Interactive television program guide system with operator showcase

Abstract

A system is provided in which an interactive television program guide is implemented on user television equipment such as a set-top box. The program guide provides an operator showcase in the form of one or more operator showcase television listings screens, each of which contains a set of television listings information. The sets of television listings information are generated by querying a database of television listings data in a database in the set-top box. Each database query is based on content criteria previously selected by the cable system operator or other service provider. The service provider is also able to define the format with which the television listings information is displayed in the television listings screens. A title and logos may also be selected by the service provider for each screen. The operator showcase television listings screens may therefore by customized and branded by the service provider. The user may access multiple operator showcase television listings screens using a centralized operator showcase menu.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A system for providing an interactive television program guide on user television equipment that contains a database of television listings data, the program guide displaying at least one operator showcase television listings screen on the user television equipment based on content criteria selected by a service provider, comprising: 
 means for providing the content criteria selected by the service provider to the user equipment without intervention by the user;    means for generating a set of television listings information for the operator showcase television listings screen from the television listings data in the database based on the content criteria provided to the user equipment; and    means for displaying the set of television listings information in the operator showcase television listings screen on the user equipment.    
     
     
         2 . The system defined in  claim 1  wherein the service provider selects the format for the operator showcase television listings screen, the system further comprising: 
 means for providing the format selected by the service provider to the user equipment without intervention by the user; and  
 means for displaying the set of television listings information in the operator showcase television listings screen according to the format provided to the user equipment.  
 
     
     
         3 . The system defined in  claim 1  wherein the service provider selects the title for the operator showcase television listings screen, the system further comprising: 
 means for providing the title selected by the service provider to the user equipment without intervention by the user; and  
 means for displaying the set of television listings information in the operator showcase television listings screen with the title provided to the user equipment.  
 
     
     
         4 . The system defined in  claim 1  wherein the service provider selects a logo for the operator showcase television listings screen, the system further comprising: 
 means for providing the logo selected by the service provider to the user equipment without intervention by the user; and  
 means for displaying the set of television listings information in the operator showcase television listings screen with the logo provided to the user equipment.  
 
     
     
         5 . The system defined in  claim 1  further comprising means for generating and displaying multiple operator showcase television listings screens.  
     
     
         6 . The system defined in  claim 1  further comprising means for displaying an operator showcase menu containing a plurality of television display screen options each associated with a respective operator showcase television listings screen.  
     
     
         7 . The system defined in  claim 1  further comprising means for displaying a promotional video barker in the operator showcase television listings screen.  
     
     
         8 . The system defined in  claim 1  further comprising means for simultaneously displaying the set of television listings information and a promotional video barker in the operator showcase television listings screen.  
     
     
         9 . The system defined in  claim 1  further comprising means for displaying a plurality of operator showcase television listings screens, each of which contains television listings information, a title, a logo, and a promotional video barker.  
     
     
         10 . The system defined in  claim 1  further comprising means for providing the user with an opportunity to select an item in the displayed set of television listings information.  
     
     
         11 . The system defined in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 means for providing the user with an opportunity to select an item in the displayed set of television listings information; and  
 means for providing the user with an opportunity to display additional information on the selected item.  
 
     
     
         12 . The system defined in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 means for providing the user with an opportunity to select an item in the displayed set of television listings information; and  
 means for providing the user with an opportunity to purchases the selected item.  
 
     
     
         13 . The system defined in  claim 1  wherein one of the content criteria is pay programing.  
     
     
         14 . The system defined in  claim 1  wherein one of the content criteria is packages.  
     
     
         15 . The system defined in  claim 1  wherein one of the content criteria is channels.  
     
     
         16 . The system defined in  claim 1  wherein one of the content criteria is programs.  
     
     
         17 . The system defined in  claim 1  wherein one of the content criteria is sports programming.  
     
     
         18 . The system defined in  claim 1  wherein the service provider selects the format for the operator showcase television listings screen, the system further comprising: 
 means for providing the format selected by the service provider to the user equipment without intervention by the user; and  
 means for displaying the set of television listings information in the operator showcase television listings screen according to the format provided to the user equipment, wherein the format includes a time-ordered program list.  
 
