SYSTEM FOR PRESENTING GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE WINDOWS

• US 20090049399A1
• Filed: 08/13/2007
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: WHITE, SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US11/837,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20090049399A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• 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 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47205 for manipulating displayed content, e.g. interacting with MPEG-4 objects, editing locally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a media content processor having a controller to present portions of media content over a plurality of Graphical User Interface (GUI) windows some of which are anchored to each other, adjust a select one of the plurality GUI windows responsive to receiving a dimensional adjustment request, and counter adjust a dimension of at least one of the other anchored GUI windows according to the adjusted dimension of the select GUI window. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium, comprising computer instructions for:

receiving a presentation request for presenting media content over a consumption Graphical User Interface (GUI) window and an interactive GUI window;

anchoring a portion of the consumption GUI window to the interactive GUI window;

presenting the consumption GUI window and the interactive GUI window;

receiving an adjustment request to adjust a select one among the consumption and interactive GUI windows; and

adjusting according to the adjustment request a first dimension of the consumption GUI window while counter adjusting a second dimension of the interactive GUI window about the anchored portion.

2. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein the consumption GUI window presents video content.

3. The storage medium of claim 1, wherein the interactive GUI window presents an electronic programming guide.

4. The storage medium of claim 1, comprising computer instructions for presenting an animation slide for controlling an adjustment of the consumption and interactive GUI windows.

5. The storage medium of claim 4, comprising computer instructions for:

detecting a movement of the animation slide from information supplied in the adjustment request; and

adjusting the first and second dimensions responsive to said movement of the animation slide.

6. The storage medium of claim 1, comprising computer instructions for zooming into or zooming out of the consumption GUI window while correspondingly performing an opposite zooming effect on the interactive GUI window.

7. The storage medium of claim 1, comprising computer instructions for balancing the first and second dimensions of the consumption and interactive GUI windows.

8. The storage medium of claim 1, comprising computer instructions for varying the dimensions of the consumption and interactive GUI windows according to a type of content presented in each GUI window, wherein the storage medium operates in a media content processor, and wherein the media content processor operates in at least one among an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) communication system, a satellite TV communication system, and a cable TV communication system.

9. A media content processor, comprising a controller to:

present portions of media content over a plurality of Graphical User Interface (GUI) windows some of which are anchored to each other;

adjust a select one of the plurality GUI windows responsive to receiving a dimensional adjustment request; and

counter adjust a dimension of at least one of the other anchored GUI windows according to the adjusted dimension of the select GUI window.

10. The media content processor of claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of GUI windows comprises a consumption GUI window for presenting video content.

11. The media content processor of claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of GUI windows comprises a interactive GUI window for presenting an electronic programming guide (EPG).

12. The media content processor of claim 9, wherein the media content comprises at least one among still images, moving images, and audio content.

13. The media content processor of claim 9, wherein the controller is adapted to contextually vary a dimension of each of the plurality of GUI windows presented.

14. The media content processor of claim 9, wherein the controller is adapted to:

present an animation slide for controlling a dimension of at least two of the plurality GUI windows.

15. The media content processor of claim 14, wherein the controller is adapted to:

detect a movement of the animation slide from information supplied in the dimension adjustment request; and

adjust the plurality of GUI windows according to said movement of the animation slide.

16. The media content processor of claim 9, wherein the controller is adapted to zoom into or zoom out of the selected GUI window while correspondingly performing a counter zoom effect on at least one of the other GUI windows.

17. The media content processor of claim 9, wherein the media content processor operates in at least one among an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) communication system, a satellite TV communication system, and a cable TV communication system.

18. A computer-readable storage medium in a portal, comprising computer instructions for:

presenting at a portable communication device a plurality of Graphical User Interface (GUI) windows some of which have portions of said windows anchored to each other;

receiving from the portable communication device a dimensional adjustment request to be applied to a select one of the plurality of GUI windows; and

presenting at the portable communication device an adjustment to a dimension of the select GUI window and a counter dimensional adjustment to at least one of the other GUI windows according to the portions anchored therebetween.

19. The storage medium of claim 18, comprising computer instructions for establishing communications with a media content processor that presents and adjusts the plurality of GUI windows by way of the portal for viewing at the portable communication device.

20. The storage medium of claim 18, wherein the dimensional adjustment request is generated by an animation slide presented with the plurality of GUI windows and acted upon by the portable communication device.

21. The storage medium of claim 18, wherein a dimension of each of the GUI windows presented at the portable communication device varies according to a type of content presented in each GUI window.

22. The storage medium of claim 19, wherein media content is presented in the GUI windows, and wherein the media content is supplied by at least one among an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) communication system, a satellite TV communication system, and a cable TV communication system.