MXPA00006656A - Method and interface for linking terms in an electronic message to program information - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and interface for linking terms in an electronic message to program information in an electronic program guide (EPG), are provided. The method comprises the steps of receiving an electronic message, comparing terms in the electronic message to terms in the program information of the EPG, and displaying the electronic message so that any terms in the electronic message which have a match in the program information based on the step of comparing terms, are distinguishable from terms which have no such match. The electronic message interface comprises a receiver, a comparison unit, and a display device. The receiver is adapted to receive an electronic message. The comparison unit is associated with the receiver and is adaptedto compare terms in the electronic message to terms in the program information of the EPG. The display device is connected at least indirectly to the comparison unit and is adapted to display the electronic message so that any terms in the electronic message which have a match in the program information based on the comparison of terms, are distinguishable from terms which have no such match.

Description

METHOD AND INTERFACE TO LINK TERMS IN AN ELECTRONIC MESSAGE TO PROGRAM INFORMATION FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to a method and interface for linking terms in an electronic message to program information.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Electronic devices such as televisions and personal computers (PC) require a control system that includes a user interface system. Typically, a user interface provides information to a user and simplifies the use of the device. An example of a user interface is an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) on a television system. An electronic program guide is an interactive, on-screen feature that visually displays information analogous to the listings on a television list found in local newspapers or other print media. In addition, an electronic program guide also includes the information needed to collate and decode programs. An electronic program guide provides information about each program within the time frames covered by the electronic program guide, which generally fluctuates from the next hour up to seven days. The information contained in an electronic program guide includes programming features such as channel number, program title, start time, termination time, remaining time, classification (if available), topic, topic, and a brief description of the program. content of the program. Electronic program guides are usually configured in a two-dimensional grid or table format with the time information on one axis and the channel information on the other axis. Unlike the non-interactive guides that reside in a dedicated channel and that simply scroll through the current programming in the other channels, usually showing only the programs that start in the next 2 to 3 hours, the electronic program guides will they allow viewers to select any channel at any time during any period in the future, for example, up to seven days in advance. Additional features of the electronic program guide include the ability to highlight the individual grid cells that contain the program information. Once highlighted, the viewer can perform functions that have to do with that selected program. For example, the viewer could instantly change that program if it is currently on the air. Viewers could also schedule a video cartridge recording (VCR) or similar if the television is properly configured and connected to a recording device. These electronic program guides are known in the art and are described, for example, in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,353,121; 5,479,268; and 5,479,266, issued to Young et al. and assigned to StarSight Telecast, Inc. Further, U.S. Patent Number 5,515,106, issued to Chaney, et al, and assigned to the same attorney of the present invention, discloses in detail an exemplary embodiment including the data packet structure necessary to implement an exemplary program guide system. The exemplary data packet structure is designed so that both the channel information (eg, channel name, identification letters of the transmitting station, channel number, type, etc.), as well as the description information can be transmitted. of the program (for example, title, classification, badge, etc.) that are related to a program, from a database distributor of the program guide, to a receiving device of the subscriber, in an efficient manner. User interfaces such as electronic program guides can be applied to analog and digital television systems and other electronic devices, such as personal computers. As electronic devices have become more and more complex with a multitude of features, the need for a robust and easy-to-use user interface becomes even more important. For example, now separate electronic systems that have respective interfaces are being combined to control the characteristics of each system, in a single system that requires a single user interface. A specific example is the so-called PCTV, which includes both personal computer and television features. The user interface system for this device must provide clear communication of related information from both the computer and the television and provide easy control of the related characteristics of both the computer and the television. Typically, however, computer-related programs and operations are implemented independently of television programs and operations. For example, when the user selects to compose, read and / or send an electronic message such as an electronic message or an electronic file, this is done independently of any tuning, recording, and / or repeated reproduction of audio, video, or television programs. Similarly, audio, video, or television programming, tuning, recording and / or repeated reproduction, is done independently of any information contained in electronic messages. While the television programming information can be manually typed within an electronic message, the sender is required to manually insert within the electronic message, sufficient tuning information to facilitate the recipient receiving the subject program. Then the receiver should really read the program information and tune his television, audio recording device, receiver and / or audio recorder, or similar in the program relevant to the implementation of the program. The term "implementation" includes, for example, displaying visually, audibly transmitting, reproducing, and the like. If he. receiver wrongly transcribes or forgets information in the electronic message, the wrong program can be implemented. Likewise, if the sender of the electronic message incorrectly reads a part of the programming information when typing this information into the electronic message (for example, incorrect time, wrong channel number, etc.) or if the sender commits a typing error, then the receiver can implement the wrong program or can try to implement the program at the wrong time. This can be especially problematic if the receiver tries to implement the program after it has been aired. The sender may also inadvertently leave out an important part of the programming information, such as the time of transmission, the channel, and so on. The potential for errors and poor communication when sending and receiving programming information, however, is not the only problem associated with these conventional techniques. Another problem lies in the lack of convenience. It is inconvenient for the sender to manually type the programming information within the electronic message. It is also inconvenient for the sender to read the entire compilation of the programming information and then manually implement the subject program. Notably, reading this information could interrupt the receiver's concentration on the subject matter of the writing. In this regard, when the programming information is not concise, it tends to distract the reader. Consequently, there is a need for a quick and convenient way to implement a program, which is referenced in an electronic messaging service, such as email, without having to read, memorize, or transcribe in a manual way all the programming information needed to implement the program.

