Method and apparatus for displaying an electronic menu having components with differing levels of transparency

• US 6,111,614 A
• Filed: 10/17/1997
• Issued: 08/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nishikawa, Yuko, Mugura, Kazuto, Legrand, Ludovic, Saib, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, Mark R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sajous, Wesner
• Application Number:
  US08/953,032
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 345/146, 345/339, 345/352, 345/340, 345/113, 345/114, 345/327, 345/345, 345/1.2, 348/563, 348/564, 348/569, 348/570, 348/734, 348/906, 348/8, 348/10, 348/553, 348/7, 348/9, 348/13
• US Class Current: 348/569
• 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 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4383 Accessing a communication channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440263 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for displaying on a connected PDA
• 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 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44504 Circuit details of the additional information generator, e.g. details of the character or graphics signal generator, overlay mixing circuits

Abstract

A method and apparatus for displaying an electronic menu having components with differing levels of transparency are provided. A multiple channel broadcasting system generates an on-screen menu display for enabling a user to operate different functions of the system. The broadcasting system generates an electronic menu display that comprises a number of components, alphanumeric characters, and icons displayed on a background. The components, alphanumeric characters, and icons identify different functions of the system. The broadcast system applies different levels of transparency to the different components such that the number of opaque components is minimized. The broadcast system then superimposes the electronic menu display over a program broadcast on a screen. As the opaque components are minimized, the obstruction of the broadcast by the electronic menu display is minimized.

Claims

1. In a multiple channel broadcasting system in which programs are broadcasted for display on a screen, a method for generating an on-screen menu display for enabling a user to operate different functions of the system, comprising the steps of:

generating an electronic menu display, said menu display comprising a plurality of components, comprising a plurality of alphanumeric characters and icons identifying different functions displayed on a background;

applying different levels of transparency to different components such that a number of opaque components is minimized, and the background is highly transparent;

superimposing said electronic menu display over a program broadcast on said screen, said opaque components minimized thereby minimizing obstruction of the video of the broadcast by the electronic menu display.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said transparency levels are selected by said user.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein each function is identified by a plurality of components, at least one of the plurality of identifying components having a high level of transparency.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of icons has the least transparent level of transparency.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4, wherein a numeral is displayed along with each of said plurality of icons, said numeral having the most transparent level of transparency.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5, wherein a verbal description is displayed along with each of said plurality of icons, said verbal description having the least transparent level of transparency.

7. The method as set forth in claim 6, wherein the least transparent level of transparency is selected for the plurality of icons and the corresponding verbal descriptions.

8. A broadcast system comprising:

a display device;

a processor coupled to said display device, said processor,

configured to control the system to generate an electronic menu display, said menu display comprising a plurality of components, comprising a plurality of alphanumeric characters and icons identifying different functions displayed on a background;

configured to control the system to apply different levels of transparency to different components such that a number of opaque components is minimized, and the background is highly transparent;

configured to control the system to superimpose said electronic menu display over a program broadcast on said screen, said opaque components minimized thereby minimizing obstruction of the video of the broadcast by the electronic menu display.

9. The broadcast system as set forth in claim 8, wherein each function is identified by a plurality of components, at least one of the plurality of identifying components having a high level of transparency.

10. The broadcast system as set forth in claim 8, wherein each of said plurality of icons has the least transparent level of transparency.

11. The broadcast system as set forth in claim 10, wherein a verbal description is displayed along with each of said plurality of icons, said verbal description having the least transparent level of transparency.

12. A system for providing an on-screen menu display for enabling a user to select different functions of a multiple channel broadcasting system while viewing a broadcast, comprising:

a broadcast displayed on a viewing display;

an electronic menu comprising a plurality of components identifying said different functions of the system, said plurality of components including a plurality of alphanumeric characters and icons displayed on a background, each of said components having a level of transparency such that a number of components having a low level of transparency is minimized, said electronic menu superimposed over the displayed broadcast.

13. The system as set forth in claim 12, wherein each function is identified by a plurality of components, at least one of the plurality of identifying components having a high level of transparency.

14. The system as set forth in claim 12, wherein each of said plurality of icons has the least transparent level of transparency.

15. The system as set forth in claim 14, wherein a verbal description is displayed along with each of said plurality of icons, said verbal description having the least transparent level of transparency.

16. A computer readable medium containing executable instructions which, when executed in a processing system, causes the system to perform the steps for generating an on-screen menu display of a multiple channel broadcasting system comprising:

generating an electronic menu display, said menu display comprising a plurality of components, comprising a plurality of alphanumeric characters and icons identifying different functions displayed on a background;

applying different levels of transparency to different components such that a number of opaque components is minimized, and the background is highly transparent;

superimposing said electronic menu display over a program broadcast on said screen, said opaque components minimized thereby minimizing obstruction of the video of the broadcast by the electronic menu display.

17. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 16, wherein each function is identified by a plurality of components, at least one of the plurality of identifying components having a high level of transparency.

18. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 16, wherein each of said plurality of icons has the least transparent level of transparency.

19. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 18, wherein a verbal description is displayed along with each of said plurality of icons, said verbal description having the least transparent level of transparency.