Method and device for composing a menu

• US 20090031254A1
• Filed: 09/13/2004
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Horentrup, Jobst, Gandolph, Dirk, Peters, Hartmut, Ostermann, Ralf, Herpel, Carsten
• Granted Patent: US 8,359,536 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/840
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/025 'Virtual' control panels, e.g. Graphical User Interface [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/329 on a disc [VTOC]
• 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 21/42646 for reading from or writing on a non-volatile solid state storage medium, e.g. DVD, CD-ROM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• 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 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content

Abstract

Multimedia content of exchangeable storage media, such as optical discs, may be extended by bonus content that is downloaded via Internet connection and stored on a local storage device. An improved method for integration of different menu items relating to on-disc content and downloaded content provides flexibility and a simple, low cost solution. The method for integration of downloaded bonus content into a menu comprises defining one or more placeholders within a menu, determining a storage location or naming convention for bonus content, declaring for each placeholder an attribute providing a unique association to a specific type of bonus content, providing a button image, detecting presence of bonus content data, replacing the associated placeholder by the associated button image and enabling an associated action to be taken when said button is selected.

Claims

1. A method for automatically composing an electronic audio-visual menu for selection of playback of audio-visual data, wherein a first portion of audio-visual data and a first portion of menu data is retrieved from a first storage medium being an exchangeable pre-recorded medium, and wherein a second portion of audio-visual data and a second portion of menu data are obtained from a second data source different from said first storage medium, wherein said second portion of menu data has at least one attribute associated, the method comprising the steps of

generating an initial menu from the first portion of menu data, the initial menu containing one or more visible, selectable buttons and at least one invisible placeholder that cannot be selected, wherein the placeholder has at least one attribute associated;

extracting said attribute associated with the second portion of menu data;

comparing said extracted attribute with said attribute associated with the placeholder; and

based on said comparison, if both attributes match, replacing the placeholder with a visible and selectable button defined by the second portion of menu data.

2. Method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of automatically detecting the availability of said second portion of menu data or of said second portion of audio-visual data.

4. Method or device according to claim 1, wherein the second data source is a local storage medium, and the data that defines the visible and selectable menu button replacing the placeholder contains a unique reference to the stored second portion of audio-visual data.

5. Method or device according to claim 1, wherein the data that defines the visible and selectable button replacing the placeholder further contains button location information or a specification of conditions for button activation.

6. Method or device according to claim 1, wherein the data that defines the visible and selectable button replacing the placeholder further contains picture data defining the appearance of the button.

7. Method or device according to claim 1, wherein the exchangeable storage medium is rewritable, and said second portion of audio-visual data and said second portion of menu data are also stored on said medium.

8. Method or device according to claim 1, wherein upon replacement of one or more placeholders by one or more visible and selectable buttons another, previously visible and selectable button defined in the first portion of menu data is disabled and switched invisible.

9. Method or device according to claim 1, wherein said second portion of menu data contains navigation chaining information.

3. A device for automatically composing an audio-visual menu for selection of playback of audio-visual data, the menu containing buttons for selecting portions of the audio-visual data, wherein a first portion of audio-visual data and a first portion of menu data are retrieved from an exchangeable pre-recorded storage medium, and wherein a second portion of audio-visual data and a second portion of menu data are obtained from a second data source and the second portion of menu data has at least one first attribute associated, the device comprising

means for generating an initial menu from the first portion of menu data, the initial menu containing one or more visible, selectable buttons and at least one invisible placeholder that cannot be selected, wherein the placeholder has at least one second attribute associated;

means for extracting said first attribute associated with the second portion of menu data;

means for comparing said extracted first attribute with the second attribute associated with the placeholder, and for indicating that both attributes match; and

means for replacing upon said indication the placeholder in said initial menu with a visible and selectable menu button.

10. An electronic exchangeable storage medium containing audio-visual presentation data and related menu data, the storage medium containing within the menu data

a data portion specifying a placeholder, the data portion indicating that the placeholder may not be used to generate a visible menu item;

and

an attribute associated with the placeholder and specifying a location on another storage medium where to retrieve the data by which the placeholder may be replaced for generating a visible menu button, wherein the second portion of menu data contains a second attribute, the placeholders attribute is compared with said second attribute and if both attributes match, the placeholder is replaced with a visible and selectable button defined by the second portion of menu data.