Electronic Programming Guide With Selectable Categories

Abstract

An electronic content guide may organize content such as television programs into categories and subcategories. The categories and subcategories may be topical as well as time-based. As a result, the user can select a given time-based criteria and within that time-based criteria select topical subcategories. As a result, the number of programs that may be displayed in any given graphical user interface may be reduced to a manageable level. This may be done without requiring a great deal of scrolling to view selected categories, subcategories and particular programs.

1 . A method comprising:
 providing an electronic programming guide; and   enabling the electronic programming guide to change the way information is displayed for a given program entry depending on the number of program entries that are displayed.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  including automatically changing the font size based on the number of program entries to be displayed. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  including automatically selecting a column size based on the number of program entries to be displayed. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  including providing a first practical user interface including a first icon to enable selection of a programming guide for a selectable category of currently available programs and providing a second icon to enable selection of a programming guide for a selectable category of programs available in the future.