Video program menu system and menu system control device thereof

• US 20060112352A1
• Filed: 01/04/2005
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aquila Multimedia Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Aquila Multimedia Company Limited
• Inventors: Tseng, Chao-Tsung, Hsu, Yao Wei
• Application Number:
  US11/028,057
• Publication Number:
  US 20060112352A1
• 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 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• 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 21/440263 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for displaying on a connected PDA
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• 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 21/8549 Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739

Abstract

The present invention relates to a video program menu system and menu control device thereof. The main structure comprises a video converting device, a display screen, and a menu control device. The video converting device can be used to receive at least one video on demand program data and comprises a plurality of program class name fields, a plurality of program data display sections, and a program preview section therein. A main menu and a sub-menu can be arranged on the display screen. At least one program class name fields will be displayed on the main menu, and a plurality of program data display sections and a program preview display section are displayed on the sub-menu. The program data display section is used to show a name or description of one of the programs. When a consumer chooses to highlight one of the program data display sections, program preview content of the highlighted program data display section can be displayed in the program preview display section. Further, direction controls of the menu control device will be redefined to increase convenience in using the control device. Thereby, not only it is convenient for consumers to search, preview, or order programs or movies to be watched, but best performance of the program advertisements can be made.

Claims

1. A video program menu system, comprising:

a video converting device for receiving at least one video on demand program data comprising at least one signal receiver, at least one signal processor, and at least one storage device;

a display screen connected to said video converting device;

a main menu arranged in part area on said display screen, providing a plurality of program class name fields, and through a menu control device operating to choose one of said program class name fields; and

a sub-menu arranged in an area on said display screen without arranging said main menu, display content of said sub-menu capable of displaying content of said program class name field of said main menu, a plurality of data display sections set in part area of said sub-menu, and a program preview display section further set in a place of said sub-menu without arranging said data display sections.

2. The video program menu system according to claim 1, wherein said main menu can be arranged at a side position of said display screen.

3. The video program menu system according to claim 1, wherein said program data display section can be arranged at a peripheral position around said sub-menu, and said program preview display section is set at a central position of said sub-menu around which said program data display section is arranged.

4. The video program menu system according to claim 1, wherein said main menu and said sub-menu can be displayed on said screen display at the same time.

5. The video program menu system according to claim 1, wherein said main menu and said sub-menu can be displayed on said screen display individually.

6. The video program menu system according to claim 1, wherein said program data display section can be chosen to display one of name, content, text description, picture display, video preview, and a combination thereof of said program.

7. The video program menu system according to claim 1, wherein said program preview display section can be chosen to display one of name, content, text description, picture display, video preview, and a combination thereof of said program.

8. The video program menu system according to claim 1, wherein said program preview display section can be adjusted to full-screen display with the same size of said display screen by a specified operating step.

9. The video program menu system according to claim 1, wherein said content of said program class name field can be changed according to preferences of uses.

10. The video program menu system according to claim 1, wherein a homepage menu is provided on an upper layer of interface of said main menu, and a back option is provided in said main menu or menu control device in order to go back to said homepage.

11. The video program menu system according to claim 10, wherein at least one program group name fields are provided on said homepage menu, and corresponding main menu and sub-menu interfaces can be entered by choosing one of said group classes.

12. The video program menu system according to claim 1, wherein a switch button is provided on said menu control device.

13. The video program menu system according to claim 1, wherein said display screen further comprises an order confirmation frame in order to display an order menu.

14. A menu control device capable of operating in said video program menu system according to claim 1, comprising:

a first direction key which a cursor is controlled to move upward by pressing when said cursor is at said main menu or which said cursor moves backward according to an order of said program data display section by pressing when said cursor is at said sub-menu;

a second direction key which said cursor is controlled to move downward by pressing when said cursor is at said main menu or which it moves forward according to an order of said program data display section by pressing when said cursor is at said sub-menu;

a third direction key which said cursor is controlled to move upward by pressing when said cursor is at said main menu or which said cursor moves to said main menu by pressing when said cursor is at said sub-menu;

a fourth direction key which said cursor is controlled to said sub-menu by pressing when said cursor is at said main menu or which said cursor forward according to an order of said program data display section by pressing when said cursor is at said sub-menu.

15. The menu control device of the video program menu system according to claim 14, wherein said cursor shift can be designed to have a loop system.