COMPENDIUM OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes at least one of the problems mentioned above, and / or the needs mentioned above by providing a convenient way to electronically link the programming information from an interactive interface of a audio, video or audiovisual device with the contents of an electronic message, such as an email message. The present invention provides a convenient way to implement a program that is identified in an electronic message, without having to memorize, manually transcribe, or otherwise review all of the requisite programming information. The present invention also provides a convenient way to electronically link the programming information with the contents of an electronic message. Therefore, a method for linking terms in an electronic message to program information in an electronic program guide (EPG) comprises the steps of receiving an electronic message, comparing the terms in the electronic message with the terms in the program information of the electronic program guide, and visually display the electronic message so that any terms in the electronic message that have a correspondence in the program information, based on the step of comparison of terms, can be distinguished from the terms that do not have that correspondence. Also, an interface of the electronic message that is adapted to link the terms in an electronic message to program the information in an electronic program guide (EPG) comprises a receiver, a comparison unit, and a visual display service. The receiver is adapted to receive an electronic message. The comparison unit is associated with the receiver and is adapted to compare the terms in the electronic message with the terms in the program information of the electronic program guide. The visual display device is connected at least indirectly to the comparison unit and is adapted to visually display the electronic message, so that any of the terms in the electronic message having a correspondence in the program information, based on in the comparison of terms, they can be distinguished from terms that do not have that correspondence.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings: Figure 1 shows an example of a television system suitable for processing electronic messages, generating an electronic program guide, and electronically linking the program information with the contents of an electronic message, in accordance with the present invention. Figure 2 shows an example of a digital video processing apparatus suitable for processing electronic messages, generating an electronic program guide, and electronically linking the program information with the contents of an electronic message, in accordance with the present invention. . Figure 3 is a flow chart of a method for electronically linking the program information with the contents of an electronic message, in accordance with a preferred implementation of the present invention. Figure 4 shows a visual display of the electronic message, in accordance with a preferred implementation of the present invention. Figure 5 shows an exemplary menu of the electronic program guide, in accordance with a preferred implementation of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Figure 1 shows an example of a television system suitable for processing program guide information and electronic messages, as well as for electronically linking messages to program information and programming information with electronic messages, in accordance with the present invention. The television receiver shown in Figure 1 can process both NTSC television signals, as information from the Internet. The system shown in Figure 1 has a first input 1100 for receiving the RF-IN signal from television at the RF frequencies and a second input 1102 for receiving the television signal VIDEO IN (VIDEO IN) from the baseband. The RF_IN signal can be supplied from a source such as an antenna or cable system, while the VIDEO IN signal can be supplied, for example, by a video cartridge recorder (VCR). The tuner 1105 and the IF 1130 processor operate in a conventional manner to tune and demodulate a particular television signal that is included in the RF_IN signal. The IF 1130 processor produces the VIDEO signal of the baseband video signal representing the portion of the video program of the tuned television signal. The IF 1130 processor produces a baseband audio signal that is coupled to an audio processing section. Although Figure 1 shows the input 1102 as a baseband signal, the television receiver could include a second tuner and an IF processor similar to the units 1105 and 1130 to produce a second baseband video signal from either the RF_IF signal or from a second RF signal source. The system shown in Figure 1 also includes a main microprocessor (mP) 1110 for controlling the components of the television receiver such as the tuner 1105, the image-in-picture processing unit 1140, video signal processor 1155 , and the StarSight * 1160 data processing module. As used herein, the term "microprocessor" represents different devices including, but not limited to, microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers and controllers. The microprocessor 1110 controls the system by means of sending and receiving the two commands and the data by means of the I2C BUS serial data bus, which uses the well-known I2C serial data bus protocol. More specifically, the central processing unit (CPU) 1112 within mP 1110 executes the control programs that are contained within the memory, such as the EEPROM 1127 shown in Figure 1, in response to commands provided by a user, for example, by means of the IR remote control 1125 and the IR receiver 1122. For example, the activation of a "CHANNEL UP" feature on the remote control 1125 , causes the CPU 1112 to send a "change channel" command along with the channel data to the tuner 1105 via the I2C BUS. As a result, the tuner 1105 tunes to the next channel in the channel scan list. Other examples of control programs that are stored in the EEPROM 1127 are the software to implement the operations shown in Figure 3, in accordance with the present invention as will be described later. The main microprocessor 1110 also controls the operation of a communications interface unit 1113 to provide the ability to upload and download the information to and from the Internet. The communication interface unit 1113 includes, for example, a modem for connecting to an Internet service provider, for example, by means of a telephone line or by means of a cable television line. The communication capability allows the system shown in Figure 1 to provide electronic message capability and features related to the Internet, such as Web browsing in addition to the recovery of television programming. The CPU 1112 controls the functions that are included within the mP 110 by means of the busbar 1119 within the mP 1110. In particular, the CPU 1112 controls the auxiliary data processor 1115 and the display visualization processor (OSD, for example). its initials in English) 1117. The auxiliary data processor 1115 extracts auxiliary data such as StarSight * data from the video PIPV signal. The StarSight * data that provides the information of the program guide data in a known format, it is typically received only on a particular television channel and the television receiver must tune that channel to extract the StarSight * data. To prevent the extraction of StarSight * data from interfering with the normal use of the television receiver, the CPU 1112 initiates the extraction of the StarSight * data by means of tuning the particular channel only for a period of time when the receiver television is not usually in use (for example, 2:00 AM). At that time, the CPU 1112 configures the decoder 1115 so that the auxiliary data is extracted from the horizontal line intervals, such as line 16, which are used for the StarSight * data. The CPU 1112 controls the transfer of the StarSight * data from the decoder 1115 via the I2C BUS to the StarSight * module. A processor internal to the module formats and stores the data in the memory inside the module. In response to the activation of the visual display of the StarSight * electronic program guide (for example, a user who is activating a particular key on the remote control 1125), the CPU 1112 transfers the data from the visual display of the program guide StarSight electronics * that was formatted, from the StarSight * 1160 module via I2C BUS to the OSD processor 1117. The OSD processor 1117 operates in a conventional manner to produce the video OSD_RGB signals R, G, and B which, when coupled to a visual display device, will produce a visually displayed image representing the visual display on the screen, such as graphics and / or text comprising an electronic program guide. The OSD processor 1117 also produces the control signal FSW which is intended to control a fast switching to insert the OSD_RGB signals into the output signal at the moments when a visual display is to be visually displayed. For example, when a user enables an electronic program guide, for example, by activating a particular switch on the remote control 1125, the CPU 1112 enables the processor 1117. In response, the processor 1117 produces the 0SD_RGB signals representing the data information from the program guide that was previously extracted and that is already stored in memory, as discussed above. The processor 1117 also produces the FSW signal which indicates when an electronic program guide is to be displayed visually. The video signal processor (VSP) 1155 performs the functions of conventional video signal processing, such as luma processing and color intensity. The output signals produced by the video signal processor 1155 are suitable for coupling with a visual display device, eg, a kinescope or LCD device (not shown in Figure 1), to produce a visually displayed image. The video signal