System and method for providing a context-sensitive instructional user interface icon in an interactive television system

A method for assisting a user in activating an interactive option within an interactive television system, the method comprising:

• storing an icon for each of a plurality of interactive options periodically available within the interactive television system, each interactive option corresponding to a button on a remote control, each icon sharing at least one common visual characteristic with a corresponding button on the remote control, wherein the at least one shared visual characteristic is selected from the group consisting of color, shape, text markings, graphical markings, relative position, and relative size;
• determining that an interactive option has become available within the interactive television system;
• retrieving a first icon corresponding to the available interactive option;
• displaying the first icon on a display device associated with the interactive television system;
• detecting that a user has pressed a button on the remote control corresponding to the available interactive option;
• and
• activating the available interactive option.

A system for assisting a user in activating an interactive option within an interactive television system, the system comprising:

• an icon repository for storing an icon for each of a plurality of interactive options periodically available within the interactive television system, each interactive option corresponding to a button on a remote control, each icon sharing at least one common visual characteristic with a corresponding button on the remote control, wherein the at least one shared visual characteristic is selected from the group consisting of color, shape, text markings, graphical markings, relative position, and relative size;
• an interactive option module configured to determine that an interactive option has become available within the interactive television system;
• an icon display module configured to retrieve a first icon corresponding to the available interactive option from the icon repository and display the first icon on a display device associated with the interactive television system;
• and
• a wireless receiver configured to detect that a user has pressed a button on the remote control corresponding to the available interactive option;
• wherein the interactive option module is further configured to activate the available interactive option in response to detecting that the user has pressed the corresponding button on the remote control.

A method for assisting a user in activating an interactive option within an interactive television system, the method comprising:

• storing an icon for each of a plurality of interactive options periodically available within the interactive television system, each interactive option corresponding to a button on a remote control, each icon sharing a common visual characteristic with a corresponding button on the remote control;
• determining that an interactive option has become available within the interactive television system;
• retrieving a first icon corresponding to the available interactive option;
• displaying a map of the remote control including the first icon, wherein the map comprises a plurality of icons representing buttons, each icon having a same relative location as a corresponding button on the remote control;
• visually emphasizing the first icon in the map relative to the plurality of icons;
• detecting that a user has pressed a button on the remote control corresponding to the available interactive option;
• and
• activating the available interactive option.

A method for assisting a user in activating an interactive option within an interactive television system, the method comprising:

• storing an icon for each of a plurality of interactive options periodically available within the interactive television system, each interactive option corresponding to a button on a remote control, each icon sharing at least one common visual characteristic with a corresponding button on the remote control, wherein the at least one shared visual characteristic is selected from the group consisting of color, shape, text markings, graphical markings, relative position, and relative size;
• determining that an interactive option has become available within the interactive television system;
• retrieving a first icon corresponding to the available interactive option;
• superimposing the first icon over video content being displayed by the interactive television system;
• detecting that a user has pressed a button on the remote control corresponding to the available interactive option;
• activating the available interactive option;
• and
• generating an audible confirmation that the corresponding button has been pressed.