TV graphical user interface having cursor position indicator

• US 6,057,831 A
• Filed: 07/21/1997
• Issued: 05/02/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Wood, Eric, Gillespie, Donald, Harms, Kevin, Khauv, Kiet
• Primary Examiner(s): Faile, Andrew I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, NGOC K
• Application Number:
  US08/897,826
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: 345/327, 345/328, 345/145, 345/146, 348/906, 348/552, 348/731, 348/563, 348/569, 348/570, 348/732, 348/734
• US Class Current: 725/38
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/00 Diagnosis, testing or measuring for television systems or their details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control

Abstract

A TV graphical user interface includes a graphical channel changer for enabling a user to select a required TV channel among about 1000 channels provided by a satellite TV system. The graphical channel changer contains a vertical channel bar composed of channel boxes that display numbers and logos of selected TV channels. To switch the TV set to a required TV channel, the user directs the pointing device at the graphical channel box that indicates the required channel. A direct access channel bar is arranged on a screen so as to cause the channel boxes to display the number and logo of a selected TV channel when the user directs the pointing device at the point on the direct access bar that represents the selected channel. The direct access channel bar is provided with an absolute cursor position indicator that indicates to the user the numbers of TV channels represented by various points on the direct access channel bar, when the user moves the pointing device over these points. When TV channels in the channel changer are arranged in alphabetical order of channel or program names, the absolute cursor position indicator indicates the first letter in the name of a TV channel or program represented by a point on the direct access bar, at which the pointing device is directed.

Claims

1. A television (TV) system comprising:

a CPU, and

a TV monitor controlled by said CPU for displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) including;

a channel changer having channel objects for identifying TV channels and enabling a user to tune the TV system to a required TV channel when the user activates a pointing device directed at a channel object identifying the required TV channel,

a direct access channel bar for indicating a list of TV channels available in the TV system and enabling the user to display in said channel object identification data of a selected TV channel when the user activates the pointing device directed at a region on the direct access channel bar representing the selected TV channel, and

an absolute cursor position indicator for indicating the selected TV channel when the user directs the pointing device at the region on the direct access channel bar representing the selected TV channel.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said absolute cursor position indicator indicates the number of the selected TV channel when said list of TV channels is arranged in order of channel numbers.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said absolute cursor position indicator indicates the first letter in a name of the selected TV channel when said list of TV channels is arranged in alphabetical order of channel names.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said absolute cursor position indicator indicates the first letter in a name of a program carried by the selected TV channel when said list of TV channels is arranged in alphabetical order of names of programs carried by the TV channels.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said absolute cursor position indicator is arranged on said direct access channel bar.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said direct access channel bar comprises a graduated scale representing TV channels.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said direct access channel bar changes its color when the pointing device is held in the direction of said direct access channel bar.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said channel objects identify numbers and logos of the TV channels.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprises an RF tuner that switches to a frequency of the required TV channel, when the user directs the pointing device at a channel object identifying the required TV channel.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said GUI further comprises an electronic TV program guide that contains a schedule of TV programs for a predetermined time period for TV channels defined by said channel objects.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said electronic TV program guide is aligned with said channel changer.

12. In a graphical user interface displayed on a TV monitor and having channel objects for identifying TV channels, and a direct access object for indicating a list of the TV channels, a method of identifying a selected group of the TV channels comprising the steps of:

checking a position of a cursor moved by a pointing device,

detecting when the cursor is positioned over the direct access object,

determining a coordinate of the cursor,

calculating a position of the cursor relative to the direct access object,

determining a nearest TV channel corresponding to the relative position,

displaying identification data of the nearest TV channel, and

activating the pointing device to redraw the channel objects so as to identify said selected group including the nearest TV channel.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said list of TV channels is arranged in order of channel numbers.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said step of displaying includes indicating number of the nearest channel.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the pointing device is activated when number of a required TV channel is indicated.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said list of TV channels is arranged in alphabetical order of channel names.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of displaying includes indicating the first letter in a name of the nearest channel.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said pointing device is activated when the first letter in a name of a required TV channel is indicated.

19. A TV system comprising:

a CPU and

a monitor for displaying a list of TV channels, and having an indicator for indicating in a first mode of operation, number of a selected TV channel when a user directs a pointing device at said selected channel in said list of TV channels, and for indicating in a second mode of operation, the first letter in a name of the selected TV channel when the user directs the pointing device at said selected TV channel in said list of TV channels.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said list of TV channels is arranged in order of channel numbers in the first mode of operation, and in order of channel names in the second mode of operation.