Patent ID: 7900228
Filing Date: 2011-03-01
Classification: H04L,H04N

Abstract:
1. A method for a computing device to present information about television programs via a graphical user interface, the method comprising: receiving metadata information for multiple television programs; identifying a first distinct group of the multiple television programs for a graphical user interface such that received metadata information for the first distinct group of television programs will be included in the graphical user interface, the first distinct group including multiple television programs that satisfy a search request of television programs and that are identified based at least in part on a corresponding first category of television programs; displaying to a user of the computing device a graphical window that includes the graphical user interface, the graphical user interface having a state based at least in part on the identified group, the displayed graphical user interface having: receiving an indication of a selection by the user of one of the first distinct group of television programs having metadata information displayed in the first display area, and updating the state of the displayed graphical user interface to reflect the selected television program, such that metadata information for the selected television program is displayed in the second display area, identifying a second distinct group of the multiple television programs, the second distinct group including multiple television programs that are identified based at least in part on a corresponding second category of television programs, automatically maintaining the state of the graphical user interface so as to reflect the selected television program by updating the displayed graphical user interface to include metadata information for a first portion of the identified second distinct group of television programs in the first display area, while maintaining display of the metadata information for the selected television program in the second display area until a new television program is selected by the user, when the displayed graphical user interface is updated, automatically updating the timebar so as to display metadata information for a second portion of the identified second distinct group of television programs in the form of graphical indicators, so that a state of the graphical user interface that is based at least in part on a selected television program is maintained when information in the graphical user interface is updated.