IMPROVED ELECTRONIC TELEVISION PROGRAM SCHEDULE GUIDE SYSTEMAND METHOD

摘要

An electronic program schedule system which includes a receiver for receivi ng 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 schedu le information for a plurality of television programs to appear on the pluralit y of television channels. A user control apparatus such as a remote controller, is utilized by a viewer to choose user control commands and transit 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 an d program schedule information from the memory and displays a portion of the program schedule information in overlaying relationship with a television program appearing o n a television channel in at least one mode of operation of the television programming guid e. The data processor controls the video display generator with video control commands, issued in response to the user control commands, to display program schedule informati on for anychosen one of the plurality of television programs in overlaying rela tionship with at least one television program then appearing on any chosen one of the plurality of channels on the television receiver.