     
     
         19 . The system defined in  claim 1  wherein the service provider selects the format for the operator showcase television listings screen, the system further comprising: 
 means for providing the format selected by the service provider to the user equipment without intervention by the user; and  
 means for displaying the set of television listings information in the operator showcase television listings screen according to the format provided to the user equipment, wherein the format includes an alphabetically-ordered program list.  
 
     
     
         20 . A method for providing an interactive television program guide on user television equipment that contains a database of television listings data, the program guide displaying at least one operator showcase television listings screen on the user television equipment based on content criteria selected by a service provider, comprising the steps of: 
 providing the content criteria selected by the service provider to the user equipment without intervention by the user;    generating a set of television listings information for the operator showcase television listings screen from the television listings data in the database based on the content criteria provided to the user equipment; and    displaying the set of television listings information in the operator showcase television listings screen on the user equipment.    
     
     
         21 . The method defined in  claim 20  wherein the service provider selects the format for the operator showcase television listings screen, the method further comprising the steps of: 
 providing the format selected by the service provider to the user equipment without intervention by the user; and  
 displaying the set of television listings information in the operator showcase television listings screen according to the format provided to the user equipment.  
 
     
     
         22 . The method defined in  claim 20  wherein the service provider selects the title for the operator showcase television listings screen, the method further comprising the steps of: 
 providing the title selected by the service provider to the user equipment without intervention by the user; and  
 displaying the set of television listings information in the operator showcase television listings screen with the title provided to the user equipment.  
 
     
     
         23 . The method defined in  claim 20  wherein the service provider selects a logo for the operator showcase television listings screen, the method further comprising the steps of: 
 providing the logo selected by the service provider to the user equipment without intervention by the user; and  
 displaying the set of television listings information in the operator showcase television listings screen with the logo provided to the user equipment.  
 
     
     
         24 . The method defined in  claim 20  further comprising the step of generating and displaying multiple operator showcase television listings screens.  
     
     
         25 . The method defined in  claim 20  further comprising the step of displaying an operator showcase menu containing a plurality of television display screen options each associated with a respective operator showcase television listings screen.  
     
     
         26 . The method defined in  claim 20  further comprising the step of displaying a promotional video barker in the operator showcase television listings screen.  
     
     
         27 . The method defined in  claim 20  further comprising the step of simultaneously displaying the set of television listings information and a promotional video barker in the operator showcase television listings screen.  
     
     
         28 . The method defined in  claim 20  further comprising the step of displaying a plurality of operator showcase television listings screens, each of which contains television listings information, a title, a logo, and a promotional video barker.  
     
     
         29 . The method defined in  claim 20  further comprising the step of providing the user with an opportunity to select an item in the displayed set of television listings information.  
     
     
         30 . The method defined in  claim 20  further comprising the steps of: 
 providing the user with an opportunity to highlight a selected item in the displayed set of television listings information; and  
 providing the user with an opportunity to display additional information on the selected item.  
 
     
     
         31 . The method defined in  claim 20  further comprising the steps of: 
 providing the user with an opportunity to highlight a selected item in the displayed set of television listings information; and  
 providing the user with an opportunity to purchases the selected item.  
 
     
     
         32 . The method defined in  claim 20  wherein one of the content criteria is pay programing.  
     
     
         33 . The method defined in  claim 20  wherein one of the content criteria is packages.  
     
     
         34 . The method defined in  claim 20  wherein one of the content criteria is channels.  
     
     
         35 . The method defined in  claim 20  wherein one of the content criteria is programs.  
     
     
         36 . The method defined in  claim 20  wherein one of the content criteria is sports programming.  
     
     
         37 . The method defined in  claim 20  wherein the service provider selects the format for the operator showcase television listings screen, the method further comprising the steps of: 
 providing the format selected by the service provider to the user equipment without intervention by the user; and  
 displaying the set of television listings information in the operator showcase television listings screen according to the format provided to the user equipment, wherein the format includes a time-ordered program list.  
 
     
     
         38 . The method defined in  claim 20  wherein the service provider selects the format for the operator showcase television listings screen, the method further comprising the steps of: 
 providing the format selected by the service provider to the user equipment without intervention by the user; and  
 displaying the set of television listings information in the operator showcase television listings screen according to the format provided to the user equipment, wherein the format includes an alphabetically-ordered program list.