Television user interface

• US 9,066,140 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2011
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Digital Broadcast SA (Advanced Digital Broadcast Holdings SA)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Digital Broadcast SA (Advanced Digital Broadcast Holdings SA)
• Inventors: Lazarski, Wojciech, Olejniczak, Marek, Bristow, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry, Hunter B
• Application Number:
  US13/824,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20130291016A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 725/43, 725/133, 725/141, 725/153
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• 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 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence

Abstract

It is disclosed a video system comprising a video unit (101) and an external device (106) operable by the same user of the video unit (101). The video unit (101) comprises a video receiver (114) for receiving video signals and a decoder (115) operatively connected to the video receiver (114) to decode the received video signals, a control unit (113) configured to generate an interactive interface to be displayed on a first screen and to display one of the received video signals on the first screen, a receiving unit (112) operatively connected to the control unit (113) to receive a selection of the user when the interactive interface is displayed, a data unit (114) operatively connected to said control unit (113) for transmitting data to the external device (106). The external device (106) comprises a connection unit for connecting to an external network (105) and a screen for displaying data retrieved from the external network. The control unit (113) triggers the external device (106) to run an application retrieving data from an external network (105), when said user selection is received. Data retrieved from the external network (105) are then displayed on a screen of the external device (106). A method for controlling the video system and a video unit for use in the video system is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A video system comprising a video unit (101) and an external device (106) operable by the same user of the video unit (101), the video unit (101) comprising

a receiver (114) for receiving video signals from a video source,

a decoder (115) operatively connected to the receiver (114) to decode the received video signals,

a control unit (113) configured to generate an interactive interface to be displayed on a first screen and to display one of the received video signals on said first screen,

a receiving unit (112) operatively connected to said control unit (113) to receive a selection of the user when said interactive interface is displayed,

a data unit (111) operatively connected to said control unit (113) for transmitting data to said external device (106),

the external device (106) comprising a connection unit for connecting to an external network (105) and

a screen for displaying data retrieved from the external network,

characterized in that

said control unit (113) is adapted to:

trigger the external device (106) to run an application retrieving data from an external network (105), when said user selection is received,

triggering, after elapse of a maximum time (Tmax), display on a second screen of the external device (106) data retrieved from the external network (105), the external network (105) being other than the video source.

2. The video system of claim 1, wherein said control unit (113) is adapted to trigger display of the retrieved data on the external device (106) after the user has provided a command to the video unit in response to display of an icon (501) on said first screen.

3. The video system of claim 1, wherein only the external device is adapted to run said application retrieving data associated to control the option selected by the user.

4. The video system of claim 1, wherein said external device is a mobile phone.

9. A video unit (101) for use in a video system according to claim 1, comprising:

a video receiver (114) for receiving video signals from a video source,

a decoder (115) operatively connected to the video receiver (114) to decode the received video signals,

a control unit (113) configured to generate an interactive interface to be displayed on a first screen and to display one of the received video signals on said first screen,

a receiving unit (112) operatively connected to said control unit (113) to receive a selection of the user when said interactive interface is displayed, and

a data unit operatively connected to said control unit (113) for transmitting data to an external device (106),

characterized in that

said control unit (113) is adapted to

operate said data unit so as to transmit a trigger signal for the external device (106) to run an application retrieving data from an external network (105), when said user selection is received, and

to display, after elapse of a maximum time (Tmax), on a second screen of the external device (106) data retrieved from the external network (105), the external network (105) being other than the video source.

10. The video unit of claim 9, wherein said wherein said control unit (113) is adapted to:

operate said data unit (111) so as to transmit a first trigger signal to trigger the external device to run said application, and to transmit a second trigger signal,

receive a signal that data have been retrieved via said data unit,

control a display controller (116) to display an icon on said first screen,

operate said data unit (111) so as to transmit a second trigger signal triggering the external device (106) to display the retrieved data on the external device (106) after the user has provided a command to the video unit in response to display of an icon (501) on said first screen.

12. A device for use in the video system (1) according to claim 1, comprising:

a first connection unit (601) for connecting to an external network (105), a second connection unit (602) for connecting to a video unit (101) of said video system (1), said video system adapted to receive video signals from a video source,

a screen (603) for displaying data retrieved from the external network, and a control unit (604) operatively connected to said first and second connection units and to said screen,

characterized in that said control unit (604) is adapted

to receive a trigger signal from said video unit (101) via said second connection unit (602),

to run an application retrieving data from an external network (105) when said trigger signal is received, and

to display, after elapse of a maximum time (Tmax), said screen data retrieved from the external network (105),

the external network (105) being other than the video source.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein said control unit is adapted to transmit, via said second connection unit (602), a signal that data are available for displaying and to wait for a second trigger signal triggering the external device (106) to display the retrieved data on said screen.

5. A method for displaying video and data contents in a video system, comprising the steps of

displaying a video content from a video source, in particular a TV program, on a first screen,

displaying on said first screen an interactive interface allowing a user of the video system to select a control option, and

receiving at a video unit a signal relating to a control option selected by the user,

the method being characterized by:

the video unit triggering an external device (106) to run an application retrieving data from an external network (105), when said control option is selected, and

the video unit triggering, after elapse of a maximum time (Tmax), the external device (106) to display on a screen of the external device (106) data retrieved from the external network (105),

the external network (105) being other than the video source.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said wherein said video unit (113) triggers display of the retrieved data on the external device (106) after the user has provided a command to the video unit in response to display of an icon (501) on said first screen.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein only the external device is adapted to run said application retrieving data associated to control the option selected by the user.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein said external device is a mobile phone that connects to a mobile phone network to retrieve said data.

11. The video unit of claim 8, wherein said data unit is a Wi-Fi transceiver.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions performing all the steps of the method according to claim 5 when executed on a computer.