Patent ID: 7620969
Filing Date: 2009-11-17
Classification: G06F,H04N

Abstract:
1. A display control apparatus generating electronic program guide images with a matrix format area defined by broadcasting time and channel and displaying a generated electronic program guide image to a display unit, said display control apparatus comprising: an information acquisition unit configured to acquire program information associated with each of programs to be broadcasted; a controlling unit configured to generate first and second electronic program guide images using acquired program information, wherein each electronic program guide image is arranged as program information display areas for displaying program information of a respective plurality of programs corresponding to broadcasting time and channel in the matrix format area, and wherein the program information display areas of the first electronic program guide image display program name information corresponding to all programs of a broadcasting duration longer than a predetermined broadcasting duration and do not display program name information corresponding to all programs of a broadcasting duration less than or equal to the predetermined broadcasting duration, and the program information display areas of the second electronic program guide image display program name information corresponding to all programs of a broadcasting duration longer than a predetermined broadcasting duration and also display program name information corresponding to all programs of a broadcasting duration of less than or equal to the predetermined broadcasting duration, which are included in the matrix format area; an input unit configured to accept instruction input from a user for selecting which of the first electronic program guide image and the second electronic program guide image is to be displayed; and a display control unit configured to display either the first or the second electronic program guide image according to the instruction input.