Control of media centric websites by hand-held remote

• US 8,418,062 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2005
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Streamzap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Streamzap, Inc.
• Inventors: Peskin, Jonah, Richmond, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): SONG, DAEHO D
• Application Number:
  US11/166,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20050235210A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,846 Days
• Field of Search: 715/716, 715/760, 345/168, 345/169, 345/172
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04897 Special input arrangements or commands for improving display capability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 dummy group

Abstract

Computer software allowing enhanced control of the playout of audio/video works on a computer system. In various embodiments, the software allows key events from dedicated audio/video keys, whether part of a full sized keyboard or on a hand-held remote, to control the actions of an audio/video playout program running within a browser environment without requiring the user to direct the key event focus of the operating system to the audio/video playout program. In one embodiment, software associated with the browser window forwards to the audio/video playout program any key events received from audio/video keys.

Claims

1. A method in a personal computing system for a program displaying a browser window to control a media window program upon receipt of certain key event data directed to the browser window program, comprising:

(a) having a personal computing system for running programs which personal computing system provides key event data to running programs and provides pointer event data to running programs;

wherein the pointer event data does not encompass key event data and the key event data does not encompass pointer event data;

(b) having at least one media window program running in the personal computing system;

(c) having at least one browser window program running in the personal computing system which browser window program receives any key event data;

(d) receiving at the browser window program key event data including a value of a single key press event;

(e) by running an event-handling script, the browser window program determining whether the value of the single key press event falls within a category of key event values that should be redirected by the browser window program to the media window program by comparing the key event value to a list of key event values; and

(f) if so, the browser window program redirects the key event to the media window program by calling a function of the media window program which function is not a part of the event-handling script and, via the function, sending a command to the media window program.

2. The method of claim 1 where the media window is located within the browser window.

3. The method of claim 1 where the media window is located on top of the browser window.

4. The method of claim 1 where the browser window is a child browser window of a parent browser window.

5. The method of claim 1 where the browser window is a parent browser window having a child browser window.

6. The method of claim 1 where the determination whether the key event should be redirected by the browser window program to the media window program is made by comparing the key event value to a list of key event values that should be redirected to the media window program.

7. The method of claim 1 where the determination whether the key event should be redirected by the browser window program to the media window program is made by comparing the key event value to a list of key event values that should not be redirected to the media window program.

8. The method of claim 1 where the key event data received at the browser window program originated from a remote keypad.

9. The method of claim 1 where the script is non-binary in the form of at least one of:

a JScript script or a JavaScript script or a VBScript script or a ECMAScript script.

10. The method of claim 1 where the script is provided as a part of HTML code directing the browser window program.

11. The method of claim 1 where the function is a method of object oriented programming.

12. The method of claim 1 where the function is implemented with Document Object Model.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in response to receipt of the command, the media window program takes an action comprising at least one of:

play, stop, pause, volume up, volume down, fast forward, and rewind.

14. The method of claim 1 where the media window program is in the form of at least one of:

a part of the browser, a plug-in, a Java applet or an ActiveX control.

15. The method of claim 1 where the browser window displays information about media content playable in the media window.

16. The method of claim 1 where the determination whether the key event should be redirected by the browser window program to the media window program is made by determining whether the key event value is an uncommon key event value and redirecting key events with uncommon key event values to the media window program.

17. A method in a server computing system for serving to a client computing system a combination of programs and media content such that, in the client computing system, a program displaying a browser window may control a media window program upon receipt of certain key event data directed to the browser window program, comprising:

serving to the client computing system a combination of browser markup language code, a script, and audio/video media content which together cause the client computing system to implement a method of;

(a) having a client computing system for running programs which client computing system provides key event data to running programs and provides pointer event data to running programs;

wherein the pointer event data does not encompass key event data and the key event data does not encompass pointer event data;

(b) having at least one media window program running in the client computing system;

(c) having at least one browser window program running in the client computing system which browser window program receives any key event data;

(d) receiving at the browser window program key event data including a value of a single key press event;

(e) by running an event-handling script, the browser window program determining whether the key event value falls within a category of key event values that should be redirected by the browser window program to the media window program by comparing the key event value to a list of key event values; and

(f) if so, the browser window program redirects the key event to the media window program by calling a function of the media window program which function is not a part of the event-handling script and, via the function, sending a command to the media window program.

18. The method of claim 17 where the markup language is HTML code.

19. The method of claim 18 where the script is provided as a part of the HTML code.

20. The method of claim 17 where the determination whether the key event should be redirected by the browser window program to the media window program is made by comparing the key event value to a list of key event values that should be redirected to the media window program.

21. The method of claim 17 where the determination whether the key event should be redirected by the browser window program to the media window program is made by comparing the key event value to a list of key event values that should not be redirected to the media window program.

22. The method of claim 17 where the key event data received at the browser window program originated from a remote keypad.

23. The method of claim 17 where the script is in the form of at least one of:

a JScript script or a JavaScript script or a VBScript script or a ECMAScript script.

24. The method of claim 17 where the function is implemented with Document Object Model.

25. The method of claim 17 further comprising, in response to receipt of the command, the media window program takes an action comprising at least one of:

play, stop, pause, volume up, volume down, fast forward, and rewind.

26. The method of claim 17 where the media window program is in the form of at least one of a part of the browser, a plug-in, a Java applet or an ActiveX control.

27. The method of claim 17 where the determination whether the key event should be redirected by the browser window program to the media window program is made by determining whether the key event value is an uncommon key event value and redirecting key events with uncommon key event values to the media window program.

