Contextual navigational control for digital television
View Patent ↗A contextual navigational control for digital television is described. An apparatus, comprises a contextual navigation control interface (CNCI). The CNCI includes a first area that represents a plurality of cable television programs having a first level of relevance. A second area represents a first group of the plurality of programs having a second level of relevance. A third area represents a first subgroup of the first group having a third level of relevance. A fourth area represents a second subgroup of the first group having a fourth level of relevance. There may be additional areas representing additional sub-groups of relevance to the current viewing context.
1. An apparatus comprising:
one or more processors; and
memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
receive, while content is being displayed, a user request to display a guide;
determine, based on the content displayed when the user request was received, a first content category and a second content category, the second content category being a sub-category of the first content category;
generate a menu comprising a plurality of levels arranged from general to specific and wherein a first level of the plurality of levels comprises the first content category and a second level of the plurality of levels comprises the second content category; and
output, for display and overlaid on the content, the menu.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the content that is being displayed comprises a broadcast program, on-demand content, time-shifted content, or an interactive application.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to:
receive, based on the menu, a selection of other content different than the content that is being displayed.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first content category corresponds to a program, a channel, a provider, or a genre.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first content category corresponds to a same program, a same channel, a same provider, or a same genre as the content that is being displayed.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second content category corresponds to one or more channels, providers, shows, or any combination thereof, that are related to the first content category.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first content category corresponds to a genre associated with the content that is being displayed and the second content category corresponds to one or more channels, providers, or any combination thereof, associated with the genre.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to:
determine that a genre of the content that is being displayed is a sports genre, a movies genre, a kids genre, a high definition (HD) genre, a news genre, or any combination thereof.
9. A computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause:
receiving, while content is being displayed, a user request to display a guide;
determining, after receiving the user request and based on the content displayed when the user request was received, a first content category and a second content category, the second content category being a sub-category of the first content category;
generating a menu comprising a plurality of levels arranged from general to specific and wherein a first level of the plurality of levels comprises the first content category and a second level of the plurality of levels comprises the second content category; and
outputting, for display and overlaid on the content, the menu.
10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the content that is being displayed comprises a broadcast program, on-demand content, time-shifted content, or an interactive application.
11. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause:
receiving, based on the menu, a selection of other content different than the content that is being displayed.
12. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the first content category corresponds to a program, a channel, a provider, or a genre.
13. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the first content category corresponds to a same program, a same channel, a same provider, or a same genre as the content that is being displayed.
14. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the second content category corresponds to one or more channels, providers, shows, or any combination thereof, that are related to the first content category.
15. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the first content category corresponds to a genre associated with the content that is being displayed and the second content category corresponds to one or more channels, providers, or any combination thereof, associated with the genre.
16. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause:
determining that a genre of the content that is being displayed is a sports genre, a movies genre, a kids genre, a high definition (HD) genre, a news genre, or any combination thereof.
17. An apparatus comprising:
one or more processors; and
memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
receive, while content is being displayed, a request to display a guide;
after receiving the request, determine, based on the content displayed when the request was received, a first content category;
output for display the guide overlaid on the content, wherein a first level of the guide displays the first content category; and
after receiving a selection corresponding to the first content category:
determine, based on the content that is being displayed, a second content category, wherein the second content category is a sub-category of the first content category;
regenerate the guide to comprise the first level displaying the first content category and a second level displaying the second content category; and
output, for display and overlaid on the content, the regenerated guide.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the selection corresponding to the first content category comprises a selection of a genre.
19. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the second content category corresponds to one or more providers, channels, or any combination thereof, that correspond to a genre.
20. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the apparatus to:
regenerate the guide with an initial state of the second content category corresponding to a provider or channel of the content that is being displayed.
21. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the first content category corresponds to a program, a channel, a provider, or a genre.
22. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the second content category corresponds to one or more channels, providers, or shows that are related to the first content category.
23. A computer-readable medium storing instructions that,
when executed, cause:
receiving, while content is being displayed, a request to display a guide;
after receiving the request, determining, based on the content displayed when the request was received, a first content category;
outputting for display the guide overlaid on the content, wherein a first level of the guide displays the first content category; and
after receiving a selection corresponding to the first content category:
determining, based on the content that is being displayed, a second content category, wherein the second content category is a sub-category of the first content category;
regenerating the guide to comprise the first level displaying the first content category and a second level displaying the second content category; and
outputting, for display and overlaid on the content, the regenerated guide.
24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the selection corresponding to the first content category comprises a selection of a genre.
25. The computer-readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the second content category corresponds to one or more providers, channels, or any combination thereof, that correspond to a genre.
26. The computer-readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause:
regenerating the guide with an initial state of the second content category corresponding to a provider or channel of the content that is being displayed.
27. The computer-readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the first content category corresponds to a program, a channel, a provider, or a genre.
28. The computer-readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the second content category corresponds to one or more channels, providers, or shows that are related to the first content category.