processor 1155 also includes a fast switch for coupling the signals produced by the OSD 1117 processor to the output video signal path at the time that the graphics and / or text have to be included in the video signal. the image that was displayed visually. The fast switch is controlled by the control signal FSW which generates the OSD processor 1117 in the main microprocessor 1110 at the time when the text and / or graphics have to be displayed visually. The input signal for the video signal processor 1155 is the PIPV signal which is output by the image-in-picture processor (PIP) 1140. When a user activates the PIP mode, the PIPV signal represents a large image (large pixel) into which a small image (small pixel) is inserted. When the PIP mode is inactive, the PIPV signal represents only the large pixel, that is, no small pixel signal is included in the PIVP signal. The PIP processor 1140 provides the functionality described in a conventional manner, using the features included in the unit 1140, such as a video switch, the analog-to-digital converter (7ADC), the RAM and the digital to analog converter (DAC, for its acronym in English). For a visual display of the electronic program guide, the visually displayed data that is included in the visual display of the electronic program guide is produced by the OSD 1117 processor and is included in the output signal by the signal processor of video 1155, in response to the fast signal from the FSW switch. When the controller 1110 detects the activation of the visual display of the electronic program guide, for example, when a user presses an appropriate key on the remote control 1125, the controller 1110 causes the OSD processor 1117 to produce the visual display of the guide. electronic programs using information such as the program guide data from the StarSight * 1160 module. The controller 1110 causes the video signal processor 1155 to combine the visual display data of the electronic program guide of the OSD 1117 processor and the video image signal, in response to the FSW signal, to produce a visual display that includes the electronic program guide. The electronic program guide may occupy all or only a portion of the visual display area. When the visual display of the electronic program guide is active, the controller 1110 executes a control program that is stored in the EEPROM 1127. The control program monitors the location of a position indicator, such as a cursor and / or highlighting , in the visual display of the electronic program guide. A user controls the location of the deposition indicator using the direction and selection keys of the remote control 1125. Alternatively, the system could include a mouse device. The controller 1110 detects the activation of a selection device, such as when a mouse button is pressed, and evaluates the current location information of the cursor in conjunction with the electronic program guide data that is being displayed visually, to determine the desired function, for example, to tune into a particular program. The controller 1110 subsequently triggers the control action associated with the feature that was selected. The processing and visual display of a program guide according to the present invention can be implemented using a combination of software and hardware. For example, with reference to Figure 1, the visual display of an electronic program guide can be implemented by software in memory such as EEPROM 1127. The activation of an electronic program guide, for example, by a user who Pressing a button related to the electronic program guide on the remote control 1125 causes the CPU 1112 to execute the software routine of the electronic program guide. As part of the generation of a visual display of the electronic program guide, the CPU 1112 also gains access to the data and graphics from the electronic program guide that could be stored in the StarSight 1160 module via the I2C busbar. Under the control of the software routine of the electronic program guide stored in the EEPROM 1127, the CPU 112 enables the OSD processor 1117 which formats the data of the electronic program guide in a suitable manner to produce an OSD that represents the data and the graphics of the electronic program guide. The OSD data produced by the OSD processor 1117 is coupled to the video signal processor (VSP) 1155 by means of the OSD_RGB signal lines. A fast switch on the video signal processor 1155 couples the EPG_OSD data to the output of the video signal processor 1155 under the control of the signal FSW. That is, the software routine that the CPU 1112 is running determines when the electronic program guide data should be displayed visually (for example, what portion of the visual display) and adjusts the FSW signal in the appropriate state to cause the the quick switch connects the data of the electronic program guide with the output. An exemplary embodiment of the system features shown in Figure 1 that have been described so far, comprises an ST9296 microprocessor produced by SGS-Thomson Microelectronics, to provide the features associated with the mP 1110; an image-in-picture processor M65616 produced by Mitsubishi, to provide the basic PIP functionality which was described in association with the PIP 1140 processor; and a video signal processor LA7612 produced by Sanyo, to provide the functions of video signal processor 1155. Figure 2 shows another example of an electronic system suitable for processing program guide information and electronic messages, as well as as to electronically link the content of an electronic message to program the information. As described below, the system shown in Figure 2 is a compatible MPEG system for receiving MPEG encoded transport streams representing the transmission programs and can also process information from the Internet, which includes electronic messaging such as email. The system shown in Figure 2 is only exemplary. The user interface systems can also be applied to other types of digital signal processing devices, including systems not compatible with MPEG, that encompass other types of encoded data streams. For example, other devices include digital video disc systems (DVD) and MPEG program streams, and systems that combine computer and television functions, such as so-called "PCTV". In addition, although the system described below is described as processing transmission programs, it is exemplary only. The term "program" is used to represent any form of packaged data such as telephone messages, computer programs, Internet data, audio presentations (for example, from a remote source or from a local source), visual presentations, presentations audiovisuals (for example, from a remote source or from a local source), or other communications, for example. In a general view, in the video receiver system of Figure 2, an antenna 10 receives a carrier modulated with the video data and processed by the input processor unit 15. The resulting digital output signal is demodulated by the demodulator 20 and decoded by the decoder 30. The output of the decoder 30 is processed by the transport system 25 which is responsive to commands from the remote control unit 125. The system 25 provides compressed data outputs for storage, additional decoding. , or communications to other devices. The video and audio decoders 85 and 80 respectively, decode the compressed data of the system 25 to provide outputs for visual display. The data port 75 provides an interface for communicating the compressed data of the system 25 to other devices, such as a computer or a High Definition Television (HDTV) receiver, for example. The storage device 90 stores the compressed data of the system 25 in the storage medium 105. The device 90, in a reproduction mode, also aids in the recovery of the compressed data from the storage medium 105, to be processed by the system 25. for decoding, communication with other devices or storage in a different storage medium (not shown to simplify the drawing). Considering Figure 2 in detail, a carrier modulated with the video data that was received by the antenna 10, is converted to the digital form and processed by the input processor 15. The processor 15 includes the radio frequency (RF) , tuner mixer and intermediate frequency (IF) and amplification stages to convert downward the input video signal to a lower frequency band suitable for further processing. The digital output signal is demodulated by the demodulator 20 and decoded by the decoder 30. The output of the decoder 30 is further processed by the transport system 25. The multiplexer (mux) 37 of the service detector 33 is provided, by means of of the selector 35, either with the output of the decoder 30, or with the output of the decoder 30 further processed by the demodulator unit 40. The demodulator unit 40 may be, for example, a removable unit such as a compliance smart card with ISO 7816 and the NRSS (National Renewable Safety Standards), the standards of the Committee (the removable conditional access system of the NRSS is defined in the Preliminary Document IS-679, Project PN-3639). The selector 35 detects the presence of an insertable, compatible, demodulator card and provides the output of the unit 40 to the multiplexer 37, only if the card is actually inserted in the video receiving unit. Otherwise, the selector 35 provides output from the decoder 30 to the multiplexer 37. The presence of the insertable card allows the unit 40 to demodulate additional premium program channels, for example, and provide additional program services for a viewer. It should be noted that, in the preferred embodiment, the NRSS unit 40 and the smart card unit 130 (the smart card unit 130 is discussed below), share the same system interface 25 so that only an NRSS card or smart card can be inserted. at the same time. However, the interfaces can also be separated to allow parallel operation. The data that is provided to the multiplexer 37 from the