Abstract: An electronic device operation method and apparatus. A current state of a device such as TVs or VCRs is indicated as a graphic moving picture of a familiar character shape. Pictures containing an associated character shape are stored in correspondence with a various states of the electronic device. The pictures are formed of fonts each of which has a predetermined magnitude and corresponds to a block of the picture. One or more fonts are read during the time of shifting a device state according to a user key input, and the fonts are changed at time intervals to display a moving picture. A sound corresponding to the moving picture may be output together with the displayed moving picture, to further enhance the device state indication. Thus, a current state of the electronic device is more recognized by persons who do not read characters.

Abstract: An electronic device operation method and apparatus. A current state of a device such as TVs or VCRs is indicated as a graphic moving picture of a familiar character shape. Pictures containing an associated character shape are stored in correspondence with a various states of the electronic device. The pictures are formed of fonts each of which has a predetermined magnitude and corresponds to a block of the picture. One or more fonts are read during the time of shifting a device state according to a user key input, and the fonts are changed at time intervals to display a moving picture. A sound corresponding to the moving picture may be output together with the displayed moving picture, to further enhance the device state indication. Thus, a current state of the electronic device is more recognized by persons who do not read characters.