Multimedia player and method of displaying on-screen menu
First Claim
1. A multimedia player capable of playing back contents, comprising:
- a control which acquires an instruction for playback of content via a user'"'"'s manipulation;
a storage which stores data for a plurality of function icons representing respective types of content playback functions, the content to be played back by the player, and data for a plurality of content icons representing respective items of contents;
a network controller which detects an external appliance connected to the player via a network and acquires the items of contents to be played back from the external appliance thus detected;
a display output module which outputs image data for an on-screen menu related to playback of the content to a display device and which plays back the content acquired from the storage in response to the user'"'"'s instruction acquired by the control;
a display controller which generates the image data for the on-screen menu with a two-dimensional array which includes a first array comprising the plurality of function icons arranged in a specific direction on a screen and which also includes a second array comprising the plurality of content icons in a direction intersecting the first array on the screen, whereinthe display controller displays a plurality of device icons each representing the external appliance detected by the network controller in the second array, when one of the content playback functions is selected in accordance with the user'"'"'s instruction acquired by the control, the display controller displays the content icons corresponding to the selected content playback function and representing the items of contents acquired from the storage in the on-screen menu, and when one of the device icons is selected by the user, the display controller identifies the items of contents acquired from the external appliance represented by the selected device icon and displays an expanded view within a second array of the content icons representing the identified items of contents, wherein a combination of content items from storage and icons corresponding to only the selected device are displayed in the second array.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Favorable visual appearance and ease of operation are required in the user interface of digital home appliances using a television screen. An array of function icons including multiple function icons representing respective playing functions and an array of content icons including multiple content icons representing items of contents that can be played are displayed practically at the center of an on-screen menu such that the arrays intersect. A moving image icon, which is a function icon displayed in an area of intersection in which the array of function icons and the array of content icons intersect, is highlighted by a color different from that of the other function icons and by an enlarged view. An icon in focus immediately below the moving image icon is also displayed in an expanded view. If an external appliance is connected via a network, contents in the external appliance are also displayed in the array of content icons.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A multimedia player capable of playing back contents, comprising:
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a control which acquires an instruction for playback of content via a user'"'"'s manipulation; a storage which stores data for a plurality of function icons representing respective types of content playback functions, the content to be played back by the player, and data for a plurality of content icons representing respective items of contents; a network controller which detects an external appliance connected to the player via a network and acquires the items of contents to be played back from the external appliance thus detected; a display output module which outputs image data for an on-screen menu related to playback of the content to a display device and which plays back the content acquired from the storage in response to the user'"'"'s instruction acquired by the control; a display controller which generates the image data for the on-screen menu with a two-dimensional array which includes a first array comprising the plurality of function icons arranged in a specific direction on a screen and which also includes a second array comprising the plurality of content icons in a direction intersecting the first array on the screen, wherein the display controller displays a plurality of device icons each representing the external appliance detected by the network controller in the second array, when one of the content playback functions is selected in accordance with the user'"'"'s instruction acquired by the control, the display controller displays the content icons corresponding to the selected content playback function and representing the items of contents acquired from the storage in the on-screen menu, and when one of the device icons is selected by the user, the display controller identifies the items of contents acquired from the external appliance represented by the selected device icon and displays an expanded view within a second array of the content icons representing the identified items of contents, wherein a combination of content items from storage and icons corresponding to only the selected device are displayed in the second array. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of displaying an on-screen menu in a content player, comprising:
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reading data for a plurality of function icons representing respective types of content playback functions, and data for a plurality of content icons representing respective items of contents; detecting an external appliance connected to the player via a network; acquiring the items of contents to be played back from the external appliance thus detected via the network; generating image data for the on-screen menu with a two-dimensional array which includes a first array comprising the plurality of function icons arranged in a specific direction on a screen and which also includes a second array comprising the plurality of content icons in a direction intersecting the first array on the screen; and outputting the image data for the on-screen menu related to playback of the content to a display device, wherein the generating displays a plurality of device icons each representing the external appliance detected by the detecting in the second array, when one of the content playback functions is selected in accordance with the user'"'"'s instruction, the generating displays the content icons corresponding to the selected content playback function and representing the items of contents acquired from the player in the on-screen menu, and when one of the device icons is selected by the user, the generating identifies the items of contents acquired from the external appliance represented by the selected device icon, and displays an expanded view within a second array of the content icons representing the identified items of contents, wherein a combination of content items from storage and icons corresponding to only the selected device are displayed in the second array. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a program executable by a controller for displaying an on-screen menu in a content player, comprising:
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an acquiring module which acquires an instruction related to playback of content via a user'"'"'s manipulation; a storing module which stores data for a plurality of function icons representing respective types of content playback functions, the content to be played back by the player, and data for a plurality of content icons representing respective items of contents; a detecting module which detects an external appliance connected to the player via a network and acquiring the items of contents to be played back from the external appliance thus detected via the network; a playback module which outputs image data for an on-screen menu related to playback of the content to a display device and which plays back the content acquired from the player in response to the user'"'"'s instruction; and a generating module which generates image data for the on-screen menu with a two-dimensional array which includes a first array comprising the plurality of function icons arranged in a specific direction on a screen and which also includes a second array comprising the plurality of content icons in a direction intersecting the first array on the screen, wherein the generating module displays a plurality of device icons each representing the external appliance detected by the detecting in the second array, when one of the content playback functions is selected in accordance with the user'"'"'s instruction, the generating module displays the content icons corresponding to the selected content playback function and representing the items of contents acquired from the player in the on-screen menu, and when one of the device icons is selected by the user, the generating module identifies the items of contents acquired from the external appliance represented by the selected device icon, and displays an expanded view within a second array of the content icons representing the identified items of contents, wherein a combination of content items from storage and icons corresponding to only the selected device are displayed in the second array. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification