Combination of recorded program index and epg

Abstract

A television system has a television viewing mode and a guide mode. The guide mode includes an electronic program guide (EPG), which provides the viewer program information for tuned programs, and a tape index guide (TIG), which provides information for programs recorded on a video cassette. In both guides, real time images of a program are displayed in a PIP window on the television screen and guide information is displayed in the background. In both guides, the viewer may switch between a currently telecast program or a recorded program. The viewer may access either guide from the television mode and vice versa. In the guide mode, the viewer may independently switch the guide information and the type of program, i.e., tuned or recorded, in the PIP window.

1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A method of navigating listings, the method comprising:
 providing, for simultaneous display:
 a video of a broadcast program; 
 a directory of user-selectable program listings of recorded programs while the video is displayed, the recorded programs available for playback by a user; 
   receiving a user selection of one of the listings of the user-selectable recorded programs in the directory of recorded programs; and   in response to receiving the user selection, displaying a description of the selected recorded program while continuing to display the video of the broadcast program.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising displaying a program listing for the broadcast program simultaneously with displaying the description of the selected recorded program. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the video is at least one of an entire broadcast program and a clip of a broadcast program. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising, in response to receiving the user selection, highlighting the selected listing of the recorded program on the display. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising: enabling a user to use up and down arrow keys on a user input device to navigate amongst the listings of the user-selectable recorded programs. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 receiving a user input; and   in response to receiving the user input, displaying a full-screen video of the broadcast program.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 receiving a further user input; and   in response to receiving the further user input, displaying a full-screen video of the selected recorded program.   
     
     
         21 . A system for navigating listings, the system comprising:
 a receiver device configured to receive user selection signals; and   a control unit responsive to the received user selection signals and configured to:
 cause a video of a broadcast program to be simultaneously displayed on a display with a directory of user-selectable program listings of recorded programs, the recorded programs available for playback by a user; 
 receive a user selection of at least one of the user-selectable recorded programs in the directory of recorded programs; and 
 respond to a received user selection of one of the listings of the user-selectable recorded programs in the directory of recorded programs to cause the display of a description of the selected recorded program while the video of the broadcast program continues to be displayed. 
   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , the control unit further configured to:
 cause the display of a program listing for the broadcast program simultaneously with the display of the description of the selected recorded program.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the video is at least one of an entire broadcast program and a clip of a broadcast program. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , the control unit further configured to:
 respond to the received user selection by causing a highlight of the selected program listing of the recorded program on the display.   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , the receiver device configured to receive up and down arrow key signals from a user, and the control unit further configured to:
 respond to the up and down arrow key signals to cause the navigation among the listings of the user-selectable recorded programs.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , the control unit further configured to: respond to a second received user selection signal to cause the display of a full-screen video of the broadcast program. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 21 , the control unit further configured to:
 respond to a second received user selection signal to cause the display of a full-screen video of the selected recorded program.