Interactive program guide navigator menu system

Abstract

An interactive program guide system is provided. The program guide system has a logically flat navigator menu structure made up of program guide categories and selectable program guide options. Program guide categories correspond to fairly broad groups of program guide features. Selectable program guide options correspond to more specific program guide features. Each program guide category has associated selectable program guide options. Program guide categories may be displayed in a row across the top of the display screen. Selectable program guide options may be displayed in the same column as the program guide category with which they are associated. A highlight region may be positioned on one of the selectable program guide options. The selectable program guide options may be scrolled using a pair of vertical cursors. Pressing a horizontal cursor while the highlight region is on one of the selectable program guide options causes a new program guide category and associated column of selectable program guide options to be displayed in place of the originally displayed program guide category and associated selectable program guide options.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method for providing an interactive program guide, comprising:
 simultaneously displaying a line of program guide categories and a single line of program guide options associated with a given one of the displayed program guide categories perpendicular to the line of program guide categories in a first region of a display screen;   highlighting a program guide option from a plurality of program guide options displayed in the perpendicular line of program guide options;   displaying content related to the highlighted program guide option in a second region of the screen; and   displaying content related to the program guide category corresponding to the highlighted program guide option in a third region of the screen.