GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE (GUI) CONTROL BY INTERNET PROTOCOL TELEVISION (IPTV) REMOTE INTERNET ACCESS DEVICES

• US 20120240161A1
• Filed: 03/15/2011
• Published: 09/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kuo, Jenke Wu
• Granted Patent: US 9,078,030 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/37
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP

Abstract

An Internet protocol television (IPTV) system is driven by a graphical user interface (GUI) controlled by an input device attached to an Internet access device that in turn connects to the GUI over IPTV connections. The input device may be a keyboard, smart phone, iPad, mouse, personal computer, laptop, touch screen, or other generic universal serial bus (USB), IEEE 1394 (FireWire), or other connected device. Connection between the input device and the GUI may be either wired (including, but not limited to USB, IEEE 1394, and Ethernet) or wireless (including, without limitation, infrared (IR), radio frequency, or other form of electromagnetic transmission). Regardless of connection method, the input device acts to operate and command the IPTV GUI so as to navigate and control the IPTV. By appropriate GUI implementations, a single input device may be configured to operate one or more windows on one or more display via IPTV connections.

Claims

1. A display apparatus, comprising:

a display device configured for Internet access through an Internet Protocol television (IPTV) connection;

a graphical user interface (GUI) viewable on the display device; and

means for inputting a command to the GUI over the IPTV connection.

2. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the means for inputting comprises:

an Internet access device configured to access the Internet, wherein the Internet access device is selected from a group of devices consisting of;

a personal computer (PC), a laptop, an iPad, a tablet, a set top box, a smart phone, and an iPod.

3. The apparatus recited in claim 2, wherein the Internet access device accesses the Internet over a wired or wireless connection.

4. The apparatus recited in claim 2, wherein the Internet access device comprises one or more input devices selected from the group of input devices consisting of a keyboard, a touch screen, a multiple touch screen, a mouse, a touchpad, a tablet input device, a voice input, a joystick, a nunchuk, a sensor bar, and a motion sensor.

5. The apparatus recited in claim 4, wherein the motion sensor comprises:

one or more sensors in aggregate for;

detection of motion in at least two directions; and

detection of a “

select”

command.

6. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the means for inputting comprises a computer program executable by the display device, for performing one or more steps comprising:

displaying the GUI on the display device;

accepting one or more commands received over the IPTV connection; and

navigating the GUI according to the accepted commands.

7. The apparatus recited in claim 6, wherein the means for inputting is stored as a computer program executable on a computer readable medium.

8. The apparatus recited in claim 4, wherein the means for inputting comprises a computer program executable by the Internet access device, for performing one or more steps comprising:

receiving an input from one or more of the input devices;

translating the input into the command suitable for the GUI on the display device; and

transmitting the command over the IPTV connection to the GUI on the display device.

9. The apparatus recited in claim 8, wherein the means for inputting is stored as a computer program executable on a computer readable medium.

10. A method of controlling a display graphical user interface (GUI), comprising:

providing a display;

connecting the display to an Internet access through an Internet Protocol television (IPTV) connection; and

controlling a graphical user interface (GUI) on the display through one or more IPTV commands.

11. The method recited in claim 10, further comprising:

displaying the GUI on the display.

12. The method recited in claim 10, further comprising:

providing an Internet access device selected from a group of devices consisting of;

a personal computer (PC), a laptop, an iPad, a tablet, a set top box, a smart phone, an iPod; and

transmitting one or more commands over IPTV from the Internet access device to the display GUI.

13. The method recited in claim 12, further comprising:

providing one or more input devices connected to the Internet access device, wherein the input devices are selected from the group of input devices consisting of a keyboard, a touch screen, a multiple touch screen, a mouse, a touchpad, a tablet input device, a voice input, a joystick, a nunchuk, a sensor bar, and a motion sensor.

14. The method recited in claim 13, wherein the input devices are connected to the Internet access device either wired or wirelessly.

15. The method recited in claim 13, further comprising:

translating, on the Internet access device, one or more inputs from the input devices into one or more of the commands suitable for controlling the GUI on the display.

16. The method recited in claim 15, wherein the controlling step is stored as a computer program executable on a computer readable medium.

17. The method recited in claim 14, wherein the controlling the GUI on the display step comprises:

transmitting, from the Internet access device to the GUI on the display, a descriptor of the input device connected to the Internet access device;

transmitting, from the input device to the display through the Internet access device over the IPTV connection, one or more inputs;

translating, on the display, the one or more inputs into one or more translated commands comprising one or more of the IPTV commands; and

executing, on the GUI on the display, the one or more translated commands;

whereby the GUI on the display is controlled by the translated commands.

