USER INTERFACE ENHANCEMENTS FOR MEDIA CONTENT ACCESS SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20110161882A1
• Filed: 12/31/2009
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Dasgupta, Mousumi, Ruiz-Velasco, Enrique
• Granted Patent: US 8,640,052 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/830
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

Exemplary user interface enhancements for media content access systems and methods are described herein. An exemplary method includes a media content access system launching a graphical user interface for display, the graphical user interface initially including a graphical representation of a channel guide comprising a grid matrix of channel icons representing a plurality of media content channels through which media content is accessible by the media content access system and a graphical representation of an advertisement displayed together with the channel guide in the graphical user interface, detecting a user navigation event within the channel guide displayed in the graphical user interface, and replacing, in response to the user navigation event, the graphical representation of the advertisement with a graphical representation of content specific to a media content channel within the plurality of media content channels. Corresponding user interfaces, systems, and methods are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

launching, by a media content access system, a graphical user interface for display, the graphical user interface initially including

a graphical representation of a channel guide comprising a grid matrix of channel icons representing a plurality of media content channels through which media content is accessible by the media content access system, and

a graphical representation of an advertisement displayed together with the channel guide in the graphical user interface;

detecting, by the media content access system, a user navigation event within the channel guide displayed in the graphical user interface; and

replacing, by the media content access system in response to the user navigation event, the graphical representation of the advertisement with a graphical representation of content specific to a media content channel within the plurality of media content channels.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transitioning, by the media content access system in response to the user navigation event, from a launch mode of operation to a navigation mode of operation for the graphical user interface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the channel icons are arranged in the grid matrix to form a three-dimensional grid matrix view of the channel icons.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the channel icons are arranged in a plurality of horizontal rows in the three-dimensional grid matrix view with a first horizontal row of channel icons positioned at a forefront of the three-dimensional grid matrix view and a plurality of other horizontal rows of channel icons positioned at progressively increasing depths from the forefront of the three-dimensional grid matrix.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of horizontal rows of channel icons visually tapers with increased depth in the three-dimensional grid matrix.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the graphical user interface further includes a graphical representation of a stage positioned at the forefront of the three-dimensional grid matrix;

the first horizontal row of channel icons is positioned on the stage; and

the plurality of other horizontal rows of channel icons are positioned off of the stage.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the graphical user interface further includes a graphical representation of a reflection of at least one of the channel icons positioned on the stage.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

detecting, by the media content access system, another user navigation event within the channel guide displayed in the graphical user interface; and

directionally scrolling, by the media content access system, the three-dimensional grid matrix of channel icons relative to the stage in response to the another user navigation event.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the directionally scrolling comprises:

moving the first horizontal row of channel icons off of the stage; and

moving a new horizontal row of channel icons onto the stage.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, by the media content access system, a user selection of a channel icon within the grid matrix of channel icons displayed in the graphical user interface; and

accessing, by the media content access system, an interactive portal associated with a media content channel within the plurality of content channels and corresponding to the selected channel icon.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein

the advertisement is selected for display from a pool of advertisements without restriction to a media content channel within the plurality of media content channels;

and

the content specific to the media content channel within the plurality of media content channels is selected from a pool of content with restriction to content that is specific to the media content channel within the plurality of media content channels.

12. The method of claim 1, embodied as computer-executable instructions on at least one tangible computer-readable medium.

13. A system comprising:

a media content access facility configured to access media content distributed over one or more of a plurality of media content channels;

a channel guide facility configured to maintain channel data representing the plurality of media content channels;

an advertisement facility configured to maintain advertisement data representing one or more advertisements; and

a user interface facility communicatively coupled to the media content access facility, the channel guide facility, and the advertisement facility, the user interface facility configured to

access and utilize the channel data and the advertisement data to generate and launch a graphical user interface for display, the graphical user interface including

a graphical representation of a channel guide comprising a grid matrix of channel icons representing the plurality of media content channels, and

a graphical representation of an advertisement displayed together with the channel guide in the graphical user interface,

detect a user navigation event within the channel guide displayed in the graphical user interface, and

replace, in response to the user navigation event, the graphical representation of the advertisement with a graphical representation of content specific to a media content channel within the plurality of media content channels.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising an interactive portal access facility communicatively coupled to the user interface facility and configured to access an interactive portal associated with a media content channel within the plurality of media content channels.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein:

the user interface facility detect a user selection of a channel icon within the grid matrix of channel icons displayed in the graphical user interface; and

the interactive portal facility accesses the interactive portal associated with the media content channel within the plurality of media content channels, the media content channel corresponding to the selected channel icon.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the user interface facility is further configured to transition from a launch mode of operation to a navigation mode of operation for the graphical user interface in response to the user navigation event.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the channel icons are arranged in the grid matrix to form a three-dimensional grid matrix view of the channel icons, the three-dimensional grid matrix view of the channel icons including a plurality of horizontal rows of channel icons, the plurality of horizontal rows of channel icons comprising

a first horizontal row of channel icons positioned at a forefront of the three-dimensional grid matrix view, and

a plurality of other horizontal rows of channel icons positioned at progressively increasing depths from the forefront of the three-dimensional grid matrix.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the graphical user interface further includes a graphical representation of a stage positioned at the forefront of the three-dimensional grid matrix;

the first horizontal row of channel icons is positioned on the stage; and

the plurality of other horizontal rows of channel icons is positioned off of the stage.

19. The system of claim 13, implemented on a set-top box device configured to access a subscriber television service.

20. A system comprising:

a media content access facility configured to access media content distributed over one or more of a plurality of media content channels;

a channel guide facility configured to maintain channel data representing the plurality of media content channels;

a user interface facility communicatively coupled to the media content access facility and the channel guide facility, the user interface facility configured to access and utilize the channel data to generate and launch a graphical user interface for display, the graphical user interface including

a graphical representation of a channel guide comprising channel icons representing the plurality of media content channels, the channel icons arranged to form a three-dimensional grid matrix view of the channel icons that includes a plurality of horizontal rows of channel icons, the plurality of horizontal rows of channel icons comprising a first horizontal row of channel icons positioned at a forefront of the three-dimensional grid matrix view and a plurality of other horizontal rows of channel icons positioned at progressively increasing depths from the forefront of the three-dimensional grid matrix, and

a graphical representation of a stage positioned at the forefront of the three-dimensional grid matrix, the first horizontal row of channel icons positioned on the stage and the plurality of other horizontal rows of channel icons positioned off of the stage.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein:

the graphical user interface further includes a graphical representation of an advertisement displayed together with the channel guide in the graphical user interface; and

the user interface facility

detects a user navigation event within the channel guide displayed in the graphical user interface, and

replaces, in response to the user navigation event, the graphical representation of the advertisement with a graphical representation of content specific to a media content channel within the plurality of media content channels.