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`with opportunities to access program guide data without
`having to navigate the Internet, if desired. As shown
`in FIGS. 2a and 2b,
`interactive program guide
`television equipment 17 may include television
`distribution facility 16 and user television
`equipment 22.
`Television distribution facility 16 may have
`program guide distribution equipment 21 and program
`guide server 25. Distribution equipment 21 is”
`equipment suitable for providing program guide data
`;
`from program guide server 25 to user television
`equipment 22 over communications path 20. Distribution
`equipment 21 may include, for example, suitable
`transmission hardware for distributing program guide
`data on a television channel sideband,
`in the vertical
`blanking interval of a television channel, using an in-
`band digital signal, using an out-of-band digital
`signal, over a dedicated computer network or Internet
`link, or by any other data transmission technique
`suitable for the type of communications path 20.
`Analog or digital video signals (e.g.,
`television
`programs) may also be distributed by distribution
`equipment 21 to user television equipment 22 over
`communications paths 20 on multiple analog or digital
`television channels. Alternatively, videos may be
`,
`distributed to user television equipment 22 from some
`other suitable distribution facility, such as a cable
`system headend, a broadcast distribution facility, a
`satellite television distribution facility, or any
`other suitable type of television distribution
`
`facility.
`
`Communications paths 20 may be any
`communications paths suitable for distributing program
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`guide data. Communications paths 20 may include, for
`example, a satellite link, a telephone network link, a
`cable or fiber optic link, a microwave link, an
`Internet link, a data-over-cable service interface
`specification (DOCSIS)
`link, a combination of such
`links, or any other suitable communications link.
`Communications paths 20 preferably have sufficient
`bandwidth to allow television distribution facility 16
`or another distribution facility to distribute
`television programming to user television equipment 22.
`There are typically multiple pieces of user television
`equipment 22 and multiple associated communications
`paths 20, although only one piece of user television
`equipment 22 and communications path 20 are shown in
`FIGS. 2a and 2b to avoid over-complicating the
`drawings.
`If desired,
`television programming and
`program guide data may be provided over separate
`communications paths.
`Program guide server 25 may be based on any
`suitable combination of server software and hardware.
`Program guide server 25 may retrieve program guide data
`or video files from storage device 56 in response to
`program guide data or vided requests generated by an
`interactive television program guide client implemented
`on user television equipment 22. As shown in FIGS. 2a
`and 2b, program guide server 25 may include processing
`circuitry 54 and storage device 56. Processing
`circuitry 54 may include any suitable processor, such
`as a microprocessor or group of microprocessors, and
`other processing circuitry such as caching circuitry,
`video decoding circuitry, direct memory access (DMA)
`circuitry,
`input/output
`(1/0) circuitry, etc.
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`Storage device 56 may be a memory or other
`storage device, such as random access memory (RAM),
`flash memory, a hard disk drive, etc.,
`that is suitable
`for storing the program guide data transmitted to
`television distribution facility 16 by main facility
`12. User data, such as user preference profiles,
`preferences, parental control settings,
`record and
`reminder settings, viewing histories, and other
`suitable data may also be stored on storage device 56
`by programguide server 25.
`Program guide data and
`user data may be stored on storage device 56 in any
`suitable format (e.g., a Structured Query Language
`(SQL) database).
`If desired, storage 56 may also store
`video files for playing back on demand.
`Processing circuitry 54 may process requests
`for program guide data by searching the program guide
`data stored on storage device 56 for the requested
`data, retrieving the data, and providing the retrieved
`data to distribution equipment 21 for distribution to
`user television equipment 22. Processing circuitry 54
`may also process storage requests generated by the
`program guide client that direct program guide
`server 25 to store user data. Alternatively, program
`guide server 25 may distribute program guide data to
`and receive user data from user television equipment 22
`directly.
`If communications paths 20 include an
`Internet link, DOCSIS link, or other high speed
`computer network link (e.g., 10BaseT, 100BaseT,
`10BaseF, T1, T3, etc.),
`for example, processing
`circuitry 54 may include circuitry suitable for
`transmitting program guide and user data and receiving
`program guide data and storage requests over such a
`link.
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`Program guide server 25 may communicate with
`
`user television equipment 22 using any suitable
`communications protocol.
`For example, program guide
`server 25 may use a communications protocol stack that
`
`(TCP) and
`includes transmission control protocol
`Internet protocol
`(IP)
`layers, sequenced packet
`exchange (SPX) and internetwork packet exchange (IPX)
`layers, Appletalk transaction protocol
`(ATP) and
`datagram delivery protocol
`(DDP)
`layers, DOCSIS, or any
`
`other suitable protocol or combination of protocols.
