Method and apparatus for adjusting television display control using a browser

• US 6,008,836 A
• Filed: 11/22/1996
• Issued: 12/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: WebTV Networks Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Bruck, Timo A., Leak, Bruce A., Wasserman, Steven C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Faile, Andrew I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, RUEBEN M
• Application Number:
  US08/755,233
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 348/189, 348/190, 348/191, 348/177, 348/10, 348/11, 348/678, 348/687, 455/62, 455/63, 395/200.33, 395/200.47, 395/200.51, 395/200.52, 434/307 R, 434/118, 434/323, 345/338
• US Class Current: 725/131
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04892 Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04897 Special input arrangements or commands for improving display capability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/027 Arrangements and methods specific for the display of internet documents
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0235 specially adapted for remote control, e.g. of audio or video apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/31 using parallax barriers
• 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 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4854 : for modifying image parameters, e.g. image brightness, contrast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 : involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 : for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 : Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/602 : for digital sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 : Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Web browser software implemented in a set-top box as part of a client system communicating over the Internet with one or more servers allows a user to adjust the picture quality of a monitor through World-Wide Web pages displayed on the monitor. The web browser software provides picture adjustment screens which contain instructions on how to adjust the monitor controls to optimize the picture quality. The picture adjustment screens also contain test patterns which provide reference and visual feedback of the monitor adjustment. The user adjusts the picture quality of the monitor using the monitor display controls and the test patterns provided on the picture adjustment screens. Picture adjustment screens are provided for display characteristics such as picture brightness, contrast, sharpness, color, and hue.

Claims

1. In a networked computer system which includes a plurality of server systems each of which is connected to a network infrastructure which provides access to a plurality of sites, each site including one or more pages containing text or graphics, and the networked computer system including at least one client system which is connected either directly or logically to one or more of said server systems, and each client system comprising a conventional television monitor on which to display said one or more pages of an accessed site, and an electronic unit for controlling said television monitor in order to provide a user of the client system with a graphical user interface by which the user can browse said sites or otherwise access said network infrastructure, a method for interactively prompting a user as to the proper adjustment of the television monitor in order to optimize display of a page accessed at one of said sites, the method comprising the steps of:

the user using the television monitor to adjust the electronic unit to access a server system which contains a graphical user interface comprising interactive user instructions for adjustment of a picture on the television monitor;

downloading the interactive user instructions from the server system for display on the television monitor;

utilizing the electronic unit to activate one or more of the displayed interactive user instructions, which then instruct the user as to how to adjust the picture on the television monitor as to one or more selected characteristics of the picture; and

adjusting the one or more selected characteristics of the picture on the television monitor in accordance with the one or more activated interactive user instructions.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising, prior to the stop of adjusting the one or more selected characteristics of the picture, the step of displaying a test pattern on the television monitor, said test pattern containing an attribute corresponding to at least one of the one or more selected characteristics of the picture.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the one or more activated interactive user instructions indicate that the user is to adjust the contrast of the television monitor until the test pattern exhibits a desired contrast attribute, the step of adjusting the one or more selected characteristics of the picture comprising the step of responding to user input generated as the user adjusts the contrast of the television monitor.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the one or more activated interactive user instructions indicate that the user is to adjust the brightness of the television monitor until the test pattern exhibits a desired brightness attribute, the step of adjusting the one or more selected characteristics of the picture comprising the step of responding to user input generated as the user adjusts the brightness of the television monitor.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein the one or more activated interactive user instructions indicate that the user is to adjust the sharpness of the television monitor until the test pattern exhibits a desired sharpness attribute, the step of adjusting the one or more selected characteristics of the picture comprising the step of responding to user input generated as the user adjusts the sharpness of the television monitor.

6. A method according to claim 2, wherein the one or more activated interactive user instructions indicate that the user is to adjust the color of the television monitor until the test pattern exhibits a desired color attribute, the step of adjusting the one or more selected characteristics of the picture comprising the step of responding to user input generated as the user adjusts the color of the television monitor.

7. A method according to claim 2, wherein the one or more activated interactive user instructions indicate that the user is to adjust the hue of the television monitor until the test pattern exhibits a desired hue attribute, the stop of adjusting the one or more selected characteristics of the picture comprising the step of responding to user input generated as the user adjusts the hue of the television monitor.

8. A method according to claim 2, wherein said one or more selected characteristics of the picture comprise a display characteristic selected from the group consisting of contrast, brightness, sharpness, color and hue.

