NAVIGATING THROUGH TELEVISION PROGRAMS

摘要

A METHOD OF NAVIGATING THROUGH TELEVISION PROGRAMS IS DISCLOSED. A TELEVISION RECEIVER DISPLAYS A MOSAIC IMAGE WITH SUB-IMAGES REPRESENTING THE AVAILABLE PROGRAMS. THE RECEIVER FURTHER RECEIVES AN ELECTRONIC PROGRAM GUIDE WITH PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS. UPON ACTIVATING A "THEME" BUTTON (42), THE VIEWER CAN ENTER A DESIRED PROGRAM TYPE, E.G. "MOVIE". IN RESPONSE THERETO, THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE SUB-IMAGES REPRESENTING PROGRAMS THAT ARE NOT DESIRED IS REDUCED. THE USER IS THUS ASSISTED IN NAVIGATING THROUGH PROGRAMS HE IS INTERESTED IN, WHILE MAINTAINING THE MOSAIC STRUCTURE HE IS FAMILIAR WITH, AND WITHOUT LOSING THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN CHANNELS AND THEIR POSITIONS ON THE MOSAIC SCREEN.(FIG. 7)