`User television equipment 22 may also include suitable
`hardware for communicating with program guide server 25
`over communications paths 20 (e.g., Ethernet cards,
`modems (digital, analog, or cable), etc.)
`
`The program guide client on user television
`
`equipment 22 may retrieve program guide data from and
`
`store user data on program guide server 25 using any
`
`suitable client-server based approach.
`
`The program
`
`guide may,
`for example, pass SQL requests as messages
`to program guide server 25.
`In another suitable
`approach,
`the program guide may invoke remote
`procedures that reside on program guide server 25 using
`one or more remote procedure calls.
`Program guide
`
`server 25 may execute SOL statements for such invoked
`
`In still another suitable approach,
`remote procedures...
`client objects executed by the program guide may
`communicate with server objects executed by program
`guide server 25 using,
`for example, an object request
`broker
`(ORB). This may involve using,
`for example,
`
`Microsoft's Distributed Component Object Model
`
`{DCOM)
`
`approach. As used herein, "record requests" and
`
`"storage requests" are intended to encompass any of
`
`these types of inter-process or inter-object
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`communications, or any other suitable type of inter-
`process or inter-object communication.
`FIG. 2b shows an illustrative arrangement for
`
`interactive television program guide equipment 17 in
`
`which program guide server 25 obtains program guide
`data’'via the Internet.
`The program guide data obtained
`by program guide server 25 may be provided by main
`facility 12 or from some other source (e.g.,
`local
`information service 15) and made available on the
`
`Internet service system 61 may use any
`Internet.
`suitable combination of hardware and software capable
`
`of providing program guide data from the Internet to
`program guide server 25 using an Internet based
`approach (e.g., using the HyperText Transfer Protocol
`(HTTP), File Transfer Protocol
`(FTP), etc.).
`FIG. 2b
`
`shows Internet service system 61 as being encompassed
`by television distribution facility 16.
`If desired,
`Internet service system 61 may be located at a
`facility that is separate from television distribution
`facility 16.
`Internet service system 61 may,
`for
`example, be located at main facility 12 or at some
`other Internet node suitable for providing program
`guide data from the Internet to program guide server
`25.
`The functionality of Internet service system 61
`and program guide server 25 may be integrated into one
`
`system if desired.
`Another suitable arrangement for interactive
`television program guide equipment 17 is shown in FIG.
`2c. Interactive television program guide equipment 17
`may include,
`for example,
`television distribution
`facility 16 having program guide server 25 and Internet
`service system 61. A program guide client application
`may run on personal computer 23.
`The client may access
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`program guide server 25 via Internet service system 61
`and communications path 20.
`Personal computer 23 may
`include processing circuitry 27, memory 29, storage
`device 31, communications device 35, and monitor 39.
`
`Processing circuitry 27 may include any
`
`suitable processor, such as a microprocessor or group
`of microprocessors, and other processing circuitry such
`as caching circuitry, direct memory access (DMA)
`circuitry,
`input/output
`(1/0) circuitry, etc.
`
`Processing circuitry 27 may also include suitable
`
`circuitry for displaying television programming.
`Personal computer 23 may include, for example, a PC/TV
`card. Memory 29 may be any suitable memory, such as
`
`random access memory (RAM) or read only memory (ROM),
`
`that is suitable for storing the computer instructions
`
`and data. Storage device 31 may be any suitable
`
`storage device,
`
`such as a hard disk,
`
`floppy disk drive,
`
`flash RAM card,
`recordable CD-ROM drive, or any other
`suitable storage device. Communications device 35 may
`be any suitable communications device, such as a
`
`conventional analog modem or cable modem.
`An illustrative arrangement for user
`television equipment 22 of FIGS. 2a and 2b is shown in
`FIG. 3. User television equipment 22 of FIG.
`3
`
`receives analog video or a digital video stream and
`
`data, program guide data, or any suitable combination
`thereof,
`from television distribution facility 16 (FIG.
`1) at input 26. During normal television viewing, a
`
`user tunes set-top box 28 to a desired television
`
`channel.
`
`The signal for that television channel is
`
`then provided at video output 30.
`
`The signal supplied
`
`at output 30 is typically either a radio-frequency (RF)
`
`signal on a predefined channel (e.g., channel 3 or 4),
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`or a analog demodulated video signal, but may also be a
`digital signal provided to television 36 on an
`appropriate digital bus (e.g., a bus using the
`Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
`
`The video signal
`(not shown)).
