METHOD AND SYSTEM TO NAVIGATE VIEWABLE CONTENT

• US 20140245357A1
• Filed: 02/19/2014
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OpenTV, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Original Assignee: OpenTV, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Inventors: Huntington, Matthew, Merkoski, David A., Pering, Celine, Kanarek, Jordan, Nazarian, David Scott, Wagner, Joshua, Zeldis, Andrew, Terada, Gina, Marr, Jared, Rother, Benjamin A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,374,621 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/52
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/435 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/44 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• 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 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• 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 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8549 Creating video summaries, e.g. movie trailer retrieval in video databases by using presentations in form of a video summary G06F16/739

Abstract

A method and system to navigate viewable content in the context of television entertainment is provided. In one example embodiment, the system comprises a presentation module to present main content on a display screen, a communications module to receive a first request associated with a first directional key on a remote control device, a navigation mode detector to determine a navigation mode associated with the first request; a margin menu module to activate a margin menu associated with the determined navigation mode. The margin menu may be presented along one of the margins of a display screen, while permitting viewing of the main content.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

presenting main content on a display screen that has multiple margins;

detecting first and second presses of a button on a device configured to remotely control the main content presented on the display screen, the button corresponding to a margin among the multiple margins of the display screen; and

using a processor, presenting a recommendation menu along the margin of the display screen, the recommendation menu being configured to;

respond to the first press of the button by presenting a first recommendation recommended based on the main content presented on the display screen; and

respond to the second press of the button by presenting a second recommendation recommended based on the first recommendation presented in the recommendation menu.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the button indicates a direction among multiple directions indicated by multiple buttons on the device; and

the presenting of the recommendation menu presents the recommendation menu at a position on the display screen, the position corresponding to the direction indicated by the button.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the button is a first directional button that indicates a direction perpendicular to that of a second directional button; and

the recommendation menu is further configured to respond to a press of the second button by presenting a third recommendation recommended based on the first recommendation presented in the recommendation menu.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the button is a first directional button that indicates a direction opposite to that of a second directional button; and

the method further comprises

ceasing the presenting of the recommendation menu in response to a press of the second directional button.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

detecting a further press of the second directional button; and

presenting a channel menu in response to the further press of the second directional button, the program menu being configured to present selectable items from a set of channels of content.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

detecting a further press of the second directional button; and

presenting a search menu in response to the further press of the second directional button, the search menu being configured to present selectable items from an executed search of content.

7. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

detecting a further press of the second directional button; and

presenting a library menu in response to the further press of the second directional button, the library menu being configured to present selectable items from a library of content.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the button is an “

up”

directional button among multiple directional buttons on the device; and

the presenting of the recommendation menu is along a top edge of the display screen.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the button is a “

down”

directional button among multiple directional buttons on the device; and

the presenting of the recommendation menu is along a bottom edge of the display screen.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the button is a “

left”

directional button among multiple directional buttons on the device; and

the presenting of the recommendation menu is along a left edge of the display screen.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

the button is a “

right”

directional button among multiple directional buttons on the device; and

the presenting of the recommendation menu is along a right edge of the display screen.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating the first recommendation based on the main content; and

generating the second recommendation based on the first recommendation recommended based on the main content.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the presenting of the main content on the display screen presents the main content on a mobile device; and

the device configured to remotely control the main content is a remote control device of the mobile device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the presenting of the main content on the display screen presents the main content on a television screen; and

the device configured to remotely control the main content is a remote control device of the television screen.

15. A system comprising:

a presentation module configured to present main content on a display screen that has multiple margins;

a communications module configured to detect first and second presses of a button on a device configured to remotely control the main content presented on the display screen, the button corresponding to a margin among the multiple margins of the display screen; and

a processor configured by a menu module to display a recommendation menu along the margin of the display screen, the recommendation menu being configured to;

respond to the first press of the button by presenting a first recommendation recommended based on the main content presented on the display screen; and

respond to the second press of the button by presenting a second recommendation recommended based on the first recommendation presented in the recommendation menu.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein

the button indicates a direction among multiple directions indicated by multiple buttons on the device;

and

the processor is configured by the menu module to present the recommendation menu at a position on the display screen, the position corresponding to the direction indicated by the button.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the button is a first directional button that indicates a direction perpendicular to that of a second directional button; and

the recommendation menu is further configured to respond to a press of the second button by presenting a third recommendation recommended based on the first recommendation presented in the recommendation menu.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the button is a first directional button that indicates a direction opposite to that of a second directional button; and

the processor is configured by the menu module to cease the presenting of the recommendation menu in response to a press of the second directional button.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the presenting of the main content on the display screen presents the main content on a mobile device; and

the device configured to remotely control the main content is a remote control device of the mobile device.

20. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

presenting main content on a display screen that has multiple margins;

detecting first and second presses of a button on a device configured to remotely control the main content presented on the display screen, the button corresponding to a margin among the multiple margins of the display screen; and

presenting a recommendation menu along the margin of the display screen, the recommendation menu being configured to;

respond to the first press of the button by presenting a first recommendation recommended based on the main content presented on the display screen; and

respond to the second press of the button by presenting a second recommendation recommended based on the first recommendation presented in the recommendation menu.

21. A method comprising:

causing main content to be presented on a display screen that has multiple margins;

detecting a first activation and a second activation of a button on a device configured to remotely control the main content presented on the display screen, the button corresponding to an associated margin of the multiple margins of the display screen;

using a processor, presenting a recommendation menu along the associated margin of the display screen;

responsive to the first activation of the button, causing presentation of a first recommendation in the recommendation menu, the first recommendation being based on the main content; and

responsive to the second activation of the button, causing presentation of a second recommendation in the recommendation menu, the second recommendation being based on the first recommendation.