Systems and methods for graphical control of user interface features in a television receiver

• US 8,397,262 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: White, James Matthew, Coburn, Matthew, Taxier, Karen Michelle, Rudolph, Daniel L., Vanduyn, Luke
• Primary Examiner(s): CORBO, NICHOLAS T
• Application Number:
  US12/241,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20100083312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,624 Days
• Field of Search: 725/47, 715/769, 715/810
• US Class Current: 725/47
• 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 21/42224 Touch pad or touch panel provided on the remote control
• 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 21/47 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 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6332 directed to client

Abstract

Systems and methods provide for graphically providing features on a set top box (STB) or other television receiver in response to viewer instructions received from a remote control. Imagery including various tiles each corresponding to one of the provided features is presented on the display. A two-dimensional input is received from the remote control that indicates a selected one of the plurality of tiles, and, in response to the received two-dimensional input, the feature associated with the selected tile is provided.

Claims

1. A method for graphically providing a plurality of features in a television receiver configured to present imagery on a display in response to viewer instructions received from a remote control, the method comprising:

receiving viewer instructions to select a customized set of tiles from a plurality of available tiles, wherein each of the plurality of available tiles is configured to be associated with one of the plurality of features, and wherein at least some of the plurality of available tiles activate functions of the television receiver, wherein each of customized set of tiles is a graphical image representing a function performed by the television receiver and wherein each of the customized set of tiles is selected by the viewer from the plurality of available tiles for inclusion in the customized set of tiles, wherein at least one of the plurality of available tiles activates a digital video recorder function of the television receiver, and wherein at least one of the customized set of tiles is associated with a television channel, wherein features that the tile associated with the television channel comprise causing the television channel to be tuned by the television receiver and causing program guide information for the television channel to be displayed based upon a user configuration of the tile associated with the television channel, and wherein a selection of the tile associated with the television channel causes the television channel to be tuned or the program guide information to be displayed based on the user configuration;

outputting the imagery for presentation on the display, wherein the imagery comprises the customized set of tiles;

receiving a subsequent viewer instruction from the remote control that indicates one of the customized set of tiles; and

in response to the subsequent viewer instruction indicating one of the customized set of tiles, controlling the television receiver to thereby provide the particular user-selected feature associated with the indicated tile.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the customized set of tiles is selected by the viewer by dragging selected tiles from the plurality of available tiles.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the dragging comprises dragging selected tiles from a portion of the imagery that presents the plurality of available tiles to a separate portion of the imagery associated with the customized set of tiles.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the customized set of tiles is associated with a feature that activates an electronic program guide function of the television receiver, wherein the tile associated with the function of the receiver controls a digital recorder function of the receiver, and wherein the tile associated with the electronic program guide function is presented in the same customized set of tiles as the tile associated with the digital video recorder function.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein at least one of the customized set of tiles is associated with feature that activates a placeshifting function of the television receiver, wherein the tile associated with the function of the receiver controls a digital recorder function of the receiver, and wherein the tile associated with the electronic program guide function is presented in the same customized set of tiles as the tile associated with the digital video recorder function.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the customized set of tiles is associated with a feature that activates a customer service function of the television receiver, wherein the tile associated with the function of the receiver controls a digital recorder function of the receiver, and wherein the tile associated with the customer service function is presented in the same customized set of tiles as the tile associated with the digital video recorder function.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the customized set of tiles is associated with a feature that plays back a program that has been downloaded to the television receiver, wherein the tile associated with the function of the receiver controls a digital recorder function of the receiver, and wherein the tile associated with the downloaded program is presented in the same customized set of tiles as the tile associated with the digital video recorder function.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving an instruction from a remote server to present the customized set of tiles as part of the imagery presented on the display.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying the selected one of the customized set of tiles based upon a position of a cursor that moves within the imagery presented on the display in response to viewer input signals received from the remote control.

