User interface display for set-top box device

• US 20040233238A1
• Filed: 05/21/2003
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Lahdesmaki, Petri
• Granted Patent: US 7,681,149 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4113 PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• 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 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4363 Adapting the video stream to a specific local network, e.g. a Bluetooth® network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time

Abstract

User interface systems and methods are disclosed. The user interfaces include at least one focus pointer that allow a user to quickly access the elements contained in a plurality of folders. A fixed focus pointer selects one of a plurality of elements of a main folder in response to interaction of a user. A moveable focus pointer scrolls through a plurality of elements of the first subfolder to select a second subfolder in response to interaction of a user. The user interface may include additional folders and focus pointers.

Claims

1. An apparatus for generating a user interface for display on a display device, the apparatus comprising a processor programmed to generate a user interface comprising the following elements:

a main folder containing a plurality of elements;

at least a first sequential subfolder containing a plurality of elements linked to previous folder;

a fixed focus pointer that selects one of the plurality of elements of the main folder in response to interaction of a user; and

at least one moveable focus pointer that scrolls through the plurality of elements of the at least first sequential subfolder to select one of the plurality of elements in response to interaction of a user.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the main folder and the at least first sequential subfolder are scrollable.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the elements of at least first sequential subfolder are presented in a form of two bars.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the form of two bars is scrollable together.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein information of content of elements is visible.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the elements in the folders are selectable.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the elements of the at least first sequential subfolder are presented in a form of a carousel.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the carousel rotates on an axis.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the elements in the carousel are selectable.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of elements of the main folder and the at least first subfolder comprise icons.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of elements of the main folder and the at least first subfolder comprise text.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface further includes a second subfolder containing a plurality of elements and linked to the first subfolder.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the user interface further includes a third subfolder containing a plurality of elements and linked to the second subfolder.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the third subfolder is displayed parallel to the second subfolder.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the third subfolder is displayed perpendicular to the second subfolder.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a wireless interface module that receives signals carrying interaction information from the user.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sequential folders are arranged perpendicular to each other.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein elements selected by the at least one moveable focus pointer change appearance.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the element selected by the fixed focus pointer changes appearance.

21. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the elements in the main scrollable folder comprise media types and the elements in the first subfolder comprise choices corresponding to the selected media type and the elements in the second subfolder comprise definitions of appearance of the choices corresponding to the selected media types and the elements in the third subfolder comprise predefined actions and functions folder or information folder available to each appearance of choices.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface receives content of an electric program guide (EPG) over-the-air (OTA).

23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface receives content over the air (OTA).

24. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface receives content over a wireline network.

25. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface receives content via a wireless handset device over wireless short-range network.

26. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface receives content from a memory unit in a wireless handset device over wireless short-range network.

27. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface receives content via a personal computer over wireless short-range network.

28. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface receives content via a personal computer over wireline network.

29. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface receives content from a memory unit in a personal computer over wireless short-range network.

30. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface receives content from a memory unit in a personal computer over wireline network.

31. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of elements in the first sequential subfolder represent television channels.

32. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of elements in the first sequential subfolder represent days.

33. The apparatus of claim 31 further including a plurality of elements in a second sequential subfolder that represent television programs.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the plurality of elements in the second sequential subfolder are all presented at the same time in the form of a matrix.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the elements in the matrix are selectable without selecting the first sequential subfolder first.

36. The apparatus of claim 33 further including a plurality of elements in a third sequential subfolder that represent an actions and options folder.

37. The apparatus of claim 33 further including a plurality of elements in a third sequential subfolder that represent an information folder.

38. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of elements in the first sequential subfolder represent photographs.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, further including a plurality of elements in a second sequential subfolder that represent photographs.

40. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of elements represent Internet links.

41. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein only a second subfolder of the user interface containing a plurality of selectable elements related to a media on display of the display device is displayed when invoked by a user.

42. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a set-top box (STB).

43. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a personal computer.

44. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a wireless device.

