Patents Assigned to Starsight Telecast, Inc.
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Publication number: 20130014154Abstract: The present invention is directed to 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. Furthermore, the user may set a limit on pay-per-view (PPV) spending to limit the purchase of PPV programs.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2012Publication date: January 10, 2013Applicant: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Marcy Casement, Andrew Burgess, David Folker
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Publication number: 20120266194Abstract: The present invention provides a tuning scheme for coordinating schedule information and programs received from multiple sources (26, 28, 30 and 34). In the preferred embodiment, an identifier associated with the program's channel (52) is used to identify a source device (26, 28, 30 or 34). When a user selects a program (60 or 62) listed in displayed schedule information (50), the system (10) reads the source identifier attached to the program's channel (52). 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: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2012Publication date: October 18, 2012Applicant: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventor: Brian Lee Klosterman
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Publication number: 20120210363Abstract: An electronic programming guide generator utilizes filters to select only programming filtered to display in an electronic programming guide display.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2012Publication date: August 16, 2012Applicant: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventor: Jim LEFTWICH
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Patent number: 8205232Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for providing television schedule and/or listing 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 and/or listing information can be displayed on a variety of viewer interfaces, such as televisions screens, computer monitors, PCTV screens and the like. The television schedule and/or listing information may be stored on the viewer's computer, television, PCTV, or a remote server (e.g., a website), or the television schedule and/or listing information may be downloaded from a remote database to the viewer's computer, television or PCTV.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2004Date of Patent: June 19, 2012Assignee: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Steven M Schein, Sean A O'Brien, Brian L Klosterman, Kenneth A Milnes
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Publication number: 20120151544Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 23, 2012Publication date: June 14, 2012Applicant: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Steven M. Schein, Sean A. O'Brien, James Jay Leftwich, Susan Broughton
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Patent number: 8181200Abstract: A television schedule system and method for displaying television schedule information on a television screen includes a program guide having a schedule information area that depicts the programs that are being presented on each channel at each time during the day. An input device allows the viewer to browse through the schedule information area and/or obtain more information about programs of particular interest. In one aspect, the viewer may watch a program on the currently-tuned channel, while browsing through the other channels on a portion of the television screen. In another aspect, the viewer may watch programs currently being shown on the television, while he or she browses through the program guide. In yet another aspect, the system includes a database, a processor and associated software for automatically customizing the television schedule guide to an individual viewer or a group of viewers, e.g., a family, to facilitate use of the television schedule.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2007Date of Patent: May 15, 2012Assignee: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Steven M. Schein, James J. Leftwich, David M. Folker, Keith Hunwick, Theresa Alba, Molly K. King
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Publication number: 20120079539Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for providing television schedule and/or listing 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 and/or listing information can be displayed on a variety of viewer interfaces, such as televisions screens, computer monitors, PCTV screens and the like. The television schedule and/or listing information may be stored on the viewer's computer, television, PCTV, or a remote server (e.g., a website), or the television schedule and/or listing information may be downloaded from a remote database to the viewer's computer, television or PCTV.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2011Publication date: March 29, 2012Applicant: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Steven M. Schein, Sean A. O'Brien, Brian L. Klosterman, Kenneth A. Milnes
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Patent number: 8132206Abstract: An electronic programming guide generator utilizes filters to select only programming filtered to display in an electronic programming guide display.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2009Date of Patent: March 6, 2012Assignee: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventor: James J. Leftwich
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Patent number: 8112776Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for providing television schedule and/or listing 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 and/or listing information can be displayed on a variety of viewer interfaces, such as televisions screens, computer monitors, PCTV screens and the like. The television schedule and/or listing information may be stored on the viewer's computer, television, PCTV, or a remote server (e.g., a website), or the television schedule and/or listing information may be downloaded from a remote database to the viewer's computer, television or PCTV.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2007Date of Patent: February 7, 2012Assignee: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Steven M. Schein, Sean A. O'Brien, Brian L. Klosterman, Kenneth A. Milnes
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Patent number: 8087046Abstract: 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: July 13, 2005Date of Patent: December 27, 2011Assignee: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Patrick Young, John H Roop, Alan R Ebright, Michael W Faber, David Anderson
