Channel bar user interface

• US 10,091,558 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2017
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Christie, Gregory N., Sabatelli, Alessandro, Bachman, William M., Chaudhri, Imran, Robbin, Jeffrey, Young, Jim, Howard, Joe, Van Os, Marcel, Coffman, Patrick L., Lemay, Stephen O., Ma, Jeffrey, Kress, Lynne
• Primary Examiner(s): Saltarelli, Dominic D
• Application Number:
  US15/714,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20180041814A1
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: 725 47
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4823 using a channel name

Abstract

Systems and methods for a media content user interface. A media content provider includes storage for storing and serving video content to subscribers. The media content provider records and or otherwise stores video content from around the world. Subscribers are provided a user interface to the system that includes a channel bar. The channel bar is dynamically scoped responsive to interactions of a viewer with the system. Selectable elements within the channel bar provide direct access to related content regarding video content, such as television series information and cast information. In addition, the channel bar is operable in multiple modes. An EPG mode displays live video for multiple channels simultaneously. Themed modes permit channel bars that display content according to various themes which may be defined by a viewer, the provider, or both.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at an electronic device with a display device and one or more input devices;

displaying, on the display device, a first content navigation user interface including a first row of a first plurality of representations of content items, wherein;

the first row corresponds to a first channel,

the first plurality of representations of content items correspond to content items available on the first channel at different respective times, and

the first plurality of representations of content items available on the first channel are arranged in accordance with the respective times at which the content items are available on the first channel;

while displaying the first content navigation user interface, receiving a sequence of one or more inputs, via the one or more input devices, corresponding to a request to display a second content navigation user interface; and

in response to receiving the sequence of one or more inputs, displaying, on the display device, the second content navigation user interface including a second row of a second plurality of representations of content items, wherein;

the second row corresponds to a plurality of channels, and

the second plurality of representations of content items correspond to content items available on the plurality of channels at a first time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first row of the first plurality of representations of content items is displayed adjacent to a visual indication of the first channel, and

the second plurality of representations includes a first respective representation of a first content item that is displayed adjacent to a visual indication of a respective channel on which the first content item is available at the first time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first plurality of representations of content items includes a first representation of a first content item that is available at a first respective time on the first channel, and is available as an on-demand content item.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first representation of the first content item includes a visual indication that the first content item is available as an on-demand content item.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first plurality of representations of content items include respective titles of the content items, and

the second plurality of representations include a first respective representation of a first content item that includes content corresponding to the first content item.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first respective representation of the first content item is displayed adjacent to a title of the first content item.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

while displaying the second content navigation user interface including the second row of the second plurality of representations of content items, receiving, via the one or more input devices, a second sequence of one or more inputs corresponding to a request to view a plurality of content items of a given genre available at the first time; and

in response to receiving the second sequence of one or more inputs, updating the second content navigation user interface to include a third row of a third plurality of representations of content items, wherein the third plurality of representations of content items correspond to content items of the given genre available on a second plurality of channels at the first time.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including instructions, which when executed by a processor of an electronic device with a display device and one or more input devices, cause the electronic device to perform a method comprising:

displaying, on the display device, a first content navigation user interface including a first row of a first plurality of representations of content items, wherein;

the first row corresponds to a first channel,

the first plurality of representations of content items correspond to content items available on the first channel at different respective times, and

the first plurality of representations of content items available on the first channel are arranged in accordance with the respective times at which the content items are available on the first channel;

while displaying the first content navigation user interface, receiving a sequence of one or more inputs, via the one or more input devices, corresponding to a request to display a second content navigation user interface; and

in response to receiving the sequence of one or more inputs, displaying, on the display device, the second content navigation user interface including a second row of a second plurality of representations of content items, wherein;

the second row corresponds to a plurality of channels, and

the second plurality of representations of content items correspond to content items available on the plurality of channels at a first time.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein:

the first row of the first plurality of representations of content items is displayed adjacent to a visual indication of the first channel, and

the second plurality of representations includes a first respective representation of a first content item that is displayed adjacent to a visual indication of a respective channel on which the first content item is available at the first time.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein:

the first plurality of representations of content items includes a first representation of a first content item that is available at a first respective time on the first channel, and is available as an on-demand content item.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the first representation of the first content item includes a visual indication that the first content item is available as an on-demand content item.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein:

the first plurality of representations of content items include respective titles of the content items, and

the second plurality of representations include a first respective representation of a first content item that includes content corresponding to the first content item.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the first respective representation of the first content item is displayed adjacent to a title of the first content item.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, the method further comprising:

while displaying the second content navigation user interface including the second row of the second plurality of representations of content items, receiving, via the one or more input devices, a second sequence of one or more inputs corresponding to a request to view a plurality of content items of a given genre available at the first time; and

in response to receiving the second sequence of one or more inputs, updating the second content navigation user interface to include a third row of a third plurality of representations of content items, wherein the third plurality of representations of content items correspond to content items of the given genre available on a second plurality of channels at the first time.

15. An electronic device comprising:

a display device;

one or more input devices;

a processor; and

memory including instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the electronic device to perform a method comprising;

displaying, on the display device, a first content navigation user interface including a first row of a first plurality of representations of content items, wherein;

the first row corresponds to a first channel,

the first plurality of representations of content items correspond to content items available on the first channel at different respective times, and

the first plurality of representations of content items available on the first channel are arranged in accordance with the respective times at which the content items are available on the first channel;

while displaying the first content navigation user interface, receiving a sequence of one or more inputs, via the one or more input devices, corresponding to a request to display a second content navigation user interface; and

in response to receiving the sequence of one or more inputs, displaying, on the display device, the second content navigation user interface including a second row of a second plurality of representations of content items, wherein;

the second row corresponds to a plurality of channels, and

the second plurality of representations of content items correspond to content items available on the plurality of channels at a first time.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein:

the first row of the first plurality of representations of content items is displayed adjacent to a visual indication of the first channel, and

the second plurality of representations includes a first respective representation of a first content item that is displayed adjacent to a visual indication of a respective channel on which the first content item is available at the first time.

17. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein:

the first plurality of representations of content items includes a first representation of a first content item that is available at a first respective time on the first channel, and is available as an on-demand content item.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the first representation of the first content item includes a visual indication that the first content item is available as an on-demand content item.

19. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein:

the first plurality of representations of content items include respective titles of the content items, and

the second plurality of representations include a first respective representation of a first content item that includes content corresponding to the first content item.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the first respective representation of the first content item is displayed adjacent to a title of the first content item.

21. The electronic device of claim 15, the method further comprising:

while displaying the second content navigation user interface including the second row of the second plurality of representations of content items, receiving, via the one or more input devices, a second sequence of one or more inputs corresponding to a request to view a plurality of content items of a given genre available at the first time; and

in response to receiving the second sequence of one or more inputs, updating the second content navigation user interface to include a third row of a third plurality of representations of content items, wherein the third plurality of representations of content items correspond to content items of the given genre available on a second plurality of channels at the first time.