Patents Assigned to News America Publications, Inc.
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Patent number: 6014184Abstract: An electronic program schedule system with access to both stored television program schedule information and data feeds containing status information for live programs such as sporting events. The system includes a data processor for receiving program schedule information for a plurality of programs and data feeds containing status information for certain of the programs, and a video display generator for generating a display signal simultaneously comprising information from both the stored schedule information and the received data feed. The system is further provided with user control means such as a remote controller for generating user control commands and transmitting signals to the data processor in response thereto so as to control the content of the display signal. The display signal may be displayed on a display apparatus such as a television receiver.Type: GrantFiled: December 30, 1996Date of Patent: January 11, 2000Assignees: News America Publications, Inc., Telecommunications of Colorado, Inc.Inventors: Robert Alan Knee, Anthony R. Favia, Bruce Davis, Larry Miller
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Patent number: 5986650Abstract: An electronic program schedule system which utilizes a receiver for receiving broadcast, satellite or cablecast television programs for a plurality of television channels and a tuner for tuning a television receiver to a selected one of the plurality of channels. A data processor receives and stores in a memory television program schedule information for a plurality of television programs to appear on the plurality of television channels. A user control apparatus, such as a remote controller, is utilized by a viewer to choose user control commands and transmit signals in response to the data processor which receives the signals in response to user control commands. A television receiver is used to display the television programs and television program schedule information.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 1996Date of Patent: November 16, 1999Assignees: News America Publications, Inc., Telecommunications of Colorado, Inc.Inventors: Michael Dean Ellis, Bruce Davis, Edward Bruce Knudson
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Patent number: 5760821Abstract: A system and method for localizing an aggregated electronic program guide (EPG) schedule covering a plurality of service environments includes an information filter located at the subscriber's set-top box conditioned to recognize which schedule information is relevant to the viewer's service environment. Only schedule information corresponding to the viewer's own service environment is stored in the EPG's schedule database. The result is an electronic program schedule that is tailored to the viewer's specific service environment without the use of costly equipment on the transmission side of the program schedule feed.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 1995Date of Patent: June 2, 1998Assignees: News America Publications, Inc., Telecommunications of Colorado, Inc.Inventors: Michael Dean Ellis, Barry L. Smith, Constance J. Borges, Rose A. Reynolds, Dennis Tenney
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Patent number: 5666645Abstract: A data management and distribution system for an electronic program guide ("EPG") for television programs comprising an automated data collection subsystem, a manual entry and correction subsystem, a database validation subsystem, an edition generation subsystem, a configuration subsystem, and a status and control subsystem. The system may further comprise a feed generation subsystem if one or more of the EPG providers supported by the EPG distributor requires a live feed of data. The automated data collection subsystem collects EPG data from multiple sources in various formats, filters the data based on the needs of the EPG providers supported, and places the data in a centralized database in a form suitable to support the different environmental contexts of the EPG providers. The manual entry and correction subsystem permits the EPG distributor to make manual corrections, additions, and deletions to the data stored in the database.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 1995Date of Patent: September 9, 1997Assignee: News America Publications, Inc.Inventors: William Thomas, David W. Gustafson, Dennis Tenney, Paul Darata
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Patent number: 5635978Abstract: An electronic program schedule system which includes a receiver for receiving television program schedule information and promotional information transmitted via satellite, a digital playback system for storing the schedule and promotional information and formatting pages of said information, and a cable television channel modulator for modulating the pages of information onto a cable television system. A data processor in the playback system receives and stores in a memory television program schedule information for a plurality of television programs to appear on the plurality of television channels. A television receiver is used to display the television program schedule and promotional information by tuning the receiver or cable converter box to the designated channel upon which the signals are modulated.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 1994Date of Patent: June 3, 1997Assignees: News America Publications, Inc., Telecommunications of Colorado, Inc.Inventors: Jerry Alten, Bruce Davis, Michael Morris, William L. Thomas, Roger Youman
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Patent number: 5629733Abstract: An electronic program schedule system which includes a receiver for receiving broadcast, satellite or cablecast television programs for a plurality of television channels and a tuner for tuning a television receiver to a selected one of the plurality of channels. A data processor receives and stores in a memory television program schedule information for a plurality of television programs to appear on the plurality of television channels. A user control apparatus, such as a remote controller, is utilized by a viewer to choose user control commands and transmit signals in response to the data processor which receives the signals in response to user control commands. A television receiver is used to display the television programs and television program schedule information.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 1994Date of Patent: May 13, 1997Assignees: News America Publications, Inc., Telecommunications of Colorado, Inc.Inventors: Roger Youman, Marney Morris