selector 25 is in the form of a packet transport data stream that complies with the MPEG, as defined in the 2.4 standards section of the MPEG systems and includes the information of the program guide and the data contained in one or more channels of the program. The individual packages that comprise the channels of particular programs are identified by the Package Identifiers (PIDs). The transport flow contains the Program Specific Information (PSI) for use in the identification of the PIDs and which assembles the individual data packets to recover the content of all the program channels that comprise the flow of data in packages. The transport system 25, under the control of the system controller 115, acquires and collates the information of the program guide from the input transport stream, the storage device 90 or an Internet service provider, by means of the communication interface unit 116. Individual packages that comprise either the content of the particular program channel, or the information in the Program Guide, are identified by their Package Identifiers (PIDs) contained within the header information. As discussed above, the description of the program may comprise different descriptive fields of the program such as title, badge, classification, etc., in relation to the program. The user interface that is incorporated into the video receiver shown in Figure 2 enables the user to activate different features by selecting a desired feature from the On-Screen Display (OSD) menu. The OSD menu may include an electronic program guide (EPG) as described above and other features that will be discussed later. The data representing the information that was displayed visually in the OSD menu is generated by the system controller 115, in response to the information of the stored program guide, the stored graphics information, and / or the guide information and the graphics of the program that was received by means of the input signal (for example, the StarSight data) as described above. The software control program can be stored, for example, in the embedded memory (not shown) of the system controller 115. Using the remote control unit 125 (or other selection element, such as a mouse), a user You can select from the OSD menu items such as the program to be viewed, a program to be stored, the type of storage medium and the storage way. The system controller 115 uses the selection information, which was provided by means of an interface of the remote unit 120, to configure the system 25 to select the programs to store and display visually and to generate the program-specific information suitable for the program. device and storage element selected. The controller 115 configures the elements 45, 47, 50, 55, 65 and 95 of the system 25 by means of establishing the control register values within these elements, by means of a data bus and by means of selecting the trajectories of the signal by means of the multiplexers 37 and 110 with the control signal C. In response to the control signal C, the multiplexer 37 selects either, the flow of transport from the unit 25, or in a reproduction mode, a data stream that is retrieved from the storage device 90 via the storage interface 95. In normal, the non-reproduction operation, they are identified the data packets comprising the program that the user selected to view, via their PIDs via the selection unit 45. If an encryption indicator in the header data of the selected program packages indicates that the packets are in code, the unit 45 provides the packets to the decryption unit 50. Otherwise, the unit 45 provides non-encrypted packets to the transport decoder 55. Similarly, the data packets comprising the programs that the user selected for storage, are they identify through their PIDs through the selection unit 47. The unit 47 provides the encrypted packets to the decryption unit 50 or s packets not encrypted to multiplexer 110, based on the information of the encryption indicator of the packet header. The functions of decryptors 40 and 50 can be implemented in a single removable smart card, which is compatible with the NRSS standard. This approach places all security-related functions in a removable unit that can be easily replaced if a service provider decides to change the encryption technique or to allow the security system to be changed in a simple manner, for example, to Dedesmodulate a different service. The units 45 and 47 employ the PID detection filters that correspond to the input packets provided by the multiplexer 37 with the PID values previously loaded in the control registers within the units 45 and 47 by the controller 115. The PIDs which were previously loaded are used in units 45 and 47 to identify the data packets to be stored and the data packets to be decoded for use when a video image is provided. The PIDs that were previously loaded are stored in the search table in units 45 and 47. The search tables of the PIDs are assigned by memory to the encryption key tables in units 45 and 47 that associate the encryption keys with each PID that was previously loaded. The PID assigned by memory and the encryption key search tables allow the units 45 and 47 to match the encrypted packets containing a PID that was previously loaded with the associated encryption keys, which allow their decryption. Unencrypted packets do not have associated encryption keys. The units 45 and 47 provide both the identified packets and the encryption keys to the decryptor 50. The PID lookup table in unit 45 is also allocated by memory to a destination table that matches the packets containing the PIDs that are pre-loaded, with the locations of the corresponding destination buffer zone in the packet buffer zone 60. The corresponding encryption keys and location addresses of the target buffer zone associated with the programs that selected a user to view or store, they are previously loaded in units 45 and 47 together with the PIDs assigned by controller 115. Encryption keys are generated by the smart card system that complies with ISO 7816-3 based on the codes of encryption that were extracted from the input data stream. The generation of the encryption keys is subject to the client's accreditation, which is determined by the information encoded in the input data flow and / or previously stored in the insertable smart card itself (the ISO 7816-3 document of the International Organization of Standards defines the structures of the interface and the signal for a smart card system). The packages that provide units 45 and 47 to unit 50, are encrypted using an encryption technique such as the Data Encryption Standard (DES) defined in Publications 46, 74 and 81 of the Federal Information Standards (FIPS), which provide the Service of National Technical Information, Department of Commerce. The unit 50 decrypts the encrypted packets using the corresponding encryption keys provided by the units 45 and 47, by means of applying the appropriate decryption techniques for the selected encryption algorithm. The decoder 55 provides the decrypted packets of the unit 50 and the unencrypted packets of the unit 45 that comprise the program for visual display. The decrypted packets of the unit 50 and the unencrypted packets of the unit 45 comprising the program for storage are provided to the multiplexer 110. The unit 60 contains four packet buffer zones available via the controller 115. One of the buffer areas are allocated to hold the data that is intended for use by the controller 115 and the other three buffer zones are allocated to hold the packets that are intended for use by the application devices 75, 80 and 85 The access to the packets that are stored in the four buffers within the unit 60 both by means of the controller 115, and of the application interface 70, is controlled by the control unit of the buffer zone 65. unit 45 provides a destination flag to unit 65 for each packet that identified unit 45 for decoding. The flags indicate the individual destination locations of the unit 60 for the packets that were identified and stored by the control unit 65 in an internal memory table. The control unit 65 determines a series of read and write pointers associated with the packets that are stored in the buffer zone 60, based on the First-In-First-Out (FIFO) principle. . The write pointers, in conjunction with the destination flags, allow sequential storage of a packet identified from units 45 or 50 in the next empty location within the appropriate target buffer in unit 60. The pointers of readings allow the sequential reading of the packets from the appropriate destination buffers of the unit 60, via the controller 115 and the application interface 70. The unencrypted and decrypted packets that the units 45 and 50 provide to the decoder 55, they contain a transport header, as defined by section 2.4.3.2 of the standard MPEG systems. The decoder 55 determines, from the transport header, whether the unencrypted and decrypted packets contain an adaptation field or not (by standard of the MPEG systems). The adaptation field contains the synchronization information that includes, for example, Program Clock References (PCRs) that allow the synchronization and decoding of the contained packages. After the detection of a synchronization information packet, that is, a packet containing an adaptation packet, the decoder 55 gives the signal to the controller 115, by means of an interruption mechanism by setting a system interruption. , that the package has been received. In addition, the decoder 55 changes the destination flag of the synchronization packet in the unit 65, and provides the packet to the unit 60. By changing the target flag of the unit 65, the unit 65 diverts the packet of information synchronization provided by the decoder 55, to the location of the buffer zone of the unit 60 that was assigned to hold the data for use by the controller 115, instead of a location of the application buffer zone.

