Method for providing graphical user interface for selecting broadcast program and AV apparatus therefor

• US 8,209,725 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2008
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Jung, Jae-yoon, Seong, Hye-young
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): MONTOYA, OSCHTA I
• Application Number:
  US12/024,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20090049476A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,607 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 725/58
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04892 Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038
• 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 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• 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 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4583 Automatically resolving scheduling conflicts, e.g. when a recording by reservation has been programmed for two programs in the same time slot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape

Abstract

A method for providing a GUI for selecting a broadcast program, and an AV apparatus are provided. According to the method for providing a GUI, a user selection regarding the broadcast programs that cannot be simultaneously selected is set according to a user operation that is input in an area containing graphics representing broadcast programs that cannot be simultaneously selected by a user. Therefore, if a user makes errors in selecting broadcast programs, for example, if a user selects two or more broadcast programs that cannot be simultaneously selected, the errors may be corrected more easily, instantly and intuitively.

Claims

1. A method for providing a graphical user interface (GUI), the method comprising:

providing a GUI which displays graphics representing broadcast programs that cannot be simultaneously selected respectively;

selecting graphics representing at least two of the broadcast programs having broadcast time which at least partially overlap so that the graphics are selected to be highlighted;

displaying overlapping portion of one of the graphics highlighted to be unhighlighted when one of the graphics highlighted is selected according to a user operation; and

performing scheduled recording of the broadcast program corresponding to the graphics highlighted,

wherein the displaying highlights only the graphic selected when non-overlapping portion of one of the graphics highlighted is selected, and highlights the graphic selected and non-overlapping portion of another graphic which is not selected when overlapping portion of one of the graphics highlighted is selected.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the GUI comprises an electronic program guide (EPG), which displays the graphics representing the broadcast programs.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the broadcast programs that cannot be simultaneously selected, are in broadcast time slots which at least partially overlap.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the broadcast programs that cannot be simultaneously selected comprise a first broadcast program and a second broadcast program, and

wherein the user operation is input on one of:

the graphics representing the first broadcast program, which overlaps a broadcast time slot of the second broadcast program;

the graphics representing the second broadcast program which overlaps a broadcast time slot of the first broadcast program;

the graphics representing the first broadcast program, which does not overlap the broadcast time slot of the second broadcast program; and

the graphics representing the second broadcast program, which does not overlap the broadcast time slot of the first broadcast program.

5. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the broadcast programs that cannot be simultaneously selected comprise a first broadcast program and a second broadcast program, and

the schedule recording is one of:

the first broadcast program, the second broadcast program, the first broadcast program and a portion of the second broadcast program not overlapping a broadcast time slot of the first broadcast program, and the second broadcast program and a portion of the first broadcast program not overlapping a broadcast time slot of the second broadcast program.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user operation comprises selecting the graphics representing broadcast programs that cannot be simultaneously, using a pointer displayed on the GUI.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

performing scheduled viewing of the broadcast program corresponding to graphics highlighted according to the user operation.

8. An audio visual (AV) apparatus comprising:

a graphical user interface (GUI) generator which generates a GUI which displays graphics representing broadcast programs that cannot be simultaneously selected, respectively and combines the GUI with a video to be displayed; and

a controller which controls the GUI generator to highlight the graphics representing at least two of the broadcast programs having broadcast time which at least partially overlap according to a user'"'"'s selection, to display overlapping portion of one of the graphics highlighted to be unhighlighted when one of the graphics highlighted is selected according to a user operation and to perform scheduled recording of the broadcast program corresponding to the graphics highlighted,

wherein the controller highlights only the graphic selected when non-overlapping portion of one of the graphics highlighted is selected, and highlights the graphic selected and non-overlapping portion of another graphic which is not selected when overlapping portion of one of the graphics highlighted is selected.

9. The AV apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the GUI comprises an electronic program guide (EPG), which displays the graphics representing the broadcast programs.

10. The AV apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the broadcast programs that cannot be simultaneously selected, are in broadcast time slots which at least partially overlap.

11. The AV apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the broadcast programs that cannot be simultaneously selected comprise a first broadcast program and a second broadcast program, and

wherein the controller controls the GUI generator to display overlapping portion of one of the graphics highlighted to be unhighlighted based on the user operation being input on one of:

the graphics representing the first broadcast program, which overlaps a broadcast time slot of the second broadcast program;

the graphics representing the second broadcast program which overlaps a broadcast time slot of the first broadcast program;

the graphics representing the first broadcast program, which does not overlap the broadcast time slot of the second broadcast program; and

the graphics representing the second broadcast program, which does not overlap the broadcast time slot of the first broadcast program.

12. The AV apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the broadcast programs that cannot be simultaneously selected comprise a first broadcast program and a second broadcast program, and

the scheduled recording is one of:

the first broadcast program, the second broadcast program, the first broadcast program and a portion of the second broadcast program not overlapping a broadcast time slot of the first broadcast program, and the second broadcast program and a portion of the first broadcast program not overlapping a broadcast time slot of the second broadcast program.

13. The AV apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the user operation selecting one of the graphics highlighted is input by a pointer displayed on the GUI.

14. The AV apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the controller performs scheduled viewing of the broadcast program according to the user operation.

15. A method for providing a graphical user interface (GUI), the method comprising:

providing a GUI which displays graphics representing broadcast programs that cannot be simultaneously selected;

receiving a user operation that is input by a pointer movable on the GUI, over the graphics representing broadcast programs that cannot be simultaneously selected, wherein the user operation is received when the pointer is located over one of the graphics;

setting a user selection regarding the broadcast programs that cannot be simultaneously selected, according to the received user operation,

dividing a first graphic of one of the broadcast programs into first portions and dividing a second graphic of another of the broadcast programs into second portions, wherein the first portions comprise one first portion and another first portion and the second portions comprise one second portion and another second portion, one of the first portions temporally overlapping one of the second portions; and

highlighting only a graphic selected when non-overlapping portion of one of the graphics highlighted is selected, and highlighting the graphic selected and non-overlapping portion of another graphic which is not selected when overlapping portion of one of the graphics highlighted is selected.

16. A method for providing a graphical user interface (GUI), the method comprising:

providing a GUI which displays items representing broadcast programs that cannot be simultaneously selected;

receiving a user operation that is input by a pointer movable on the GUI over the items, wherein the user operation is received when the pointer is located over one of the items;

setting a user selection regarding the broadcast programs that cannot be simultaneously selected, according to the received user operation; and

dividing a first item of one of the broadcast programs into first portions and dividing a second item of another of the broadcast programs into second portions, wherein the first portions comprise one first portion and another first portion and the second portions comprise one second portion and another second portion, one of the first portions temporally overlapping one of the second portions; and

highlighting only an item selected when non-overlapping portion of one of the items highlighted is selected, and highlighting the item selected and non-overlapping portion of another item which is not selected when overlapping portion of one of the items highlighted is selected.