GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE AND METHODS OF USE THEREOF IN A MULTIMEDIA PLAYER

• US 20070124680A1
• Filed: 12/07/2006
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Chaudhri, Imran, Christie, Greg, Wasko, Timothy, Jobs, Steve, Robbin, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 9,299,329 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/727
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4393 Multimedia presentations, e.g. slide shows, multimedia albums
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/632 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0008 Associated control or indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/061 MP3, i.e. MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, lossy audio compression
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/131 Library retrieval, i.e. searching a database or selecting a specific musical piece, segment, pattern, rule or parameter set

Abstract

In a portable multimedia device, a method, apparatus, and system for providing user supplied configuration data are described. In one embodiment, a hierarchically ordered graphical user interface are provided. A first order, or home, interface provides a highest order of user selectable items each of which, when selected, results in an automatic transition to a lower order user interface associated with the selected item. In one of the described embodiments, the lower order interface includes other user selectable items associated with the previously selected item from the higher order user interface.

Claims

1. A media device comprising:

a display configured to display a first interface and a second interface, the first interface comprising a first group of items, and

an input device, the input device configured to enable;

selection of the first interface for display,

selection of the second interface for display,

identification of a first item among the first group of items,

association of a visual marker with the identified first item, whereby the identified first item is visually distinguishable from other items in the first group,

selection of the identified first item and, in response to selection of the identified first item, display of the second interface, the second interface comprising a second group of items in which each item in the second group is associated with the identified first item, and

a processor configured to maintain the association between the visual marker and the identified first item, whereby the first item is visually distinguishable from other items in the first level when the first interface is selected for display.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein each item in the first group is associated with a first level of information relating to media assets and each item in the second group is associated with a second level of information relating to media assets.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first group of items and the second group of items comprises a list of items and wherein the input device comprises a device enabling a user to scroll through the list.

4. A media device comprising:

a display, the display configured to display multiple graphical user interfaces, each interface comprising a group of items and each interface being associated with a level of a multiple level hierarchy of information relating to media assets associated with the media device,

an input device, the input device configured to enable user selection and display of each respective interface, identification of an item associated with the selected and displayed interface, and association of a visually distinguishing feature with the selected item, and

a processor configured to associate the visually distinguishing feature and the selected item when a user selects and displays the interface comprising the item.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein at least one of the group of items comprises a list of items and wherein the input device comprises a device enabling a user to scroll through the list.

6. A method comprising:

displaying a first interface on a display associated with a media device, the first interface comprising a first group of items,

identifying a first item among the first group of items, associating a visual feature with the identified first item, whereby the identified first item is visually distinguishable from other items in the first group,

selecting the identified first item and, in response to selecting the identified first item, displaying a second interface on the display associated with the media device, the second interface comprising a second group of items in which each item in the second group is associated with the identified first item,

redisplaying the first interface on the display associated with the media device, and

associating the visual feature and the identified first item, whereby the first item is visually distinguishable from other items in the first level when the first interface is redisplayed.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein each item in the first group is associated with a first level of information relating to media assets and each item in the second group is associated with a second level of information relating to media assets.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein at least one of the first group of items and the second group of items comprises a list of items and wherein the input device comprises a device enabling a user to scroll through the list.

9. A method comprising:

displaying on a display associated with a media device a first one of multiple graphical user interfaces, each interface comprising a group of items, each interface being selectable for display, and each interface being associated with a level of a multiple level hierarchy of information relating to media assets associated with the media device,

selecting an item from among the group of items of the displayed first interface,

establishing an association between a visual feature and the selected item to visually distinguish the selected item from other items in the group of items, and

reestablishing the association between the visual feature and the selected item when the first interface is selected for display.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein at least one of the group of items comprises a list of items and wherein the input device comprises a device enabling a user to scroll through the list.

11. A method comprising:

displaying a first interface on a display associated with a media device, the first interface comprising a first group of items,

identifying a first item among the first group of items, establishing an association between the identified first item and a visual feature, enabling the identified first item to be visually distinguishable from other items in the first group,

selecting the identified first item and, in response to selecting the identified first item, displaying a second interface on the display associated with the media device, the second interface comprising a second group of items in which each item in the second group is associated with the identified first item, and

redisplaying the first interface on the display associated with the media device, wherein redisplaying the first interface comprises establishing the association between the visual feature and the identified first item, whereby the first item is visually distinguishable from other items in the first level when the first interface is redisplayed.