After receiving the interruption of the system that established the decoder 55, the controller 115 reads the synchronization information and the PCR value and stores it in an internal memory. The controller 115 uses the PCR values of the successive synchronization information packets to set the master clock of the system 25 (27 MHz). The difference between calculations based on the clock reference of the program and those based on the master clock of the time interval between receipt of the successive synchronization packets, which the controller 115 generated, is used to adjust the clock system master 25. Controller 15 accomplishes this by applying the derivative time calculation difference to adjust the input control voltage of a voltage controlled oscillator that is used to generate the master clock. The controller 115 restores the system interruption after storing the synchronization information in the internal memory. The packets received by the decoder 55 from the units 45 and 50 containing the content of the program including the audio, video, subtitles, and other information, are routed via the unit 65 from the decoder 55 to the buffer areas of the designated application device in the packet buffer zone 60. The application control unit 70 sequentially retrieves the audio, video, subtitles and other data from the buffer areas designated in the buffer area 60 and provides the data to the corresponding application devices 75, 80 and 85. The application devices comprise the audio and video decoders 80 and 85 and the high-speed data port 75. For example, the packet data corresponding to a composite program guide that was generated by the controller 115 as described above is they can be transported to the video decoder 85 to be formatted into the appropriate video signal for visual display on a monitor (not shown) that is connected to the video decoder 85. Also, for example, the data port 75 can be used for provide high-speed data such as computer programs, for example, to a computer. Alternatively, port 75 can be used to output the data to an HDTV decoder to visually display the images corresponding to a program or guide of selected programs, for example. The unit 45 recognizes the packets containing the PSI information as if they were intended for the buffer zone of the controller 115 in the unit 60. The unit 45 directs the program-specific information packets to this buffer area by means of the units 45, 50 and 55, in a manner similar to that described for packages containing the content of the program. The controller 115 reads the program-specific information from the unit 60 and stores it in the internal memory. The controller 115 also generates the condensed program-specific information (CPSI) from the specific information of the stored program and incorporates the CPSI into a packet data stream suitable for storage in a selectable storage medium. . The controller 115 directs the identification and address of the packet, in conjunction with the unit 45 and the unit 47, the encryption key destination and search tables and the control unit 65 operate in the manner previously described. In addition, the controller 115 is coupled to a communications interface unit 116 that operates in a manner similar to the interface unit 1113 in FIG. 1. That is, the unit 116 provides the capability to upload and download information to and from the Internet . The communication interface unit 116 includes, for example, a modem for connecting to an Internet service provider., for example, by means of a telephone line or by means of a cable television line. The communication capability allows the system shown in Figure 2, provides the electronic message capability and features related to the Internet, such as surfing the web, in addition to receiving television programming. Figure 3 is a flow chart of an exemplary program which, according to the present invention, can be executed by the controller 1110 of Figure 1, the controller 115 of Figure 2, or any other configured control configuration of properly, from an electronic guest device. The term "electronic guest device" as used herein, is not imitated to television receivers or personal computers, but rather encompasses their hybrids (eg, PCTVs), converter boxes cable television, adequately equipped audio-video recorders (eg, video tape recorders), satellite television and / or data signal converters, program guide receiver units, and the like, regardless of whether or not incorporate inside a television receiver or a personal computer or if they are connected externally to them. It will be appreciated that the exemplary program can be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination thereof. The exemplary program, when executed, facilitates the electronic link of the contents of an electronic message with the information of the program, and also facilitates the implementation of the programs associated with the program information that coincide with the contents of the electronic message, in accordance with the present invention. A person skilled in the art will readily recognize from the flow chart and by the following description, that the exemplary program, when executed by any of the systems illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 or by any other electronic guest device suitable that has been appropriately programmed, will substantially provide the same features and advantages in accordance with the present invention. Therefore, to avoid redundancy, the exemplary program will be described below only with respect to the implementation of the exemplary hardware of the electronic guest device shown in Figure 1. In Figure 1, the microprocessor 1110 is connected to the EEPROM 1127. The exemplary program can be stored in the EEPROM 1127 for execution by the microprocessor 1110. An objective of the exemplary program is to electronically link the program information in an electronic program guide (EPG) (for example, the StarSight *) and / or an extended program guide, to the contents of an incoming electronic message or that has been received. In this way, the advantages associated with linking the program information to the terms in an electronic message can be achieved, in accordance with the present invention, without requiring the sender of the electronic message to have a corresponding host device or capabilities. of program guide.

