METHOD FOR PROVIDING MENU FOR NETWORK TELEVISION

• US 20110119710A1
• Filed: 04/21/2010
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: JANG, Sae Hun, KIM, Uni Young, LEE, Hyung Nam, KOO, Sang Jun, YOO, Kyung Hee
• Granted Patent: US 9,426,513 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/41
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00424 using a list of graphical elements, e.g. icons or icon bar
• 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 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43074 of additional data with content streams on the same device, e.g. of EPG data or interactive icon with a TV program
• 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 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44209 Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• 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 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8126 involving additional data, e.g. news, sports, stocks, weather forecasts
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics

Abstract

An information manager includes a network interface, a user interface, and a controller. The network interface establishes a connection with at least one content provider server through a network. The user interface receives an input signal selecting an icon for display. The controller controls output of the selected icon for display along with an image corresponding to the selected icon. The selected icon corresponds to the content provider and is displayed with one or more other icons that correspond to additional content providers, and the image is based on information received through the network interface from the content provider.

Claims

1. An information manager, comprising:

a network interface to establish a connection with at least one content provider server through a network;

a user interface to receive an input signal selecting an icon for display, wherein the icon corresponds to the content provider and is displayed with one or more other icons that correspond to additional content providers; and

a controller to control output of the selected icon for display along with an image corresponding to the selected icon, wherein the image is based on information received through the network interface from the content provider.

2. The information manager of claim 1, wherein software for controlling display of information relating to the content provider of the selected icon is received from a network operator.

3. The information manager of claim 1, wherein at least one of the selected icon or image is output as a three-dimensional representation.

4. The information manager of claim 1, further comprising:

a broadcast signal processor to receive and process a broadcast signal for output on a display device.

5. The information manager of claim 1, wherein:

information corresponding to the selected icon is output for display,

the information corresponds to movie contents provided by the content provider, and

the image includes at least one of characters or objects corresponding to the movie contents.

6. The information manager of claim 1, wherein:

information corresponding to the selected icon is output for display,

the information includes weather information provided by the content provider, and the image corresponds to the weather information.

7. The information manager of claim 6, wherein:

the image corresponding to the weather information is displayed as a background image,

a menu that includes the selected icon and the one or more other icons is displayed with the background image, and

a visual or audible effect corresponding to the weather information image is activated based on the icon of the selected image.

8. The information manager of claim 1, wherein:

the controller controls display of a menu that includes the selected icon and the one or more other icons,

a background image is displayed with the menu, and

the background image is changed based on a user setting or a predetermined condition information.

9. The information manager of claim 1, wherein the controller controls display of a background image that corresponds to the selected icon and wherein the background image includes a landmark of a user area.

10. The information manager of claim 1, wherein:

the controller controls display of a menu that includes the selected icon and the one or more other icons,

a background image is displayed with the menu, and

the background image is changed based on time or a season of the year.

11. A method for managing information, comprising:

displaying a plurality of icons which correspond to a respective plurality of content providers;

receiving a signal selecting one of the icons; and

displaying an image corresponding to the selected icon, wherein the image is based on information received from the content provider of the selected icon.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

connecting to a server of the content provider of the selected icon in response to a received signal initiated by a user.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one of selected icon or image is output as a three-dimensional representation.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the content provider of the selected icon provides national science contents and wherein the image is an animation that includes an animal image.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the content provider of the selected icon provides movie contents and wherein the image includes at least one of characters or objects corresponding to the movie.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the content provider of the selected icon provides weather information and a video is output based on weather information.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

displaying a background image that corresponds to the weather information; and

activating an audio or visual effect that corresponds to the background image and the selected icon.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein a background image corresponding to the selected icon is displayed with the icon, said method further comprising:

changing the background image based on signal initiated by a user or based on a predetermined condition.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein a background image corresponding to the selected icon is displayed with the icon, said method further comprising:

displaying one or more different landmarks based on area information of the user.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein a background image corresponding to the selected icon is displayed with the icon, said method further comprising:

changing the background image in accordance with a change in time or seasons.