Controlling the layout of graphics in a television environment

• US 6,201,538 B1
• Filed: 01/05/1998
• Issued: 03/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amiga Development LLC
• Inventors: Wugofski, Theodore D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, Mark R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sajous, Wesner
• Application Number:
  US09/002,994
• Time in Patent Office: 1,163 Days
• Field of Search: 348/552, 348/553, 348/554, 348/563, 348/569, 348/589, 348/600, 348/564, 348/565, 348/568, 348/586, 348/704, 348/906, 348/473, 348/10, 348/7, 345/327, 345/342, 345/346, 345/113, 345/435, 345/433, 345/343, 709/217
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• 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 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• 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 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

The present invention utilizes a graphics layout language that is defined by the broadcaster or the studio to control the layout of graphic overlays in relation to corresponding images presented on a display. Each user interface component is divided into objects that define their individual behaviors and presentations. Data files using the hypertext markup language, HTML, layout these objects on the screen. By varying the HTML data files, control is provided to the broadcaster over what objects are displayed on the screen, where they are placed on the screen, and to a limited effect, their behavior. This can be accomplished without re-writing the executables as would be necessary in other television type user interface implementations.

Claims

1. A computerized system comprising:

a plurality of graphical viewing configurations; and

a plurality of television viewing configurations;

wherein the graphical viewing configurations are overlaid with corresponding television viewing configurations such that each graphical viewing configuration is independently definable in size, position and relationship with respect to the television viewing configuration.

2. The computerized system of claim 1, wherein the graphical viewing configuration is updated through a network interface.

3. A method of controlling graphics in a television environment;

comprising the steps of;

creating a data file using a graphics layout language;

displaying a television image on a screen; and

displaying a graphics image on the screen,

wherein the graphics image is overlaid with the television image, wherein the data file determines the layout of the graphics image on the screen such that there is an independent relationship between the graphics image and the television image.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the graphics layout language is a hypertext markup language (HTML).

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the data files are updated via a network interface.

6. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

creating a data file using a hypertext markup language (HTML);

displaying a television image on a screen; and

displaying the graphics image overlaid on the screen with the television image, wherein the data file determines the layout of the graphics image on the screen such that there is an independent relationship between the graphics image and the television image.