System and method for focused navigation within an interactive television user interface
First Claim
1. A method for focused navigation of a plurality of channels within a user interface of an interactive television (ITV) system, the method comprising:
- storing a plurality of visual cards, each visual card graphically representing a channel associated with the ITV system;
in response to a single user action, successively displaying the visual cards in a focus area of the user interface; and
in response to an additional user action, discontinuing the successive display of visual cards to show a particular visual card representing a desired channel.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An ITV system having a plurality of channels is provided. A visual card is created for each channel, each visual card including a graphical representation of the channel. The visual cards may be linked together or grouped in one or more sequences. One or more visual cards from one or more sequences may be displayed across the GUI, with one visual card being displayed within a focus area. In response to a single user action, the visual cards within a particular sequence may be successively displayed within the focus area. When the user sees a visual card representing a desired channel, the user takes some additional action and the successive display of visual cards is discontinued. The visual card representing the desired channel is then displayed in the focus area within the user interface, and may be visually enhanced. Once the successive display of visual cards has been discontinued, the user may select the channel represented by the visual card.
157 Citations
67 Claims
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1. A method for focused navigation of a plurality of channels within a user interface of an interactive television (ITV) system, the method comprising:
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storing a plurality of visual cards, each visual card graphically representing a channel associated with the ITV system;
in response to a single user action, successively displaying the visual cards in a focus area of the user interface; and
in response to an additional user action, discontinuing the successive display of visual cards to show a particular visual card representing a desired channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method for focused navigation of a plurality of channels within a user interface of an interactive television (ITV) system, the method comprising:
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storing a plurality of visual cards, each visual card graphically representing a channel associated with the ITV system;
displaying the visual cards in rapid succession in a same location of the display screen; and
in response to a user action, discontinuing the successive display of visual cards to show a particular visual card representing a desired channel.
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30. A method for focused navigation of a plurality of options within a user interface of an interactive television (ITV) system, the method comprising:
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storing a first plurality of visual cards, each visual card representing a channel associated with the ITV system, each visual card comprising a graphical representation of the represented channel;
linking the first plurality of visual cards in a first sequence;
displaying a subset of the first sequence of visual cards in a first direction across the user interface, a single visual card in the sequence being displayed within a focus area of the user interface;
in response to a single user action, cyclically displaying the visual cards across the user interface in the first sequence to progressively change the visual card within the focus area; and
in response to an additional user action, halting the cyclic display to show a particular visual card within the focus area corresponding to a desired channel. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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34. A system for focused navigation of a plurality of channels within a user interface, the system comprising:
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a storage device configured to store a plurality of visual cards, each visual card representing a channel associated with the system, each visual card comprising a graphical representation of the represented channel;
a user input detector configured to detect user actions; and
a display unit configured to successively display the visual cards in a focus area of the user interface in response to a single user action being detected, and to discontinue the successive display of visual cards to show a particular visual card of a desired channel in response to an additional user action being detected. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. A system for focused navigation of a plurality of channels within a user interface, the system comprising:
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a storage device configured to store a plurality of visual cards, each visual card graphically representing a channel associated with the system;
a user input detector configured to detect user actions; and
a display unit configured to display the visual cards in rapid succession in a focus area of the user interface and to discontinue the successive display of visual cards to show a particular visual card of a desired channel in response to a user action being detected.
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63. A system for focused navigation of a plurality of channels within a user interface, the system comprising:
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a computer-readable medium configured to store a first linked sequence of visual cards, each visual card representing a channel associated with the system, each visual card comprising a graphical representation of the represented channel;
a user input detector configured to detect user actions; and
a display unit configured to;
display a subset of the first linked sequence of visual cards in a first direction across the user interface, a single visual card in the sequence being displayed within a focus area of the user interface;
cyclically display the visual cards across the user interface in the first linked sequence to progressively change the visual card within the focus area in response to a single user action being detected; and
halt the cyclic display to show a particular visual card within the focus area corresponding to a desired channel in response to an additional user action being detected. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66)
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67. A system for focused navigation of a plurality of channels, the system comprising:
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means for storing a plurality of visual cards, each visual card graphically representing a channel associated with the system;
means for successively displaying the visual cards in a focus area of the user interface in response to a single user action; and
means for discontinuing the successive display of visual cards to show a particular visual card representing a desired channel in response to an additional user action.
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Specification