Patent ID: 6384869
Filing Date: 2002-05-07
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A method for displaying available programming on a display screen of a video system that provides visual information to a viewer of the video system, the method comprising:determining channels that the viewer selects for viewing to provide a sequence including a first channel, a second channel, and a third channel, wherein relative to each other the first channel is the least recently viewed channel and the third channel is the most recently viewed channel; receiving a signal that invokes a display mode in which depictions of programming content on previously viewed channels are simultaneously presented on the display screen; and responsive to receipt of the signal that invokes the display mode, simultaneously displaying on the display screen depictions of programming content on a plurality of previously viewed channels including the first, second and third channels, wherein the plurality of previously viewed channels are displayed in a spiral formation, a first location of the spiral formation corresponding to the most recently viewed channel, with more recently viewed channels among the plurality of previously viewed channels appearing closer to the viewer and occupying more display screen surface area relative to less recently viewed channels, such that the depiction of the third channel occupies more display screen surface area than the depiction of the second channel, and the depiction of the second channel occupies more display screen surface area than the depiction of the first channel.