GRAPHICAL INTERFACE NAVIGATION BASED ON IMAGE ELEMENT PROXIMITY

• US 20100115550A1
• Filed: 10/30/2009
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Steinert, Michael T., Minnick, Danny Jean
• Granted Patent: US 9,100,614 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/37
• 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 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42213 for facilitating data entry
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control

Abstract

A method of facilitating navigation of a graphical user interface is presented. In the method, an image associated with the graphical user interface is generated for presentation to a user. The image includes a plurality of image elements, wherein the image elements collectively occupy less than the entirety of the image. An input indicating a location not coinciding with at least one of the image elements is received. One of the image elements is selected based upon the proximity of the location with the one of the image elements.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating navigation of a graphical user interface, the method comprising:

generating an image associated with the graphical user interface for presentation to a user, wherein the image comprises image elements, and wherein the image elements collectively occupy less than an entirety of the image;

receiving an input from the user, wherein the input indicates a location on the image, and wherein the location does not coincide with at least one of the image elements; and

selecting one of the image elements based upon a proximity of the location with the one of the image elements.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

indicating the selected one of the image elements on the image.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

selecting the one of the image elements is further based upon a size of the one of the image elements.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

selecting the one of the image elements is further based upon a user input selection associated with the one of the image elements.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

indicating the location on the image.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the image comprises one of a two-dimensional image and a three-dimensional image.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the input from the user comprises a path in the image, wherein an end of the path comprises the location; and

selecting the one of the image elements is further based upon a direction described by the path.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

selecting the one of the image elements is further based upon a speed described by the path.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the one of the image elements resides within a boundary describing an area associated with the one of the image elements; and

selecting the one of the image elements is based on the location of the image residing within the area associated with the one of the image elements.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

entering a user input selection associated with the selected one of the image elements.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second input from the user; and

in response to the second input, entering a user input selection associated with the selected one of the image elements.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

each of the image elements is associated with a corresponding user interface operation for an audio/video device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the audio/video device comprises one of a satellite television receiver, a cable television receiver, a terrestrial television receiver, an audio receiver, a digital video disc player, a video cassette recorder, a digital video recorder, a television gaming system, and a television.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the input from the user is received by way of a remote control device associated with the audio/video device.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein:

at least one of the image elements is associated with a function provided by the audio/video device.

16. A method of facilitating navigation of a graphical user interface for a satellite television receiver, the method comprising:

generating an image associated with the graphical user interface for presentation to a user by way of a video output of the satellite television receiver, wherein the image comprises image elements, wherein the image elements occupy less than an entirety of the image, and wherein each of the image elements is associated with a user input selection for the satellite television receiver;

receiving an input from the user by way of a remote control device associated with the satellite television receiver, wherein the input indicates a location on the image, and wherein the location does not coincide with at least one of the image elements;

selecting one of the image elements based upon a proximity of the location with the one of the image elements; and

indicating the selected one of the image elements on the image.

17. An electronic device, comprising:

control logic configured to generate an image associated with a graphical user interface of the electronic device, wherein the image comprises image elements, and wherein each of the image elements denotes a user input selection associated with the graphical user interface;

an output interface configured to present the image to the user; and

a user input interface configured to receive an input from a user, wherein the input indicates a location on the image, and wherein the location does not coincide with at least one of the image elements;

wherein the control logic is configured to select one of the image elements based upon a proximity of the location with the one of the image elements.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein:

the output interface is configured to present the image to the user by way of a video display.

19. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein:

the user input interface is configured to receive the input from a remote control device operated by the user.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein:

the remote control device comprises at least one of a touchpad and a joystick configured to be manipulated by the user to enter the input.

21. The electronic device of claim 17, further comprising:

a signal input interface configured to receive television signals;

a signal processor configured to process the received television signals and transfer the received television signals to the output interface for presentation to the user;

wherein the control logic is configured to control operation of the signal processor based at least in part on the selected one of the image elements.