`(IEEE) 1394 standard,
`at output 30 is received by optional secondary storage
`device 32.
`
`The interactive television program guide
`client may run on set~top box 28, on television 36 (if
`television 36 has suitable processing circuitry and
`memory), on a suitable analog or digital receiver
`connected to television 36, or on digital storage
`
`device 31 if digital storage device 31 has suitable
`processing circuitry and memory.
`The interactive
`television program guide client may also run
`cooperatively on a suitable combination of these
`devices.
`Interactive television application systems in
`which a cooperative interactive television program
`guide application runs on multiple devices are
`described,
`for example,
`in Ellis U.S. patent
`application Serial No. 09/186,598, filed November 5,
`1998, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein
`
`in its entirety.
`Secondary storage device 32 can be any
`
`suitable type of analog or digital program storage
`device or player (e.g.,
`a videocassette recorder, a
`digital versatile disc (DVD) player, etc.).
`Program
`recording and other features may be controlled by
`set-top box 28 using control path 34.
`If secondary
`storage device 32 is a videocassette recorder,
`for
`example, a typical control path 34 involves the use of
`an infrared transmitter coupled to the infrared
`
`receiver in the videocassette recorder that normally
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`accepts commands from a remote control such as remote
`
`control 40. Remote control 40 may be used to control
`
`set-top box 28, secondary storage device 32, and
`television 36.
`
`If desired, a user may record programs,
`
`program guide data, or a combination thereof in digital
`form on optional digital storage device 31. Digital
`
`storage device 31 may be a writeable optical storage
`
`device (such as a DVD player capable of handling
`
`- 10
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`recordable DVD discs), a magnetic storage device (such
`
`as a disk drive or digital tape), or any other digital
`
`storage device.
`
`Interactive television program guide
`
`systems that have digital storage devices are
`described,
`for example,
`in Hassell et al. U.S. patent
`
`application Serial No. 09/157,256, filed September 17,
`
`1998, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein
`
`in its entirety.
`
`Digital storage device 31 can be contained in
`
`set-top box 28 or it can be an external device
`
`connected to set-top box 28 via an output port and
`
`appropriate interface. Digital storage device 31 may,
`for example, be contained in local media server 29.
`If
`
`necessary, processing circuitry in set-top box 28
`formats the received video, audio and data signals into
`a digital file format. Preferably,
`the file format is
`an open file format such as the Moving Picture Experts
`
`Group (MPEG) MPEG-2 standard or the Moving Joint
`
`Photographic Experts Group (MJPEG) standard.
`
`The
`
`resulting data is streamed to digital storage device 31
`via an appropriate bus (e.g., a bus using the Institute
`Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1394
`standard), and is stored on digital storage device 31.
`In another suitable approach, an MPEG-2 data stream or
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`series of files may be received from distribution
`
`equipment 21 and stored.
`Television 36 receives video signals from
`
`secondary storage device 32 via communications path 38.
`The video signals on communications path 38 may either
`be generated by secondary storage device 32 when
`playing back a prerecorded storage medium (e.g., a
`videocassette or a recordable digital video disc), by
`
`digital storage device 31 when playing back a pre-
`recorded digital medium, may be passed through from
`set-top box 28, may be provided directly to television
`36 from set-top box 28 if secondary storage device 32
`is not included in user television equipment 22, or may
`, be received directly by television 36. During normal
`television viewing,
`the video signals provided to
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`television 36 correspond to the desired channel to
`which a user has tuned with set-top box 28. Video
`
`signals may also be provided to television 36 by set-
`top box 28 when set-top box 28 is used to play back
`information stored on digital storage device 31.
`
`Set-top box 28 may have communications
`
`device 37 for communicating with program guide server
`
`25 over communications path 20. Communications device
`37 may be a modem (e.g., any suitable analog or digital
`standard, cellular, or cable modem), network interface
`
`card (e.g., an Ethernet card, Token ring card, etc.), a
`combination of such devices, or any other suitable
`
`communications device. Television 36 may also have
`
`such a suitable communications device if desired.
`
`Set-top box 28 may have memory 44. Memory 44
`
`may be any memory or other storage device, such as a
`random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM),
`
`flash memory, a hard disk drive, a combination of such
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`devices, etc.,
`that is suitable for storing program
`guide client instructions and program guide data for
`use by the program guide client.
