Method of selecting among multiply-categorized items

• US 20020099709A1
• Filed: 01/25/2002
• Published: 07/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ensequence Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ensequence Incorporated
• Inventors: Wallace, Michael W.
• Application Number:
  US10/057,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20020099709A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73

Abstract

A method for selecting content for play comprises allowing selection by a user of two or more top-level categories from a list of categories where at least one of a plurality of media content items are associated with two or more top-level categories. A list of only those media content items associated with all of the two or more top-level categories selected by the user are presented for selection and play.

Claims

1. A method for selecting among multiply-categorized items, comprising:

associating for at least one of a plurality of media content items two or more top-level categories;

allowing selection by a user of two or more top-level categories from a list of categories; and

selecting for presentation to the user a list of only those media content items associated with all of the two or more top-level categories selected by the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the top-level categories include “

action”

.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the top-level categories includes “

adventure”

.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the top-level categories includes “

adult”

.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the top-level categories includes “

comedy”

.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the top-level categories includes “

drama”

.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the top-level categories includes “

foreign”

.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the top-level categories includes “

musical”

.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the top-level categories includes “

sci-fi”

.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the top-level categories includes “

romance”

.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

associating with each of the plurality of media content one or more items from a submenu list; and

allowing selection by a user of one or more items from the submenu list; and

selecting for presentation to the user a list of only those media content items associated with all of the two or more top-level categories selected by the user that are also associated with the items selected from the submenu list.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of allowing selection from the submenu list occurs after the step of allowing selection of the top-level categories.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of allowing selection of items from the submenu list includes displaying the items to the user, wherein the items displayed is dependent upon the top-level categories selected by the user.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

selecting at least one item from a submenu list; and

presenting on the display screen data associated with said selected item and said selected top-level categories.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of presenting on the display screen content responsive to said selecting step includes the step of displaying of list of content associated with all of said top-level categories selected from the list.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of presenting on the display screen content responsive to said selecting step includes the step of displaying of list of content associated with exactly all of said top-level categories selected from the list.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of presenting on the display screen content responsive to said selecting step includes the step of displaying a list of content associated with any one or more top-level categories selected from the list.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the list of top level categories includes at least four of the following:

action, adventure, adult, comedy, drama, foreign, musical, romance and sci-fi.

14. A method for selecting for display content of a display screen, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a list of top-level categories on a display screen;

selecting at least two of the top-level categories from the list; and

presenting on the display screen content responsive to said selecting step.