Video-Rich Navigation Interface for Interactive Media Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current interactive media guidance applications face challenges in providing a user-friendly navigation experience due to the increasing number of channels and services, making it difficult for viewers to simplify and enhance their TV viewing experience, and for network operators to seamlessly combine offerings from multiple providers.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of Video-Rich Navigation (VRN) systems and methods that utilize interactive VRN buttons and screens, allowing users to access video assets from tunable channels or VOD streams, with screen data defining the layout, interactive functions, and user input responses, enabling a more intuitive and interactive way to navigate video content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional neutral menu interfaces are used to display program guide data, then the system structure remains simple, but user engagement and navigation efficiency deteriorate due to the increasing number of channels and services
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses video clips from the actual programs as background images in menu items, creating a visual copy or representation of the content. This allows users to see actual program footage rather than static icons, making navigation more engaging and efficient while maintaining a familiar menu structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs different visual states for menu items including selected states, hovered states, and active states, using color and visual changes to indicate interactivity. This enhances user understanding of navigation options without requiring complex interface changes
2Adaptability or versatility
If more channels and services are added to the system, then service variety increases, but user confusion and navigation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent organizes numerous channels and services into categorized groups (e.g., video on demand, pay-per-view, digital cable, digital broadcast satellite) with separate menu items for each category. This segmentation allows users to navigate through organized sections rather than facing an overwhelming list of all services
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a visual dimension to navigation by incorporating video clips and graphical representations alongside traditional text labels. This creates a multi-dimensional interface where users can navigate both through categorical organization and visual content recognition
3Quantity of substance
If video clips are played continuously from broadcast channels, then video content availability increases, but bandwidth consumption and system resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and stores video clips from broadcast channels in advance, making them available for later use as background images in menu items. This preliminary action allows the system to prepare visual content without requiring continuous real-time video streaming during navigation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts specific video segments (clips) from continuous broadcast channels and separates them for dedicated use as navigation visuals. This extraction allows the system to use only the necessary video portions rather than transmitting entire programs or continuous streams
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are disclosed that provide a user with efficient video-rich navigation (VRN) of media assets in an interactive media guidance application, such as an interactive program guide. A user can select a displayed video asset and perform an action on the selectable video asset, for example, using a remote control. The manner in which the video assets are displayed and the actions enabled for the particular video assets are defined by screen data transmitted to the user equipment in a VRN data feed.