Media preview user interface

• US 7,853,972 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2006
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Pound, David Alan, Pacurariu, Mihnea Calin, Ma, Jeffrey, Brodersen, Rainer, Goldeen, Rachel Clare, Seymour, Eric Taylor, Jobs, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Beliveau; Scott
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huerta; Alexander Q
• Application Number:
  US11/530,630
• Publication Number:
  US 20080066110A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,555 Days
• Field of Search: 725 37- 61, 715/729, 715/799, 715/726
• US Class Current: 725/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• 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 21/42208 Display device provided on the remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A menu having menu items is arranged in an interface environment. A first abstraction is arranged proximate to the menu, the first abstraction being based on a highlighted menu item. A second abstraction is transitioned into the interface environment upon the occurrence of an event, the second abstraction being proximate to the menu.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

displaying a menu arranged in an interface environment, the menu comprising a list of menu items, each of the menu items associated with corresponding video content;

in response to a first user input that causes one of the displayed menu items to be highlighted;

highlighting the menu item;

displaying in the interface environment and proximate to the menu only a first abstraction of the highlighted menu item, the first abstraction having a first size and being a first representation of the video content associated with the highlighted menu item;

determining that the highlighted menu item has been highlighted for a predetermined time period, and in response to the determination;

scaling the first abstraction to a second size different from the first size;

transitioning a second abstraction of the highlighted menu item into the interface environment proximate to the scaled first abstraction, the second abstraction only displayed with the scaled first abstraction and being a second representation of the video content associated with the highlighted menu item; and

in response to a second user input being a selection of a highlighted menu item, presenting the video content associated with the highlighted menu item.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first abstraction comprises art.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the art comprises a digital representation of at least one of a movie poster associated with the highlighted menu item, production stills associated with the highlighted menu item, or promotional media associated with the highlighted menu item.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first abstraction comprises metadata.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the metadata comprises information about content related to the highlighted menu item.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the information includes a digital representation of at least one of a movie poster associated with the highlighted menu item, production stills associated with the highlighted menu item, or promotional media associated with the highlighted menu item.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second abstraction includes metadata associated with the highlighted menu item.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the metadata comprises information about content related to the highlighted menu item.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the information comprises at least one of a title associated with the highlighted menu item, an actor associated with the highlighted menu item, a director associated with the highlighted menu item, a producer associated with the highlighted menu item, a summary description associated with the highlighted menu item, a release date associated with the highlighted menu item, a genre associated with the highlighted menu item, a rating associated with the highlighted menu item, a runtime associated with the highlighted menu item, or combinations thereof.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second abstraction comprises a content preview associated with the highlighted menu item.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the second abstraction further comprises metadata associated with the highlighted menu item.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the metadata comprises at least one of a title associated with the highlighted menu item, an actor associated with the highlighted menu item, a director associated with the highlighted menu item, a producer associated with the highlighted menu item, a summary description associated with the highlighted menu item, a release date associated with the highlighted menu item, a genre associated with the highlighted menu item, a rating associated with the highlighted menu item, a runtime associated with the highlighted menu item, or combinations thereof.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the list of menu items arranged in the menu is maintained after the transition.

14. One or more computer non-transistory readable media storing instructions that are executable by a processing device, and upon such execution cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

generating a interface environment comprising a menu, the menu comprising a plurality of menu items, each of the menu items associated with corresponding video content;

in response to a first user input that causes one of the displayed menu items to be highlighted;

highlighting the menu item;

displaying in the interface environment and proximate to the menu only a first abstraction of the highlighted menu item, the first abstraction having a first size and being a first representation of the video content associated with the highlighted menu item;

determining that the highlighted menu item has been highlighted for a predetermined time period, and in response to the determination;

scaling the first abstraction to a second size different from the first size; and

transitioning a second abstraction of the highlighted menu item into the interface environment proximate to the scaled first abstraction, the second abstraction being a second representation of the video content associated with the highlighted menu item and only being displayed with the scaled first abstraction; and

in response to a second user input being a selection of a highlighted menu item, presenting the video content associated with the highlighted menu item.

15. The non-transistory computer readable media of claim 14, wherein the first abstraction comprises art.

16. The non-transistory computer readable media of claim 15, wherein the art comprises a digital representation of at least one of a movie poster associated with the highlighted menu item, production stills associated with the highlighted menu item, or promotional media associated with the highlighted menu item.

17. The non-transistory computer readable media of claim 14, wherein the first abstraction comprises metadata.

18. The non-transistory computer readable media of claim 17, wherein the metadata comprises information about content related to the highlighted menu item.

19. The non-transistory computer readable media of claim 18, wherein the information includes a digital representation of at least one of a movie poster associated with the highlighted menu item, production stills associated with the highlighted menu item, or promotional media associated with the highlighted menu item.

20. The non-transistory computer readable media of claim 14, wherein the second abstraction includes metadata associated with the highlighted menu item.

21. The non-transistory computer readable media of claim 20, wherein the metadata comprises information about content related to the highlighted menu item.

22. The non-transistory computer readable media of claim 14, wherein the second abstraction comprises a content preview associated with the highlighted menu item.

23. The non-transistory computer readable media of claim 22, wherein the second abstraction further comprises metadata associated with the highlighted menu item.

24. The non-transistory computer readable media of claim 23, wherein the metadata comprises at least one of a title associated with the highlighted menu item, an actor associated with the highlighted menu item, a director associated with the highlighted menu item, a producer associated with the highlighted menu item, a summary description associated with the highlighted menu item, a release date associated with the highlighted menu item, a genre associated with the highlighted menu item, a rating associated with the highlighted menu item, a runtime associated with the highlighted menu item, or combinations thereof.

25. The non-transistory computer readable media of claim 14, wherein the menu is maintained in the display environment after the transition.