EP-4738089-A2 - USER INTERFACES FOR NAVIGATING AND PLAYING CHANNEL-BASED CONTENT

Abstract

In some embodiments, an electronic device displays representations of groups of channels along a first axis in a user interface, and displays representations of channels associated with a selected group of channels along the first axis in response to receiving selection of the group. In some embodiments, an electronic device displays a user interface for viewing subscribed and unsubscribed channels, and for subscribing to unsubscribed channels. In some embodiments, an electronic device displays a navigation bar for navigating between live content, watch list content, on-demand content, channels, and search content. In some embodiments, an electronic device displays an array-based content guide.

Inventors

• Robbin, Jeffrey, L
• MCGLINN, Joshua
• Chen, Elbert D
• WOOD, POLICARPO
• PARK, DENNIS S.
• PONSON, FLORIAN MILES
• KEIGHRAN, BENJAMIN W
• BACHMAN, WILLIAM M
• FOLSE, JENNIFER L.C.
• LOCHHEAD, JONATHAN
• HOWARD, JOE

Assignees

• Apple Inc.

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20160826

Claims (15)

1. A method comprising: at an electronic device with a display device and one or more input devices: generating, for display on the display device, in a user interface: a first plurality of representations of first channels in a first region of the user interface, the first plurality of representations of the first channels having a first visual characteristic, and the first plurality of representations of the first channels corresponding to channels to which a user is subscribed; and a second plurality of representations of second channels in a second region of the user interface, different from the first region, the second plurality of representations of the second channels having a second visual characteristic, different from the first visual characteristic, and the second plurality of representations of the second channels corresponding to channels to which the user is not subscribed; while displaying the first plurality of representations of the first channels and the second plurality of representations of the second channels, receiving an input, via the one or more input devices, causing a respective channel representation of the second plurality of representations of the second channels to have a current focus; and in response to receiving the input, modifying the respective channel representation to have the first visual characteristic instead of having the second visual characteristic.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the first plurality of representations having the first visual characteristic comprises generating the first plurality of representations in color, generating the second plurality of representations having the second visual characteristic comprises generating the second plurality of representations in grayscale or black and white, and modifying the respective channel representation to have the first visual characteristic instead of having the second visual characteristic comprises modifying the respective channel representation to be displayed in color instead of in grayscale or black and white.
3. The method of any of claims 1-2, further comprising: in response to receiving the input, increasing a size of the respective channel representation.
4. The method of any of claims 1-3, further comprising: in response to receiving the input, adding a shadow to the respective channel representation.
5. The method of any of claims 1-4, further comprising: in response to receiving the input, increasing a brightness of the respective channel representation relative to other channel representations.
6. The method of any of claims 1-5, further comprising: after modifying the respective channel representation, receiving a second input causing a second respective channel representation of the second plurality of representations of second channels to have the current focus; and in response to receiving the second input: reversing the modification of the respective channel representation such that the respective channel representation has the second visual characteristic instead of having the first visual characteristic; and modifying the second respective channel representation to have the first visual characteristic instead of having the second visual characteristic.
7. The method of any of claims 1-6, further comprising: while the respective channel representation has the current focus, receiving a second input corresponding to a request to subscribe to the respective channel; and in response to receiving the second input: moving the respective channel representation from the second region of the user interface to the first region of the user interface while maintaining the respective channel representation as having the first visual characteristic.
8. The method of any of claims 1-7, further comprising: while displaying the first plurality of representations of the first channels and the second plurality of representations of the second channels in the user interface, receiving a second input corresponding to a request for information about a particular channel of the first and second channels; and in response to receiving the second input, generating, for display on the display device, an updated user interface, which includes: a plurality of representations of content items available on the particular channel; and in accordance with a determination that the particular channel is a channel to which the user is not subscribed, a subscription user interface element selectable to subscribe to the particular channel.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein: in accordance with a determination that the particular channel is a channel to which the user is subscribed, the plurality of representations of content items are selectable to play respective content items, and in accordance with a determination that the particular channel is a channel to which the user is not subscribed, the plurality of representations of content items are not selectable to play the respective content items.
10. The method of any of claims 1-9, wherein the second region of the user interface further includes a channel package representation of a first package of a first plurality of channels, and the method further comprises: receiving a second input corresponding to a request to subscribe to the first package of the first plurality of channels; and in response to receiving the second input, subscribing to a plurality of channels of the first package of the first plurality of channels.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein: the second region of the user interface includes a first portion and a second portion, the first portion includes a plurality of representations of channels that belong to one or more packages of channels, including the first package of the first plurality of channels, and the second portion includes a plurality of representations of channels that do not belong to a package of channels.
12. The method of claim 10, further comprising: in response to receiving the second input: moving the channel package representation of the first package from the second region to the first region in the user interface; and modifying the channel package representation of the first package to have the first visual characteristic.
13. The method of any of claims 1-12, wherein modifying the respective channel representation to have the first visual characteristic instead of having the second visual characteristic comprises displaying an animated transition of the respective channel representation from having the first visual characteristic to having the second visual characteristic.
14. An electronic device, comprising: one or more processors; memory; a display device; one or more input devices; and one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for performing any of the methods of claims 1-13.
15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device with a display device and one or more input devices, cause the electronic device to perform any of the methods of claims 1-13.

