Image display apparatus and method for operating the same

• US 9,094,709 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2010
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jeong, Youngho, Suh, Myongwon, Kim, Jaeuk
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin, Jason K
• Application Number:
  US12/972,294
• Publication Number:
  US 20110252446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,684 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 21/472 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 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

A method for operating an image display apparatus is discussed. The method according to an embodiment includes displaying a plurality of card objects on a display, displaying an application menu including at least one application item on the display, and displaying a broadcast image or broadcast image-associated information on the display. Accordingly, it is possible to increase user convenience.

Claims

1. A method for operating an image display apparatus configured to receive a television broadcast, the method comprising:

displaying a home screen, the home screen simultaneously displaying, on the display unit, a plurality of application items in an application menu area, at least one object in a lock area, and a plurality of objects in a change area, the plurality of application items including at least one mandatory application item which cannot be edited by a user and at least one application item which can be edited by the user,

wherein one object of the at least one object displayed in the lock area is a live broadcast image;

while the live broadcast image is being displayed in the lock area, scrolling through the plurality of the objects displayed in the change area so that at least one of the objects displayed on the display unit is removed from the display unit, and a corresponding at least one undisplayed object is added to the display unit;

periodically updating the plurality of objects displayed in the change area through a network server;

displaying, on the display unit of the image display apparatus, at least one of a login item that is used upon accessing an application store object or upon logging into a network connected to the image display apparatus, a help item that is used to perform a help function upon the operation of the display apparatus, and an exit item that is used to exit the home screen and display the live broadcast image in a full-screen mode;

displaying a graphic object representing a total number of objects including the at least one object displayed in the lock area and the plurality of objects displayed in the change area; and

expanding a size of the application menu area to overlap at least a portion of at least one of the lock area and the change area,

wherein the plurality of objects displayed in the change area includes an application store,

wherein the scrolling step scrolls through the plurality of objects displayed in the change area in response to a direction key of a remote controller, and

wherein the application menu area including the plurality of application items is displayed on a lower portion of the display unit.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reducing a size of the lock area and the change area so as to correspond to an enlarged size of the application menu area.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

overlaying at least a portion of the application menu area upon at least a portion of the lock area and the change area.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

changing the live broadcast image in response to a user input to one object of the plurality of objects displayed in the change area.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein the at least one editable application item is classified and aligned according to categories of applications in the application store object.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the scrolling step scrolls through the plurality of objects displayed in the change area in response to a movement input signal from the remote controller or a flicking input signal from the remote controller, and

wherein the amount of scrolling is controlled by a level of the movement input signal or the flicking input signal.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, on the display unit of the image display apparatus, a home screen in response to an operation of a home key included on the remote controller.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the home screen includes the application menu area, the lock area, and the change area.

5. An image display apparatus configured to receive a television broadcast, comprising:

a display unit;

a user input interface;

a memory; and

a controller operatively connected to the display unit, the user input interface and the memory, the controller programmed to;

display a home screen, the home screen simultaneously displaying, on the display unit, a plurality of application items in an application menu area, at least one object in a lock area, and a plurality of objects in a change area, the plurality of application items including at least one mandatory application item which cannot be edited by a user and at least one application item which can be edited by the user,

wherein one object of the at least one object displayed in the lock area is a live broadcast image;

while the live broadcast image is being displayed in the lock area, scroll through the plurality of the objects displayed in the change area so that at least one of the objects displayed on the display unit is removed from the display unit, and a corresponding at least one undisplayed object is added to the display unit;

periodically update the plurality of objects displayed in the change area through a network server;

display, on the display unit, at least one of a login item that is used upon accessing an application store object or upon logging into a network connected to the image display apparatus, a help item that is used to perform a help function upon the operation of the image display apparatus, and an exit item that is used to exit the home screen and display the live broadcast image in a full-screen mode; and

scroll through the plurality of objects displayed in the change area in response to a direction key of a remote controller,

wherein the plurality of objects displayed in the change area includes an application store object,

wherein the application menu area including the plurality of application items is displayed on a lower portion of the display unit,

wherein the controller is further configured to display a graphic object representing a total number of objects including the at least one object displayed in the lock area and the plurality of objects displayed in the change area, and

wherein the controller is further configured to overlay at least a portion of an enlarged application menu area upon at least a portion of the lock area and the change area.

6. The image display apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to reduce a size of the lock area and the change area so as to correspond to an enlarged size of the application menu area.

8. The image display apparatus of claim 5,

wherein the at least one editable application item is classified and aligned according to categories of applications in the application store object.

10. The image display apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controller is further programmed to:

scroll through the plurality of objects displayed in the change area in response to a movement input signal from the remote controller or a flicking input signal from the remote controller, and

wherein the amount of scrolling is controlled by a level of the movement input signal or the flicking input signal.

13. The image display apparatus of claim 5, wherein the controller is further programmed to:

display, on the display unit of the image display apparatus, a home screen in response to an operation of a home key included on the remote controller.

14. The image display apparatus of claim 13, wherein the home screen includes the application menu area, the lock area, and the change area.