In accordance with the exemplary program, the controller 1110 initially performs the SI step of receiving an electronic message (for example, by means of the communication interface 1113). The incoming electronic message is preferably processed and stored in a substantially conventional manner. Then, the controller 1110 performs step S2 of comparing the terms in the electronic message with the terms in the program information of the electronic program guide. The program information of the electronic program guide may include, for example, a program start time, a program end time, a program duration, a channel through which the program is transmitted, characteristic information and combinations of the same. Examples of the characteristic information include the title of the program, the theme of the program, the category of the program, the keywords of the program, a description of the program, the type of program (for example, audio, video, audiovisual, computer, Internet , and the like), and the repetition frequency of the program (for example, once a week, daily, etc.). Although the program information is preferably extracted for comparison from the StarSight Module 1160, where it is stored, it is understood that the present invention is not limited in this respect. On the contrary, the program information can be extracted for comparison, starting from the EEPROM 1127, from the communication interface unit 1113, or the like. Based on the comparison that is made in step 2, the controller 1110 causes the electronic message to be displayed visually in step 3, so that any of the terms in the electronic message have a correspondence in the program information, it can be distinguished from terms that do not have that correspondence. Preferably, an electronic link is established by the controller 1110 between any term with correspondence in the electronic message and the program information having a match for that or those term (s). The electronic link preferably includes a version selectable by the receiver of the term with correspondence, which is displayed visually in the electronic message. Figure 4 shows an exemplary visual display 400 of the electronic message, which is generated by the controller 1110 when the controller 1110 is programmed to link the terms in an electronic input message to program the information in the electronic program guide (EPG) (for example, the StarSight * information in the system of Figure 1 or the program guide information from the program guide packages in the digital data stream that processes the system in Figure 2), as well as the program information in the extended program guide. The terms 402 having a correspondence in the program information of the electronic program guide or the extended program guide, are designated by an underlined text in the exemplary visual display of Figure 4. It is understood, however, that this designation it can be provided using other distinguishing features, such as different text colors, different typeface, different style, and the like. The term "Inside World Politics" 404, for example, has a correspondence in the program information, which is a program title for a program, as shown in cell 530 of a visual display of the electronic program guide 500 Therefore, controller 110 visually displays the term 404 with underline and establishes an electronic link. The selection of the term 404 will cause, for example, the visual display of the electronic program guide 500 with the show "Inside World Politics" that will be highlighted as shown in Figure 5. The term "center", for example, has a correspondence in the program information, which provides maps of a region. In this way, the controller 1110 visually displays the term "center" with underline and establishes an electronic link whereby the selection of the term "center" from the visual display of the electronic message 400 causes or facilitates the implementation of the program information. corresponding extended. If the controller 1110 is programmed to perform the automatic implementation in response to the selection of the term "center", then the controller 110 responds to that selection by visually displaying the relevant map (s). In this regard, the present invention provides a system that establishes an electronic link, so that the selection of the term (s) with correspondence by a user, effects the implementation of a respective program, which is defined by the information of the program that has the correspondence. Preferably, the automatic implementation is made based on the information of the program that contains the correspondence. In particular, the controller 1110 responds to a selection of a matching term, by tuning to a specified channel, communicating with a specified remote computer server, or connecting to a specified web site, as specified by the information of the program that contains the correspondence. Similarly, the term "traffic" has a correspondence in the extended program information that is related to the traffic reports. The selection of the term "traffic" therefore causes the controller 1110 to visually access and display the relevant traffic reports.

In this way, in the exemplary context of the extended program guide information (for example, where the extended guide information provides information about news, sports, traffic, and / or weather), the 1110 controller can be programmed to provide the automatic implementation of the program by means of downloading or tuning the information in certain channels and / or segments of the extended program information. For terms with correspondences that relate to a single item of program information related to television, the 1110 controller may be programmed to respond to the selection of the corresponding term by automatically implementing the relevant television program. Examples of this implementation include the visual display of a program that corresponds to the correspondence program information (for example, automatic tuning to that program if it is being played on the air at that time or setting a timer to tune in at a time) later if the program is not being transmitted, but will be transmitted later), the recording of the program and the visual display of all or parts of the program information, which contains the correspondence term. In the context of websites, examples of automatic implementation include the establishment of a communications link to that particular website or to a particular "page" of the website. Similarly, examples of automatic implementation, in the context of computer programs, include the downloading and / or execution of these computer programs. Alternatively, the controller 1110 can be programmed to respond interactively to the selection of the corresponding term (s), by causing the user to visually display a selection menu selectable by the user, corresponding each selection to a particular option on how the program of interest will be implemented. Preferably, this is done by the controller (e.g., controller 1110) which is automatically based on the program information that contains the correspondence term. The controller 1110, in this respect, can be programmed so that a selection of the receiver of the corresponding term (eg, "center" or "traffic") causes the controller 1110 to visually display a selection menu generated electronically, each of the selections being selectable by the receiver, to perform the action described by the selection. Examples of selections for the term "center" include the visual display of a description of the maps covering the center area, the visual display of the actual maps, the ignoring of the electronic link (ie, the return to visual display). 400 of the electronic message), and the like. For correspondence terms that relate to a single item of program information related to television, the 1110 driver is preferably programmed to respond to the selection of the corresponding term, by visually displaying selections on how and if to implement or not the relevant television program. Examples of these selections include the visual display of a program that corresponds to the correspondence program information (for example, automatic tuning to that program if it is being played on the air at that time or setting a timer to tune in at a time) later if the program is not being transmitted, but will be transmitted later), the recording of the program and the visual display of all or parts of the program information, which contains the correspondence term. Preferably, the television version of the host device shown in Figure 1, is associated with a recording device (not shown), and the selector can be activated to effect the recording of the television program when the recipient of the electronic message selects the correspondence term associated with a television program and chooses to record the program of TV. In the previous example for the term "center", the term subject had only one correspondence in the collection of program information. Some terms, however, will have multiple correspondences. The term "5 pm" is an example of a term that has multiple correspondences. In particular, it has correspondences in the program information of different programs, which are transmitted at 5 pm. In this way, the selection of the term "5 pm" causes the controller 1110 to visually display the portion of the electronic program guide that carries the alignment of those programs. Then, the program identifiers in the resulting program alignment can be selected to implement or otherwise facilitate the implementation of those desired from the programs. More specifically, the controller 1110 generates a menu of programs that are airborne or that are available at or around 5 pm, by visually displaying the program identifiers in a visual display device that is associated with the electronic guest device. Each of the program identifiers designates one of a plurality of programs that can be implemented (eg, visually displayed, audibly transmitted, or executed) by the same electronic host device or that can be implemented at 5 pm by a visual display device, audio equipment or a computer that is associated with the electronic guest device. Upon generating the menu, the CPU 1112 transfers the visual display data from the StarSight * electronic program guide from the StarSight * 1160 module via the I2C BUS to the OSD processor 1117. The OSD processor 1117 operates in a conventional manner to produce the 0SD_RGB video signals R, G, and B which, when coupled to the visual display device, will produce a visually displayed image representing the visual display information on the screen such as graphics and / or text comprising an electronic program guide . This visual display information on the screen includes, among other things, the program identifiers mentioned above. It can also include the characteristic information that has to do with each of the programs represented by the program identifiers. Examples of the characteristic information include the title of the program, the theme of the program, the category of the program, the keywords of the