Abstract: A computer based graphical user interface for facilitating the selection and display of transmitted audio, video and data includes a main menu state with a first multi-segment display having an active video/audio segment and a tuning segment. The active video segment displays a currently tuned program and the tuning segment includes an elongated graphic bar. The elongated graphic bar is dynamically sub-divided into a plurality of contiguous regions so that each of the regions uniquely corresponds to a program parsed from a multi-program data stream. The tuning segment also includes a graphic slider that overlays the graphic bar and that is movable along the length of the graphic bar so that the currently tuned program corresponds to the portion of the graphic bar underlying the current position of the graphic slider.

Abstract: An innovative but easy to use on-line program list is provided to provide the user of a multiple channel television broadcast system a wealth of programming information in a simple format that is easy to understand. The guide enables the user to easily select a particular program to watch or to watch in the future. Unlike prior art television guides, the present invention presents a program list that is oriented according to the program instead of the channel. In particular, the program list provides program information and the times the program is broadcasted the displayed timeframe. This is particularly useful for viewing in one simple and easy-to-read format the start times of a pay-per-view program, which may, for example, be broadcasted every 1/2 hour over a variety of channels.