User customizable views of multiple information services

• US 8,892,760 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2008
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dell Products LP (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: van Hoff, Arthur Anthonie, Ross, Mark Andrew, Bucher, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): GREENE, JOSEPH L
• Application Number:
  US12/259,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20100106848A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,212 Days
• Field of Search: 709/231
• US Class Current: 709/231
• 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4858 for modifying screen layout parameters, e.g. fonts, size of the windows

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to systems and methods for generating a user configurable interface view for a media device or other information handling system that is independent of any interface views defined by media content providers. Generating the user configurable interface view includes identifying content data streams that are included in user interface views defined by the media content providers and then selecting a desired subset of the data content streams. The selected data content streams are then aggregated and the user configurable interface view is generated. The resulting user interface view will be independent of any interface views defined by the media content providers.

Claims

1. In a system including one or more mobile media devices that receive data streams from a plurality of media content providers, a method for a mobile media device from amongst the one or more mobile media devices to generate a custom user interface configured to display selected data streams available to be streamed to the mobile media device, the method comprising:

displaying, on a mobile media device, a first user interface defined and hosted by a first third-party media content provider, the first user interface displaying a first plurality of data streams provided by the first third-party media content provider that are available to be streamed to the mobile media device, the first user interface displaying the first plurality of data streams in accordance with rules defined and hosted by the first third-party media content provider;

displaying, on the mobile media device, a second user interface defined by a second third-party media content provider, the second user interface displaying a second plurality of data streams provided by the second third-party media content provider that are available to be streamed to the mobile media device, the second user interface displaying the second plurality of data streams in accordance with rules defined by the second third-party media content provider;

receiving user input, at the mobile media device, that selects, from the first user interface a first subset of the first plurality of data streams available to be streamed to the mobile media device;

recording, at the mobile media device, a first indication that the user input selected the first subset of the first plurality of data streams from within the first user interface;

receiving user input, at the mobile media device, that selects, from the second user interface a second subset of the first plurality of data streams available to be streamed to the mobile media device;

recording, at the mobile media device, a second indication that the user input selected the second subset of the second plurality of data streams from within the second user interface;

detecting the first and second indications;

in response to detecting the first and second indications, generating a custom user interface for displaying the first subset of the first plurality of data streams and the second subset of the second plurality of data streams together within the custom user interface, wherein generating the custom user interface includes defining custom rules for displaying data streams in the custom user interface;

displaying the custom user interface on the mobile media device such that the first subset of the first plurality of data streams and the second subset of the second plurality of data streams are displayed together within the custom user interface in accordance with the custom rules and such that the determination of which data streams are displayed within the custom user interface is based on user interaction with the first and second user interfaces defined and hosted by the first and second third-party media content providers respectively, but the custom user interface, including the custom rules for displaying the data streams in the custom user interface, are independent of and not defined by the first or second third-party media content providers;

receiving user input that selects a first data stream of the data streams displayed in the custom user interface, the first data stream being provided by the first third-party media content provider; and

commencing streaming of the first data stream without requiring the user to navigate to the first user interface and select the first data stream.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the custom user interface is further configurable using a set of user defined rules that specify the look and feel of the custom user interface.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the data streams are audio data streams.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the data streams include audio and video data streams.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the custom user interface also displays selected content available locally on the mobile media device.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first data stream comprises a satellite radio data stream.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the data streams available to be streamed to the mobile media device include satellite data streams and internet data streams.

8. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the data streams available to be streamed to the mobile media device include satellite data streams, internet data streams, and terrestrial data streams.

9. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

after the custom user interface has been generated, displaying a third user interface defined by a third third-party media content provider, the third user interface displaying a third plurality of data streams provided by the third third-party media content provider;

receiving user input that selects a data stream of the third plurality of data streams;

recording a third indication that the user input selected the data stream of the third plurality of data streams from within the third user interface;

detecting the third indication; and

in response to detecting the third indication, automatically adding the selected data stream of the third plurality of data streams to the custom user interface such that the selected data stream of the third plurality of data streams is displayed in accordance with the custom rules along with the first subset and second subset of data streams.

10. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein generating the custom user interface comprises:

transmitting, to a service center, an indication of the selection of the first and second subsets;

receiving, from the service center, the custom rules; and

rendering the custom user interface in accordance with the custom rules.

11. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the custom user interface is generated by the mobile media device.

14. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the mobile media device comprises a mobile telephone.

15. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the mobile media device comprises a portable computer.

