System for using a channel and event overlay for invoking channel and event related functions

• US 7,363,644 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2004
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wugofski, Theodore D.
• Primary Examiner(s): BUI, KIEU OANH T
• Application Number:
  US10/764,678
• Publication Number:
  US 20040155987A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,548 Days
• Field of Search: 725/37, 725/39, 725/40, 725/57, 348/558, 348/559, 348/564, 715/715, 715/716, 715/721
• US Class Current: 725/40
• 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

A convergence system suitable for accepting inputs from several television or personal computing sources is disclosed. The sources can be output on a display. The convergence system is controlled by a multi-function controller suitable for providing a set of function commands. A processor is coupled to the inputs, display and operably coupled to the controller wherein the processor responds to the function commands provided by the controller. The processor also creates for output on the display a set of channel banners. At least one of the channel banners provides information on available processor functions and provides video feed-back when the processor is responding to the function commands.

Claims

1. An information handling system, comprising:

a graphical user interface in an operating environment, the graphical user interface configured to provide at least one display including information related to at least one channel wherein the display includes a control corresponding with at least one programming function related to the at least one channel;

wherein the display includes an on-screen display that combines a graphic element comprising the control with a broadcast streaming video from a second channel; and

wherein said control is one of a plurality of controls including a recording control for recording the at least one channel.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 wherein the banner overlay includes a current banner and a browse banner.

3. The information handling system of claim 1, and further comprising a tuner operably coupled to the graphical user interface, wherein the tuner is tunable to a plurality of channels including the at least one channel and said second channel.

4. The information handling system of claim 3 wherein the plurality of channels includes at least one event.

5. The information handling system of claim 1, and further comprising a convergence system operably coupled thereto.

6. The information handling system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of controls includes one or more controls selected from a group consisting of the recording control for making settings to record the at least one channel, a favorite channel control to add or delete the at least one channel from a favorites list, and a rating control to set a rating of the at least one channel for limiting access by a viewer.

7. A medium having executable instructions stored thereon for execution on a suitably equipped electronic system, the instructions for causing the electronic system to perform a method, the method comprising the steps of:

generating a display, wherein the display includes a control related to programming at least one channel, the display further including broadcast streaming video from a second channel different than said at least one channel; and

accepting an input to the control to program a function related to the at least one channel;

wherein said control is one of a plurality of controls including a recording control for recording the at least one channel.

8. The medium of claim 7 wherein the suitably equipped electronic system includes a convergence system.

9. The medium of claim 7, wherein the step of generating a display includes the step of generating a banner overlay.

10. The medium of claim 9, wherein the step of generating a banner overlay includes the steps of generating a current event banner and generating a browse banner.

11. The medium of claim 7 wherein the electronic system receives a plurality of channels including said at least one channel and said second channel.

12. The medium of claim 11 wherein the plurality of channels includes an event.

13. The medium of claim 7, wherein the plurality of controls includes one or more controls selected from a group consisting of the recording control for making settings to record the at least one channel, a favorite channel control to add or delete the at least one channel from a favorites list, and a rating control to set a rating of the at least one channel for limiting access by a viewer.

14. A system, comprising:

means for generating a display, the display including a control for programming at least one function related to at least one channel combined with broadcast streaming video from a second channel different than said at least one channel; and

means for providing at least one prompt in the display, the prompt corresponding with said at least one function related to the at least one channel;

wherein said control is one of a plurality of controls including a recording control for recording the at least one channel.

15. The system of claim 14, and further comprising means for selecting the at least one channel from a plurality of available channels wherein the available channels include events.

16. The system of claim 14, and further comprising means for receiving inputs for the control related to the at least one channel.

17. The system of claim 14, and further comprising means for performing the function related to the at least one channel.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of controls includes one or more controls selected from a group consisting of the recording control for making settings to record the at least one channel, a favorite channel control to add or delete the at least one channel from a favorites list, and a rating control to set a rating of the at least one channel for limiting access by a viewer.

19. A method for use with an information handling system, the method comprising the steps of:

generating a display including information related to at least one channel wherein the display includes at least one prompt;

generating a video output;

selecting a browse mode wherein the video output does not correspond with the at least one channel; and

receiving a command in response to the prompt wherein the command corresponds with at least one function related to the at least one channel;

wherein said command is one of a plurality of commands including a recording command for recording the at least one channel.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of generating a display includes the step of generating an overlay having a current event banner and a browse banner.

21. The method of claim 19, and farther comprising the step of receiving a plurality of channels, wherein the plurality of channels includes the at least one and a second channel.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the command corresponds to the programming of said at least one function.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the plurality of commands includes one or more commands selected from a group consisting of the recording command for making settings to record the at least one channel, a favorite channel command to add or delete the at least one channel from a favorites list, and a rating command to set a rating of the at least one channel for limiting access by a viewer.