Improved electronic television program guide schedule system and method

Abstract

An electronic program schedule system which includes a receiver for receiving broadcast, satellite or cablecast television programs for a plurality of television channels and a tuner for tuning a television receiver to a selected one of the plurality of channels. A data processor receives and stores in a memory television program schedule information for a plurality of television programs to appear on the plurality of television channels. A user control apparatus, such as a remote controller, is utilized by a viewer to choose user control commands and transmit signals in response to the data processor which receives the signals in response to user control commands. A television receiver is used to display the television programs and television program schedule information. A video display generator receives video control commands from the data processor and program schedule information from the memory and displays a portion of the program schedule information in overlaying relationship with a television program appearing on a television channel in at least one mode of operation of the television programming guide. The data processor controls the video display generator with video control commands, issued in response to the user control commands, to display program schedule information for any chosen one of the plurality of television programs in overlaying relationship with at least one television program then appearing on any chosen one of the plurality of channels on the television receiver.

1 - 64 . (canceled) 
     
     
         65 . A system for displaying a program, the system comprising:
 a processor adapted to:
 receive a user input selecting one of a plurality of placement positions in which to position an overlay on a display screen; 
 cause a program to be displayed on the display screen; 
 cause the overlay to be generated for display on the display screen; and 
 cause the overlay to be displayed in the placement position previously selected by the user simultaneously with the program on the display screen. 
   
     
     
         66 . The system of  claim 65  wherein the overlay obscures a portion of the program corresponding to the user selected placement position. 
     
     
         67 . The system of  claim 65  wherein the overlay includes program information retrieved from a memory and wherein the displayed program information is interactive. 
     
     
         68 . The system of  claim 65  wherein the processor is adapted to display a setup screen, wherein the user input selecting the placement position is received using the setup screen, and wherein the setup screen is displayed before the program and the overlay are displayed. 
     
     
         69 . The system of  claim 65  wherein the placement position of the overlay is selected based on an operating mode of the system. 
     
     
         70 . The system of  claim 65  wherein a first of the plurality of placement positions is selected for a first operating mode of the system and a different second of the plurality of placement positions is selected for a second operating mode of the system. 
     
     
         71 . The system of  claim 65  wherein the selection of the one of the plurality of placement positions is received before the program is displayed. 
     
     
         72 . The system of  claim 65  wherein the program is a television program. 
     
     
         73 . The system of  claim 65  wherein the overlay is a locally generated graphic. 
     
     
         74 . A method for displaying a program, the method comprising:
 receiving, with control circuitry, a user selection of one of a plurality of placement positions in which to position an overlay on a display screen;   displaying a program on the display screen;   generating, with the control circuitry, the overlay for display on the display screen; and   displaying simultaneously with the program on the display screen the overlay in the placement position previously selected by the user.   
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 74  wherein the overlay obscures a portion of the program corresponding to the user selected placement position. 
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 74  further comprising:
 retrieving program information from a memory; and 
 displaying the retrieved program information in the overlay, wherein the displayed program information is interactive. 
 
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 74  further comprising displaying a setup screen, wherein the user input selecting the placement position is received using the setup screen, and wherein the setup screen is displayed before the program and the overlay are displayed. 
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 74  wherein the placement position of the overlay is selected based on an operating mode of the guide. 
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 74  wherein a first of the plurality of placement positions is selected for a first operating mode of the guide and a different second of the plurality of placement positions is selected for a second operating mode of the guide. 
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 74  wherein the program is a television program. 
     
     
         81 . The method of  claim 74  wherein the overlay is a locally generated graphic. 
     
     
         82 . A method for displaying a program, the method comprising:
 receiving, with control circuitry, a user selection of a placement position in which to position an overlay on a display screen;   displaying a program on the display screen;   locally generating, with the control circuitry, a graphic for display on the display screen; and   displaying simultaneously with the program on the display screen the locally generated graphic in the placement position previously selected by the user.