4. The apparatus of 1, wherein the elements of the main folder are presented in a form of two bars.

45. An apparatus for generating an electronic program guide for display on a display device, the apparatus comprising a processor programmed to generate an electronic program guide comprising the following elements:

a main scrollable folder containing a plurality of medial types;

a first subfolder containing a plurality of channels and linked to the main folder;

a second subfolder containing a plurality of programs linked to the channels in the first subfolder;

a third subfolder containing a plurality of actions linked to the programs in the second subfolder;

a fixed focus pointer that selects one of the plurality of media types of the main folder in response to interaction of a user;

a first moveable focus pointer that scrolls through the plurality of channels of the first subfolder to select the second subfolder in response to interaction a user;

a second moveable focus pointer that scrolls through the plurality of programs of

the second subfolder to select the third subfolder in response to interaction of a user; and

a third moveable focus pointer that scrolls through the plurality of action of the third subfolder to select one of the actions to interaction of a user.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the apparatus receives content of the electronic program guide via over-the-air (OTA).

47. A method of generating a user interface for display on a display device, the method comprising:

displaying a main folder containing a plurality of elements;

displaying at least a first sequential subfolders containing a plurality of elements linked to previous folder;

providing a fixed focus pointer that selects one of the plurality of elements of the main folder in response to interaction of a user; and

providing at least one moveable focus pointer that scrolls through the plurality of elements of the at least first sequential subfolder to select one of the plurality of elements in response to interaction of a user.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising having scrollable main folder and at least a first sequential subfolder.

49. The method of claim 47, further comprising presenting the elements of at least first sequential subfolder in a form of two bars.

50. The method of claim 47, further comprising presenting the elements of the main folder in a form of two bars.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein the form of two bars is scrollable together.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein information of content of elements is visible.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the elements in the folder are selectable.

54. The method of claim 47, further comprising presenting the elements of at least first sequential subfolder in a form of a carousel.

55. The method of claim 54, further comprising rotating the carousel on its axis.

56. The method of claim 54, wherein the elements in the carousel are selectable.

57. The method of claim 47, further comprising having a wireless interface module that receives signals carrying interaction information to the user.

58. The method of claim 47, wherein the sequential folders are arranged perpendicular to each other.

59. The method of claim 47, further comprising receiving content of an electronic program guide (EPG) to the user interface over-the-air (OTA).

60. The method of claim 47, further comprising receiving content for the user interface over a wireline network.

61. The method of claim 47, further comprising receiving content for the user interface via a wireless handset device over wireless short-range network.

62. The method of claim 47, further comprising receiving content for the user interface from a memory unit in a wireless handset device over wireless short-range network.

63. The method of claim 47, further comprising receiving content for the user interface via a personal computer over wireless short range network.

64. The method of claim 47, further comprising receiving content for the user interface via a personal computer over a wireline network.

65. The method of claim 47, further comprising receiving content for the user interface from a memory unit in a personal computer over a wireless short range network.

66. The method of claim 47, further comprising receiving content for the user interface from a memory unit in a personal computer over a wireline network.

67. The method of claim 47, further comprising displaying only a second subfolder of the user interface containing a plurality of selectable elements related to a media on the display of the display device when invoked by a user.

68. The method of claim 47, further comprising transmitting the user interface to a second apparatus.

69. The method of claim 68, further comprising transmitting content to the second apparatus.

70. The method of claim 68, further comprising further transmitting the user interface to a third apparatus.

71. The method of claim 70, further comprising further transmitting content to the third apparatus.

72. The method of claim 68, wherein the second apparatus comprises a personal computer or a wireless terminal.

73. The method of claim 70, wherein the third apparatus comprises a set-top box.

74. The method of claims 68, further comprising transmitting the user interface via over-the-air (OTA) or wireline network.

75. The method of claims 69, further comprising transmitting content via over-the-air (OTA) or wireline network.

76. A set-top box comprising:

a memory storing electronic program guide content; and

a processor programmed to generate a program guide comprising the following elements;

a main scrollable folder containing a plurality of elements;

at least one sequential subfolder containing a plurality of elements linked to previous folder;

a fixed focus pointer that selects one of the plurality of elements of the main folder in response to interaction of a user; and

at least one moveable focus pointer that scrolls through the plurality of elements of the at least one subfolder to select one of the plurality of elements in response to interaction of a user.