Claims
- 1. A method for formulating a program guide screen, the method comprising steps of:
receiving program description information; receiving promotional data, wherein the promotional data comprises one or more of the following:
a video clip, a video clip with audio accompaniment, an audio clip, an animation, an animation with audio accompaniment, a still image with audio accompaniment, a still image, a plurality of still images, and a plurality of still images with audio accompaniment; associating a predetermined program with the promotional data and program description information; and formulating the program guide screen using the promotional data and the program description information.
- 2. The method for formulating the program guide screen as recited in claim 1, wherein the promotional data is visual content or visual and auditory content different from the predetermined program.
- 3. The method for formulating the program guide screen as recited in claim 1, wherein the promotional data is chosen from a group consisting of: a video clip and a video clip with audio accompaniment.
- 4. The method for formulating the program guide screen as recited in claim 1, wherein the promotional data plays when selected.
- 5. The method for formulating the program guide screen as recited in claim 1, wherein one of the promotional data and program description information is transported with the predetermined program.
- 6. The method for formulating the program guide screen as recited in claim 1, wherein the promotional data is embedded in the predetermined program.
- 7. The method for formulating the program guide screen as recited in claim 1, wherein the program description includes two or more of: a title, a description, a program length, a start time for programs in the linear schedule, an actor, a content advisory rating, and a reviewers rating.
- 8. The method for formulating the program guide screen as recited in claim 1, further comprising a step of receiving one of second promotional data and second program description information wherein one of the of second promotional data and second program description information is associated with the predetermined program.
- 9. The method for formulating the program guide screen as recited in claim 8, wherein the promotional data and the program description information is presented to a user in a first program guide screen and the second promotional data and the second program description information is presented to the user in a second program guide screen.
- 10. The method for formulating the program guide screen as recited in claim 1, wherein the promotional data is stored away from a headend and a content provider.
- 11. The method for formulating the program guide screen as recited in claim 1, wherein the promotional data is stored at a user location.
- 12. The method for formulating the program guide screen as recited in claim 1, wherein the program guide screen includes promotional data for a plurality of programs.
- 13. The method for formulating the program guide screen as recited in claim 1, wherein:
the promotional data is visual content or visual and auditory content, and the promotional data is different from a segment of the predetermined program.
- 14. The method for formulating the program guide screen as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the promotional data and the program description information is sent with the predetermined program.
- 15. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a computer-implementable method for formulating the program guide screen of claim 1.
- 16. A method for formulating a program guide screen, the method comprising steps of:
receiving program description information for a predetermined program at a user location; receiving promotional data for the predetermined program at the user location, wherein:
the promotional data is visual content or visual and auditory content, and the promotional data is different from a segment of the predetermined program; storing the promotional data at the user location; storing the program description at the user location; and formulating the program guide screen using the promotional data and the program description information.
- 17. The method for formulating the program guide screen as recited in claim 16, further comprising a step of associating a predetermined program with the promotional data and program description information.
- 18. The method for formulating the program guide screen as recited in claim 16, wherein the promotional data comprises one or more of the following:
a video clip, a video clip with audio accompaniment, an audio clip, an animation, an animation with audio accompaniment, a still image with audio accompaniment, a still image, a plurality of still images, and a plurality of still images with audio accompaniment.
- 19. The method for formulating the program guide screen as recited in claim 16, wherein at least one of the promotional data and the program description information is sent with the predetermined program.
- 20. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a computer-implementable method for formulating the program guide screen of claim 16.
- 21. A method for formulating a program guide screen, the method comprising steps of:
receiving program description information for the predetermined program; receiving promotional data for a predetermined program, wherein:
the promotional data is visual content or visual and auditory content, and the promotional data is different from a segment of the predetermined program; receiving the predetermined program, wherein at least one of the promotional data and the program description information is sent with the predetermined program; storing the promotional data; storing the program description; storing the predetermined program; and formulating the program guide screen using the promotional data and the program description information.
- 22. The method for formulating the program guide screen as recited in claim 17, wherein the promotional data comprises one or more of the following:
a video clip, a video clip with audio accompaniment, an audio clip, an animation, an animation with audio accompaniment, a still image with audio accompaniment, a still image, a plurality of still images, and a plurality of still images with audio accompaniment.
- 23. The method for formulating the program guide screen as recited in claim 17, wherein the receiving and storing steps are performed proximate to the user location.
- 24. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a computer-implementable method for formulating the program guide screen of claim 17.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
02106593.4 |
Feb 2002 |
CN |
|
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a non-provisional of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/285,817 filed on Apr. 23, 2001 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. ______ filed on Mar. 29, 2002 (temporarily referenced by Attorney Docket No. 19281-002300US), which are both incorporated herein by reference. Further, this application claims foreign priority to Chinese Application No. 02106593.4 filed on Feb. 28, 2002. This application is filed on the same day as the following related applications with U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ filed on Apr. 22, 2002 (temporarily referenced by Attorney Docket No. 19281-001720US) and U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ filed on Apr. 22, 2002 (temporarily referenced by Attorney Docket No. 19281-001810US), both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Provisional Applications (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60285817 |
Apr 2001 |
US |
|
60368646 |
Mar 2002 |
US |