User interface for controlling audio functions in a web browser
First Claim
1. In a client processing system coupled to at least one server processing system over a network, wherein the client processing system is coupled to a display device, a method of providing a user interface for controlling audio functions of the client processing system, the method comprising the steps of:
- determining that the client processing system is receiving audio data from a server processing system;
determining whether the audio data comprises a live audio stream; and
in response to determining that the client system is receiving audio data from a server processing system, displaying on the display device an audio control panel that provides a user interface for allowing a user to control a plurality of audio functions associated with the audio data, wherein, if it has been determined that the audio data comprises a live audio stream, at least one audio function that does not apply to live audio streams is disabled on the audio control panel by displaying a corresponding button on the audio control panel in a manner that indicates that the at least one audio function is unavailable.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Web browser software is implemented in a processing system housed in a set-top box connected to a television and communicating over a wide-area network with one or more servers. The browser allows a user to use a remote control device to navigate between hypertex, anchors in World-Wide Web pages displayed on the television. User inputs are entered from the remote control device using an infrared IR link in order to move a selection between hypertext anchors or various control buttons displayed on the television display. The browser is capable of downloading audio files from Web sites and generating sound through a speaker of the television set based on the audio files. Background music is generated during Web browsing based on audio files downloaded from one of the servers or audio files stored in memory in the set-top box. A background music audio file from a server can be downloaded while another background music audio file is played. An audio panel can be displayed when an audio file from a Web site is downloaded and played to form a user interface by which the user to play, stop, pause, rewind, or fast-forward the audio file.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. In a client processing system coupled to at least one server processing system over a network, wherein the client processing system is coupled to a display device, a method of providing a user interface for controlling audio functions of the client processing system, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining that the client processing system is receiving audio data from a server processing system;
determining whether the audio data comprises a live audio stream; and
in response to determining that the client system is receiving audio data from a server processing system, displaying on the display device an audio control panel that provides a user interface for allowing a user to control a plurality of audio functions associated with the audio data, wherein, if it has been determined that the audio data comprises a live audio stream, at least one audio function that does not apply to live audio streams is disabled on the audio control panel by displaying a corresponding button on the audio control panel in a manner that indicates that the at least one audio function is unavailable. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 21, 22)
causing an audio sequence encoded by the audio data to be output via the audio output device; and
disabling display of the audio control panel upon completion of outputting the audio sequence.
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4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the audio control panel includes a plurality of displayable objects, each of the objects representing one of the audio functions.
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5. A method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of determining whether each of the audio functions can be performed with respect to the audio data.
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6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of disabling a display of one of the displayable objects if a corresponding one of the audio functions cannot be performed with respect to the audio data.
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7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising, prior to the client processing system receiving the audio data:
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representing the audio data by a hypertext anchor displayed on the display device;
receiving user input selecting the hypertext anchor displayed on the display device; and
in response to the user input, requesting the audio data from the server processing system.
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8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the display device comprises a television set.
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21. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one audio function that is disabled on the audio control panel if it is determined that the audio data comprises a live audio stream is a fast forward function.
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22. A method according to claim 1, wherein the display device comprises a television set.
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9. A client processing system for communicating over a network with at least one server processing system, the client processing system coupled to a display device, the client processing system comprising:
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a processor; and
a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having stored therein sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of;
retrieving audio data from the server processing system;
determining whether the retrieved audio data comprises a live audio stream; and
upon receiving the retrieved audio data, displaying on the display device an audio control panel that includes a plurality of objects, wherein each of the objects, when selected by a user, activates one of a plurality of audio functions that can be applied to the audio data, wherein, if it has been determined that the audio data comprises a live audio stream, at least one audio function that does not apply to live audio streams is disabled on the audio control panel by displaying a corresponding button on the audio control panel in a manner that indicates that the at least one audio function ia unavailable;
receiving a user input designating one of the objects; and
in response to the user input, performing one of the audio functions. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 23)
causing a plurality of hypertext objects to be displayed on the display device; and
receiving a user input selecting one of the hypertext objects, wherein the hypertext object represents the audio data retrieved from the server processing system.
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11. A client processing system according to claim 9, wherein the display device comprises a television set.
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12. A client processing system according to claim 9 wherein the client processing system is also coupled to an audio output device, wherein the sequences of instructions for performing the step of performing one of the audio functions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to perform the step of causing an audio sequence to be output to the audio output device based on the audio data.
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23. A client processing system according to claim 9, wherein the at least one audio function that is disabled on the audio control panel if it is determined that the audio data comprises a live audio stream is a fast forward function.
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13. In a client processing system coupled to a server processing system over a network and coupled to a display device, a method of providing a user interface for controlling audio functions of the client processing system, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving user input designating that an audio control panel is to be automatically displayed on the display device if audio information is being downloaded from the network;
downloading audio information from the network;
determining whether the downloaded audio information comprises a live audio stream; and
in response to receiving the downloaded audio information, automatically displaying the audio control panel on the display device, the audio control panel including a plurality of displayable objects, wherein each of the displayable objects, when selected by a user, activates one of a plurality of audio functions that can be applied to the downloaded audio information, wherein, if it has been determined that the downloaded audio information comprises a live audio stream, at least one audio function that does not apply to live audio streams is disabled on the audio control panel by displaying a corresponding button on the audio control panel in a manner that indicates that the at least one audio function is unavailable. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24)
causing an audio sequence to be output from the audio output device based on the audio information; and
causing a moving waveform representing the audio sequence to be displayed on the display device as the audio sequence is output.
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20. A method according to claim 13 wherein the step of automatically displaying an audio control panel on the display device comprises the step of causing a moving waveform representing an audio sequence of the audio information to be displayed on one of the displayable objects as the audio sequence is output by the client processing system.
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24. A method according to claim 13, wherein the at least one audio function that is disabled on the audio control panel if it is determined that the downloaded audio information comprises a live audio stream is a fast forward function.
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25. In a networked computer system that includes a plurality of servers and a plurality of clients that are interconnected with the plurality of servers, one or more of the plurality of clients including a processor that provides a graphical user interface displayed on a television set, enabling information from the Internet to be displayed thereon, a method of a method of providing a user interface for controlling audio functions associated with audio data, the method comprising the acts of:
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at one of the plurality of clients, determining that said one of the plurality of clients is receiving audio data from one of the plurality of servers;
determining whether the audio data comprises a live audio stream; and
in response to determining that said one of the plurality of clients is receiving audio data, displaying, on a display device associated with said one of the plurality of clients, an audio control panel that provides a user interface for allowing a user to control a plurality of audio functions associated with the audio data, wherein, if it has been determined that the audio data comprises a live audio stream, at least one audio function that does not apply to live audio streams is disabled on the audio control panel, by displaying a corresponding button on the audio control panel in a manner that indicates that the at least one audio function is unavailable so as to communicate to the user whether the at least one audio function applies to the audio data. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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Specification