User interface for the image processing apparatus

• US 8,095,953 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2008
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Hong, Ki-joo, Kang, Duk-jin
• Primary Examiner(s): Koenig, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHUNG, JASON
• Application Number:
  US12/053,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20080301728A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,387 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 725/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/47 for recognising genres

Abstract

An image processing apparatus is provided. The image processing apparatus includes a receiver which receives a broadcasting signal of a program corresponding to at least one of a plurality of categories; a UI generator which generates a UI having at least one of a plurality of attributes and capable of being displayed for the program; an image processing unit which performs image processing for the received broadcasting signal; and a controlling unit which controls the UI generator so that the attribute of the program can correspond to the category of the program.

Claims

1. An image processing apparatus comprising:

a tuner which receives a broadcasting signal of a program corresponding to at least one of a plurality of categories;

a UI processor which generates a UI having at least one of a plurality of attributes and capable of being displayed for the program;

an image processor which performs image processing for the received broadcasting signal; and

a controller which controls the UI processor so that the attribute of the UI can correspond to the category of the program,

wherein the UI attribute comprises at least one of different fonts and different themes which are set corresponding to the category of the program; and

wherein the controller determines if a same UI font or a same UI theme is set corresponding to different categories, and outputs a predetermined message if the same UI font or the same UI theme is set corresponding to the different categories.

2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the UI attribute further comprises a color.

3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a memory device which stores information on the UI attribute corresponding to one or more categories,

wherein the controller determines the UI attribute corresponding to the category according to the stored information.

4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the UI attribute is downloaded externally.

5. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, the category of the program comprises at least one of a movie, a drama, news, sports, and a documentary.

6. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a display unit which displays the generated UI.

7. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the controller controls the UI processor to display the UI on the display unit during tuning a channel selected among the plurality of channels.

8. The image processing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a user input unit through which a user'"'"'s instruction for the UI attribute is inputted,

wherein the controlling unit determines the UI attribute corresponding to the category according to the inputted instruction.

9. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the controller controls the UI processor to generate an attribute setting UI for setting the UI attribute and to display the attribute setting UI on the display unit.

10. The image processing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, in the case of setting the plurality of attributes, the controller controls the UI processor to reflect the previously set attribute to the attribute setting UI to be displayed on the display unit.

11. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the UI is displayed automatically in response to a channel change.

12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the attribute of the UI comprises of an icon.

13. The image processing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the channel number and/or the channel name is displayed along with the icon.

14. The image processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the channel number and/or the channel name is displayed according to the attribute of the UI which includes color information corresponding to the category.

15. The image processing apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the color of the UI is corresponds to the attribute of the UI which includes color information corresponding to the category.

16. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the UI attribute comprises of an icon corresponding to the category.

17. The image processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the icon visually corresponds to the nature of the category.

18. The image processing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the UI attribute further comprises of sound information.

19. An image processing method comprising:

receiving a broadcasting signal of a program corresponding to at least one of a plurality of categories;

generating a UI capable of being displayed for the program so that a UI attribute having at least one of a plurality of attributes can correspond to the category of the program,

wherein the UI attribute comprises at least one of different fonts and different themes which are set corresponding to the category of the program; and

wherein if a same UI font or a same UI theme is set corresponding to different categories, a predetermined message is output if the same UI font or the same UI theme is set corresponding to the different categories.

20. The image processing method according to claim 19, wherein the UI attribute further comprises a color.

21. The image processing method according to claim 20, wherein the generating the UI comprises:

receiving a user'"'"'s instruction for the UI attribute, and determining the UI attribute corresponding to the category according to the user'"'"'s instruction.

22. The image processing method according to claim 21, wherein the generating the UI further comprises:

generating an attribute setting UI for setting the UI attribute, and displaying the generated attribute setting UI.

23. The image processing method according to claim 22, wherein the displaying the attribute setting UI reflects the previously set attribute to the attribute setting UI to be displayed in the case of setting the plurality of UI attributes.

24. The image processing method according to claim 20, wherein the generating the UI further comprises:

storing information on the UI attribute, and determining the UI attribute corresponding to the category according to the stored information.

25. The image processing method according to claim 19, the category of the program comprises at least one of a movie, a drama, news, sports, and a documentary.

26. The image processing method according to claim 19, wherein the generating the UI comprises displaying the generated UI.

27. The image processing method according to claim 26, wherein the displaying the generated UI displays the UI during tuning a channel selected among a plurality of channels.