`A more generalized embodiment of user
`
`television equipment 22 of FIG. 3 is shown in FIG. 4.
`As shown in FIG. 4, program guide data from television
`distribution facility 16 (FIG. 1) and programming are
`received by control circuitry 42 of user television
`equipment 22.
`The functions of control circuitry 42
`may be provided using the set-top box arrangement of
`FIGS. 2a and 2b. Alternatively,
`these functions may be
`
`integrated into an advanced television receiver,
`personal computer television (PC/TV) such as shown in
`FIG. 2c, or any other suitable arrangement.
`If
`desired, a combination of such arrangements may be
`used.
`
`User television equipment 22 may also have
`
`secondary storage device 47 and digital storage device
`
`Secondary storage device
`49 for recording programming.
`47 can be any suitable type of analog or digital
`program storage device (e.g., a videocassette recorder,
`a digital versatile disc (DVD), etc.).
`Program
`recording and other features may be controlled by
`control circuitry 42. Digital storage device 49 may
`be, for example, a writeable optical storage device
`(such as a DVD player capable of handling recordable
`DVD discs), a magnetic storage device (such as a disk
`drive or digital tape), or any other digital storage
`device.
`
`User television equipment 22 may also have
`memory 63. Memory 63 may be any memory or other
`storage device, such as a random access memory (RAM),
`read only memory (ROM),
`flash memory,
`a hard disk
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`that is
`drive, a combination of such devices, etc.,
`suitable for storing program guide client instructions
`and program guide data for use by control circuitry 42.
`User television equipment 22 of FIG.
`4 may
`
`also have communications device 51 for supporting
`communications between the program guide client and
`program guide server 25 and via communications path-20.
`Communications device 51 may be a modem (e.g., any
`suitable analog or digital standard, cellular, or cable
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`modem), network interface card (e.g., an Ethernet card,
`Token ring card, etc.), a combination of such devices,
`‘or any other suitable communications device.
`A user controls the operation of user
`
`.
`
`television equipment 22 with user interface 46. User
`interface 46 may be a pointing device, wireless remote
`control, keyboard,
`touch-pad, voice recognition system,
`or any other suitable user input device.
`To watch
`television, a user instructs control circuitry 42 to
`
`display a desired television channel on display
`device 45.
`To access the functions of the program
`
`20
`
`guide, a user instructs the program guide implemented
`on interactive television program guide equipment 17 to
`generate a main menu or other desired program guide
`display screen for display on display device 45.
`If
`desired,
`the program guide client running on user
`television equipment 22 may provide users with access
`to program guide features without requiring them to
`navigate the Internet.
`/
`The program guide may provide users with an
`opportunity to access program guide features through a
`main menu.
`A main menu screen, such as illustrative
`
`main menu screen 100 of FIG. 5, may include menu 102 of
`
`selectable program guide features 106.
`
`If desired,
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`program guide features 106 may be organized according
`to feature type.
`In menu 102, for example, program
`guide features 106 have been organized into three
`columns.
`The column labeled "TV GUIDE" is for listings
`
`related features,
`the column labeled "MSO SHOWCASE" is
`for multiple system operator
`(MSO) related features,
`and the column labeled "VIEWER SERVICES" is for viewer
`
`related features.
`The interactive television program
`guide may generate a display screen for a particular
`program guide feature when a user selects that feature
`from menu 102.
`
`Main menu screen 100 may include one or more
`
`selectable advertisements 108. Selectable
`
`advertisements 108 may, for example,
`includetext and
`graphics advertising pay-per-view programs or other
`programs or products. When a user selects a selectable
`advertisement 108,
`the program guide may display
`information (e.g., pay-per-view information) or take
`other actions related to the content of the
`
`advertisement.
`
`Pure text advertisements may be
`
`presented, if desired, as illustrated by selectable
`advertisement banner 110.
`
`Main menu screen 100 may also include other
`screen elements.
`The brand of the program guide
`product may be indicated,
`for example, using a product
`brand logo graphic such as product brand logo
`graphic 112.
`The identity of the television service
`provider may be presented, for example, using a service
`provider logo graphic such as service provider logo
`graphic 114.
`The current time may be displayed in
`clock display region 116.
`In addition, a suitable
`indicator such as indicator graphic 118 may be used to
`
`indicate to a user that mail
`
`from a cable operator is
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`waiting for a user if the program guide supports
`
`_ messaging functions.
`The interactive television program guide may
`
`provide a user with an opportunity to view television
`program listings.
