Mosaic program guide

Abstract

Various implementations provide a block-based program guide screen. In one particular implementation, a request is received. The request is to present a program guide on a display. The program guide provides information about programs that are available on multiple channels. In response to receiving the request, a program guide screen is provided. At least a portion of the provided program guide screen is visually divided in both a horizontal direction and a vertical direction into multiple sections. The multiple sections each includes information about programs available on respective distinct channels. In another implementation, the program guide screen is generated and provided. In another implementation, a signal or signal structure includes a program guide screen section conveying the program guide screen.

1 . A method comprising:
 generating a program guide screen, at least a portion of which is visually divided in both a horizontal direction and a vertical direction into multiple sections, wherein each of the multiple sections includes information about programs available on respective distinct channels; and   providing a signal that conveys the program guide screen.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the multiple sections each include an indication of a current-program that is the program available at the current time on the channel, and an indication of a next-program that is the next program available after the current-program on the channel. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the multiple sections omit reference to programs beginning after the next-programs on the respective channels. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the multiple sections each further include an indication of a channel number, and an indication of a channel provider. 
     
     
         5 . The method of any of  claim 1  further comprising:
 generating a set of program guide screens, including the program guide screen, that collectively provide information about programs available on all available channels; and 
 providing one or more signals that convey the set of program guide screens. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the one or more signals are provided concurrently, allowing a video presentation system to receive the signals and to determine which of the set of program guide screens to present on a display device of the video presentation system. 
     
     
         7 . The method of any of  claim 5  wherein the multiple sections form rows and columns and a second of the program guide screens in the set of program guide screens gives an appearance of scrolling with respect to the program guide screen. 
     
     
         8 . The method of any of  claim 5  wherein the set of program guide screens includes a specific program guide screen that is configured to be the first program guide screen displayed by a video presentation system that requests program guide information in the form of a program guide screen and that receives the one or more signals, regardless of what channel the video presentation system was most recently displaying. 
     
     
         9 . The method of any of  claim 8  wherein the signal is provided to a video presentation system. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus configured to perform one or more of the methods of  claim 9 . 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the apparatus comprises:
 means for generating a program guide screen, at least a portion of which is visually divided in both a horizontal direction and a vertical direction into multiple sections, wherein each of the multiple sections includes information about programs available on respective distinct channels; and 
 means for providing a signal that conveys the program guide screen. 
 
     
     
         13 . A processor readable medium having stored thereon instructions for causing one or more processors to collectively perform one or more of the methods of  claim 9 . 
     
     
         14 . A signal comprising:
 a program guide screen section, conveying a program guide screen for which at least a portion is visually divided in both a horizontal direction and a vertical direction into multiple sections, wherein each of the multiple sections includes information about programs available on respective distinct channels.   
     
     
         15 . A signal structure comprising:
 a program guide screen section, conveying a program guide screen for which at least a portion is visually divided in both a horizontal direction and a vertical direction into multiple sections, wherein each of the multiple sections includes information about programs available on respective distinct channels.   
     
     
         16 . A processor readable medium having stored thereon a signal structure, the signal structure comprising:
 a program guide screen section, conveying a program guide screen for which at least a portion is visually divided in both a horizontal direction and a vertical direction into multiple sections, wherein each of the multiple sections includes information about programs available on respective distinct channels.