초록 ▼

Interactive program guide systems and related processes are provided which can automatically tune a television, or program a VCR, based on program selections made from program schedule information displayed on a television or other suitable video monitor. The interactive program guide is preferably

Interactive program guide systems and related processes are provided which can automatically tune a television, or program a VCR, based on program selections made from program schedule information displayed on a television or other suitable video monitor. The interactive program guide is preferably implemented using a microprocessor-controlled set-top box that is coupled to the viewer's television set. The set-top box receives program schedule information and software from a headend telecasting center. Preferably, program schedule information for the current day and at least six subsequent days is stored in a memory within the set-top box. The interactive program guide provides a display mode for allowing the viewer to apply a restrictive search selection criterion and a nonrestrictive sort attribute to the program schedule information.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] An interactive program guide system for displaying program schedule information on a display, the system comprising:a user input device for choosing a restrictive program selection criterion and a nonrestrictive program sort attribute; anda control unit for (a) performing

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] An interactive program guide system for displaying program schedule information on a display, the system comprising:a user input device for choosing a restrictive program selection criterion and a nonrestrictive program sort attribute; anda control unit for (a) performing a restrictive search operation on said program schedule information based on said restrictive program selection criterion chosen using said user input device, wherein said restrictive search operation produces a resulting list of said program schedule information that is arranged in a default sequence, and (b) performing a nonrestrictive sort operation on said resulting list of said program schedule information based on said nonrestrictive program sort attribute chosen using said user input device, wherein said nonrestrictive sort operation rearranges said resulting list of said program schedule information from said default sequence to a sequence indicated by said nonrestrictive program sort attribute without eliminating any of said program schedule information in said resulting list of said program schedule information.