Method for decoding a menu data segment

• US 9,377,931 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2014
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: InterDigital CE Patent Holdings SAS (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Hoerentrup, Jobst, Ostermann, Ralf, Schiller, Harald, Gandolph, Dirk
• Primary Examiner(s): Belousov, Andrey
• Application Number:
  US14/154,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20140164925A1
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 715/716, 715/719, 715/721, 715/825
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D

Abstract

Optical storage media often contain data structures for a menu suitable for selection of a title, a chapter, a parameter or others. Such menus usually comprise a number of buttons to be displayed, with each button having a state. Possible states of buttons are; e.g., “unselected”, “selected” or “activated”. According to the invention, the menu may contain buttons that can be selected through the keys on the remote control, but that don'"'"'t have any images or text associated. This allows creating “invisible buttons” that automatically execute commands upon selection. Further, a sound or sound sequence; e.g., melody or click, may be associated to a buttons state, and may be played back when the button enters this state. Such menu data may be stored; e.g., on a Blu-ray disc.

Claims

1. A method for decoding a menu data segment, the method comprising:

detecting within the menu data segment data corresponding to a plurality of menu items belonging to a menu page;

extracting from the menu data segment for each menu item of the plurality of menu items at least first data defining whether the menu item is selectable and second data defining whether the menu item has graphic representation data associated;

decoding data corresponding to first menu items to produce selectable display data, wherein the first menu items are menu buttons and have graphic representation data associated;

decoding data corresponding to second menu items to produce non-selectable display data, wherein the second menu items have graphic representation data associated; and

decoding data corresponding to third menu items to produce selectable and invisible menu elements, wherein the third menu items have no associated graphic representation data, and wherein the third menu items are menu buttons that are automatically activated upon selection,

wherein at least the data corresponding to said first and second menu items have the same data structure within said menu page,

wherein the first and the second menu items have associated display positions,

wherein the menu data segment defines a multi-page menu, and wherein the first menu items are displayed on at least one menu page of the multi-page menu,

wherein at least one of the first menu items may have one of the states unselected, selected and activated, and wherein the second data extracted for each of the menu items enables defining that a menu item has graphic representation data for one of said states associated and stored within said menu data segment, but not for another of said states,

wherein sound data are associated to a certain state of a menu button, the sound data being played back when the button enters the certain state associated with the sound data, and

wherein the graphic representation data associated to the second menu items are individual for each of the second menu items.

2. A non-transitory storage medium on which a menu data segment and sound data are is recorded, the menu data segment comprising:

data corresponding to a plurality of menu items that belong to a menu page and at least first data and second data, wherein the data corresponding to a plurality of menu items include data corresponding to first menu items, data corresponding to second menu items and data corresponding to third menu item;

wherein the menu data segment is configured for being decoded by

detecting within the menu data segment said data corresponding to a plurality of menu items;

extracting from the menu data segment for each menu item of the plurality of menu items at least said first data and said second data, the first data defining whether the menu item is selectable and the second data defining whether the menu item has graphic representation data associated;

decoding said data corresponding to first menu items to produce selectable display data, wherein the first menu items are menu buttons and have graphic representation data associated;

decoding said data corresponding to second menu items to produce non-selectable display data, wherein the second menu items have graphic representation data associated; and

decoding said data corresponding to third menu items to produce selectable and invisible menu elements, wherein the third menu items have no associated graphic representation data, and wherein the third menu items are menu buttons that are automatically activated upon selection,

wherein at least the data corresponding to said first and second menu items have the same data structure within said menu page,

wherein the first and the second menu items have associated display positions,

wherein the menu data segment defines a multi-page menu, and wherein the first menu items are displayed on at least one menu page of the multi-page menu,

wherein at least one of first menu items may have one of the states unselected, selected and activated, and wherein the second data extracted for each of the menu items enables defining that a menu item has graphic representation data for one of said states associated and stored within said menu data segment, but not for another of said states,

wherein sound data are associated to a certain state of a menu button, the sound data being played back when the button enters the certain state associated with the sound data, and

wherein the graphic representation data associated to the second menu items are individual for each of the second menu items.

3. A method for recording on a non-transitory storage medium a menu data segment and sound data, the menu data segment comprising:

data corresponding to a plurality of menu items that belong to a menu page and at least first data and second data, wherein the data corresponding to a plurality of menu items include data corresponding to first menu items, data corresponding to second menu items and data corresponding to third menu items;

wherein the menu data segment is configured for being decoded by

detecting within the menu data segment said data corresponding to a plurality of menu items;

extracting from the menu data segment for each menu item of the plurality of menu items at least said first data and said second data, the first data defining whether the menu item is selectable and the second data defining whether the menu item has graphic representation data associated;

decoding said data corresponding to first menu items to produce selectable display data, wherein the first menu items are menu buttons and have graphic representation data associated;

decoding said data corresponding to second menu items to produce non-selectable display data, wherein the second menu items have graphic representation data associated; and

decoding said data corresponding to third menu items to produce selectable and invisible menu elements, wherein the third menu items have no associated graphic representation data, and wherein the third menu items are menu buttons that are automatically activated upon selection,

wherein at least the data corresponding to said first and second menu items have the same data structure within said menu page,

wherein the first and the second menu items have associated display positions,

wherein the menu data segment defines a multi-page menu, and wherein the first menu items are displayed on at least one menu page of the multi-page menu,

wherein at least one of the first menu items may have one of the states unselected, selected and activated, and wherein the second data extracted for each of the menu items enables defining that a menu item has graphic representation data for one of said states associated and stored within said menu data segment, but not for another of said states,

wherein sound data are associated to a certain state of a menu button, the sound data being played back when the button enters the certain state associated with the sound data, and

wherein the graphic representation data associated to the second menu items are individual for each of the second menu items.