Patent ID: 8065633

Claim:
An electronic apparatus connected to a broadcast receiving apparatus and configured to: (a) display a portion of a plurality of representation images representing a plurality of items to be provided from a source in response to a request for representation image information which is used to display the representation images, the representation images being provided to the broadcast receiving apparatus and through a network, the plurality of representation images being concurrently displayed on a screen in a line as items to be selected; and (b) change some of the plurality of representation images displayed on the screen in accordance with a user's operation input through a user operation accepting unit, the electronic apparatus comprising: a display device; a processor; and a memory device which stores instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to operate with the display device to: (a) obtain total number information which indicates a total number of the items to be provided from the source; (b) concurrently display a plurality of undetermined representation images on the screen, the undetermined representation images being generated based on said total number information so that the respective undetermined representation images correspond to the total number of the items to be provided; (c) determine whether: (i) change of the representation images displayed on the screen performed by the user's operation has stopped; and (ii) a status of no changes has continued for more than a predetermined period of time; and (d) request the representation image information to display the representation images from the source only if: (1) the change of the representation images displayed on the screen performed by the user's operation has stopped, and (2) the status of no changes has continued for more than a predetermined period of time, and after receiving the representation image information from the source in response to the request, display the plurality of respective representation images, and wherein when in a continuous change mode of the representation images or the undetermined representation images initiated by the user's operation, the electronic apparatus is configured to suspend requesting the representation image information from the source.