28. The method of claim 17 where the media window is located within the browser window.

29. The method of claim 17 where the media window is located on top of the browser window.

30. The method of claim 17 where the browser window is a child browser window of a parent browser window.

31. The method of claim 17 where the browser window is a parent browser window having a child browser window.

32. The method of claim 17 where the function is a method of object oriented programming.

33. The method of claim 17 where the browser window displays information about media content playable in the media window.

34. The method of claim 17 where the determination whether the key event should be redirected by the browser window program to the media window program is made by determining whether the key event value is an uncommon key event value and redirecting key events with uncommon key event values to the media window program.

35. A method in a personal computing system for a program displaying a browser window to control a media window program upon receipt of certain key event data directed to the browser window program, comprising:

(a) having a personal computing system for running programs which personal computing system provides key event data to running programs and provides pointer event data to running programs;

wherein the pointer event data does not encompass key event data and the key event data does not encompass pointer event data,

(b) having at least one media window program running in the personal computing system;

(c) having at least one browser window program running in the personal computing system which browser window program receives any key event data;

(d) receiving at the browser window program data from a single key press event which data includes a key event category specifier;

(e) by running an event-handling script, the browser window program determining whether the key event category specifier falls within a set of categories of key events that should be redirected by the browser window program to the media window program by comparing the key event category specifier to a list of key event category specifiers; and

(f) if so, the browser window program redirects the key event to the media window program by calling a function of the media window program and, via the function, sending a command to the media window program.

36. The method of claim 35 where the media window is located within the browser window.

37. The method of claim 35 where the media window is located on top of the browser window.

38. The method of claim 35 where the browser window is a child browser window of a parent browser window.

39. The method of claim 35 where the browser window is a parent browser window having a child browser window.

40. The method of claim 35 wherein the key event data received at the browser window program originated from a remote keypad.

41. The method of claim 35 where the determination whether the key event should be redirected by the browser window program to the media window program is made by comparing the key event category specifier to a list of key event category specifiers that should not be redirected to the media window program.

42. The method of claim 35 where the determination whether the key event should be redirected by the browser window program to the media window program is made by comparing the key event category specifier to a list of key event category specifiers that should be redirected to the media window program.

43. The method of claim 35 where the category specifier of the key event indicates that the event was sent from a key on a remote key pad.

44. The method of claim 35 where the script is non-binary in the form of at least one of:

a JScript script or a JavaScript script or a VBScript script or a ECMAScript script.

45. The method of claim 35 where the markup language is HTML code.

46. The method of claim 45 where the script is provided as a part of the HTML code.

47. The method of claim 35 where the function is a method of object oriented programming.

48. The method of claim 35 where the function is implemented with Document Object Model.

49. The method of claim 35 further comprising, in response to receipt of the command, the media window program takes an action comprising at least one of:

play, stop, pause, volume up, volume down, fast forward, and rewind.

50. The method of claim 35 where the media window program is in the form of at least one of:

a part of the browser, a plug-in, a Java applet or an ActiveX control.

51. The method of claim 35 where the browser window displays information about media content playable in the media window.

52. A method in a server computing system for serving to a client computing system a combination of programs and media content such that, in the client computing system, a program displaying a browser window may control a media window program upon receipt of certain key event data directed to the browser window program, comprising:

serving to the client computing system a combination of browser markup language code, a script, and audio/video media content which together cause the client computing system to implement a method of;

(a) having a client computing system for running programs which client computing system provides key event data to running programs and provides pointer event data to running programs;

wherein the pointer event data does not encompass key event data and the key event data does not encompass pointer event data.

(b) having at least one media window program running in the client computing system;

(c) having at least one browser window program running in the client computing system which browser window program receives any key event data;

(d) receiving at the browser window program data from a single key press event which data includes a key event category specifier;

(e) by running an event-handling script, the browser window program determining whether the key event category specifier falls within a set of categories of key events that should be redirected by the browser window program to the media window program by comparing the key event category specifier to a list of key event category specifiers; and

(f) if so, the browser window program redirects the key event to the media window program by calling a function of the media window program and, via the function, sending a command to the media window program.

53. The method of claim 52 where the media window is located within the browser window.

54. The method of claim 52 where the media window is located on top of the browser window.

55. The method of claim 52 where the browser window is a child browser window of a parent browser window.

56. The method of claim 52 where the browser window is a parent browser window having a child browser window.

57. The method of claim 52 wherein the key event data received at the browser window program originated from a remote keypad.

58. The method of claim 52 where the determination whether the key event should be redirected by the browser window program to the media window program is made by comparing the key event category specifier to a list of key event category specifiers that should not be redirected to the media window program.

59. The method of claim 52 where the determination whether the key event should be redirected by the browser window program to the media window program is made by comparing the key event category specifier to a list of key event category specifiers that should be redirected to the media window program.

60. The method of claim 59 where the category specifier of the key event indicates that the event was sent from a key on a remote key pad.

61. The method of claim 52 where the script is non-binary in the form of at least one of:

a JScript script or a JavaScript script or a VBScript script or a ECMAScript script.

62. The method of claim 52 where the markup language is HTML code.

63. The method of claim 62 where the script is provided as a part of the HTML code.

64. The method of claim 52 where the function is a method of object oriented programming.

65. The method of claim 52 where the function is implemented with Document Object Model.

66. The method of claim 52 further comprising, in response to receipt of the command, the media window program takes an action comprising at least one of:

play, stop, pause, volume up, volume down, fast forward, and rewind.

67. The method of claim 52 where the media window program is in the form of at least one of:

a part of the browser, a plug-in, a Java applet or an ActiveX control.

68. The method of claim 52 where the browser window displays information about media content playable in the media window.