Television schedule system

Abstract

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. With the cursor ( 32 ), the entire cell ( 26 ) is 3-D highlighted, using a conventional offset shadow ( 34 ). The offset shadow ( 34 ) is a black bar that underlines the entire cell and wraps around the right edge of the cell. To tag the underlying position—which defines where the cursor ( 32 ) is and thus, where it will move next—portions ( 36 ) of the black bar outside the current underlying position are segmented, while the current position is painted solid.

1 . A system for controlling a television tuner comprising: 
 an on-screen television scheduling system separate from the television tuner configured to generate a display of television schedule information including listings of television programs in a guide format and receive a user selection of a displayed television program listing as a first channel selection command unrecognizable by the television tuner;    means coupled to the on-screen television scheduling system for converting the first channel selection command to a second channel selection command recognizable by the television tuner; and    a control signal means for transmitting the second channel selection command to the television tuner for causing the tuner to tune to the selected television program.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the on-screen television scheduling system resides in a recording means.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the television tuner resides in a cable decoder.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a memory storing a conversion code for converting the first channel selection command to the second channel selection command.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the on-screen television scheduling system is configured to receive a desired activation time for the selected television program.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the control signal means transmits the second channel selection command at the activation time.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5  further comprising means for supplying recording commands to a recording means at the activation time.  
     
     
         8 . A method for controlling a television tuner comprising: 
 invoking an on-screen television scheduling system separate from the television tuner to generate a display of television schedule information including listings of television programs in a guide format and receive a user selection of a displayed television program listing as a first channel selection command;    converting the first channel selection command to a second channel selection command recognizable by the television tuner;    transmitting the second channel selection command to the television tuner; and    tuning to the selected television program.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the on-screen television scheduling system resides in a recording means.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the television tuner resides in a cable decoder.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising storing a conversion code for converting the first channel s election command to the second channel selection command.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising receiving a desired activation time for the selected television program.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising transmitting the second channel selection command at the activation time.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising supplying recording commands to a recording means at the activation time.