Graphical Indicator for Electronic Program Guide Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In subscription television systems with electronic program guides (EPGs), users face difficulty distinguishing selectable program items from numerous options, leading to a need for enhanced visual attention mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of graphical indicators, such as variably sized and oriented rectangles or ovals, to highlight selectable program instances within the EPG, providing visual cues for position, duration, and start/end times, which can be customized by user preferences like color, brightness, and blinking frequency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If traditional highlighting methods (color change, enlargement) are used to indicate selectable fields in EPG, then the selectable item becomes more visible, but the visual distinction becomes insufficient when there are hundreds or thousands of program options
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a new spatial dimension by placing an indicator on the time axis (vertical dimension) rather than relying solely on horizontal field highlighting. This dimensional addition allows the indicator to point to the selectable program instance from a different spatial perspective, improving detectability without requiring complex changes to the existing field highlighting mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The visual indication system is segmented into two independent components: the traditional field highlighting (color change, enlargement) and the new time-axis indicator. This segmentation allows each component to perform its function independently, with the indicator providing additional directional guidance without interfering with the existing highlighting methods, thus managing complexity through functional separation.
2Ease of operation
If multiple visual cues are added to highlight selectable items among hundreds of options, then user attention is drawn more effectively, but the interface becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The indicator acts as an intermediary element that connects the time axis with the program instance fields. It provides directional guidance (pointing) that mediates between the user's navigation actions and the target program selection, improving ease of operation by clearly indicating which field is selectable without requiring the user to mentally track multiple highlighting changes across hundreds of options.
Solution Approach 2:
The indicator utilizes color and visual properties (such as bold borders, distinct colors, or animation) to draw attention to the selectable item. This visual differentiation works in conjunction with the pointing geometry to enhance ease of operation, allowing users to quickly identify the active field among numerous options through intuitive visual cues rather than complex interface mechanics.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic program guide (EPG) having a variable indicator to focus a user's attention upon a corresponding field of a selectable program instance The EPG includes a user interface screen for providing a plurality of television program instances by time and channel in a grid menu. Each television program becomes selectable from the EPG based upon user interaction. The indicator is depicted in association with each television program when it becomes selectable as a result of user interaction. The indicator is configured based upon attributes of the currently selectable program instance.