Patents Assigned to Starsight Telecast, Inc.
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Publication number: 20050138657Abstract: An electronic programming guide generator utilizes filters to select only programming filtered to display in an electronic programming guide display.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2004Publication date: June 23, 2005Applicant: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventor: James Leftwich
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Patent number: 6850693Abstract: 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: March 19, 2003Date of Patent: February 1, 2005Assignee: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Patrick Young, John H. Roop, Alan R. Ebright, Michael W. Faber, David Anderson
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Publication number: 20040210935Abstract: 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: April 19, 2004Publication date: October 21, 2004Applicant: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Steven M. Schein, Sean A. O'Brien, Brian L. Klosterman, Kenneth A. Milnes
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Publication number: 20040111745Abstract: 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: December 1, 2003Publication date: June 10, 2004Applicant: StarSight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Steven M. Schein, Sean A. O'Brien, James Jay Leftwich, Susan Broughton
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Patent number: 6732369Abstract: 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: May 4, 2004Assignee: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Steven M. Schein, Sean A. O'Brien, James Jay Leftwich, Susan Broughton
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Publication number: 20040031050Abstract: 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: May 19, 2003Publication date: February 12, 2004Applicant: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventor: Brian Lee Klosterman
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Publication number: 20040008971Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2003Publication date: January 15, 2004Applicant: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Patrick Young, John H. Roop, Alan R. Ebright, Michael W. Faber, David Anderson
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Publication number: 20030235401Abstract: An apparatus and method for programming a VCR is provided. The system, utilizing a programming controller, presents a display on the viewer's television which contains a pattern representing a plurality of time intervals. The user programs the controller by indicating what time intervals on what week and on what channel are to be recorded. The controller then continually compares the current time with the programmed time until a match is found. When a match is found the controller activates the VCR, tunes the VCR to the desired channel, and initiates recording. When the controller determines that the VCR has recorded for the desired length of time, it stops the VCR from further recording and turns off the power to the VCR.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2003Publication date: December 25, 2003Applicant: StarSight Telecast Inc.Inventors: Kenneth A. Milnes, Steven Schein
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Publication number: 20030222975Abstract: A preview system activated from an on-screen programming guide displays a video preview of a selected particular program on the display screen. The video preview is displayed on less than the full screen so that the video can be highly-compressed to save bandwidth.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2002Publication date: December 4, 2003Applicant: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventor: Brian Lee Klosterman
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Publication number: 20030208758Abstract: 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 television 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 27, 2003Publication date: November 6, 2003Applicant: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Steven M. Schein, Sean A. O'Brien, Brian L. Klosterman, Kenneth A. Milnes
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Publication number: 20030196201Abstract: 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 3, 2003Publication date: October 16, 2003Applicant: 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: 20030188311Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2003Publication date: October 2, 2003Applicant: StarSight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Henry C. Yuen, Roy J. Mankovitz, Daniel S. Kwoh, Elsie Y. Leung
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Publication number: 20030188310Abstract: 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: March 27, 2003Publication date: October 2, 2003Applicant: StarSight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Brian Lee Klosterman, Steven Schein
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Publication number: 20030164858Abstract: 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: March 27, 2003Publication date: September 4, 2003Applicant: StarSight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Brian Lee Klosterman, Steven Schein
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Publication number: 20030163813Abstract: 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: March 27, 2003Publication date: August 28, 2003Applicant: StarSight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Brian Lee Klosterman, Steven Schein
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Publication number: 20030079227Abstract: A multiple Interactive Program Guide (IPG) system provides different television programming and different IPGs to several different users respectively. A single set-top box is capable of providing programming and scheduling data to several different television sets. Each of the different IPGs share a common database. Therefore, a first IPG being viewed by a first user can display data added or modified via a second IPG by a second user of the system. Furthermore, the data added or modified by the second user can influence the viewing rights of the first user. Also, all the competing and conflicting requests for limited resources, such as VCR scheduled recordings, will be brought to the users' attention and will be displayed by the system.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 25, 2002Publication date: April 24, 2003Applicant: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: James H. Knowles, Kenneth David Johnson, Gordon Chang
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Publication number: 20030051241Abstract: 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 dsplaying messages to the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2002Publication date: March 13, 2003Applicant: Starsight Telecast Inc.Inventors: Brian Lee Klosterman, Steven Schein
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Patent number: 6505348Abstract: A multiple Interactive Program Guide (IPG) system provides different television programming and different IPGs to several different users respectively. A single set-top box is capable of providing programming and scheduling data to several different television sets. Each of the different IPGs share a common database. Therefore, a first IPG being viewed by a first user can display data added or modified via a second IPG by a second user of the system. Furthermore, the data added or modified by the second user can influence the viewing rights of the first user. Also, all the competing and conflicting requests for limited resources, such as VCR scheduled recordings, will be brought to the users' attention and will be displayed by the system.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 1999Date of Patent: January 7, 2003Assignee: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: James H. Knowles, Kenneth David Johnson, Gordon Chang
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Publication number: 20020199192Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2002Publication date: December 26, 2002Applicant: StarSight Telecast, Inc.Inventor: Daniel B. Donnelly
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Patent number: 6498895Abstract: 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: March 26, 1999Date of Patent: December 24, 2002Assignee: Starsight Telecast, Inc.Inventors: Patrick Young, John H. Roop, Alan R. Ebright, Michael W. Faber, David Anderson