Interactive television application with navigable cells and regions

• US 20080189740A1
• Filed: 04/03/2008
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UV Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D., Knudson, Edward B., DeWeese, Toby, Corvin, Johnny B., Carpenter, Kenneth F., Drummond, Bryan M., Rush, Jeffrey B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,413,185 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• 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 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control

Abstract

An interactive television application with mosaic browsing is provided. Selectable cells that may be associated with entities are used to display information corresponding to the entities. Information may include brand marks such as logos or any other suitable entity identifier. A cell may be in focus or it may not be in focus. When a cell is in focus the information displayed in the cell may be different than the information displayed when the cell is not in focus. Users may navigate among cells. The cells may be grouped into regions based on, for example, their association with similar entities.

Claims

1. A method for presenting a video mosaic display, the method comprising:

displaying, in an interactive display, a plurality of video assets in a plurality of cells, wherein each cell of the plurality of cells is associated with an entity;

receiving a first user command to change the entity associated with at least one cell of the plurality of cells to a new entity;

in response to receiving the first user command to change the entity associated with the at least one cell to a new entity, displaying a new video asset in the at least one cell, the new video asset related to the new entity;

determining if at least one cell of the plurality of cells is associated with the same type of entity as the new entity; and

displaying a region highlight around the cells of the plurality of cells that are associated with the same type of entity as the new entity.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the entity is selected from the group consisting of:

a particular television channel, a program guide, a program guide service provider, a program guide operator, a program guide programmer, a television service provider, a product, a service, a company, a digital music programmer, a radio station, and a website.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the type of entity is selected from the group consisting of television channels, advertisements, website providers, and program guide brands.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a first user command to change the entity associated with at least one cell comprises receiving a user selection of the at least one cell.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a second user command to navigate the region highlight to a new region, the new region comprising at least two cells of the plurality of cells.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying a region highlight around the cells of the plurality of cells that are associated with the same type of entity as the new entity comprises displaying a region highlight around at least two non-contiguous cells in the interactive display.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a third user command to re-associate the at least one cell of the plurality of cells with a previous entity; and

in response to receiving a third user command, displaying a new video asset in the at least one cell, the new video asset related to the previous entity.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a user selection of one cell of the plurality of cells; and

in response to receiving the user selection, invoking a function.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein invoking a function comprises displaying a website or a link to a website within the selected cell.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein invoking a function comprises displaying a television channel associated with the selected cell in full screen.

11. A system for presenting a video mosaic display, the system comprising:

a user input device; and

control circuitry configured to;

display a plurality of video assets in a plurality of cells, wherein each cell of the plurality of cells is associated with an entity;

receive, from the user input device, a first user command to change the entity associated with at least one cell of the plurality of cells to a new entity;

in response to receiving the first user command to change the entity associated with the at least one cell to a new entity, display a new video asset in the at least one cell, the new video asset related to the new entity;

determine if at least one cell of the plurality of cells is associated with the same type of entity as the new entity; and

display a region highlight around the cells of the plurality of cells that are associated with the same type of entity as the new entity.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the entity is selected from the group consisting of:

a particular television channel, a program guide, a program guide service provider, a program guide operator, a program guide programmer, a television service provider, a product, a service, a company, a digital music programmer, a radio station, and a website.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the type of entity is selected from the group consisting of television channels, advertisements, website providers, and program guide brands.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the control circuitry is configured to receive a first user command to change the entity associated with at least one cell by receiving a user selection of the at least one cell.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to receive, from the user input device, a second user command to navigate the region highlight to a new region, the new region comprising at least two cells of the plurality of cells.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the control circuitry is configured to display a region highlight around the cells of the plurality of cells that are associated with the same type of entity as the new entity by displaying a region highlight around at least two non-contiguous cells in the interactive display.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive, from the user input device, a third user command to re-associate the at least one cell of the plurality of cells with a previous entity; and

in response to receiving a third user command, display a new video asset in the at least one cell, the new video asset related to the previous entity.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive a user selection of one cell of the plurality of cells; and

in response to receiving the user selection, invoke a function.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the function comprises displaying a website or a link to a website within the selected cell.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the function comprises displaying a television channel associated with the selected cell in full screen.