Interactive content guide for television programming

A control framework for organizing, selecting and launching media items comprising:

• means for organizing said media items;
• means for pointing to one of said media items;
• means for selecting one of a plurality of different semantic levels associated with said one of said media items;
• and
• means for launching said one of said media items at said selected one of said plurality of different semantic levels.

A control framework comprising:

• a display screen for displaying graphical user interface objects;
• an input device for providing user input to a graphical user interface;
• and
• a graphical user interface for coordinating display of said graphical user interface objects on said display screen, said graphical user interface including:
• means for zooming from one image scope to another image scope based on first input from said input device;
• means for selecting one of said graphical user interface objects based on second input from said input device;
• means for moving a selection target through a list of screen positions based on third input from said input device;
• and
• means for initiating an action in said graphical user interface framework based on said indicated position and fourth input from said input device.

A method for displaying information on a graphical user interface comprising the steps of:

• displaying a first plurality of images at a first magnification level;
• receiving a first selection indication that identifies a subset of said plurality of images;
• displaying a first zoomed version of said selected subset of said plurality of images at a second magnification level;
• receiving a second selection indication that identifies an image within said subset of images;
• and
• displaying a second zoomed version of said identified image, wherein said second zoomed version of said identified image includes at least one user-actuable control element.

A graphical user interface (GUI) comprising:

• a first GUI screen which displays a first plurality of images at a first magnification level;
• means for receiving a first selection indication that identifies a subset of said plurality of images;
• a second GUI screen which displays a first zoomed version of said selected subset of said plurality of images at a second magnification level;
• means for receiving a second selection indication that identifies an image within said subset of images;
• and
• a third GUI screen which displays a second zoomed version of said identified image, wherein said second zoomed version of said identified image includes at least one user-actuable control element.

A device comprising:

• a processor for receiving media input, controlling media output and generating a zoomable graphical user interface (GUI);
• and
• said GUI enabling a user to select a media item from among a plurality of media items for output to one of audio/video output devices, said GUI including:
• a first GUI screen which displays a first plurality of images at a first magnification level;
• means for receiving a first selection indication that identifies a subset of said plurality of images;
• a second GUI screen which displays a first zoomed version of said selected subset of said plurality of images at a second magnification level;
• means for receiving a second selection indication that identifies an image within said subset of images;
• and
• a third GUI screen which displays a second zoomed version of said identified image, wherein said second zoomed version of said identified, wherein said second zoomed version of said identified image includes at least one user-actuable control element.