Importance

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Abstract

A navigation interface display system generates a navigation map that organizes a plurality of information sources in an easy-to-use manner. In practical embodiments, the information sources are cable or satellite television stations, online music or video files, or the like. The navigation map employs a hierarchical display protocol for a plurality of map items that serve as links to the various content sources. The hierarchical display scheme displays a limited number of active map items at a first magnification level and additional active map items at a second magnification level. In addition, the map items are displayed on distinctive areas or features of the map, where such features represent different content genres or categories. Subcategories can also be displayed in a hierarchical manner, thus providing additional information related to the content as the magnification level of the map changes. The navigation interface display system is deployed in a layered architecture with centralized servers, centralized databases related to the map data and the content data, and different presentation layers associated with different presentation or display devices (such as television systems, personal computers, wireless telephones, personal digital assistants, etc.). The layered architecture allows a single deployment of the display system to service multiple users, where each user can utilize any number of different presentation devices.

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First Claim