Three Dimensional Light Electronic Programming Guide

Abstract

A method and apparatus of displaying an Electronic Programming Guide (EPG). In one embodiment, an EPG is displayed in a three dimensional virtual mesh, in which independent objects representing television programs are situated. The simplified nature of the three dimensional EPG reduces the amount of processing necessary to display it. In addition, the virtual mesh may be displayed isometrically, so that hardware requirements are further reduced and it may be possible to use a software only three dimensional graphics pipeline. If a user has a set top box (STB) with a hardware accelerated graphics pipeline, the EPG may be displayed in a full three dimensional perspective view. A user can navigate the mesh to find television programs that they wish to view. A user can assign values to types of television programs that they prefer, and these programs will be displayed more prominently.

1 . A method comprising:
 generating, by an apparatus, an electronic programming guide (EPG) having a three-dimensional appearance, wherein the three-dimensional appearance includes a plurality of planes;   displaying a first object on a first plane of the plurality of planes and a second object on a second plane of the plurality of planes; and   generating a supplemental information area.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the EPG includes generating a three dimensional virtual mesh polyhedron including the plurality of planes. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said EPG is generated without use of three dimensional graphics circuitry. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional appearance includes the first plane overlapping the second plane and wherein the first plane is semi-transparent. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second objects are independent of the plurality of planes. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first object represents a television program on a channel at a specified time. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first plane is a different shape than the second plane. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the EPG further comprises three axes. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein said axes correspond to time, channel, and user preference. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said planes are parallel. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first plane corresponds to a first level of user preference and the second plane corresponds to a second level of user preference different from the first level of user preference. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second objects comprises a pictogram. 
   
   
       13 . One or more computer readable media storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause an apparatus to:
 generate an electronic programming guide (EPG) having a three-dimensional appearance, wherein the three-dimensional appearance includes a plurality of planes;   display a first object on a first plane of the plurality of planes and a second object on a second plane of the plurality of planes; and   generate a supplemental information area.   
   
   
       14 . The one or more computer readable media of  claim 13 , wherein selection of one of said objects causes a program provided on a channel at a specified time to be selected. 
   
   
       15 . The one or more computer readable media of  claim 13 , wherein said objects are independent of said plurality of planes. 
   
   
       16 . The one or more computer readable media of  claim 13 , wherein said first object represents a television program on a channel at a specified time. 
   
   
       17 . The one or more computer readable media of  claim 13 , wherein the first plane and the second plane correspond to different levels of viewing preference. 
   
   
       18 . An apparatus comprising:
 a processor; and   memory configured to store computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:
 generate an electronic programming guide (EPG) having a three-dimensional appearance, wherein the three-dimensional appearance includes a plurality of planes; 
 display a first object on a first plane of the plurality of planes and a second object on a second plane of the plurality of planes; and 
 generate a supplemental information area. 
   
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the first plane and the second plane correspond to different levels of viewing preference. 
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the first plane overlays the second plane in the EPG.