EPG Focus Control via Area Segmentation

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing electronic program guide (EPG) on smart TVs often results in a poor user experience due to the focus jumping between different areas, such as the channel, program, and favorite sections, when a user attempts to navigate within these areas, leading to unintended transitions and loss of control.

Innovation Solution

A method and device that determine the current focus area on the EPG interface and limit the focus movement within that area by checking for cross-area jump conditions, preventing the focus from jumping into other areas, thereby maintaining navigation within the intended section.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the EPG interface allows free focus movement across all areas, then the ease of operation is improved, but the focus may jump between different areas (channel, program, favorite) causing poor user experience

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefocus navigationVSAvoidfocus stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The EPG interface is divided into multiple functional display areas (channel area, program area, favorite area), and the focus movement is segmented by area. The system determines the current first area where the focus is located and limits focus movement to within this area, preventing cross-area jumping while maintaining navigation ease within the designated section.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different areas of the EPG interface are assigned different focus movement characteristics. The system applies local quality by determining the current first area and restricting focus movement to that specific area, giving each area its own focus movement boundaries and characteristics to prevent unintended transitions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If the focus is limited to move within the current area, then the focus stability is improved, but the ease of operation may be reduced due to restricted movement

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefocus stabilityVSAvoidfocus navigation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The EPG interface is divided into multiple functional display areas (channel area, program area, favorite area), and the focus movement is segmented by area. The system determines the current first area where the focus is located and limits focus movement to within this area, preventing cross-area jumping while maintaining navigation ease within the designated section.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The focus movement constraints are dynamic rather than static. The system continuously determines the current first area based on the focus position and adjusts the movement boundaries accordingly. This dynamic approach ensures that focus movement is always constrained to the appropriate area while adapting to user navigation needs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11284161B2Method and device for loading electronic program guide, and non-transitory storage medium

Publication Date: 2022.03.22 BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO LTD

AI summary

The disclosure relates to a method and device for loading an electronic program guide (EPG), and a storage medium. The device determines a first area where a focus is located on a display interface of an EPG, where the first area is one of multiple functional display areas of the EPG. The device determines whether a focus cross-area jump condition is satisfied in response to detecting a moving instruction for moving the focus on the display interface of the EPG. The device limits the focus to move within the first area in response to determining that the focus cross-area jump condition is not satisfied.