Control of background media when foreground graphical user interface is invoked

• US 20050257169A1
• Filed: 06/22/2004
• Published: 11/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Computer Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tu, Edgar A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,853,895 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

A contents display control system includes: a media type determination unit configured to determine a media type of selected media contents; a contents display parameter adjustment unit operating to generate at least one adjustment value for at least one display parameter of the selected media contents; and a contents display processor configured to control display of the selected media contents in the background when graphical user interface is present in the foreground, the contents display processor controlling the display by appropriately adjusting the at least one display parameter of the selected media contents with the at least one adjustment value for the determined media type.

Claims

1. A contents display control system, comprising:

a media type determination unit configured to determine a media type of currently displayed media contents;

a contents display parameter adjustment unit operating to generate at least one adjustment value for at least one display parameter of the currently displayed media contents according to the determined media type; and

a contents display processor configured to operatively control the at least one display parameter of the currently displayed media contents in the background of a display screen when a graphical user interface is invoked to be displayed in the foreground of the display screen.

2. The contents display control system of claim 1, wherein the at least one display parameter includes brightness.

3. The contents display control system of claim 2, wherein the at least one adjustment value includes a value for the brightness to operatively dim the display.

4. The contents display control system of claim 1, wherein the at least one display parameter includes color.

5. The contents display control system of claim 1, wherein the at least one display parameter includes size.

6. The contents display control system of claim 1, wherein the at least one display parameter includes hue.

7. The contents display control system of claim 1, wherein the content display control system is implemented in a multimedia processing apparatus.

8. The contents display control system of claim 1, wherein the media type includes photograph.

9. The contents display control system of claim 1, wherein the media type includes music.

10. The contents display control system of claim 1, wherein the media type includes video.

11. The contents display control system of claim 1, wherein the media type includes broadcast.

12. The contents display control system of claim 1, wherein the media type includes web.

13. The contents display control system of claim 1, wherein the media type includes optical disks.

14. A contents display control method, comprising:

determining a media type of currently displayed media contents;

generating at least one adjustment value for at least one display parameter of the currently displayed media contents according to the determined media type; and

controlling the at least one display parameter of the currently displayed media contents in the background of a display screen when a graphical user interface is invoked to be displayed in the foreground of the display screen.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein determining a media type includes determining the media type of currently displayed media contents as broadcast or streaming video.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein controlling the at least one display parameter of the currently displayed media contents includes displaying the video in full motion.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein determining a media type includes determining the media type of currently displayed media contents as stored video.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein controlling the at least one display parameter of the currently displayed media contents includes displaying the video in a freeze frame mode.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein determining a media type includes determining the media type of currently displayed media contents as music animation or graphics.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein controlling the at least one display parameter of the currently displayed media contents includes displaying the music animation or graphics in slow motion.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein determining a media type includes determining the media type of currently displayed media contents as a slide presentation.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein controlling the at least one display parameter of the currently displayed media contents includes completing a last slide transition.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein controlling the at least one display parameter of the currently displayed media contents further includes displaying the last slide in still image.

24. A computer program, stored in a tangible storage medium, for use in controlling contents display, the program comprising executable instructions that cause a computer to:

determine a media type of currently displayed media contents;

generate at least one adjustment value for at least one display parameter of the currently displayed media contents according to the determined media type; and

control the at least one display parameter of the currently displayed media contents in the background of a display screen when a graphical user interface is invoked to be displayed in the foreground of the display screen.

25. The computer program of claim 24, wherein executable instructions that cause a computer to determine a media type includes executable instructions that cause a computer to

determine the media type of currently displayed media contents as broadcast or streaming video.

26. The computer program of claim 25, wherein executable instructions that cause a computer to control the at least one display parameter of the currently displayed media contents includes executable instructions that cause a computer to

display the video in full motion.

27. The computer program of claim 24, wherein executable instructions that cause a computer to determine a media type includes executable instructions that cause a computer to

determine the media type of currently displayed media contents as stored video.

28. The computer program of claim 27, wherein executable instructions that cause a computer to control the at least one display parameter of the currently displayed media contents includes executable instructions that cause a computer to

display the video in a freeze frame mode.

29. The computer program of claim 24, wherein executable instructions that cause a computer to determine a media type includes executable instructions that cause a computer to

determine the media type of currently displayed media contents as music animation or graphics.

30. The computer program of claim 29, wherein executable instructions that cause a computer to control the at least one display parameter of the currently displayed media contents includes executable instructions that cause a computer to

display the music animation or graphics in slow motion.

31. The computer program of claim 24, wherein executable instructions that cause a computer to determine a media type includes executable instructions that cause a computer to

determine the media type of currently displayed media contents as a slide presentation.

32. The computer program of claim 31, wherein executable instructions that cause a computer to control the at least one display parameter of the currently displayed media contents includes executable instructions that cause a computer to

complete a last slide transition.

33. The computer program of claim 32, wherein executable instructions that cause a computer to control the at least one display parameter of the currently displayed media contents includes executable instructions that cause a computer to

display the last slide in still image.

34. A graphical user interface accessible to a user suitable for receiving user-supplied inputs that facilitate selecting a multimedia icon, comprising:

a medium icon array arranged in a first direction, and including a plurality of user selectable medium icons;

a contents icon array arranged in a second direction, and including a plurality of user selectable contents icons; and

media contents arranged to be executed in the background of the graphical user interface, wherein at least one display parameter of the media contents in the background is adjusted in accordance with a media type of the media contents, when the medium icon array and the contents icon array are displayed in the foreground of the graphical user interface.

35. The graphical user interface of claim 34, wherein the medium icon array and the contents icon array are configured in a cross shape with an intersecting area.

36. A contents display control apparatus, comprising:

means for determining a media type of currently displayed media contents;

means for generating at least one adjustment value for at least one display parameter of the currently displayed media contents according to the determined media type; and

means for controlling the at least one display parameter of the currently displayed media contents in the background of a display screen when a graphical user interface is invoked to be displayed in the foreground of the display screen.