program, the description of the program, the type of program, the duration of the program, the start time of the program, the time of completion of the program, the frequency of repetition, or combinations thereof. Visual display data that is included in the visual display of the electronic program guide and produced by the OSD processor 1117 is incorporated into the output signal by the video signal processor 1155, in response to the signal fast FSW switch. When the controller 1110 detects the activation of the visual display of the electronic program guide (for example, when a user presses an appropriate key on the remote control 1125, or when a mating term 402 is selected in any other way that has multiple correspondences ), the controller 1110 causes the OSD processor 1117 to produce the visual display of the electronic program guide menu, using the program information provided by the StarSight * 1160 module. The 1110 controller causes the 1155 video signal processor to combine the visual display menu of the electronic program guide from the OSD 1117 processor and the video image signal, in response to the FSW signal to produce a visual display that includes the electronic program guide menu. The electronic program guide menu may occupy all or only a portion of the visual display area. An exemplary electronic program guide menu 500 is shown in Figure 5. Menu 500 includes a "grid guide" 500A which displays a schedule of programs in a time-and-channel format, similar to a television schedule that is listed in a newspaper. One dimension (for example, the horizontal dimension) of the "grid guide" 500A shows the information 501 on the hour, while the other dimension (for example, the vertical dimension) of the "grid guide" 500A shows the information on the channel. When a abbreviated element 530 of the "grid guide" is highlighted or a cursor is on it, as will be described hereinafter, the truncated portions of the abbreviated element 530 appear in a "highlighted text" field 540 of the menu 500. In the menu 500, each of the program identifiers (for example, the channel numbers 510-516, the station names of the channel 520-526, the website identifier 570, the Internet identifier 550, the electronic message identifier 560, and the like) is selectable by the user, to implement the respective programs. In particular, the control program in the EEPROM 1127 causes the controller 110 to monitor the location of a position indicator, such as a cursor and / or highlighting, in the visual display of the electronic program guide menu. A user controls the location of the position indicator, using the direction and selection keys of the remote control 1125. Alternatively, the system could include a mouse device or an appropriate pointing device. The controller 1110 detects the activation of a selection device, such as the pressing of a mouse button, and evaluates the information of the current location of the cursor / highlight, in conjunction with the menu data of the electronic program guide that is is displayed visually, to determine the desired function (for example, the implementation of a particular program). If this activation of the selection device is performed while the cursor and / or highlight is located in one of the program identifiers, the controller 1110 determines that the corresponding program should be implemented (ie, displayed visually, audibly transmitted, and / or executed). The controller 1110 subsequently triggers the control action associated with the program that was selected. If, for example, the program identifier selected represents a website, the 1110 controller implements a web browsing program and gains access to the corresponding website. When the selected program identifier is associated with an audio program, video program, or audiovisual program, the controller 1110 responds by means of tuning the electronic guest device or a receiver associated with the appropriate channel and by means of displaying visually and / or audibly transmit that program. The enhancement of these programs and the subsequent selection of other function icons in the menu 500, can implement the automatic tuning at a later time to the selected program or the automatic recording of the same through the electronic guest device or through another device connected to the host device. electronic. The selection of the Internet identifier 550 causes the controller 1110 to implement a web browsing program through an Internet service provider, while the selection of the "email" identifier 560 causes the 1110 controller to implement a program of transmission and / or reception of an electronic message through it or from a different Internet service provider. Alternatively, controller 1110 is programmed or otherwise adapted to perform the visual display step of a selection menu generated electronically, in response to a user selection of one of the program identifiers. Each of the selections is selectable by the user to perform an action that describes each selection, the action being carried out with respect to the program that corresponds to the program identifier that was selected. Examples of these selections include the visual display of the program (either at that time or later), the recording of the program, or the visual display of the program information associated with the program that was selected. The menu in Figure 5 thus provides a generally effective, versatile, and convenient electronic program guide configuration, which is activated when a matching term is selected in an electronic entry message and a match for that term appears. in the program information of more than one of the programs listed in the electronic program guide. The visual display 400 of the exemplary electronic message in Figure 4 also includes several user selectable icons 410-430, which represent different functions of the electronic message, which can be performed in a manner well known in the art. Examples of these functions include archiving e-mail, sending e-mail, answering e-mail messages, erasing e-mail messages, returning to a previous "Window", scrolling through an e-mail, reading e-mail, composing the e-mail, Email, check messages in a mailbox, file or store electronic messages, attach files, and output. Preferably, the controller 1110 is programmed to execute the respective functions in response to the selection of a corresponding one of the icons 410-430. The exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 1 and the method described above, when executed by the exemplary mode, advantageously provide an electronic message interface that is adapted to the link terms in an electronic message, to program the information in an electronic program guide (EPG). The controller 1110 provides an electronic message receiver that is adapted to receive an electronic message, in combination with the communication interface 1113 and the appropriate electronic message reception software. A comparison unit that is associated with the electronic message receiver can be provided to compare terms in the electronic message with the terms in the program information of the electronic program guide by means of appropriately programming the controller 1110 to perform the comparison. Alternatively, a separate and distinct comparison unit may be connected to the controller 1110. The interface also preferably includes a visual display device that is connected at least indirectly to the comparison unit (e.g., controller 1110) and that it is adapted to visually display the electronic message, so that any term in the electronic message that has a correspondence in the program information, based on the comparison of the terms, can be distinguished from the terms that do not have that correspondence . The resulting interface provides an electronic link between the program information and the terms in the incoming electronic message. A selector (for example, remote control 1125, a mouse, keyboard, virtual keyboard, and / or mobile courses) is adapted to select, in response to user operation, any term with a correspondence through the link electronic. Then the implementation is facilitated either immediately or after selecting between the different programs that coincide with the term and / or between the different selections on how and if to implement the program or not. The word "term" is not intended, as used in the previous examples, is limited to a single word. Instead, it is understood that the comparison of "terms" in rows of words or even in rows of characters amounting to less than one word can be made. Although the interactive implementation scheme, wherein the controller 1110 provides selections to the receiver about how and whether to implement the subject program, has been described as an alternative to the automatic implementation schemes (wherein the selection of the program causes the controller 1110 automatically implements the subject program), it will be understood that the 1110 controller can be programmed to provide a hybrid of these schemes. In particular, the 1110 controller can be programmed to automatically implement the programs that are best suited for that automatic implementation (e.g., in accordance with the program information containing the correspondence) and to interactively provide selections to the receiver When the program information associated with the selected program, indicate that the underlined program is the best suited for the interactive implementation. Although the present invention finds great utility in the field of electronic guest devices, which are connected to, or are defined by a television set, the present invention is not limited to these electronic devices. The present invention can be implemented, for example, with a computer as the electronic guest device, and the term with correspondence 402 selectable by the user can include an electronic shortcut to a corresponding computer program. The method described above and the systems through which it can be implemented (for example, the systems shown in Figures 1 and 2) thus provide an electronically generated interface, which facilitates the linking of the information of the program guide in an electronic message, to program information of the program guide of a receiver, and the implementation of the programs associated with it. The interface generated electronically also facilitates the generation of the electronic program guides that are based on the information in an electronic message, without having to manually transcribe or memorize the terms in the electronic message. Although each host device (e.g., the devices illustrated in Figures 1 and 2) is preferably programmed or otherwise adapted to provide all of the above features, it is understood that the invention is not limited in this respect. That is, the host devices can provide only one or some of the features that were described above, so that the devices fall, however, within the spirit and scope of the present invention. In describing the preferred embodiments, some components were described as being hardware components and others were described as software components.