18. The method recited in claim 17, wherein the controlling the GUI on the display step is stored as a computer program executable on a computer readable medium.

19. A method of Internet display control, comprising:

providing an Internet protocol television (IPTV) connection between a display and an Internet access device;

providing one or more inputs from an input device to the Internet access device;

transmitting the one or more inputs from the Internet access device to the display over the IPTV connection; and

thereby controlling a Graphical User Interface (GUI) on the display with the one or more inputs.

20. The method of Internet display control recited in claim 19, further comprising:

translating, on the display, the one or more inputs from the input device to one or more GUI commands; and

controlling the GUI via the one or more GUI commands.

21. A system for IPTV graphical user interface control, comprising:

a display device configured for Internet access through an Internet Protocol television (IPTV) connection;

a graphical user interface (GUI) viewable on the display device; and

an Internet access device configured for access the Internet over the IPTV connection;

wherein the Internet access device and the display device are configured for connection over the IPTV connection; and

wherein a command entered on the Internet access device controls the GUI on the display device over the IPTV connection.

22. A display device for IPTV graphical user interface control, comprising:

a display device configured for Internet access through an Internet Protocol television (IPTV) connection;

a graphical user interface (GUI) viewable on the display device;

wherein the GUI on the display device is controlled by commands communicated over the IPTV connection.

23. The display device recited in claim 22, comprising:

an Internet access device configured for access to the Internet over the IPTV connection;

wherein the Internet access device and the display device are configured for connection over the IPTV connection; and

wherein a command entered on the Internet access device controls the GUI on the display device over the IPTV connection.

24. The display device recited in claim 23, further comprising:

one or more input devices connected to the Internet access device, wherein the input devices are selected from the group of input devices consisting of a keyboard, a touch screen, a multiple touch screen, a mouse, a touchpad, a tablet input device, a voice input, a joystick, a nunchuk, a sensor bar, and a motion sensor.

25. The display device recited in claim 24, wherein the input devices are connected to the Internet access device either wired or wirelessly.

26. The display device recited in claim 24, wherein in the Internet access device, one or more inputs from the input devices are translated into one or more of the commands suitable for controlling the GUI on the display.

27. The display device recited in claim 26, wherein the one or more inputs from the input devices are translated into one or more of the commands suitable for controlling the GUI on the display by a computer program executable stored on a computer readable medium.

28. The display device recited in claim 23, wherein the Internet access device is selected from a group of devices consisting of:

a personal computer (PC), a laptop, an iPad, a tablet, a set top box, a smart phone, and an iPod.

35. The Internet access device recited in claim 23, wherein the Internet access device is selected from a group of devices consisting of:

a personal computer (PC), a laptop, an iPad, a tablet, a set top box, a smart phone, and an iPod.

29. An Internet access device, comprising:

an Internet access device configured for Internet access over an IPTV connection;

one or more input devices connected to the Internet access device; and

a computer program executable on the Internet access device, wherein a command entered on the Internet access device by one or more of the input devices generates commands transmitted over the IPTV connection.

30. The Internet access device recited in claim 29, wherein the input devices are selected from the group of input devices consisting of a keyboard, a touch screen, a multiple touch screen, a mouse, a touchpad, a tablet input device, a voice input, a joystick, a nunchuk, a sensor bar, and a motion sensor

31. The Internet access device recited in claim 29, further comprising:

a display device configured for connection to the Internet over another IPTV connection;

wherein the Internet access device and the display device are configured for connection over the IPTV connection; and

wherein the generated commands of the Internet access device are transmitted over the IPTV connection to the display device to control a graphical user interface (GUI) resident on the display device.

32. The Internet access device recited in claim 29, wherein the input devices are connected to the Internet access device either wired or wirelessly.

33. The Internet access device recited in claim 31, wherein in the Internet access device, one or more inputs from the input devices are translated into one or more of the commands suitable for controlling the GUI on the display.

34. The Internet access device recited in claim 31, wherein the command from the input device is translated into one or more of the commands suitable for controlling the GUI on the display by a computer program executable stored on a computer readable medium.

36. The Internet access device recited in claim 29, wherein the computer program executable is stored on a computer readable medium.