Navigating a media menu using a touch-sensitive remote control device

• US 10,338,781 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2017
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chaudhri, Imran A., Madden, Thomas Michael, Forstall, Scott J., Kerr, Duncan Robert, King, Nicholas V., Lemay, Stephen O., Fabrick, II, Richard W., Ording, Bas, Seymour, Eric Taylor, Van Os, Marcel
• Primary Examiner(s): Bautista, Xiomara L
• Application Number:
  US15/811,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20180129381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

Techniques and systems for centralized access to multimedia content stored on or available to a computing device are disclosed. The centralized access can be provided by a media control interface that receives user inputs and interacts with media programs resident on the computing device to produce graphical user interfaces that can be presented on a display device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

displaying, on a display, an arrangement of media menu items in which a first media menu item is highlighted;

while displaying, on the display, the arrangement of media menu items, receiving an input that corresponds to a directional input on one or more touch-sensitive surfaces on a remote control device that is in communication with the display;

in response to receiving the input, transitioning from highlighting the first media menu item to highlighting a second media menu item in the arrangement of media menu items;

while the second media menu item is highlighted on the display, receiving a selection input that includes touch-sensitive surface actuation in a center of the one or more touch-sensitive surfaces on the remote control device; and

in response to receiving the selection input, ceasing to display the arrangement of media menu items and displaying a content menu relating to the second media menu item.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

displaying, on the display, a child indicator associated with a media menu item, the child indicator indicating that one or more submenus or sub-items will become available or will be accessed upon selection of the corresponding media menu item.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, on the display, one or more media menu item abstractions corresponding to one or more of the media menu items.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the one or more media menu item abstractions comprise graphical representations of content of the corresponding media menu items.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the media menu item abstractions are arranged such that one of the media menu item abstractions is displayed in a foreground position and a remaining of the media menu item abstractions are displayed in one or more background positions.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein a media menu item abstraction corresponding to the highlighted media menu item is displayed in the foreground position.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the media menu item abstractions are scaled in size.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the media menu item abstractions are scaled proportionally to a proximity of the media menu item abstraction to the foreground position.

9. A computer readable medium storing instructions that, on execution by an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform operations comprising:

displaying, on a display, an arrangement of media menu items in which a first media menu item is highlighted;

while displaying, on the display, the arrangement of media menu items, receiving an input that corresponds to a directional input on one or more touch-sensitive surfaces on a remote control device that is in communication with the display;

in response to receiving the input, transitioning from highlighting a representation of the first media menu item to highlighting a second media menu item in the arrangement of media menu items;

while the second media menu item is highlighted on the display, receiving a selection input that includes touch-sensitive surface actuation in a center of the one or more touch-sensitive surfaces on the remote control device; and

in response to receiving the selection input, ceasing to display the arrangement of media menu items and displaying a content menu relating to the second media menu item.

10. The computer readable medium according to claim 9, further comprising instructions that, on execution by an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform further operations comprising:

displaying, on the display, a child indicator associated with a media menu item, the child indicator indicating that one or more submenus or sub-items will become available or will be accessed upon selection of the corresponding media menu item.

11. The computer readable medium according to claim 9, further comprising instructions that, on execution by an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform further operations comprising:

displaying, on the display, one or more media menu item abstractions corresponding to one or more of the media menu items.

12. The computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the one or more media menu item abstractions comprise graphical representations of content of the corresponding media menu items.

13. The computer readable medium according to claim 11, wherein the media menu item abstractions are arranged such that one of the media menu item abstractions is displayed in a foreground position and a remaining of the media menu item abstractions are displayed in one or more background positions.

14. The computer readable medium according to claim 13, wherein a media menu item abstraction corresponding to the highlighted media menu item is displayed in the foreground position.

15. The computer readable medium according to claim 13, wherein the media menu item abstractions are scaled in size.

16. The computer readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the media menu item abstractions are scaled proportionally to a proximity of the media menu item abstraction to the foreground position.

17. A system comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

displaying, on a display, an arrangement of media menu items in which a first media menu item is highlighted;

while displaying, on the display, the arrangement of media menu items, receiving an input that corresponds to a directional input on one or more touch-sensitive surface on a remote control device that is in communication with the display;

in response to receiving the input, transitioning from highlighting a representation of the first media menu item to highlighting a second media menu item in the arrangement of media menu items;

while the second media menu item is highlighted on the display, receiving a selection input that includes touch-sensitive surface actuation in a center of the one or more touch-sensitive surfaces on the remote control device; and

in response to receiving the selection input, ceasing to display the arrangement of media menu items and displaying a content menu relating to the second media menu item.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the memory further stores instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to further perform operations comprising:

displaying, on the display, a child indicator associated with a media menu item, the child indicator indicating that one or more submenus or sub-items will become available or will be accessed upon selection of the corresponding media menu item.

19. The system according to claim 17, wherein the memory further stores instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to further perform operations comprising:

displaying, on the display, one or more media menu item abstractions corresponding to one or more of the media menu items.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the one or more media menu item abstractions comprise graphical representations of content of the corresponding media menu items.

21. The system according to claim 19, wherein the media menu item abstractions are arranged such that one of the media menu item abstractions is displayed in a foreground position and a remaining of the media menu item abstractions are displayed in one or more background positions.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein a media menu item abstraction corresponding to the highlighted media menu item is displayed in the foreground position.

23. The system according to claim 21, wherein the media menu item abstractions are scaled in size.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein the media menu item abstractions are scaled proportionally to a proximity of the media menu item abstraction to the foreground position.