COMPUTER READABLE STORAGE MEDIA PROVIDING A PROGRAM GUIDE VIEWED WITH A PERCEIVED TRANSPARENCY OVER A TELEVISION PROGRAM
A system interactively controlled by a TV viewer remote superimposes portions of a scroll program guide over a basic programming signal for display on the viewer's display screen. A tuner has an input for receiving TV signals in a plurality of cable channels and an output for passing a signal of any selected one of said channels. A computer has an input for receiving any of a plurality of control signals from the TV viewer remote and an output for controlling the tuner to pass the signal of the selected one of the channels in response to one of the plurality of control signals from the TV viewer remote. The computer receives and stores a scroll input picture image signal containing local program guide data and generates a scroll output picture image signal consisting of at least a portion of the scroll input picture image signal. A combiner superimposes output picture image signal over the passed signal to provide a display signal for input to the viewer's display screen. The computer is responsive to control signals from the remote to cause the combiner to change the weight of the output picture image signal in relation to the passed signal.
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This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/887,897, filed Jun. 22, 2001, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/421,953, filed Oct. 20, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,305,016, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/974,944, filed Nov. 20, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,020,929, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/599,143, filed Feb. 9, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,828,420, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/234,060, filed Apr. 28, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,504.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates generally to interactive video communications and more particularly concerns viewer controlled channel programming guide displays.
Programming guide information is presently displayed to the home TV viewer in a non-interactive scroll on a single channel dedicated to programming guide information.
When the home viewer selects the programming guide channel, viewing of the channel previously selected is interrupted. While the viewer executes best judgment to when to make the change, key portions of the program on the previously selected channel may be missed. This is especially probable in cases of live programming. It is also especially irritating to the viewers not in possession of the controller.
It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a process and in-home scrolling hardware by which a home viewer may interactively control a channel programming guide. Another object of this invention is to provide a process and in-home scrolling hardware in which the scroll can be simultaneously superimposed on and displayed with the programming of any channel accessible to the home viewer. Another object of this invention is to provide a process and in-home scrolling hardware by which a home viewer may control the comparative weight of the programming guide or superimposed signal in relation to the basic programming signal over which it is superimposed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn accordance with the invention, a system interactively controlled by a TV viewer remote control transmitter displays a scroll program guide superimposed on the normal programming displayed on any channel accessible to the viewer's display screen. A tuner receives TV radio frequency or optical transmission signals in a plurality of cable channels and passes a viewer usable signal of any selected one of the channels to a signal combiner. A computer receives any of a plurality of control signals from the TV viewer remote control transmitter. It also controls the tuner to pass the viewer usable signal of any selected channel in response to one of the control signals from the TV viewer remote control transmitter. It also receives and stores a scroll input picture image signal containing local program guide data and generates a scroll output picture image signal consisting of at least a portion of the scroll input picture image signal. The signal combiner combines the viewer usable signal of any selected channel from the tuner with the output picture image signal from the computer to provide a display signal with the program guide display superimposed over the channel programming display for input to the viewer's display screen. The computer is responsive to a control signal from the remote to change the weight of the superimposed signal in relation to the base or normal programming signal.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings in which:
While the invention will be described in connection with a preferred embodiment and process, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to that embodiment or process. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONTurning first to
The above described interactive scroll program guide components operate in response to the control of the computer 11. As shown in
If the video mix routine is exited and later reselected, the weight of the programming guide signal 27 will automatically be the weight last opted by the viewer.
Thus, each individual viewer will be provided with a scroll program guide in which the home viewer can interactively determine whether the program guide scroll should be displayed and, if so, its weight relative to the basic program data.
Thus, it is apparent that there has been provided, in accordance with the invention, a video mix program guide that fully satisfies the objects, aims and advantages set forth above. While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art and in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the spirit of the appended claims.
Claims
1. Computer readable storage media comprising:
- instructions for superimposing an interactive program guide with a perceived partial transparency over a television program such that the television program can be at least partially perceived by a television viewer through the interactive program guide.
2. The computer readable storage media of claim 1, wherein the instructions allow variability of a weight of the transparency relative to a display image.
3. The computer readable storage media of claim 2, wherein the instructions allow a display of the percentage of the weight of the transparency.
4. The computer readable storage media of claim 2, wherein the instructions allow a user to vary the weight of the transparency.
5. The computer readable storage media of claim 2, wherein the instructions allow automatic setting of the weight of the transparency upon program guide activation to the weight set at the time of most recent program guide deactivation.
6. The computer readable storage media of claim 2, wherein the instructions present the program guide so that portions of the program guide are opaque relative to the display image.
7. The computer readable storage media of claim 1, wherein the instructions present the program guide in a grid.
8. The computer readable storage media of claim 7, wherein the instructions present one dimension of the grid corresponding to television channels.
9. The computer readable storage media of claim 7, wherein the instructions present one dimension of the grid corresponding to broadcast times.
10. The computer readable storage media of claim 1, wherein the instructions present the program guide as a scrolling program guide.
11. Computer readable storage media comprising:
- instructions for superimposing an interactive program guide with a perceived partial transparency over a television program, wherein the instructions allow:
- variability of a weight of the transparency relative to a display image; and
- a display of the percentage of the weight of the transparency.
12. Computer readable storage media comprising:
- instructions for superimposing an interactive program guide with a perceived partial transparency over a television program such that the television program can be at least partially perceived by a television viewer through the interactive program guide while the user interacts with the interactive program guide.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 3, 2011
Publication Date: Jan 5, 2012
Applicant: United Video Properties, Inc. (Tulsa, OK)
Inventors: Connie T. Marshall (Muskogee, OK), Thomas R. Lemmons (Coweta, OK), Donald W. Allison (Tulsa, OK)
Application Number: 13/020,468
International Classification: H04N 21/431 (20110101);