Apparatus and method to navigate interactive television using unique inputs with a remote control

• US 20060206838A1
• Filed: 03/24/2006
• Published: 09/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Marlo Longstreet 2003 Irrevocable Trust
• Original Assignee: Marlo Longstreet 2003 Irrevocable Trust
• Inventors: Gottfurcht, Elliot A., Gottfurcht, Grant E., Woesner, Stephen K., Beltran, Manuel V., McKnight, J. Teague
• Application Number:
  US11/387,723
• Publication Number:
  US 20060206838A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/854
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0384 Wireless input, i.e. hardware and software details of wireless interface arrangements for pointing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04892 Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/025 LAN communication management
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/027 Arrangements and methods specific for the display of internet documents

Abstract

A method and system to facilitate navigation of a widearea network. A navigation matrix is displayed on a client node. The matrix pairs each navigation option with an input such that, for example, pressing a single key activates that navigation option. The key press event is forwarded to an information and services hub across the network. The hub then returns a next appropriate matrix layer which may be navigated in the same manner.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

ranking a plurality of items;

displaying, in a client node, the plurality of ranked items presented in a prearranged format on a user interface; and

displaying one or more selectable navigation options associated with one or more of the ranked items.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the items are ranked according to a user'"'"'s interests.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the ranked items are presented in an order in the prearranged format according to a user'"'"'s interests.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of items refer to a set of products.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of items refer to a set of sellers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of items are one of company names, keywords, and company logos.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of items are a plurality of advertisements.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of items are a plurality of titles for audio, video, and audio video programs.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the ranked items are displayed on one or more layers of a simplified navigation interface.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the screens of the simplified navigation interface have a plurality of cells each associated with a unique input.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the simplified navigation interface has one or more layers that are hierarchically related for navigation.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of one of the navigation options corresponding to the ranked item;

retrieving an advertisement as reformatted web content from the Internet.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the reformatted web content consists of one of a video signal, audio video signal, audio signal, graphics, and text.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

reformatting web content to obtain the reformatted web content by transcoding a hyper text markup language (HTML) page into an extensible markup language (XML) page.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the ranked items are keywords, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of the keyword;

retrieving reformatted web content from the Internet based on the user selection.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the display of the ranked items is through one of television, set top box and television, personal computer, web appliance, computer system and wireless device.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the simplified navigation interface displays the ranked items in one or more cells.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the cells contain the ranked items and are formatted in one of a matrix format, one or more rows, and a grid.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the items are ranked according to consumer ratings.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the items are ranked according to one or more previous user selections.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user selection to one of the navigation options.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the user selection is made through one of a mouse, remote control, a device for scrolling, pointer device, and keyboard.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the user selection is made through a voice interface device and speaker recognition device.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

upon user selection, displaying a matrix layer comprising reformatted web content in a plurality of cells.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the content is in a format, prior to reformatting, selected from a group of formats consisting of standard DTD, EDI, HTML and XML.

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a layer of a simple navigation interface having a plurality of cells each associated with a unique input;

receiving a key event at a processor displaying the simple navigation interface having a first plurality of primary navigation options, the first key press corresponding to a cell in the interface.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

displaying a next deeper navigation layer showing the ranked items.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the ranked items are displayed in the plurality of cells.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the simple navigation interface is a matrix interface.

30. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying one or more advertisements on the user interface;

receiving a user selection of one of the advertisements;

wherein the ranked items are products or services related to the selected advertisement.

79. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of ranked items are presented as reformatted web content in the prearranged format on the user interface.

31. A machine readable medium that provides instructions, which when executed by a machine cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

ranking a plurality of items;

displaying, in a client node, the plurality of ranked items presented in a prearranged format on a user interface; and

displaying one or more selectable navigation options associated with one or more of the ranked items.

32. The machine readable medium of claim 31, wherein the items are ranked according to a user'"'"'s interests.

33. The machine readable medium of claim 31, wherein the ranked items are presented in an order in the prearranged format according to a user'"'"'s interests.

34. The machine readable medium of claim 31, wherein the plurality of items refer to a set of products.

35. The machine readable medium of claim 31, wherein the plurality of items refer to a set of sellers.

36. The machine readable medium of claim 31, wherein the plurality of items wherein the plurality of items are one of company names, keywords, and company logos.

37. The machine readable medium of claim 31, wherein the plurality of items are a plurality of advertisements.

38. The machine readable medium of claim 31, wherein the plurality of items are a plurality of titles for one of audio, video, and audio video programs.

39. The machine readable medium of claim 31, wherein the ranked items are displayed on one or more screens of a simplified navigation interface.

40. The machine readable medium of claim 39, wherein the screens of the simplified navigation interface have a plurality of cells each associated with a unique input.

41. The machine readable medium of claim 39, wherein the simplified navigation interface has one or more screens that are hierarchically related for navigation.

42. The machine readable medium of claim 39, which provides further instructions which when executed cause the machine to perform operations further comprising:

receiving a user selection of one of the navigation options corresponding to the ranked item;

retrieving an advertisement as reformatted web content from the Internet.