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Publication number: 20110314499Abstract: An on-screen menu method and system for controlling the functions of integrated electronic devices and a television schedule system and method for displaying television schedule information on a television screen includes a program guide having a schedule information area that depicts the programs that are being presented on each channel at each time during the day and an interconnected series of menus to control the features of the integrated electronic devices. An input device allows the viewer to move a pointer over different interactive areas of the guide and the function performed when the area is activated is displayed in a contextual help window. Various control glyphs provide for recursive interaction with the guide.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 15, 2011Publication date: December 22, 2011Applicant: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Theresa A. Alba, Marcia A. Casement, William De Stein, David Folker, Keith W. Hunwick, Kenneth D. Johnson
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Patent number: 8069460Abstract: 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: August 20, 2007Date of Patent: November 29, 2011Assignee: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Patrick Young, John H. Roop, Alan R. Ebright, Michael W. Faber, David Anderson
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Patent number: 8015582Abstract: The availability of a new information service is publicized by displaying an icon in an EPG when the presence of a new information service is detected. A list of new services is then displayed responsive to a user command. When one of the new services is displayed instead of the list.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2009Date of Patent: September 6, 2011Assignee: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventor: Daniel B. Donnelly
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Publication number: 20110209170Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2011Publication date: August 25, 2011Applicant: STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.Inventors: Steven M. Schein, Sean A. O'Brien, James Jay Leftwich, Susan Broughton
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Publication number: 20110191804Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2011Publication date: August 4, 2011Applicant: STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.Inventors: Brian Lee Klosterman, Steven Schein
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Publication number: 20110191805Abstract: A system and method for displaying a simplified electronic program schedule guide on a user's television monitor is provided. In one embodiment, the program schedule guide is abbreviated to include only the programs currently available for viewing on a subset of the available channels. In another embodiment, the program guide screen visually distinguishes between programs for the convenience of the viewer.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2010Publication date: August 4, 2011Applicant: Starsight Telecast Inc.Inventors: KENNETH A. MILNES, Steven M. Schein
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Publication number: 20110185386Abstract: A television schedule system and method for displaying television schedule information on a television screen includes a program guide having a schedule information area that depicts the programs that are being presented on each channel at each time during the day. An input device allows the viewer to browse through the schedule information area and/or obtain more information about programs of particular interest. In one aspect, the viewer may watch a program on the currently-tuned channel, while browsing through the other channels on a portion of the television screen. In another aspect, the viewer may watch programs currently being shown on the television, while he or she browses through the program guide. In yet another aspect, the system includes a database, a processor and associated software for automatically customizing the television schedule guide to an individual viewer or a group of viewers, e.g., a family, to facilitate use of the television schedule.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2011Publication date: July 28, 2011Applicant: STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.Inventors: Steven M. Schein, James J. Leftwich, David M. Folker, Keith Hunwick, Theresa Alba, Molly K. King
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Publication number: 20110185387Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 7, 2011Publication date: July 28, 2011Applicant: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Steven M. Schein, Sean A. O'Brien, James Jay Leftwich, Susan Broughton
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Publication number: 20110173660Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for providing television schedule and/or listing 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 and/or listing information can be displayed on a variety of viewer interfaces, such as televisions screens, computer monitors, PCTV screens and the like. The television schedule and/or listing information may be stored on the viewer's computer, television, PCTV, or a remote server (e.g., a website), or the television schedule and/or listing information may be downloaded from a remote database to the viewer's computer, television or PCTV.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2011Publication date: July 14, 2011Applicant: STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.Inventors: Steven M. Schein, Sean A. O'Brien, Brian L. Klosterman, Kenneth A. Milnes
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Publication number: 20110167448Abstract: A television schedule system and method for displaying television schedule information on a television screen includes a program guide having a schedule information area that depicts the programs that are being presented on each channel at each time during the day. An input device allows the viewer to browse through the schedule information area and/or obtain more information about programs of particular interest. In one aspect, the viewer may watch a program on the currently-tuned channel, while browsing through the other channels on a portion of the television screen. In another aspect, the viewer may watch programs currently being shown on the television, while he or she browses through the program guide. In yet another aspect, the system includes a database, a processor and associated software for automatically customizing the television schedule guide to an individual viewer or a group of viewers, e.g., a family, to facilitate use of the television schedule.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2011Publication date: July 7, 2011Applicant: STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.Inventors: Steven M. Schein, James J. Leftwich, David M. Folker, Keith Hunwick, Theresa Alba, Molly K. King