Information providing device and method for index information for scene changes

An information providing method for displaying information on a screen, based on various information data provided through a plurality of information sources, comprising:

• obtaining first index information from a first information source of the plurality of information sources, wherein the first index information includes representative information indicating scene changes in the information data provided through the first information source;
• obtaining second index information from a second information source of the plurality of information sources;
• displaying a categorized menu on the screen based on the obtained first and second index information;
• obtaining necessary information from the first or second information source, in response to selection operation on the menu screen;
• displaying information based on the necessary information;
• recording a history of programs watched and heard by a user, and controlling the display of information such that a favorite channel of the user is displayed to be selectable a priori in accordance with the history;
• arranging the menu screen to display the information in a plurality of dimensions and levels such that a substantial portion of the necessary information can be seen and navigated on a minimum number of screens;
• displaying a plurality of child screens on the menu screen;
• positioning a selected child screen in a center region of the menu screen by shifting the entire menu screen with respect to each of the plurality of child screens displayed on the menu screen and gradually enlarging the selected child screen to encompass substantially all of the menu screen, such that the enlarged child screen is not duplicative of any of the plurality of child screens displayed on the menu screen;
• arranging the menu screen in a matrix form and upon shifting the entire menu screen, moving, by a same distance, each child screen of the menu screen in a predetermined direction, the same distance being determined by a position of the selected child screen and a position of the center region;
• and
• constructing a main menu screen by the categorized menu and at least one menu from a menu of recommended channels and a menu of media.

An information providing apparatus for displaying information on a screen, based on various information data provided through a plurality of information sources, comprising:

• a first receiver to obtain first index information from a first information source of the plurality of information sources, wherein the first index information includes representative information indicating scene changes in the information data provided through the first information source;
• a second receiver to obtain second index information from a second information source of the plurality of information sources;
• a display to display a categorized menu on the screen based on the obtained first and second index information;
• and
• a third receiver to obtain necessary information from the first or second information source, in response to selection operation on the menu screen, and to display information based on the necessary information,
• a recording device to record a history of programs watched and heard by a user, and controlling the display of information such that a favorite channel of the user is displayed to be selectable a priori in accordance with the history,
• wherein the menu screen is arranged to display the information in a plurality of dimensions and levels such that a substantial portion of the necessary information can be seen and navigated on a minimum number of screens to enable relatively easy programming decisions and selections;
• wherein a plurality of child screens are displayed on the menu screen,
• wherein a selected child screen is positioned in a center region of the menu screen by shifting the entire menu screen with respect to each of the plurality of child screens displayed on the menu screen and the selected child screen is gradually enlarged to encompass substantially all of the screen such that the enlarged child screen is not duplicative of any of the plurality of child screens displayed on the menu screen,
• wherein the menu screen is arranged in a matrix form and the shifting of the entire menu screen moves, by a same distance, each child screen of the menu screen in a predetermined direction, the same distance being determined by a position of the selected child screen and a position of the center region, and
• wherein a main menu screen is constructed by the categorized menu and at least one menu from a menu of recommended channels and a menu of media.