These components, however, can be implemented using hardware, software, or combinations thereof. It should be understood that the embodiments and variations shown and described herein are for illustration only and that those skilled in the art can implement different modifications without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Claims (17)

1. CLAIMS 1. A method to link the terms in an electronic message to program the information in an electronic program guide (EPG), the method comprising the steps of: - receiving an electronic message; - compare the terms in the electronic message with the terms in the EPG program information; and - visually displaying the electronic message so that any of the terms in the electronic message that have a correspondence in the program information, which is based on the terms comparison step, can be distinguished from the terms that do not have that correspondence . The method according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises the step of establishing an electronic link between at least one term in the electronic message and any program information having a correspondence for the at least one term. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of establishing an electronic link is performed so that the selection of the at least one term with a correspondence by a user, performs the implementation of a respective program which defines the information of the program that has correspondence. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that it also comprises the step of visually displaying a selection menu that is generated electronically, in response to the user's selection of at least one term with a correspondence, each of the selections being selectable by the user to perform an action that is described by each selection. The method according to claim 4, wherein the selections include the visual display of a program which corresponds to the information of the program that has the correspondence, the recording of the program, and the visual display of the program information that has the correspondence The method according to claim 2, characterized in that it further comprises the step of visually displaying a menu of identifiers that is generated electronically, in response to the user's selection of at least one term, when the correspondence for the less a term appears in the program information of more than one program, each one of the program identifiers corresponding to one of the most of a program and being selectable by the user to carry out the implementation of the respective one of more than one program . The method according to claim 2, characterized in that it also comprises the steps of: - visually displaying a menu that is generated electronically of the identifiers of the program in response to the user's selection of at least one term, when the correspondence for the at least one term appears in the program information of more than one program, where each of the identifiers of the program corresponds to a respective one of more than one program and is selectable by the user; and - visually displaying a selections menu that is generated electronically in response to the selection of the user of one of the program identifiers, each of the selections being selectable by the user, to perform an action that describes each selection, being performed each action with respect to the respective one of more than one program that corresponds to one of the program identifiers. 8. The method of compliance with the claim 7, where the selections include: - visually displaying the respective one of more than one program; - record the respective one of more than one program; and - visually displaying the program information of the respective program's more than one. 9. An electronic message interface that is adapted to link the terms in an electronic message to program the information in an electronic program guide (EPG), the electronic message interface comprising: - a receiver that is adapted to receive an electronic message; - a comparison unit that is associated with the receiver, the comparison unit being adapted to compare the terms in the electronic message with the terms in the program information of the EPG; and - a visual display device that is at least indirectly connected to the comparison unit and adapted to visually display the electronic message, so that any of the terms in the electronic message having a correspondence in the information of the Program, which is based on comparison of terms, can be distinguished from terms that do not have that correspondence. The interface according to claim 9, characterized in that it further comprises an electronic link between at least one term in the electronic message and any program information having a correspondence for the at least one term. The interface according to claim 10, characterized in that it further comprises a selector that is adapted to select, in response to the operation of the user, the at least one term with correspondence to effect, by means of the electronic link, the implementation of a respective program which is defined by the information of the program that has correspondence. The interface according to claim 10, wherein the visual display device is further adapted to visually display a selections menu in response to user selection of at least one term with a match, each of which is selectable. selections by the user to perform an action that describes each selection. The interface according to claim 12, wherein the selections include displaying visually a program corresponding to the program information that has the correspondence, recording the program, and visually displaying the program information that has the correspondence. The interface according to claim 10, wherein the visual display device is further adapted to visually display a menu of identifiers in response to the user's selection of at least one term, when the correspondence for the at least one term it appears in the program information of more than one program, each one of the program identifiers corresponding to a respective one of more than one program and being selectable by the user to carry out the implementation of the respective one of more than one program. The interface according to claim 10, wherein the visual display device is further adapted to visually display a menu of program identifiers, in response to the user's selection of at least one term, when the correspondence stops when less a term appears in the program information of more than one program, where each of the program identifiers corresponds to a respective one of more than one program and is selectable by the user; and - wherein the visual display device is further adapted to visually display a selections menu, in response to the user selection of one of the program identifiers, with each of the selections being selectable by the user to perform a described action for each selection, the action being carried out with respect to the respective one of more than one program corresponding to one of the program identifiers. 16. The interface according to claim 15, wherein the selections include: - selecting the respective one from more than one program; - record the respective one of more than one program; and visually display the program information of the respective one of more than one program. 17. The interface according to claim 10, wherein the visual display device is a television.