43. The machine readable medium of claim 42, wherein the reformatted web content consists of one of a video signal, audio video signal, audio signal, graphics, and text.

44. The machine readable medium of claim 42, which provides further instructions which when executed cause the machine to perform operations further comprising:

obtaining the reformatted we content by transcoding a hyper text markup language (HTML) page into an extensible markup language (XML) page.

45. The machine readable medium of claim 31, which provides further instructions which when executed cause the machine to perform operations further comprising:

displaying one or more search keywords representing the ranked items;

receiving a user selection of the keyword;

retrieving information from the Internet based on the selection of the keyword.

46. The machine readable medium of claim 31, wherein the display of the ranked items is through one of television, personal computer, web appliance, computer system and wireless device.

47. The machine readable medium of claim 42, wherein the simplified navigation interface displays the reformatted web content in one or more cells.

48. The machine readable medium of claim 47, wherein the cells contain the reformatted web content and are formatted in one of a matrix format, one or more rows, and a grid.

49. The machine readable medium claim 31, wherein the items are ranked according to consumer ratings.

50. The machine readable medium of claim 31, wherein the items are ranked according to one or more previous user selections.

51. The machine readable medium of claim 31, which provides further instructions which when executed cause the machine to perform operations further comprising:

receiving a user selection to one of the navigation options.

52. The machine readable medium of claim 51, wherein the user selection is made through one of a mouse, remote control, pointer device, and keyboard.

53. The machine readable medium of claim 51, wherein the user selection is made through a voice interface device and speaker recognition device.

54. The machine readable medium of claim 51, which provides further instructions which when executed cause the machine to perform operations further comprising:

upon user selection, displaying a matrix layer comprising reformatted web content in a plurality of cells.

55. The machine readable medium of claim 54, wherein the content is in a format, prior to reformatting, selected from a group of formats consisting of standard DTD, EDI, HTML and XML.

56. The machine readable medium of claim 31, which provides further instructions which when executed cause the machine to perform operations further comprising:

displaying a layer of a simple navigation interface having a plurality of cells each associated with a unique input;

receiving a key event at a processor displaying the simple navigation interface having a first plurality of primary navigation options, the first key press corresponding to a cell in the interface.

57. The machine readable medium of claim 56, which provides further instructions which when executed cause the machine to perform operations further comprising:

displaying a next deeper navigation layer showing the ranked items.

58. The machine readable medium of claim 57, wherein the ranked items are displayed in the plurality of cells.

59. The machine readable medium of claim 56, wherein the simple navigation interface is a matrix interface.

60. The machine readable medium of claim 31, which provides further instructions which when executed cause the machine to perform operations further comprising:

displaying one or more advertisements on the user interface;

receive a user selection of one of the advertisements;

wherein the ranked items are products or services related to the selected advertisement.

61. A method comprising:

displaying a layer of a simple navigation interface having a plurality of cells;

displaying in each of the cells navigation options;

receiving a user selection at a processor displaying the navigation interface having a first layer having a plurality of first navigation options, the user selection corresponding to one of the first navigation options;

ranking a plurality of items, the items selected at least based in part in response to the user selection; and

displaying, in a client node, the plurality of ranked items presented in a prearranged format on the user interface.

62. An apparatus comprising:

a memory, the memory storing code that defines at least a portion of a user interface comprising one or more navigation layers;

a processor, operably in communications with the memory, to receive a user input to a navigation option of a current layer of the user interface having a plurality of primary navigation options;

a network interface, that upon instructions from the processor, retrieves across the network a next layer of the user interface containing a plurality of ranked items; and

a display for displaying the ranked items.

63. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the ranked items are one of advertisements and keywords.

64. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the ranked items are products or services.

65. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the ranked items are merchants of products or services.

66. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the ranked items are displayed as navigations options in a matrix format.

67. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the plurality of navigations options comprise a plurality of products or services.

68. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the plurality of navigations options comprise a plurality of advertisements.

69. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the plurality of navigation options comprise a plurality of merchants.

70. The apparatus of claim 62, further comprising:

an audio input interface for receiving user selections; and

a speech recognition interface.

71. The apparatus of claim 70, further comprising:

a speech to text unit.

73. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the network is a WAN.

74. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the network is the Internet.

75. The apparatus of claim 62, further comprising:

a user input device for permitting user selections.

76. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein the user input device is one of the group consisting of a remote control that communicates with the processor wirelessly, a keyboard, a mouse, and a pointer device.

77. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein the apparatus is one of the group consisting of television, set top box and television, personal computer, web appliance, personal computer and wireless device.

78. An apparatus comprising:

a means for storing, coupled to the processing means, the storing means storing code that defines at least a portion of a user interface comprising one or more navigation layers;

a means for processing, operably in communications with the storing means, to receive a user input to a navigation option of a current layer of the user interface having a plurality of primary navigation options,

a means, in communications with the processing means, and upon instructions from the processing means, for retrieving across the network a next layer of the user interface containing a plurality of ranked items; and

a means for displaying the ranked items.