Function presentation and selection using a rotatable function menu

• US 6,266,098 B1
• Filed: 10/22/1997
• Issued: 07/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Corporation Of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Corporation Of America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Cove, Jeffrey M., Gray, William S., Villalobos, Ernesto S.
• Primary Examiner(s): HSIA, SHERRIE Y
• Application Number:
  US08/955,983
• Time in Patent Office: 1,371 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.5445, H04/N.550, 348/563, 348/564, 348/569, 348/570, 348/906, 348/734, 348/725, 345/112, 345/146, 345/116, 345/327, 725/25, 725/37
• US Class Current: 348/563
• 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 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration

Abstract

Function representation and selection in a multi-function system that supports user selection of system function by means of a menu-driven graphical user interface includes displaying a rotatable function menu. The rotatable function menu includes a plurality of circumferentially-arrayed facets, each facet representing a respective function of a plurality of functions. The rotatable function menu may be rotated on an axis to place any desired facet at a selection location at which the function represented by the facet may be selected. Selection and configuration of functions and features related to a selected function are provided by display and navigation through one or more submenus.

Claims

1. A method for presenting a plurality of television functions on a TV screen, comprising:

displaying on the TV screen a rotatable ring-shaped function menu;

displaying in the ring-shaped function menu, one or more function representations, each function representation identifying a function;

displaying an exit icon adjacent to the ring-shaped function menu, the exit icon representing an exit function providing an exit from the method;

receiving a rotation signal; and

in response to the rotation signal, causing the ring-shaped function menu to rotate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the ring-shaped function menu includes displaying a substantially cylindrical graphics object with a plurality of facets, and displaying one or more function representations includes displaying in each facet of the plurality of facets a function representation of the one or more function representations.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the exit icon includes displaying the exit icon as a stationary panel that touches the ring-shaped function menu.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the ring-shaped function menu includes orienting the ring-shaped function menu so that its axis is substantially horizontal.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein causing the ring-shaped function menu to rotate includes causing rotation of the ring-shaped function menu on the substantially horizontal axis.

6. The method of claim 1, further including displaying a submenu that includes a plurality of function representations, each function representation corresponding to a function identified by a function representation on the ring-shaped function menu.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, prior to displaying the submenu, the ring-shaped function menu is rotated to a position at which the identified function is displayed and the submenu is displayed in response to display of identified function.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the ring-shaped function menu includes a circumference with a sequence of facets, a respective one function representation of the one or more function representations being displayed in a respective facet of the sequence of facets.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein displaying the ring-shaped function menu includes displaying the ring-shaped function menu isometrically.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein displaying the ring-shaped function menu isometrically includes displaying the ring-shaped function menu standing substantially upright.

11. A method for selecting a function from a plurality of functions using a processing system and a display screen, comprising:

displaying on the screen a rotatable function menu, the rotatable function menu including a plurality of areas arrayed sequentially on the rotatable function menu;

causing each area to display a respective function representation of a plurality of function representations;

displaying an exit icon adjacent the rotatable function menu, the exit icon representing an exit function providing an exit from the method;

receiving a rotation signal;

rotating the rotatable function menu to a respective area in response to the rotation signal; and

receiving a select signal indicating selection of a function linked to the respective area.

12. The method of claim 11, further including displaying a submenu in response to the select signal.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein displaying the submenu includes displaying a plurality of function representations in the submenu, further including navigating among the plurality of function representations in the submenu.

14. The method of claim 13, further including selecting a function representation of the plurality of function representations in the submenu.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein displaying the rotatable function menu includes displaying a ring-shaped function menu.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein displaying the rotatable function menu includes displaying one or more ring-shaped function menus.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein displaying the rotatable function menu includes displaying a spherically-shaped function menu.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein displaying the exit icon includes displaying the exit icon as a stationary panel that touches the rotatable function menu.

19. A system for presenting a plurality of television functions on a TV screen, comprising:

means for displaying on the TV screen a rotatable, ring-shaped function menu with one or more function representations, each function representation identifying a function;

means for displaying an exit icon representing an exit function, adjacent the ring-shaped function menu;

means for receiving a rotation signal; and

means for causing the ring-shaped function menu to rotate in response to the rotation signal.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for displaying the ring-shaped function menu causes display of a substantially cylindrical graphics object with a plurality of facets, in which each facet of the plurality of facets includes a function representation of the one or more function representations.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for displaying the exit icon causes the exit icon to be displayed as a stationary panel that touches the ring-shaped function menu.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for displaying the ring-shaped function menu causes the ring-shaped function menu to be displayed so that its axis is substantially horizontal.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the means for causing the ring-shaped function menu to rotate causes rotation of the ring-shaped function menu on the substantially horizontal axis.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for displaying the ring-shaped function menu causes a display of a submenu that includes a plurality of function representations, each function representation corresponding to a function identified by a function representation on the ring-shaped function menu.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the means for displaying the ring-shaped function menu causes the ring-shaped function menu to be rotated to a position at which the identified function is displayed and causes the submenu to be displayed in response to display of the identified function.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for displaying the ring-shaped function menu causes display of a circumference with a sequence of facets on the ring-shaped function menu and causes a respective one function representation of the one or more function representations to be displayed in a respective facet of the sequence of facets.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the means for displaying the ring-shaped function menu causes the ring-shaped function menu to be displayed isometrically.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the means for displaying the ring-shaped function menu causes the ring-shaped function menu to be displayed standing substantially upright.

29. A processor system for providing selection of a function from a plurality of functions in a system that displays information on a display device, comprising:

means for causing display of a rotatable function menu including a plurality of areas arrayed sequentially on the rotatable function menu on the display device;

means for causing each area to display a respective function representation of a plurality of function representations;

means for causing display of an exit icon representing an exit function, adjacent the rotatable function menu;

means for receiving a rotation signal;

means for rotating the rotatable function menu to a respective area in response to the rotation signal; and

means for receiving a select signal indicating selection of a function linked to the respective area.

30. The processor system of claim 29, wherein the means for causing display of the rotatable function menu causes display of a submenu in response to the select signal.

31. The processor system of claim 30, wherein the means for causing display of the rotatable function menu causes display of a plurality of function representations in the submenu, further including means for navigating among the plurality of function representations in the submenu.

32. The processor system of claim 31, further including means for selecting a function representation of the plurality of function representations in the submenu.

33. The processor system of claim 29, wherein the means for causing display of the rotatable function menu causes display of a substantially ring-shaped function menu.

34. The processor system of claim 29, wherein the means for causing display of the rotatable function menu causes display of one or more substantially ring-shaped function menus.

35. The processor system of claim 29, wherein the means for causing display of the rotatable function menu causes display of a substantially spherically-shaped function menu.

36. The processor system of claim 29, wherein the means for causing display of an exit icon causes the exit icon to be displayed as a stationary panel that touches the rotatable function menu.

37. The processor system of claim 29, wherein the display device is a computer display device.

38. The processor system of claim 29, wherein the display device includes a TV screen.

39. The processor system of claim 29, wherein the means for causing display of the rotatable function menu causes the plurality of areas to be displayed as a sequence of facets.

40. The processor system of claim 29, wherein the processor system comprises a TV set-top box.

41. The processor system of claim 29, wherein the processor system comprises a TV set receiver.

42. The processor system of claim 29, wherein the processor system comprises a video cassette recorder (VCR).