Method and system for displaying advertisements in an electronic program guide

Abstract

A system and method for displaying an electronic program schedule guide is provided. The system has areas for displaying program schedule information. In addition, the system also has areas that may be used for advertising programs, products or services. In another embodiment, the system has areas for displaying messages to the user.

1 - 43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . A method for simultaneously displaying banner advertisements with a program guide, comprising:
 displaying a plurality of schedule information items in a program information region of a display, the display having a first horizontal width;   selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements, the advertisement having a second horizontal width;   simultaneously displaying the selected advertisement vertically adjacent to the program information region, wherein the first horizontal width is substantially the same as the second horizontal width;   marking the displayed advertisement along the entire second horizontal width in response to a user selection; and   activating the displayed advertisement to invoke a function.   
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the displayed banner advertisement is interactive. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the displayed banner advertisement is independent of user's selection of the displayed plurality of schedule information items. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the displayed banner advertisement has substantially the same horizontal width of each of the displayed plurality of schedule information items. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the displayed banner advertisement has substantially the same vertical height of each of the displayed plurality of schedule information items. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the displayed banner advertisement has a vertical height substantially twice the vertical height of each of the displayed plurality of schedule information items. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the displayed banner advertisement includes one or more of text, graphics, and video. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the banner advertisement is displayed above the program information region. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the banner advertisement is displayed below the program information region. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the function is ordering one or more of an advertised product and an advertised service. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the function is scheduling an autotuning to a broadcast about an advertised product or service. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the function is scheduling a recording of a broadcast about an advertised product or service. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the function is tuning to a broadcast about an advertised product or service. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the advertisement is about a pay program. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the function is scheduling viewing of the pay program. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the function is displaying a billboard about an advertised product. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the function is displaying a screen of additional information about one or more of an advertised product, an advertised service, and an advertised program. 
     
     
         61 . A system for simultaneously displaying banner advertisements with a program guide, comprising:
 a display configured to:
 present a plurality of schedule information items in a program information region of the display, the display having a first horizontal width; and 
 select an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements, the advertisement having a second horizontal width; and 
   a processor configured to:
 simultaneously display the selected advertisement vertically adjacent to the program information region, wherein the first horizontal width is substantially the same as the second horizontal width; 
 mark the displayed advertisement along the entire second horizontal width in response to a user selection; and 
 activate the displayed advertisement to invoke a function. 
   
     
     
         62 . The system of  claim 61 , wherein the displayed banner advertisement is interactive. 
     
     
         63 . The system of  claim 61 , wherein the displayed banner advertisement is independent of user's selection of the displayed plurality of schedule information items. 
     
     
         64 . A method for simultaneously displaying banner advertisements with a program guide, comprising:
 displaying a plurality of schedule information items in a display, the schedule information items each having a horizontal width;   selecting an advertisement for display from a plurality of advertisements;   simultaneously displaying the selected advertisement vertically adjacent to the displayed plurality of schedule information items, wherein the selected advertisement has a horizontal width substantially the same as the horizontal width of at least one of the schedule information items;   in response to a user selection, marking the displayed advertisement along the entire horizontal width; and   activating the displayed advertisement to invoke a function.   
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein the displayed banner advertisement is adjacent to the program information region of the display. 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein the displayed banner advertisement is interactive. 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein the displayed banner advertisement is independent of user's selection of the displayed plurality of schedule information items. 
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein the displayed banner advertisement has substantially the same horizontal width of each of the displayed plurality of schedule information items. 
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein the displayed banner advertisement has substantially the same vertical height of each of the displayed plurality of schedule information items. 
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein the displayed banner advertisement has a vertical height substantially twice the vertical height of each of the displayed plurality of schedule information items. 
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein the displayed banner advertisement includes one or more of text, graphics, and video. 
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein the banner advertisement is displayed above the displayed plurality of schedule information. 
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein the banner advertisement is displayed below the displayed plurality of schedule information. 
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein the function is ordering one or more of an advertised product and an advertised service. 
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein the advertisement is about a pay program. 
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 75 , wherein the function is scheduling viewing of the pay program. 
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein the function is displaying a billboard about an advertised product. 
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 64 , wherein the function is displaying a screen of additional information about one or more of an advertised product, an advertised service, and an advertised program.