Method and device for loading a user interface

• US 6,452,616 B1
• Filed: 05/01/1998
• Issued: 09/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing Dtv
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: De Vito, Mario, Gregoire, Louis
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Ba
• Application Number:
  US09/068,188
• Publication Number:
  US 20020080160A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,600 Days
• Field of Search: 345/825, 345/826, 345/716, 345/717, 345/718, 725/5, 725/38, 725/48, 725/49, 725/132, 725/140, 725/152
• US Class Current: 715/825
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A method for loading a user interface in a television system comprising a decoder and a removable smart card cooperating with the decoder, the decoder comprising a main user interface, the method comprising the steps of loading and storing by the decoder of the totality of a user interface module stored-on the smart card, the user interface module comprising data structures making reference to information destined to a user, the information being stored on the smart card, establishing by the decoder a relation between the main user interface and the stored user interface module in order to enable access by a user to the user interface module, and subsequently exchanging between the decoder and the smart card parts of the information upon commands issued by the user through the user interface module.

Claims

1. A method for loading a user interface in a television system comprising a decoder and a removable smart card cooperating with said decoder, said decoder comprising a main user interface, said method comprising the steps of:

loading and storing by the decoder of the totality of a user interface software module stored on said smart card, said user interface module comprising data structures making reference to information destined to a user, said information being stored on said smart card;

establishing by said decoder a relation between said main user interface and said stored user interface module in order to enable access by a user to said user interface module, said step of establishing said relation between said main user interface and said user interface module comprising the step of identifying at least one entry point into said user interface module; and

subsequently exchanging between said decoder and said smart card parts of said information upon commands issued by said user through said user interface module.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of loading and storing is performed upon the first detection by said decoder of the presence of a smart card.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising displaying to said user in said main user interface an access to said user interface module through said at least one entry point.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein said information comprises user-defined data.

5. The method according to claims 1 wherein said user interface module is stored under the form of at least one linked list of objects.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein said at least one linked list of objects comprises a series of screens, at least one screen in each linked list comprising one of said entry points.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein said main user interface comprises a predetermined pointer to said at least one entry point, and wherein said step of establishing by said decoder a relation between said main user interface and said user interface module further comprises the step of allowing said user to activate a trigger to access said entry point only when said user interface module has been loaded.

8. The method according to claim 3, wherein said step of establishing a relation between said main user interface and said user interface module further comprises the step of loading from said smart card at least one object to be linked to an object of said main user interface.

9. A smart card comprising a memory, a microprocessor and input/output means containing data destined to a user, a user interface software module to present said data to said user and data identifying the relation between said user interface module and a main user interface software module of a device into which said smart card is inserted, said user interface software module comprising at least one entry point that establishes a link with another software module.

10. A video receiver comprising a main user interface, a memory, a memory card interface and a device for entering user commands, comprising:

means for downloading the totality of a user interface module stored in a memory card inserted into said memory card interface;

a memory for storing said user interface module; and

means for establishing a relation between said main user interface and said user interface module, said means for establishing said relation between said main user interface and said user interface module comprising at least one entry point into said user interface module.

11. A method for displaying menu information for selection by a user, said method comprising:

displaying via a user interface in a decoder a selection of menu choices, said menu choices associated with information stored in said user interface;

integrating a smart card having a user interface into the decoder; and

displaying additional menu choice selections responsive to user activation of a given menu choice from said selection of menu choices and to said integrated user interface containing said additional menu choice selections.