System and method for providing a context-sensitive instructional user interface icon in an interactive television system

摘要

Icons representing a plurality of interactive options periodically available within an interactive television system are stored in an icon repository. Each interactive option corresponds to a button on a remote control. Furthermore, each icon shares a common visual characteristic with a corresponding button on the remote control. Exemplary shared visual characteristics include shape, color, size, relative position, etc. In response to an interactive option corresponding to a first icon becoming available, the first icon is displayed on a television to alert the user to the interactive option. The first icon may be visually emphasized in various ways, such as by highlighting, animation, and scaling.