Patent ID: 7600192

Claim:
An information providing apparatus for providing a desired information screen by making selection from icons respectively assigned to information screens, wherein the desired information screen comprises means for displaying a menu of recommended channels selected based on high past frequencies of selection, means for displaying a menu of categories containing programs classified into said categories based on program information, and means for displaying a menu of media representing contents of a plurality of recording/reproducing media comprising DVD, HDD, and CD, the icons are group icons respectively assigned to groups each grouping a plurality of information screens, when a plurality of icons are displayed on a screen, a frame-like mark being at the center of the screen and having arrows indicating direction in which an operation key can be operated is displayed on a presently focused icon before a selection of an icon is made, the information providing apparatus comprises operation information input means inputted with operation information based on selection operation, and switching means for switching a menu screen in an upper layer on which the group icons are arranged, to a first menu screen in a layer lower than a selected group icon, with a predetermined first transit screen inserted therebetween, the operation information entails operation keys, which are simultaneously operated, the switching means gradually enlarges the selected group icon on the first transit screen, to zoom in onto the group icon, and gradually fades display of the selected icon onto which the display is zooming in, on the transit screen, to switch the display to display of the first menu screen in the lower layer, the position and size of the frame-like mark are kept fixed during enlarging of the selected icon, and the information screen, the transit screen, and the menu screen display a title indicating a presently focused icon in an upper portion of each screen.