10. A method for selecting a desired channel in a television receiver configured to present imagery on a display in response to viewer instructions transmitted from a remote control, the method comprising:

receiving viewer instructions to select a customized set of tiles from a plurality of available tiles, wherein each of the plurality of available tiles is configured to graphically represent one of a plurality of features provided by the television receiver, and wherein a first one of the plurality of available tiles is associated with a feature that activates a digital video recorder function on the television receiver and a second one of the plurality of available tiles is associated with the desired channel;

outputting the imagery for presentation on the display, wherein the imagery comprises the customized set of tiles selected by the viewer, and wherein the first one of the plurality of available tiles associated with the digital video recorder and the second one of the plurality of available tiles associated with the desired channel are simultaneously presented on the display in a common bank of tiles for viewer selection;

receiving an input from the remote control that graphically indicates a selected one of the customized set of tiles from the common bank of tiles;

in response to the received input indicating that the viewer has selected the tile associated with the desired channel, wherein features the tile associated with the desired channel comprise causing the desired channel to be tuned by the television receiver and causing program guide information for the desired channel to be displayed based upon a user configuration of the tile associated with the desired channel, controlling the television receiver to thereby present programming from the desired channel on the display or present program guide information for the desired channel on the display based on the user configuration of the tile associated with the desired channel; and

in response to the received input indicating that the viewer has selected the tile associated with the digital video recorder function, controlling to the television receiver to thereby activate an interface that allows the viewer to control the digital video recorder.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the channel number associated with the selected tile is configurable by the viewer.

12. A video receiver for presenting imagery on a display in response to viewer input signals provided from a remote control, the receiver comprising:

a receiver interface configured to receive an incoming modulated signal;

a decoder configured to decode the incoming modulated signal to extract a video signal;

a storage device configured to record at least some of the programs received with the video signal and thereby implement a digital video recorder function;

a wireless receiver configured to receive the viewer input signals from the remote control; and

a processor configured provide graphical control over the receiving and presentation of the video signal in response to viewer graphical interaction with a customized set of tiles that are selected by the viewer from a plurality of available tiles, wherein each of the plurality of available tiles graphically represents one of a plurality of features provided by the video receiver, and wherein a first one of the plurality of available tiles is associated with the digital video recorder function of the video receiver, wherein a second one of the plurality of available tiles is associated with a television channel, and wherein the processor is further configured to generate the imagery output to the display for presentation, wherein the imagery comprises the customized set of tiles, and wherein the processor is further configured to receive the viewer input signals from the remote control, and, in response to the received input graphically indicating the tile representing the digital video recorder function of the video receiver, to change the imagery output to the display to include the interface associated with the digital video recorder function, and, in response to the received input graphically indicating the tile representing the television channel, wherein features the tile associated with the television channel comprise causing the television channel to be tuned by the television receiver and causing program guide information for the television channel to be displayed based upon a user configuration of the tile associated with the television channel, to change the imagery output to display either current programming on the television channel or program guide information for that television channel based on the user configuration of the tile representing the television channel.

13. The video receiver of claim 12 wherein the receiver interface comprises a satellite interface.

14. The video receiver of claim 12 wherein the receiver interface comprises a cable interface.

15. The video receiver of claim 12 wherein the wireless receiver is configured to receive the input signals from a wireless remote control comprising a two-dimensional input device.

16. The video receiver of claim 15 wherein the two-dimensional input device is a touchpad.

17. The video receiver of claim 12 wherein the processor is further configured to control the digital video recorder function in response to subsequent viewer input signals received from the remote control.

18. The video receiver of claim 12 wherein the processor is further configured to identify the selected one of the customized set of tiles based upon a position of a cursor that moves on the display in response to the viewer input signals.

19. The video receiver of claim 12 wherein the processor is configured to display both the programming and the program guide information, in response to the received input graphically indicating the tile representing the television channel, and wherein whether the processor displays the programming or the program guide information is user-configurable.

20. The video receiver of claim 19 wherein a third one of the plurality of available tiles is associated with a further television channel, wherein selection of the tile associated with the further television channel causes an RSS feed to be displayed.