Appeal No. 1997-4140 Page 2
Application No. 08/279,628
BACKGROUND
Bar code programming (BCP) of a videocassette recorder
(VCR) typically requires the use of a television (TV) program
guide and a bar code sheet. The guide lists channel, date,
time, and length (CDTL) data for TV programs. The sheet
contains separate groups of codes for TV channels, dates,
times, and program lengths. A user first consults the guide
to identify the CDTL data for a TV program to be recorded. He
then enters the data by using a bar code reader (BCR) to scan
appropriate codes on the sheet. Using both the guide and
sheet, however, is cumbersome. Furthermore, the hand-to-eye
translation and coordination required in such use is tedious
and error-prone.
The invention at issue in this appeal allows a user to
program a VCR quickly, easily, and accurately. He simply
scans bar codes without reading time and channel data. More
specifically, the user employs a TV calendar that includes bar
codes concerning TV programs. The calendar is formatted as a
rectangular grid of cells arranged in rows and columns. Bar
codes for channels are arranged along one side of the grid,
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