Adaptable transparency

• US 8,584,028 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Abanami, Thamer A., Selman, Julian, Maitlen, Craig, Glaser, Russell E., Brown, Rowland Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Pillai, Namitha
• Application Number:
  US11/554,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20080189656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,569 Days
• Field of Search: 715/764, 715/768, 715/810, 345/426
• US Class Current: 715/768
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour

Abstract

By adjusting visual settings on a display behind a section of a background to emphasize menu options, a user can determine the status in the series of menus and sub-menus and can better read the menu options.

Claims

1. On a portable media device including a processor and a display, a method of displaying data on the display of the portable media device, the method comprising:

controlling the display via the processor to display a display image that comprises a background image and text;

allowing selection of an option; and

responsive to the selection of the option,

controlling the display via the processor to display additional text over the background image;

automatically determining a menu depth of the additional text to be displayed; and

automatically evaluating via the processor the background image to determine a darkness amount in the background image;

automatically adjusting via the processor a darkness setting of the background image to display a darkness gradient across at least a section of the background image that is beneath the additional text, the darkness gradient progressing spatially from a lighter area to a darker area in a direction dependent on the darkness amount in the background image, wherein automatically adjusting a darkness setting further comprises automatically adjusting a background color of a section of the background image behind the additional text to be displayed to a color corresponding to the menu depth of the additional text; and

automatically returning the darkness setting of the background image for a previous display image to an original value if from the display of the additional text a selection is made to return to a previous display image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the text comprises a menu of options and the additional text comprises a second menu of second options.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically adjusting via the processor a perceived closeness of the background image in direct proportion to a menu depth of the additional text responsive to the selection of the option.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically adjusting via the processor the darkness setting of the background image further comprises automatically adjusting via the processor an initial color of the lighter area corresponding to a menu depth of the additional text such that the lighter area has different initial colors at different menu depths.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically adjusting via the processor the darkness setting of the background image further comprises:

determining via the processor a maximum length of the additional text to be displayed; and

automatically adjusting via the processor a section of the background image behind the maximum length of the additional text to be displayed.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning a section of the display image for displaying the additional text; and

automatically adjusting via the processor a darkness setting of the section of the display image for displaying the additional text.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically evaluating via the processor a color used to display the additional text; and

automatically adjusting via the processor the darkness setting of the background image based on the color used to display the additional text.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

allowing the darkness setting of the background image to be adjusted by a user.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically selecting via the processor a color for the additional text based on the evaluation of the background image.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the darkness gradient of the section of the background image is adjustable by a user.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically adjusting via the processor the darkness setting of the background image based on whether a backlight in the portable media device is on.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically adjusting via the processor the darkness setting of the background image based on ambient light measured at the portable media device.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically adjusting via the processor the darkness setting of the background image based on whether the media device is in communication with a second display.

14. The method of claim 5, further comprising adjusting via the processor the section of the background image based on an orientation of one or more of the text, the additional text, the background image and the display.

15. A method of adjusting a display of a media player, comprising:

displaying a menu comprising a first set of selectable options and also displaying a background image behind the menu on the display;

receiving a first user input selecting an option from the menu;

in response to the first user input, automatically ceasing display of the first set of selectable options and displaying a second set of selectable options on the display, and automatically adjusting a color of the background image beneath at least a portion of the second set of selectable options to form an adjusted background image, the color adjusted in proportion to a menu depth of the second set of selectable options;

receiving a second user input to return to the first set of selectable options; and

in response to the second user input, ceasing display of the second set of selectable options, displaying the first set of selectable options, and automatically adjusting the color of the background image in proportion to a menu depth of the first set of selectable options.