Television Programme Guide Spatial Alignment and Emphasis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing television programme guides do not provide formatted data in a user-convenient manner, requiring users to navigate through unorganized programme listings to find preferred content.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that determine a current focus programme and suggest related or user-preferred programmes based on pre-determined criteria, emphasizing the current focus programme and spatially aligning suggested programmes for easy user selection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If television programme data is displayed in a traditional grid format showing all channels in order, then complete programme information is provided, but user navigation effort increases and convenience decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically determines and emphasizes the current focus programme based on pre-determined criteria without requiring user navigation. The programme guide performs self-service by autonomously identifying and highlighting relevant programmes, eliminating the need for users to manually search through the grid.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-determines focus programmes and suggested programmes before user interaction. By calculating and preparing the emphasis hierarchy in advance based on criteria such as current time, user preferences, and programme relevance, the system eliminates navigation time when the user accesses the guide.
2Loss of information
If all programme data is displayed uniformly without emphasis, then information completeness is maintained, but information hierarchy and user focus guidance are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The display applies different visual qualities to different programmes based on their determined emphasis level. The current focus programme receives maximum emphasis with distinct visual treatment, while other programmes receive progressively less emphasis, creating a hierarchical visual structure that guides user attention while maintaining information completeness.
3Productivity
If suggested programmes are displayed without spatial alignment to the current focus programme, then all programme options are visible, but user selection efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces spatial positioning as an additional organizational dimension beyond the traditional channel-time grid. By aligning suggested programmes spatially relative to the current focus programme in the display layout, the system creates a secondary navigation dimension that improves selection efficiency without adding complex data structures.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 2C
AI summary
The invention relates to a method and device for presenting an electronic programme guide. In an embodiment, television programme information is displayed in vertical lists, with programmes of the channel tuned in to on the left. Data on the programme currently displayed is emphasised. Information on other channels is provided in a vertical list, with programmes currently provided by other channels horizontally aligned with data of the programme currently selected. The other channels may be selected for showing programme information because programmes currently playing on the other channels are preferred by the user or related to the programme currently showing. A user can browse through the programme data and select a programme, setting that programme as emphasised programme. Next, information on channels with programmes related to the emphasised programme is shown. The invention may be embodied in a set top box, television or other.