12. A mobile media device comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing computer executable instructions which when executed by the one or more processors perform a method for generating a custom user interface configured to display selected data streams available to be streamed to the mobile media device, the method comprising;

displaying, on the mobile media device, a first user interface defined and hosted by a first third-party media content provider, the first user interface displaying a first plurality of data streams provided by the first third-party media content provider that are available to be streamed to the mobile media device, the first user interface displaying the first plurality of data streams in accordance with rules defined and hosted by the first third-party media content provider;

displaying, on the mobile media device, a second user interface defined by a second third-party media content provider, the second user interface displaying a second plurality of data streams provided by the second third-party media content provider that are available to be streamed to the mobile media device, the second user interface displaying the second plurality of data streams in accordance with rules defined by the second third-party media content provider;

receiving user input, at the mobile media device, that selects, from the first user interface a first subset of the first plurality of data streams available to be streamed to the mobile media device;

recording, at the mobile media device, a first indication that the user input selected the first subset of the first plurality of data streams from within the first user interface;

receiving user input, at the mobile media device, that selects, from the second user interface a second subset of the first plurality of data streams available to be streamed to the mobile media device;

recording, at the mobile media device, a second indication that the user input selected the second subset of the second plurality of data streams from within the second user interface;

detecting the first and second indications;

in response to detecting the first and second indications, generating a custom user interface for displaying the first subset of the first plurality of data streams and the second subset of the second plurality of data streams together within the custom user interface, wherein generating the custom user interface includes defining custom rules for displaying data streams in the custom user interface;

displaying the custom user interface on the mobile media device such that the first subset of the first plurality of data streams and the second subset of the second plurality of data streams are displayed together within the custom user interface in accordance with the custom rules and such that the determination of which data streams are displayed within the custom user interface is based on user interaction with the first and second user interfaces defined and hosted by the first and second third-party media content providers respectively, but the custom user interface, including the custom rules for displaying the data streams in the custom user interface, are independent of and not defined by the first or second third-party media content providers;

receiving user input that selects a first data stream of the data streams displayed in the custom user interface, the first data stream being provided by the first third-party media content provider; and

commencing streaming of the first data stream without requiring the user to navigate to the first user interface and select the first data stream.

13. The media device in accordance with claim 12, wherein the method performed by executing the computer executable instructions further comprises:

after the custom user interface has been generated, displaying a third user interface defined by a third third-party media content provider, the third user interface displaying a third plurality of data streams provided by the third third-party media content provider;

receiving user input that selects a data stream of the third plurality of data streams; and

automatically adding the selected data stream of the third plurality of data streams to the custom user interface such that the selected data stream of the third plurality of data streams is displayed in accordance with the custom rules along with the first subset and second subset of data streams.

16. The mobile media device in accordance with claim 12, wherein the mobile media device comprises a mobile telephone.

17. The mobile media device in accordance with claim 12, wherein the mobile media device comprises a portable computer.

18. One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing computer executable instructions which when executed perform a method for a mobile media device to generate a custom user interface configured to display selected data streams available to be streamed to the mobile media device, the method comprising:

displaying, on the mobile media device, a first user interface defined and hosted by a first third-party media content provider, the first user interface displaying a first plurality of data streams provided by the first third-party media content provider that are available to be streamed to the mobile media device, the first user interface displaying the first plurality of data streams in accordance with rules defined and hosted by the first third-party media content provider;

displaying, on the mobile media device, a second user interface defined by a second third-party media content provider, the second user interface displaying a second plurality of data streams provided by the second third-party media content provider that are available to be streamed to the mobile media device, the second user interface displaying the second plurality of data streams in accordance with rules defined by the second third-party media content provider;

receiving user input, at the mobile media device, that selects, from the first user interface a first subset of the first plurality of data streams available to be streamed to the mobile media device;

recording, at the mobile media device, a first indication that the user input selected the first subset of the first plurality of data streams from within the first user interface;

receiving user input, at the mobile media device, that selects, from the second user interface a second subset of the first plurality of data streams available to be streamed to the mobile media device;

recording, at the mobile media device, a second indication that the user input selected the second subset of the second plurality of data streams from within the second user interface;

detecting the first and second indications;

in response to detecting the first and second indications, generating a custom user interface for displaying the first subset of the first plurality of data streams and the second subset of the second plurality of data streams together within the custom user interface, wherein generating the custom user interface includes defining custom rules for displaying data streams in the custom user interface;

displaying the custom user interface on the mobile media device such that the first subset of the first plurality of data streams and the second subset of the second plurality of data streams are displayed together within the custom user interface in accordance with the custom rules and such that the determination of which data streams are displayed within the custom user interface is based on user interaction with the first and second user interfaces defined and hosted by the first and second third-party media content providers respectively, but the custom user interface, including the custom rules for displaying the data streams in the custom user interface, are independent of and not defined by the first or second third-party media content providers;

receiving user input that selects a first data stream of the data streams displayed in the custom user interface, the first data stream being provided by the first third-party media content provider; and

commencing streaming of the first data stream without requiring the user to navigate to the first user interface and select the first data stream.

19. The computer readable media in accordance with claim 18, wherein the custom user interface also displays selected content available locally on the mobile media device.

20. The computer readable media in accordance with claim 18, wherein the method performed by executing the computer executable instructions further comprises:

after the custom user interface has been generated, displaying a third user interface defined by a third third-party media content provider, the third user interface displaying a third plurality of data streams provided by the third third-party media content provider;

receiving user input that selects a data stream of the third plurality of data streams;

recording a third indication that the user input selected the data stream of the third plurality of data streams from within the third user interface;

detecting the third indication; and

in response to detecting the third indication, automatically adding the selected data stream of the third plurality of data streams to the custom user interface such that the selected data stream of the third plurality of data streams is displayed in accordance with the custom rules along with the first subset and second subset of data streams.