`A user may indicate a desire to view
`program listings by, for example, positioning highlight
`region 120 over a desired program guide feature 106.
`Alternatively,
`the program guide may present program
`listings when a user presses a suitable key (e.g., a
`"guide" key) on remote control 40. When a user
`indicates a desire to view television program listings,
`the program guide client requests listings from program
`‘guide server 25 and generates an appropriate program
`listings screen for display on display device 45
`(FIG. 4).
`Program listings screens may be overlaid on
`a program being viewed by a-user or overlaid on a
`portion of the program in a "browse" mode.
`Program
`listings screens are described, for example,
`in Knudson
`et al. U.S. patent application Serial No. 09/357,941,
`filed July 16, 1999 (Attorney Docket No. UV-114), which
`is hereby. incorporated by reference herein in its
`
`entirety.
`
`A program listings screen may contain one or
`more groups or lists of program listings organized
`according to one or more organization criteria (e.g.,
`by time, by channel, by program category, etc.).
`The
`program guide may, for example, provide a user with an
`opportunity to view listings by time, by channel,
`according to a number of categories (e.g., movies,
`sports, children, etc.), or may allow a user to search
`for a listing by title.
`Program listings may be
`displayed using any suitable list,
`table, grid, or
`other suitable display arrangement.
`If desired,
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`program listings screens may include selectable
`advertisements, product brand logo graphics, service
`provider brand graphics, clocks, or any other suitable
`indicator or graphic.
`A user may indicate a desire to view program
`listings by time, channel, or category by, for example,
`selecting a selectable feature 106 from menu 102.
`In
`response,
`the program guide client may issue one or
`more requests to program guide server 25 for listings
`in the selected category if such listings are not
`already cached in memory 63 (FIG. 4}.
`Program guide
`server 25 may retrieve program guide data stored on
`storage device 56, on another server, or from Internet
`service system 61, and provide the data to the program
`guide client via program guide distribution
`equipment 21.
`The program guide client may display program
`listings in a suitable program listings screen on user
`television equipment 22.
`FIG.
`6 illustrates the
`display of program listings by time.
`Program listings
`screen 130 of FIG.
`6 may include highlight region 151,
`which highlights the current program listing 150. A
`user may position highlight region 151 by entering
`appropriate commands with user interface 46.
`For
`example, if user interface 46 has a keypad, a user can
`position highlight region 151 using "up" and "down"
`arrow keys on remote control 40. A user may select a
`listing by, for example, pressing on the "OK" or "info"
`key on remote control 40. Alternatively, a touch
`sensitive screen,
`trackball, voice recognition device,
`or other suitable device may be used to move highlight
`region 151 or to select program listings without the
`use of highlight region 151.
`In still another
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`approach, a user may speak a television program listing
`into a voice request recognition system.
`These methods
`of selecting program listings are merely illustrative.
`Any other suitable approach for selecting program
`listings may be used if desired.
`A user may view additional listings for the
`time slot indicated in timebar 111 by, for example,
`pressing an "up" or "down" arrow, or a "page up" or
`"page down" key on remote control 40.
`The user may
`also see listings for the next 24 hour period, or the
`last 24 hour period, by pressing a "day forward" or
`"day backward" key on remote control 40, respectively.
`If there are no listings starting exactly 24 hours in
`the indicated direction,
`the program guide may pick
`programs starting at either closer or further than 24
`hours away.
`If desired,
`the program guide may require
`a user to scroll through advertisement banner 110.
`A
`user may view program listings for other time slots by,
`for example, pressing "right" and "left" arrows on
`remote control 40.
`
`_
`
`FIG.
`7 illustrates the display of program
`listings by channel. A user may scroll up and down to
`view program listings for additional time slots, and
`may scroll left and right to view program listings for
`other channels.
`If desired,
`the day for which program
`listings are displayed may be included in display
`area 147 with the channel number as shown.
`The program guide may provide users with an
`opportunity to view program listings sorted by
`category. A user may,
`for example, press a special
`category key on remote control 40 (e.g., "movies",
`"sports", "children", etc.), select a selectable
`category feature from main menu screen 100 (FIG. 5}, or
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`may indicate a desire to view program listings by
`category using any other suitable approach.
`FIG. 8a is
`an illustrative program listings screen in which
`program listings for movies are displayed.
`FIG. 8b is
`an illustrative program listings screen in which
`program listings for sports-related programming are
`displayed.
`FIG. 8c is an illustrative program listings
`screen in which program listings for children's
`programs are displayed.
