System and method for presenting program guide information in an electronic portable device

• US 20060101498A1
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Universal Electronics, Inc.
• Inventors: Arling, Paul D., Hayes, Patrick H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,264,755 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/81
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2665 Gathering content from different sources, e.g. Internet and satellite
• 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 21/42208 Display device provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42214 using alphanumerical characters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42228 the reprogrammable keys being displayed on a display screen in order to reduce the number of keys on the remote control device itself
• 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 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• 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 21/478 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 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control

Abstract

A system and method for display of supplemental data in association with one or more buttons of controlling device. Operation of a button associated with supplemental data displayed on a controlling device causes an appliance under control of the controlling device to enable rendering of content. The supplemental data is time-variable in that it is associated with the media content available contemporaneously with display of the supplemental data on the controlling device.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a controlling device to display information relevant to controlling one or more operations of one or more consumer electronic devices, comprising:

configuring a graphical user interface page of the controlling device whereupon the graphical user interface page of the controlling device has an associated button which is activatable to cause a transmission of one or more commands to control operations of the one or more consumer electronic devices to begin rendering of a media stream that is associated with the button during configuration; and

accepting input into the controlling device for the purpose of displaying the graphical user interface page whereupon the button is made available for activation;

wherein, in connection with displaying the graphical user interface page, the controlling device retrieves from supplemental data that is related to the media stream that supplement data which relates to the media stream at a time generally corresponding to a time that the input was received for the purpose of displaying the graphical user interface page and displays the retrieved supplemental data in a display field of the graphical user interface page which display field is visually associated with the button.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface page is configured on the controlling device.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface page is configured on a device external to the controlling device and is downloaded to the controlling device.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the retrieved supplemental data comprises a synopsis of the media stream.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising accepting input into the controlling device for the purpose of toggling on and off the controlling device displaying the retrieved supplemental data in the display field of the graphical user interface page when displaying the graphical user interface page.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising storing the supplemental data in a memory accessible by the controlling device whereby the retrieved supplemental data is retrieved by accessing the memory.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, comprising accessing a device external to the controlling device to access the memory storing the supplemental information.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising assigning to the button the one or more commands to control operations of the one or more consumer electronic devices.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the one or more commands are assigned to the button on the controlling device.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the one or more commands are assigned to the button on a device external to the controlling device and downloaded to the controlling device.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising displaying the button in the graphical user interface page using an iconic logo.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising scrolling the retrieved supplemental data within the display field of the graphical user interface page.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising rolling the supplemental data within the display field of the graphical user interface page.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising periodically retrieving supplemental data using a current time to thereby display updated supplemental data related to the media stream in the display field of the graphical user interface page when the graphical user interface page is continually displayed for at least a predetermined period of time.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising retrieving the supplemental data from an electronic program guide.

16. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising retrieving the supplemental data from a media transmission.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising retrieving the supplemental data from a Web site.

18. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the button comprises a soft button displayed within the graphical user interface page and the method comprises using the retrieved supplemental data to cause a change in a location in which the button is displayed within the graphical user interface page.

19. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising using the retrieved supplemental data to cause a change in an appearance associated with the button.

20. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising using the retrieved supplemental data to cause a change in an appearance associated with the display field.

21. A method for configuring a device to display information relevant to media stream rendering, comprising:

configuring a graphical user interface page of the device whereupon the graphical user interface page of the device is operable with a plurality of buttons which are activatable to cause a rendering of a media stream that is associated with a respective one of the plurality of buttons during configuration; and

accepting input into the controlling device for the purpose of displaying the graphical user interface page whereupon the buttons are made available for activation;

wherein, in connection with displaying the graphical user interface page, the device retrieves from supplemental data provided with a transmission of the media streams supplement data that is relevant to the media streams at a time generally corresponding to a time that the input was received for the purpose of displaying the graphical user interface page and displays the retrieved supplemental data in display fields of the graphical user interface page which display fields are visually associated with corresponding ones of the plurality of buttons.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the graphical user interface page is configured on the device.

23. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the graphical user interface page is configured on a device external to the device and is downloaded to the device.

24. The method as recited in claim 21, comprising accepting input into the controlling device for the purpose of toggling on and off the controlling device displaying the retrieved supplemental data in the display fields of the graphical user interface page when displaying the graphical user interface page.

25. The method as recited in claim 21, comprising storing the supplemental data in a memory accessible by the controlling device whereby the retrieved supplemental data is retrieved by accessing the memory.

26. The method as recited in claim 21, comprising scrolling the retrieved supplemental data within the display fields of the graphical user interface page.

27. The method as recited in claim 21, comprising rolling the supplemental data within the display fields of the graphical user interface page.

28. The method as recited in claim 21, comprising periodically retrieving supplemental data using a current time to thereby display updated supplemental data related to the media streams in the display fields of the graphical user interface page when the graphical user interface page is continually displayed for at least a predetermined period of time.