Multimedia Content Information Display Methods and Device

• US 20090293014A1
• Filed: 05/23/2008
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Morris, Scott, Meuninck, Troy C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,812,986 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04802 3D-info-object: information is displayed on the internal or external surface of a three dimensional manipulable object, e.g. on the faces of a cube that can be rotated by the user
• 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 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• 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 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence

Abstract

A method of displaying available multimedia content items includes receiving a request to display a set of available content items. In response to the request, a first set of icons are provided for display, where each icon corresponds to a type of available multimedia content. The icons are displayed in an approximately circular arrangement, providing for easy viewing and manipulation. In response to selection of an icon, a second set of icons is displayed in an approximately circular arrangement, where each icon of the second set corresponds to a sub-type of the available multimedia content. The user can continue to select icons based on the type of desired multimedia content until a list of available multimedia content items are displayed. Accordingly, the user is able to quickly locate and view multimedia content of a desired type, resulting in an improved user experience.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a request to display available multimedia content items;

in response to receiving the request;

determining a type of each of the available multimedia content items;

determining a first plurality of representations by determining a representation of each type of available multimedia content item; and

communicating the first plurality of representations such that the first plurality of representations are displayed in an approximately circular arrangement at a display device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

determining a first plurality of representations comprises determining a first set of icons where each icon is associated with a type of available multimedia content; and

communicating the first plurality of representations comprises communicating the first set of icons such that the first set of icons are displayed in the approximately circular arrangement.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each of the first set of icons is indicative of a different multimedia content type.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a type of each of the available multimedia content items comprises determining a type based on metadata associated with the available media content items.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the available multimedia content items are selected from the group consisting of video content, audio content, image content, and web content.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving first input information indicative of a selection of one of the first plurality of representations; and

in response to receiving the first input information, communicating a second plurality of representations for display such that the second plurality of representations are displayed in an approximately circular arrangement at the display device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein each of the first plurality of representations is associated with a different type of multimedia content, and wherein each of the second plurality of representations is associated with a different sub-type of multimedia content associated with the one of the first plurality of representations.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein each of the first plurality of representations is associated with a different type of multimedia content, and wherein each of the second plurality of representations is associated with a different multimedia content item associated with the one of the first plurality of representations.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving second input information indicative of a selection of one of the second plurality of representations; and

in response to receiving the second input information, communicating information to display a multimedia content item associated with the one of the second plurality representations.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input information indicative of a selection of one of the first plurality of representations; and

in response to receiving the input information, communicating information to record a multimedia content item associated with the one of the first plurality of representations.

11. A method, comprising:

receiving a request to display a set of available multimedia content items; and

in response to receiving the request, communicating a first set of icons for display such that the first set of icons are displayed in an approximately circular arrangement at a display device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the first set of icons is associated with a different type of available multimedia content item.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first set of icons comprises a first icon associated with a first type of available multimedia content item, and wherein a displayed size of the first icon is based on an amount of multimedia content items associated with the first type.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the first set of icons comprises a first icon associated with a first type of available multimedia content item, and wherein a displayed size of the first icon is based on a popularity of multimedia content items associated with the first type.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving selection information indicative of a selection of one of the first set of icons; and

in response to receiving the selection information, communicating a second set of icons for display such that the second set of icons will be displayed in an approximately circular arrangement.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving input information indicative of a request to change a selection focus associated with the first set of icons; and

in response to receiving the input information, communicating information to highlight display of one of the first set of icons.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein communicating information to highlight display comprises communicating information to change a displayed size of the one of the first set of icons.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein communicating information to highlight display comprises communicating information to change a visual characteristic of the one of the first set of icons.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein communicating information to highlight display comprises communicating information to rotate a displayed arrangement of the first set of icons.

20. A device, comprising:

a processor;

an interface configured to receive a request to display a set of available multimedia content items for multimedia content; and

a computer readable medium configured to store a computer program comprising instructions to manipulate the processor, the instructions comprising instructions to communicate, in response to receiving the request, a first set of icons for display such that the first set of icons are displayed in an approximately circular arrangement at a display device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first set of icons comprises a first icon associated with a first type of available multimedia content item, and wherein a displayed size of the first icon is based on an amount of multimedia content items associated with the first type.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the first set of icons comprises a first icon associated with a first type of available multimedia content item, and wherein a displayed size of the first icon is based on a popularity of multimedia content items associated with the first type.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein:

the interface is configured to receive selection information indicative of a selection of one of the first set of icons; and

the instructions further comprise instructions to communicate, in response to receiving the selection information, a second set of icons for display such that the second set of icons will be displayed in an approximately circular arrangement.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein:

the interface is configured to receive input information indicative of a request to change a selection focus associated with the first set of icons; and

the instructions further comprise instructions to communicate, in response to receiving the input information, information to highlight display of one of the first set of icons.

25. A method, comprising:

receiving a first request to display a set of available multimedia content items; and

in response to receiving the first request;

communicating first information to display a first sphere; and

communicating a first set of icons for display such that the first set of icons are displayed in an arrangement over the first sphere, a displayed size of one icon of the first set of icons indicative of a number of multimedia content items associated with the one icon.