Interface for controlling device groups
First Claim
1. A method for a personal computer to enable a user to control content presentation on remote content presentation devices through use of a graphical user interface displayed by the personal computer, the method comprising:
- displaying to a user of the personal computer a graphical user interface (“
GUI”
) that includes a view display area to simultaneously display metadata information about multiple digital media content items available for presentation and that includes a content presentation device control area to display information about groups of multiple content presentation devices and to display user-selectable controls for managing presentation of digital media content items via those content presentation devices, the multiple digital media content items being part of a plurality of content items available for presentation that include multiple television programs and multiple other items having content of one or more media types other than video information, the displayed metadata information for the television programs including electronic programming guide information;
receiving one or more indications of a selection by the user of at least one of the digital media content items via the displayed metadata for those content items, and of a selection by the user of at least one of the multiple content presentation devices of one of the groups via the displayed information for those content presentation devices; and
after receiving an indication of an instruction from the user to present the selected at least one digital media content items on the selected at least one content presentation devices, the instruction received via selection by the user of at least one of the displayed user-selectable controls of the content presentation device control area, automatically directing presentation of those digital media content items on those content presentation devices, so that a user can use the displayed graphical user interface to direct presentation of selected content items to selected content presentation devices from displayed groups of content presentation devices.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques are described for managing various types of content and devices, such as via a GUI of a Content Management (“CM”) system executing on a computing device. In some situations, the content being managed includes television-related programming content and/or other types of content (e.g., one or more channels of scheduled digital music and/or on-demand digital music, photos and other images, etc.). In some situations, the managing of the content includes identifying groups of devices via the GUI to present or otherwise interact with various types of content, and to controlling one or more of the devices in various ways. The groups of devices may be of various types, such as content presentation devices of a particular type, content presentation devices that are currently located in a particular location, or content presentation devices or other devices that otherwise share one or more indicated attributes of interest.
236 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for a personal computer to enable a user to control content presentation on remote content presentation devices through use of a graphical user interface displayed by the personal computer, the method comprising:
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displaying to a user of the personal computer a graphical user interface (“
GUI”
) that includes a view display area to simultaneously display metadata information about multiple digital media content items available for presentation and that includes a content presentation device control area to display information about groups of multiple content presentation devices and to display user-selectable controls for managing presentation of digital media content items via those content presentation devices, the multiple digital media content items being part of a plurality of content items available for presentation that include multiple television programs and multiple other items having content of one or more media types other than video information, the displayed metadata information for the television programs including electronic programming guide information;
receiving one or more indications of a selection by the user of at least one of the digital media content items via the displayed metadata for those content items, and of a selection by the user of at least one of the multiple content presentation devices of one of the groups via the displayed information for those content presentation devices; and
after receiving an indication of an instruction from the user to present the selected at least one digital media content items on the selected at least one content presentation devices, the instruction received via selection by the user of at least one of the displayed user-selectable controls of the content presentation device control area, automatically directing presentation of those digital media content items on those content presentation devices, so that a user can use the displayed graphical user interface to direct presentation of selected content items to selected content presentation devices from displayed groups of content presentation devices. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A method for a computing device to enable a user to control content presentation on content presentation devices through use of a graphical user interface displayed by the computing device, the method comprising:
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receiving metadata information for multiple digital media content items of one or more types that are each available for presentation;
displaying to a user of the computing device a graphical user interface having information about at least some of the multiple digital media content items, the displayed graphical user interface including at least some of the received metadata information for the at least some digital media content items;
providing capabilities to the user via the displayed graphical user interface to identify a group of multiple related content presentation devices that are available to present content and to select at least one of those content presentation devices;
and after receiving an indication of an instruction from the user to present one or more digital media content items on the selected at least one content presentation devices, automatically directing presentation of the one or more digital media content items on the selected at least one content presentation devices. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computing device to enable a user to control content manipulation by remote devices via a graphical user interface displayed by the computing device, by performing a method comprising:
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receiving metadata information for multiple pieces of content that are each available for presentation at one or more associated presentation times;
displaying to a user of the computing device a graphical user interface having controls to enable a user to manage manipulation of the multiple content pieces by multiple remote devices, at least one of the remote devices being a content presentation device; and
after receiving an indication of an instruction from the user to manipulate one or more of the content pieces via one or more selected remote devices of the multiple remote devices, automatically directing the manipulation of the one or more content pieces on the selected remote devices. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A computing system configured to enable a user to control presentation of content items via a graphical user interface through use of information about groups of content presentation devices, comprising:
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a display; and
a content management system configured to present on the display a graphical user interface containing controls to enable a user to control presentation of digital media content items on content presentation devices of multiple groups, at least some of the digital media content items being television programs and at least one of the groups of content presentation devices having one or more content presentation devices able to present television programs, and configured to, after receiving an indication of one or more selections by the user of at least one digital media content item and at least one content presentation device of one of the groups, automatically cause the selected digital media content items to be presented on the selected content presentation devices. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification