Animated Station Identifier for TV Program Guides
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulty in distinguishing between past and future television programs in existing television program guides, leading to an unfriendly user experience.
Innovation Solution
A television program guide with an animated station identifier that changes location and appearance based on user navigation between past and future programs, allowing for easier differentiation between past and future program listings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional static program guide layout is used, then the guide structure is simple and easy to implement, but users cannot easily distinguish between past and future programs
Solution Approach 1:
The station identifier column dynamically changes its position (left or right side of the guide) based on whether the user is viewing past or future programs. This dynamic repositioning provides visual cues that help users distinguish between past and future program listings without requiring a completely different layout design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different visual characteristics to different regions of the program guide. The station identifier column is positioned differently depending on the time context (past vs future), creating local visual variations that guide user understanding without changing the overall guide structure.
2Ease of operation
If the station identifier position is fixed, then the interface is simple and consistent, but users experience confusion when navigating between past and future programs
Solution Approach 1:
The interface adapts dynamically by repositioning the station identifier column based on the user's navigation context. When users view past programs, the identifier appears on one side; when viewing future programs, it appears on the other side. This dynamic behavior makes the interface more intuitive without requiring multiple separate interface designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides visual feedback by changing the station identifier position in response to user navigation between past and future programs. This feedback mechanism helps users understand their current viewing context without requiring explicit labels or additional explanatory elements.
Data Source
AI summary
A television program guide is displayed having a station identifier portion in a first location. A determination is made as to when a user navigates in the television program guide between past programs and future programs. In response to the user navigating in the television program guide between the past programs and the future programs, the station identifier portion is changed to a second location.