Play menu and group auto organizer system and method for a multimedia player

• US 20080080837A1
• Filed: 08/10/2006
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cyber Group USA Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cyber Group USA Inc.
• Inventors: Mei, David, Bao, Si Ping, Bao, Jin-Xia
• Granted Patent: US 8,166,416 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/95
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/973 Scroll tool, e.g. window scroll bar
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/974 Slider control as on-screen object in operator interface

Abstract

A multimedia play menu is generated into an auto playgroup organizer system for a multimedia player by using intelligence cursor/scroll sequence functions programmed for operation by an input device such as a hand-held mobile mouse. The intelligence cursor/scroll can sense any type of digitalized item or symbol displayed on the LED or LCD screen of the multimedia player. When the intelligence cursor/scroll function senses a click/press sequence symbol representing the position of a song, it will start to carry out a click/press sequence function as a user wishes. The more clicks/presses are applied by the intelligence cursor/scroll on the sequence symbol before a song/item, the higher the position for that song/item is created, analyzed, recorded and carried out.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating selection of at least one media item from a plurality of media items stored in a source unit for operation by a portable media player in response to signals generated by an input device comprising the steps of:

(a) generating a multimedia play menu for display on a screen of the media player, the menu comprising a list of media items to be operated by the media player, each media item having an associated sequence symbol,

(b) organizing the media items into a selected operation sequence based on signals generated by the input device in response to the number of times a respective sequence symbol is selected by the input device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one media item is in digital form and is selected from the group consisting of a single song, an album of songs, a group of albums of songs, a set of electronic books, a set of images, a photo, a recorded telephone call, an audio file, a video file, and a script file.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising

(a) causing operation of a media item;

(b) while the media item is operating, modifying the selected operation sequence by selecting one or more media items by the input device, and saving the selected operation sequence as modified in a storage unit of the media player.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein selection by the input device of a respective symbol is carried out via a click scroll signal generated by the input device to activate a computer programmed click scroll function operation in a central processing unit.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(a) storing the selected operation sequence as a first play group in a storage unit of the media player;

(b) storing in the storage unit at least one additional play group comprising a selected operation sequence media items;

(c) generating a new play group based on media items selected from media items contained in the play groups stored in the storage unit.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying a first interface having a list of user selectable items on the multimedia play menu and displaying a second interface containing the list of items to be operated by the media player in response to selection of one of the user selectable items.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying a first interface having a first list of user selectable items on the multimedia play menu, displaying a second interface having a second list of user selectable items on the multimedia play menu, generating sub-lists associated with a user selectable item on the second list and displaying a sub-list associated with a user selectable item on the second list in response to selection of the user selectable item.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the input device comprises an intelligence scroll sequence function bar, a scroll arrow device, and a press device, the scroll arrow device controlling movements of the intelligence scroll sequence function bar, the intelligence scroll sequence function bar having a computer programmed press command function controlled by the press device and a computer programmed screen scroll moving function and a computer programmed screen scrolling function, the computer programmed screen scroll moving or screen scrolling functions being activated in response to movements of the intelligence scroll sequence function bar;

and

wherein application of the intelligence scroll sequence bar to a sequence symbol changes a priority operation sequence associated with the media item relative to other media items in the list of media items.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein the portable media player is programmed to display an intelligence cursor on the screen of the media player, the intelligence cursor having associated computer programmed cursor sense and cursor sequence functions, the cursor sequence function causing the media items to be organized into a selected operation sequence based on the number of times the intelligence cursor senses and generates a click signal on the media item.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the scroll arrow device and the press device are programmed to cause activation of a recording function, a go back to a front end of a media item function, a reverse function, a stop function, a forward function, a go forward to a rear end of a media item function, a pause function, a save function for saving a file or a group into the storage unit, and a delete function for deleting a file or a group from the storage unit.

11. A system for facilitating selection of at least one media item from a plurality of media items comprising:

(a) an input unit comprising a housing, a sphere or a scroll arrow device disposed in the housing, and a display device in a front portion of the housing;

(b) a source unit accessible by the input unit for storage of media items;

(c) a central processing unit for operating and processing computerized programs comprising input commands of a user through the display device to display computerized results to the user;

(d) a play unit comprising at least one media item, said play unit causing operation of the at least one media item in response to commands received from the input unit; and

(e) an output unit for causing display of results of commands or contents of media items on the display device.

12. The system according to claim 11 wherein the display device comprises a bordered screen comprising a plurality of borders and an intelligence cursor or scroll bar responsive to movements of the sphere or the scroll arrow device for generating a signal to activate a computer programmed screen or scroll moving function or a computer programmed cursor movement function for generating cursor motions in “

X”

axis and “

Y”

axis directions.

13. The system according to claim 12 wherein movement of the intelligence cursor or scroll bar into contact with a border generates a border moving signal for causing movement of the border and change in data displayed within the bordered screen from a first data set to a second data set.

14. The system according to claim 12 wherein the bordered screen comprises at least two sub-screens with different screen contents.

15. The system according to claim 12 wherein the bordered screen comprises a list of user selectable items, wherein contact by the intelligence cursor or scroll bar with a user selectable item causes display of an associated pop-up butterfly wing style display comprising a sub-list of user selectable items.

16. The system according to claim 11 wherein the input device comprises an intelligence scroll sequence function bar for causing computer programmed screen scroll moving or screen scrolling functions in response to movements of the intelligence scroll sequence function bar, said movements being controlled by a scroll arrow/press unit, said intelligence scroll sequence function bar being adapted to detect a user selectable command or content item on the display device, said intelligence scroll sequence function bar being operable to organize media items associated with the user selectable item when the user selectable item is a content item, said intelligence scroll sequence function bar being operable to carry out computer programmed functions associated with the user selectable item when the user selectable item is a command item.