Patent ID: 8707347

Claim:
A method of operating a content item receiver using a CPU and a software program, said method comprising: in a first mode driving a display apparatus to display a received content item; in a second mode driving for a specified time window said display apparatus to display a sequence of linked content items and responding to user input prior to an end of said currently displayed linked content item to initiate transition from display of a currently displayed linked content item to display of another linked content item in said sequence of linked content items, wherein each of said linked content items has a duration less than said specified time window and said sequence of linked content items has a duration greater than said specified time window; in said second mode initiating transition to another linked content item responsive to the combined duration of remaining linked content items in said sequence being less than the remaining duration of said specified time window; and in said second mode displaying a still image, and sponsored countdown timer, representative of said another linked content item for a remaining duration of said specified time window being equal to or less than a threshold time.