METHOD FOR PROVIDING GUI FOR SELECTING BROADCAST CHANNEL WITH KEYPAD OPERATED BY POINTER AND BROADCAST RECEIVING APPARATUS THEREOF

• US 20130002967A1
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: YUN, Young-hwa, JON, Seong-ick, KIM, Joon-hwan, HWANG, Woo-seok, LEE, Jeong-Yeon
• Granted Patent: US 9,686,495 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/734
• 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 21/42222 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 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

A method for providing Graphical User Interface (GUI) for selecting a broadcast channel, and a broadcast receiving apparatus having the same are provided. The GUI for selecting a broadcast channel includes a keypad having a pointer to be moved by manipulation of a user on a remote control apparatus and keys selectable by the pointer, and then the user is able to input a preferred broadcast channel by using the keypad and the pointer. Accordingly, the user is able to input a preferred broadcast channel without using the number keys, so the number keys may be omitted in the remote control apparatus. As a result, miniaturization of the remote control apparatus is possible.

Claims

1. A method for providing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for selecting a broadcast channel comprising:

displaying a channel list and a pointer on a display, the pointer being moveable by manipulation of a remote control apparatus;

if an item is selected by the pointer, displaying an input window and a keypad, the keypad comprising keys selectable by the pointer;

displaying the channel list, the input window, and the keypad in separate non-overlapping areas of the display;

tuning to another broadcast channel using the keypad and the pointer or tuning to the other broadcast channel from broadcast channels listed in the channel list using the pointer,

wherein the input window displays numbers that are selected by the pointer on the displayed keypad, and

wherein at least one of the channel list, the input window and the keypad is translucent such that the image of the broadcast channel is visible through the at least one of the channel list, the input window and the keypad.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the keypad further comprises a subdividing key which divides a channel number into a major broadcast channel number and a minor broadcast channel number.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising inputting a corresponding manipulation using the remote control apparatus, and then carrying out the generating and the combining.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the corresponding manipulation comprises double-clicking of a predetermined key on the remote control apparatus within a reference time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the pointer is movable by two-dimensional movement of the remote control apparatus.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein a face of the remote control apparatus is moved on a virtual plane which is parallel with a screen of the display and the pointer moves in the same direction.

7. A broadcast receiving apparatus comprising:

a broadcast receiving unit which tunes to one of a plurality of broadcast channels;

a Graphical User Interface (GUI) generator which generates a GUI and combines the generated GUI with an image of a broadcast channel;

a controller which controls the GUI generator to display a channel list and a pointer moveable by manipulation of a remote control apparatus; and

a display which displays an input window and a keypad if an item is selected by the pointer, the keypad comprising keys selectable by the pointer, and displays the channel list, the input window, and the keypad in separate non-overlapping areas of a display, and

wherein the controller controls the broadcast receiving unit to tune to another broadcast channel input using the keypad and the pointer,

wherein the input window displays numbers as selected by the pointer on the displayed keypad, and

wherein at least one of the channel list, the input window and the keypad is translucent such that the image of the broadcast channel is visible through the at least one of the generated channel list, the input window and the keypad.

8. The broadcast receiving apparatus of claim 7, wherein the keypad further comprises a subdividing key which divides a channel number into a major broadcast channel number and a minor broadcast channel number.

9. The broadcast receiving apparatus of claim 7, wherein a corresponding manipulation is input using the remote control apparatus so the controller controls the GUI generator to generate the keypad and combine the generated keypad with the image.

10. The broadcast receiving apparatus of claim 9, wherein the corresponding manipulation comprises double-clicking of a predetermined key on the remote control apparatus within a reference time.

11. The broadcast receiving apparatus of claim 7, wherein the pointer is movable by two-dimensional movement of the remote control apparatus.

12. The broadcast receiving apparatus of claim 11, wherein a face of the remote control apparatus is moved on a virtual plane which is parallel with a screen of the display and the pointer moves in the same direction.

13. The broadcast receiving apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a display which displays a broadcast provided from the tuned broadcast channel.

14. The broadcast receiving apparatus of claim 7, wherein the remote control apparatus has a movement sensor that senses movement of a face of the remote control apparatus.

15. The broadcast receiving apparatus of claim 14, wherein the movement sensor comprises a biaxial gyro sensor.