Separate display surfaces for EPG and program content

摘要

Disclosure is directed to providing an electronic program guide to one or more viewers in manner that does not interfere with others' viewing of other program service content. In one embodiment, altered 3D output signals are used such that one frequency of the output signal contains an EPG data image and a second frequency of the 3D output signal contains visual content from the broadcast service transmission. In another embodiment, an EPG is periodically inserted into video stream during predetermined frames, which are then captured and held by a synchronized headset. In another embodiment, an EPG image is output through the projector onto a projection surface.

主权项

1. A method of displaying an electronic programming guide, comprising:
outputting a first signal from a receiver to a display device, the first signal including program service content for display on the display device; receiving a second signal at the receiver, the second signal including a command to display an electronic programming guide; and in response to receiving the second signal at the receiver, outputting a third signal and a fourth signal from the receiver, the third signal including program service content and the fourth signal including electronic programming guide data; wherein the third and the fourth signal cause the electronic programming guide and or the program service content to be visible on a first display surface and on a second display surface, wherein the first signal is a combination of a first signal component on a first frequency and second signal component on a second frequency, the first signal component and the second signal component together cause the display device to output an image that when viewed with a headset produces a three-dimensional image for the program service content; the third signal is transmitted on the first frequency and the fourth signal is transmitted on the second frequency, the third and the fourth signal are sent to the display device to produce an image that is viewed with the aid of a first headset containing the first display surface and a second headset containing the second display surface; receiving a fifth signal at the receiver, the fifth signal commanding either or both of the first and second headsets to display the electronic programming guide in either a first or a second manner; the first manner filtering out content from the third signal and passing content from the fourth signal to produce the electronic programming guide; and the second manner filtering out content from the fourth signal and passing content from the third signal to produce a two-dimensional image for the program service content, wherein, when the receiver outputs of the first signal as the three-dimensional image, the receiver sends a synchronization signal to both of the first and second headsets to cause both of the first and second headset to alternate between left and right lens opacity for allowing the viewers of both headsets to view the three-dimensional image, and wherein, when the receiver causes output of the fourth signal as the electronic programming guide and the third signal as the program service content, the receiver sends a synchronization signal to the first headset to cause both lenses thereof at the same time to alternate between opacity and clarity for viewing the electronic programming guide and sends a synchronization signal to the second headset to cause both lenses thereof at the same time to alternate between opacity and clarity for viewing the program service content, and wherein the display device is a three-dimensional television with two-signal capability, and wherein providing the electronic programming guide to the second headset and the programming service content to the first headset is performed concurrently with both the headsets being reduced from a three-dimensional mode to a two-dimensional mode such that both the electronic programming guide and the programming service content are viewed in two-dimensions during the time that the electronic programming guide is separately provided to the second headset.