Navigating web-based content in a television-based system
First Claim
1. A television-based hyperlink content navigation system, comprising:
- a viewing area for displaying visual content, wherein the visual content has a content area that is larger than the viewing area;
a plurality of selectable objects in the visual content;
a focus that is initially on a first one of the objects;
a user-manipulated operator that can be manipulated by a user in different directions;
wherein the navigation system is responsive to activation of the user-manipulated operator in a selected direction to perform steps comprising;
determining a speed value from the activation of the user-manipulated operator;
if there is a second one of the objects within a predefined linear distance in the content area from the first object in approximately the selected direction and the speed value exceeds a first threshold, tabbing the focus to said second object and scrolling the visual content relative to the viewing area if necessary to bring the second one of the objects onto the viewing area;
if there is not a second one of the objects within the predefined linear distance in the content area from the first object in approximately the selected direction and the speed value does not exceed the first threshold, scrolling the visual content relative to the viewing area;
if the second one of the objects includes a continuous image having a continuous two-dimensional range of selectable points, displaying a pointer over the continuous image and moving the pointer smoothly over the continuous image in response to further directional activation of the user-manipulated operator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A television-based hyperlink content navigation system includes a display device having a viewing area for displaying visual content such as an Internet Web document. Generally, the visual content has a content area that is larger than the viewing area, and includes a plurality of selectable objects such as hyperlinks and image maps. A user-manipulated operator such as a joystick allows navigation through the various hyperlinks and image maps, and also initiates scrolling of the visual content. Assuming that a focus is initially on a first one of the objects, moving the trackball tabs the focus to a nearby second object if the second object is within a predefined linear distance from the first object. If there is no second object within the predefined distance, moving the trackball causes the visual content to scroll at a speed that is proportional to the trackball speed. If a currently focused object is an image, such as an image map, that has a continuous two-dimensional range of selectable points, moving the trackball moves a pointer over the image in a continuous manner. Such a pointer is displayed only when the focus is on such a continuous image.
164 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A television-based hyperlink content navigation system, comprising:
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a viewing area for displaying visual content, wherein the visual content has a content area that is larger than the viewing area; a plurality of selectable objects in the visual content; a focus that is initially on a first one of the objects; a user-manipulated operator that can be manipulated by a user in different directions; wherein the navigation system is responsive to activation of the user-manipulated operator in a selected direction to perform steps comprising; determining a speed value from the activation of the user-manipulated operator; if there is a second one of the objects within a predefined linear distance in the content area from the first object in approximately the selected direction and the speed value exceeds a first threshold, tabbing the focus to said second object and scrolling the visual content relative to the viewing area if necessary to bring the second one of the objects onto the viewing area; if there is not a second one of the objects within the predefined linear distance in the content area from the first object in approximately the selected direction and the speed value does not exceed the first threshold, scrolling the visual content relative to the viewing area; if the second one of the objects includes a continuous image having a continuous two-dimensional range of selectable points, displaying a pointer over the continuous image and moving the pointer smoothly over the continuous image in response to further directional activation of the user-manipulated operator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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3. A television-based hyperlink content navigation system, comprising:
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a viewing area for displaying visual content, wherein the visual content has a content area that is larger than the viewing area; a plurality of selectable objects in the visual content; a focus that is initially on a first one of the objects; a user-manipulated operator that can be manipulated by a user in different directions; wherein the navigation system is responsive to activation of the user-manipulated operator in a selected direction to perform steps comprising; determining a speed value from the activation of the user-manipulated operator; if there is a second one of the objects within a predefined linear distance in the content area from the first object in approximately the selected direction and the speed value does not exceed a threshold, tabbing the focus to said second object and scrolling the visual content relative to the viewing area if necessary to bring the second one of the objects onto the viewing area; if there is not a second one of the objects within the predefined linear distance in the content area from the first object in approximately the selected direction and the speed value exceeds the threshold, scrolling the visual content relative to the viewing area; if the second one of the objects includes a continuous image having a continuous two-dimensional range of selectable points, displaying a pointer over the continuous image and moving the pointer smoothly over the continuous image in response to further directional activation of the user-manipulated operator.