`In program listings display screens such as
`those shown in FIGS. 7a and 8a-8c for example, program
`listings within lists 129 may be divided into
`predefined time slots, such as into 30 minute time
`slots. Between each time slot, separator 128 may be
`displayed to indicate to a user that a user has
`scrolled or paged program listings from one time slot
`to the next.
`In FIG. 7 for example, a user is
`scrolling from program listings in the 11:30 PM to the
`12:00 AM time slot. This is indicated by the display of
`the name of the next week day.
`In FIGS. 8a-8c, for
`example, a user is scrolling from progran listings in
`the 12:30 PM time slot to program listings in the 1:00
`PM time slot.
`If desired, separators 128 may be
`displayed only for those timeslots for which there are
`listings. When the user scrolls within listings,
`highlight region 151 may skip separator 128.
`FIGS. 6,
`7, and 8a-8c also illustrate how the program guide may
`display an advertisement banner so that a user is
`required to scroll past the banner to access additional
`program listings.
`The program listings screens of FIGS. 6, 7,
`8a, &b, and 8c have also been shown as including
`various other screen elements.
`Program listings
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`for example, selectable
`display screens may include,
`advertisements, advertisement: banners, brand logos,
`
`,
`
`service provider logos, clocks, message indicators, or
`any other suitable screen element.
`The program guide
`may provide users with access to selectable
`advertisements in response to, for example, a user
`pressing left arrows to move highlight region 151 to
`highlight a selectable advertisement.
`In the
`illustrative program listings screens of FIGS. 6, 8a,
`8b, and 8c,
`the program guide may also adjust the time ~
`displayed in timebar 123 as the user scrolls or pages
`through program listings to reflect the time of the
`program listing at the top of the list.
`The program guide client may provide a user
`with an opportunity to define sophisticated boolean or
`natural language expressions of one or more criteria.
`Such criteria may include,
`for example, attribute type
`and attribute information that is provided by program
`guide server 25.
`The user defined expressions may be
`stored by program guide server 25 for searching through
`and sorting program guide data, scheduling reminders,
`automatically recording programs, and parentally
`controlling programs. Criteria may also be derived by
`the program guide server or program guide client from
`user profiles or by monitoring usage of the program
`guide or advertising.
`Program guide server 25 may also
`use expressions to obtain other types of information or
`programs.
`Program guide server 25 may obtain,
`for
`example, video-on-demand programs, web site links,
`games, chat group links, merchandise information, or
`any other suitable information or programming from data
`sources 14 located at main facility 12 or other
`facilities.
`The program guide client may provide users
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`with an opportunity to access, modify, or delete the
`
`expressions if desired.
`A user may indicate a desire to search
`program guide data by,
`for example, selecting
`selectable Search feature 106 of main menu 102 (FIG.
`
`the program guide client may display
`In response,
`5).
`a criteria screen, such as illustrative criteria screen
`
`141 and 149 of FIGS. 9a and 9b.
`
`The program guide
`
`client may display criteria screen 141 of FIG. 9a to
`
`provide a user with an opportunity to define a boolean
`
`expression.
`
`The user may construct a boolean
`
`expression by selecting criteria such as attribute
`
`logical operators, and sorting
`types, attributes,
`criteria. User selectable criteria may aliso include
`what program guide server 25 searches for such as,
`for
`exanple, program listings, program information, web
`
`sites, video-on-demand videos, software, or any other
`
`suitable program guide data, other information, or
`videos.
`:
`.
`
`Users may define expressions by,
`
`for example,
`
`arrowing up or down between criteria, arrowing left or
`right to choose an attribute, attribute type or logical
`
`operator, and pressing a suitable key to indicate that
`the user is finished (e.g., an "OK" key).
`In the
`example of FIG. 9a,
`the user has constructed a boolean
`
`expression for all action programs that have the actor
`Bruce Willis,
`that start between 7:00P and 11:00P, and
`
`that end between 9:00P and 1:30A on the current day.
`
`FIG. 9a has not been shown as including criteria for
`
`selecting what program guide server 25 searches for to
`
`avoid over-complicating the drawing.
`
`The program guide client may display criteria
`
`screen 149 of FIG. 9b to provide a user with an
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`language expression.
`opportunity to construct a natural
`The user may enter a natural language phrase, such as
`"List in alphabetical order all action programs
`starring Bruce Willis and that start today between
`7:00P and 11:00P and that end between 9:00P and 1:30A"
`using user interface 46 (FIG. 4).
`The program guide client may submit the user
`defined boolean expression or the natural l