Description

Related Application Data This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/234,912, filed September 30, 2015, and U.S. Patent Application No. 15/235,000, filed August 11, 2016, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. Field of the Disclosure This relates generally to electronic devices that allow for navigating and playing content, including channel-based content, and user interactions with such devices. Background of the Disclosure User interaction with electronic devices has increased significantly in recent years. These devices can be devices such as computers, tablet computers, televisions, multimedia devices, mobile devices, and the like. In some circumstances, such a device has access to content (e.g., music, movies, etc.), including channel-based content, and user interaction with such a device entails navigation and playing of the content. Enhancing these interactions improves the user's experience with the device and decreases user interaction time, which is particularly important where input devices are battery-operated. Summary of the Disclosure The embodiments described in this disclosure are directed to one or more electronic devices that allow users to navigate and play content items, including channel-based content items, available on the electronic devices, and one or more operations related to the above that the electronic devices optionally perform. The full descriptions of the embodiments are provided in the Drawings and the Detailed Description, and it is understood that the Summary provided above does not limit the scope of the disclosure in any way. Brief Description of the Drawings For a better understanding of the various described embodiments, reference should be made to the Detailed Description below, in conjunction with the following drawings in which like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the figures. Fig. 1A is a block diagram illustrating a multifunction device with a touch-sensitive display in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure.Fig. 1B is a block diagram illustrating exemplary components for event handling in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure.Fig. 2 illustrates a multifunction device having a touch screen in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure.Fig. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary multifunction device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure.Fig. 4 illustrates an exemplary user interface for a multifunction device with a touch-sensitive surface that is separate from the display in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure.Figs. 5A-5B illustrate block diagrams of exemplary architectures for devices according to some embodiments of the disclosure.Figs. 6A-6S illustrate exemplary ways in which electronic devices allow users to navigate channels available on the electronic devices in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure.Figs. 7A-7M are flow diagrams illustrating a method of navigating channels available on an electronic device in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure.Figs. 8A-8L illustrate exemplary ways in which electronic devices allow users to view and manage subscribed and unsubscribed channels available on the electronic devices in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure.Figs. 9A-9G are flow diagrams illustrating a method of viewing and managing subscribed and unsubscribed channels available on an electronic device in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure.Figs. 10A-10X illustrate exemplary ways in which electronic devices allow users to navigate content items available on the electronic devices in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure.Figs. 11A-11K are flow diagrams illustrating a method of navigating content items available on an electronic device in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure.Figs. 12A-12FF illustrate exemplary ways in which electronic devices allow users to view, navigate and play current and future content from channels available on the electronic devices in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure.Figs. 13A-13L are flow diagrams illustrating a method 1300 of viewing, navigating and playing current and future content from channels available on an electronic device in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure.Figs. 14-17 are functional block diagrams of electronic devices in accordance with some embodiments of the disclosure. Detailed Description In the following description of embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which it is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments that are optionally practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments are optionally used and structural changes are optionally made without departing from the scope of the disclosed embodiments. EXEMPLARY DEVICES Embodim