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9. A method of navigating visual content in response to activation of a user-manipulated operator in a selected direction, wherein the visual content is displayed on a viewing area, the visual content has a content area that is larger than the viewing area, the visual content includes a plurality of selectable objects, and a first one of the objects is initially the subject of a focus, the method comprising the following steps:
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determining a speed value from the activation of the user-manipulated operator; if there is a second one of the objects within a predefined linear distance in the content area from the first object in approximately the selected direction and the speed value exceeds a first threshold, tabbing the focus to said second object; if there is not a second one of the objects within the predefined linear distance in the content area from the first object in approximately the selected direction and the speed value does not exceed the first threshold, scrolling the visual content relative to the viewing area. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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14. A method of navigating visual content in response to activation of a user-manipulated operator in a selected direction, wherein the visual content is displayed on a viewing area, the visual content has a content area that is larger than the viewing area, the visual content includes a plurality of selectable objects, and a first one of the objects is initially the subject of a focus, the method comprising the following steps:
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determining a speed value from the activation of the user-manipulated operator; if there is a second one of the objects within a predefined linear distance in the content area from the first object in approximately the selected direction and the speed value does not exceeds a threshold, tabbing the focus to said second object; if there is not a second one of the objects within the predefined linear distance in the content area from the first object in approximately the selected direction and the speed value exceeds the threshold, scrolling the visual content relative to the viewing area.
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22. A user interface for navigating visual content, comprising:
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a viewing area for displaying the visual content, wherein the visual content has a content area that is larger than the viewing area; a plurality of selectable objects displayed in the visual content; a focus that is initially on a first one of the objects; wherein the user interface is responsive to activation of a user-manipulated operator in a selected direction to perform steps comprising; determining a speed value from the activation of the user-manipulated operator; if there is a second one of the objects within a predefined linear distance in the content area from the first object in approximately the selected direction and the speed value exceeds a first threshold, tabbing the focus to said second object; if there is not a second one of the objects within the predefined linear distance in the content area from the first object in approximately the selected direction and the speed value does not exceed the first threshold, scrolling the visual content relative to the viewing area. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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28. A user interface for navigating visual content, comprising:
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a viewing area for displaying the visual content, wherein the visual content has a content area that is larger than the viewing area; a plurality of selectable objects displayed in the visual content; a focus that is initially on a first one of the objects; wherein the user interface is responsive to activation of a user-manipulated operator in a selected direction to perform steps comprising; determining a speed value from the activation of the user-manipulated operator; if there is a second one of the objects within a predefined linear distance in the content area from the first object in approximately the selected direction and the speed value does not exceed a threshold, tabbing the focus to said second object; if there is not a second one of the objects within the predefined linear distance in the content area from the first object in approximately the selected direction and the speed value exceeds the threshold, scrolling the visual content relative to the viewing area.
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33. A computer-readable storage medium containing instructions for performing steps comprising:
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displaying visual content on a viewing area, wherein the visual content has a content area that is larger than the viewing area, the visual content including a plurality of selectable objects; placing a focus on a first one of the objects; detecting activation of a user-manipulated operator in a selected direction; determining a speed value from the activation of the user-manipulated operator; if there is a second one of the objects within a predefined linear distance in the content area from the first object in approximately the selected direction and the speed value exceeds a first threshold, tabbing the focus to said second object; if there is not a second one of the objects within the predefined linear distance in the content area from the first object in approximately the selected direction and the speed value does not exceed the first threshold, scrolling the visual content relative to the viewing area. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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39. A computer-readable storage medium containing instructions for performing steps comprising:
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displaying visual content on a viewing area, wherein the visual content has a content area that is larger than the viewing area, the visual content including a plurality of selectable objects; placing a focus on a first one of the objects; detecting activation of a user-manipulated operator in a selected direction; determining a speed value from the activation of the user-manipulated operator; if there is a second one of the objects within a predefined linear distance in the content area from the first object in approximately the selected direction and the speed value does not exceed a threshold, tabbing the focus to said second object; if there is not a second one of the objects within the predefined linear distance in the content area from the first object in approximately the selected direction and the speed value exceeds the threshold, scrolling the visual content relative to the viewing area.
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Specification