System and method for scrolling through TV video icons by category

• US 7,721,312 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2007
• Issued: 05/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Read, Christopher Jensen
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirl; Joseph P
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peng; Fred
• Application Number:
  US11/725,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20080235737A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 725/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42209 for displaying non-command information, e.g. electronic program guide [EPG], e-mail, messages or a second television channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42228 the reprogrammable keys being displayed on a display screen in order to reduce the number of keys on the remote control device itself
• 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 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440263 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for displaying on a connected PDA
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• 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 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73

Abstract

In a TV displaying thumbnails of videos grouped by genre, genre labels are shown so that a user can conveniently move genre to genre with a single click on a remote control device.

Claims

1. In a TV displaying thumbnails of videos grouped by genre, a processor executing a computer readable storage medium to:

display genre labels;

enable a user to move a screen cursor from a first genre label to a second genre label with a single click on a remote control device;

display a first arrangement of thumbnails when the cursor is on a thumbnail,

the first arrangement including a first genre including plural rows or columns of thumbnails and a first genre label presented at the beginning or end of an initial row of thumbnails associated with the first genre or at the top or bottom of an initial column associated with the first genre, a second genre label being presented at the beginning or end of an initial row or column of thumbnails associated with a second genre;

when the cursor is moved to be on a genre label in the first arrangement, display a second arrangement showing a genre label and for each genre label one and only one row or column of thumbnails; and

when the cursor is moved to be on a thumbnail in the second arrangement, switch back to the first arrangement.

2. The processor of claim 1, wherein the processor is within a TV.

3. The processor of claim 1, wherein the processor is within an Internet adapter coupled to a TV.

4. The processor of claim 1, wherein if the screen cursor is positioned over a first thumbnail in a row of thumbnails and a “

down”

key is manipulated on the remote control device, the cursor moves to a second thumbnail below the first thumbnail, skipping a partial row if no thumbnail is in the partial row between the first and second thumbnails, and if the screen cursor is positioned over the first thumbnail in a row of thumbnails and a “

left”

key is manipulated on the remote control device, the cursor moves to the genre label, if any, in the row, with a subsequent manipulation of a “

down”

key causing the cursor to move to a succeeding genre label, skipping any rows of thumbnails between the rows of the genre labels.

5. The processor of claim 1, wherein a video stream can be invoked by moving the cursor over a thumbnail and appropriately manipulating the remote control device.

6. The processor of claim 1, wherein one and only one row per genre label is displayed.

7. A TV system comprising:

a TV display;

a processor sending images to the display, at least one image including plural icons representing respective videos and at least first and second video genre indicators; and

a remote control manipulable by a person to cause a cursor on the display to move from the first video genre indicator to the second video genre indicator, skipping any rows of icons between the genre indicators;

the processor;

displaying a first arrangement of thumbnails when the cursor is on a thumbnail,

the first arrangement including a first genre including plural rows or columns of thumbnails and a first genre label presented at the beginning or end of an initial row of thumbnails associated with the first genre or at the top or bottom of an initial column associated with the first genre, a second genre label being presented at the beginning or end of an initial row or column of thumbnails associated with a second genre;

when the cursor is moved to be on a genre label in the first arrangement, displaying a second arrangement showing a genre label and for each genre label one and only one row or column of thumbnails; and

when the cursor is moved to be on a thumbnail in the second arrangement, switching back to the first arrangement.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein one and only one click of the remote control is required to cause the cursor to move from the first video genre indicator to the second video genre indicator.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is within a TV.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein if the screen cursor is positioned over a first icon in a row of icons and a “

down”

key is manipulated on the remote control device, the cursor moves to a second icon below the first icon, skipping a partial row if no icon is in the partial row between the first and second icons, and if the screen cursor is positioned over the first icon in a row of icons and a “

left”

key is manipulated on the remote control device, the cursor moves to the genre label, if any, in the row, with a subsequent manipulation of a “

down”

key causing the cursor to move to a succeeding genre label, skipping any rows of icons between the rows of the genre labels.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein a video stream can be invoked by moving the cursor over an icon and appropriately manipulating the remote control.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein one and only one row per genre indicator is displayed.

13. A method comprising:

presenting video thumbnails on a TV, the thumbnails being grouped by genre;

presenting a genre indicator with each group of thumbnails;

permitting a user to move a cursor from one genre indicator to another genre indicator with a single click of a remote such that any thumbnails displayed between the indicators are skipped;

displaying a first arrangement of thumbnails when the cursor is on a thumbnail,

the first arrangement including a first genre including plural rows or columns of thumbnails and a first genre label presented at the beginning or end of an initial row of thumbnails associated with the first genre or at the too or bottom of an initial column associated with the first genre, a second genre label being presented at the beginning or end of an initial row or column of thumbnails associated with a second genre;

when the cursor is moved to be on a genre label in the first arrangement, displaying a second arrangement showing a genre label and for each genre label one and only one row or column of thumbnails; and

when the cursor is moved to be on a thumbnail in the second arrangement, switching back to the first arrangement.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein if the cursor is positioned over a first thumbnail in a row of thumbnails and a “

down”

key is manipulated on the remote control device, the cursor moves to a second thumbnail below the first thumbnail, skipping a partial row if no thumbnail is in the partial row between the first and second thumbnails, and if the cursor is positioned over the first thumbnail in a row of thumbnails and a “

left”

key is manipulated on the remote control device, the cursor moves to the genre label, if any, in the row, with a subsequent manipulation of a “

down”

key causing the cursor to move to a succeeding genre label, skipping any rows of thumbnails between the rows of the genre labels.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein a video stream can be invoked by moving the cursor over an thumbnail and appropriately manipulating the remote.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein one and only one row per genre indicator is displayed.