9. In a networked computer system which includes a plurality of server systems each of which is connected to a network infrastructure which provides access to a plurality of sites, each site including one or more pages containing text or graphics, and the networked computer system including at least one client system which is connected either directly or logically to one or more of said server systems, and each client system comprising a conventional television monitor on which to display said one or more pages of an accessed site, and an electronic unit for controlling said television monitor in order to provide a user of the client system with a graphical user interface by which the user can browse said sites or otherwise access said network infrastructure, a computer program product for use by said electronic unit to implement a method for interactively prompting a user as to the proper adjustment of the television monitor in order to optimize display of a page accessed at one of said sites, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium for carrying computer program code means for implementing said method; and

said computer program code means comprising;

code means for accessing through the client system a server system which contains a graphical user interface comprising interactive user instructions for adjustment of a picture on the television monitor;

code means for downloading the interactive user instructions from the server system for display on the television monitor; and

code means for utilizing the electronic unit to activate one or more of the displayed interactive user instructions which then instruct the user as to how to adjust the picture on the television monitor as to one or more selected characteristics of the picture, such that the user can thereafter use the television monitor to adjust the one or more selected characteristics of the picture on the television monitor in accordance with the one or more activated interactive user instructions.

10. A computer program product according to claim 9, wherein the computer program code means further comprises code means for displaying a test pattern on the television monitor, said test pattern containing an attribute corresponding to at least one display characteristic of the picture.

11. A computer program product according to claim 10, wherein said test pattern is included in a Hypertext Mark-up Language object.

12. A computer program product according to claim 11, wherein said test pattern is a Graphical Interchange File format encoded object.

13. A computer program product according to claim 11, wherein said test pattern is a Joint Photographic Expert Group format encoded object.

14. A computer program product according to claim 11, wherein said test pattern is a bit-mapped object.

15. A computer program product according to claim 9, wherein the one or more activated interactive user instructions indicate that the user is to adjust the contrast of the television monitor until a reference test pattern displayed on the television monitor exhibits a desired contrast attribute.

16. A computer program product according to claim 9, wherein the one or more activated interactive user instructions indicate that the user is to adjust the brightness of the television monitor until a reference test pattern displayed on the television monitor exhibits a desired brightness attribute.

17. A computer program product according to claim 9, wherein the one or more activated interactive user instructions indicate that the user is to adjust the sharpness of the television monitor until a reference test pattern displayed on the television monitor exhibits a desired sharpness attribute.

18. A computer program product according to claim 9, wherein the one or more activated interactive user instructions indicate that the user is to adjust the color of the television monitor until a reference test pattern displayed on the television monitor exhibits a desired color attribute.

19. A computer program product according to claim 9, wherein the one or more activated interactive user instructions indicate that the user is to adjust the hue of the television monitor until a reference test pattern displayed on the television monitor exhibits a desired hue attribute.

20. In a networked computer system which includes a plurality of server systems each of which is connected to a network infrastructure which provides access to a plurality of sites, each site including one or more pages containing text or graphics, and the networked computer system including at least one client system which is connected either directly or logically to one or more of said server systems, and each client system comprising a conventional television monitor on which to display said one or more pages of an accessed site, and an electronic unit for controlling said television monitor in order to provide a user of the client system wild a graphical user interface by which the user can browse said sites or otherwise access said network infrastructure, a computer program product for use by at least one of said server systems to implement a method for interactively prompting a user as to the proper adjustment of the television monitor in order to optimize display of a page accessed at one of said sites, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium for carrying computer program code means for implementing said method; and

said computer program code means comprising;

code means for responding to a request for access from a client system to a graphical user interface comprising interactive user instructions for adjustment of a picture on the television monitor; and

code means for downloading the interactive user instructions from the at least one server system to the television monitor of the client system, wherein the downloaded interactive user instructions are to be displayed on the television monitor of the client system.

21. A computer program product according to claim 20, wherein the downloaded interactive user instructions indicate to a user how to adjust one or more selected characteristics of the picture, wherein the one or more selected characteristics comprise a display characteristic selected from the group consisting of contrast, brightness, sharpness, color and hue.

22. A computer program product according to claim 20, wherein the code means for downloading the interactive user instructions further comprises code means for downloading a test pattern to be displayed on the television monitor of the client system, said test pattern containing an attribute corresponding to at least one of the one or more selected characteristics of the picture.