advertisements may be presented to a user and targeted actions taken in the program guide based on the user's interests. The program guide monitors the user's interactions with the program guide to determine the user's interests. Interactions that may be monitored include interactions that indicate the categories of programming that interest the user (e.g., movies, sports, children's programming, etc.), setting a reminder for a program, purchasing a program, requesting information on a program, browsing program listings for a particular time or channel, etc.

Abstract: An interactive television program guide is provided in which advertisements may be displayed in program listings display regions on program guide screens. The program listings display regions may be browse displays or flip displays. The program guide screens contain video for the current channel to which the user is tuned. The program listings display regions containing the advertisements may be overlaid on top of the current channel. Alternatively, the video for the current channel may be provided in a reduced-size video window. The advertisements may contain video. The advertisements may be used to promote television programs and conventional goods and services. Advertisements may be selectable. When a user selects an advertisement, the program guide provides the user with an opportunity to order products or services, request information, set reminders for upcoming programs, view program descriptions, record programs, or take other such actions.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for providing an interactive television system for recording television programming. The interactive television system may include components for providing personal video recorder (PVR) functionality, such as an interactive television program guide (IPG), PVR extensions, PVR application programming interfaces (APIs), a PVR device, any suitable hardware or software, or a combination thereof. These components may be implemented in, for example, an arrangement having an integrated PVR-compliant device with a PVR device, or in an arrangement having a PVR-compliant device (e.g., a set-top box) coupled to PVR equipment (e.g., a remote PVR server or a PVR sidecar) with a PVR device. The PVR-compliant device may include software and hardware configured to implement the IPG. The PVR APIs may be a library of intelligent vendor-specific and vendor-independent APIs able to determine the type of PVR device being used.

Abstract: An interactive television program guide is provided in which advertisements may be displayed in program listings display regions on program guide screens. The program listings display regions may be browse displays or flip displays. The program guide screens contain video for the current channel to which the user is tuned. The program listings display regions containing the advertisements may be overlaid on top of the current channel. Alternatively, the video for the current channel may be provided in a reduced-size video window. The advertisements may contain video. The advertisements may be used to promote television programs and conventional goods and services. Advertisements may be selectable. When a user selects an advertisement, the program guide provides the user with an opportunity to order products or services, request information, set reminders for upcoming programs, view program descriptions, record programs, or take other such actions.