Content level navigation systems and methods

• US 9,578,000 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2014
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Stallings, Heath Jr., Relyea, Donald H., Roberts, Brian F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nunez, Jordany
• Application Number:
  US14/275,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20140250381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4625 Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/433 Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An exemplary system includes a media content processing subsystem configured to provide a first interactive graphical user interface to a display for presentation to a user in response to a transmission of an input command, provide an end interactive graphical user interface to the display for presentation to the user in response to a repeat transmission of the input command, and perform an action corresponding to a selected entry within the end interactive graphical user interface in response to another repeat transmission of the input command. The first interactive graphical user interface corresponds to a first content level within a navigation thread and the end interactive graphical user interface corresponds to an end content level within the navigation thread.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a media content processing subsystem comprising at least one processor and configured to

provide a first interactive graphical user interface to a display for presentation to a user in response to a transmission of an input command generated in response to a first actuation of a single navigation button that is part of a user input device, the first interactive graphical user interface corresponding to a first content level or an intermediate content level within a navigation thread, the first interactive graphical user interface comprising;

a first menu in a first region of the display, the first menu including selectable entries, and

a content listing in a second region of the display, the content listing showing a preview of content items related to at least one of the selectable entries of the first menu,

provide an end interactive graphical user interface to the display for presentation to the user in response to a repeat transmission of the input command generated in response to a second actuation of the single navigation button, the end interactive graphical user interface corresponding to an end content level within the navigation thread, the end interactive graphical user interface comprising;

a second menu provided in place of the first menu in the first region of the display, the second menu including selectable entries corresponding to the content items shown in the content listing in the second region of the first interactive graphical user interface, and

a third menu provided in place of the content listing in the second region of the display, the third menu including selectable entries related to at least one of the selectable entries of the second menu, the third menu provided for concurrent display together with the second menu in the end interactive graphical user interface, and

perform an action corresponding to a selected entry within the third menu of the end interactive graphical user interface in response to another repeat transmission of the input command generated in response to a third actuation of the single navigation button,

wherein the selected entry corresponds to a media content instance and wherein the action comprises at least one of playing, recording, and purchasing the media content instance.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the action further comprises providing a contextual pop-up window having at least one option corresponding to the selected entry.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the media content processing subsystem is further configured to provide, within the third menu of the end interactive graphical user interface, a graphical object that indicates an availability of the action corresponding to the selected entry.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the user input device comprises a remote control device configured to communicate with the media content processing subsystem; and

the navigation thread comprises a plurality of content levels, the plurality of content levels including the first content level and the end content level, wherein the plurality of content levels are navigable by one or more actuations of the single navigation button on the remote control device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the end interactive graphical user interface further comprises, in a third region of the display, menu titles of one or more content levels other than the end content level, the menu titles including a title of the first menu.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the end interactive graphical user interface does not include menus of the one or more content levels other than the end content level.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first interactive graphical user interface comprises a first viewing pane and a second viewing pane,

the first viewing pane comprises the first menu, and

the second viewing pane comprises the content listing.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the media content processing subsystem is further configured to provide, within the third menu of the end interactive graphical user interface, a graphical object in the form of a directional arrow symbol indicating that the action corresponding to the selected entry is selectable by actuation of the single navigation button.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the single navigation button is a right navigation button and the directional arrow symbol is a directional right arrow symbol.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the user input device comprises a remote control device.

11. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one facility configured to direct the at least one processor to

generate a first interactive graphical user interface in response to a transmission of an input command generated in response to a first actuation of a single navigation button that is part of a user input device, the first interactive graphical user interface corresponding to a first content level or an intermediate content level within a navigation thread, the first interactive graphical user interface comprising;

a first menu in a first region of a display, the first menu including selectable entries, and

a content listing in a second region of the display, the content listing showing a preview of content items related to at least one of the selectable entries of the first menu,

generate an end interactive graphical user interface in response to a repeat transmission of the input command generated in response to a second actuation of the single navigation button, the end interactive graphical user interface corresponding to an end content level within the navigation thread, the end interactive graphical user interface comprising;

a second menu provided in place of the first menu in the first region of the display, the second menu including selectable entries corresponding to the content items shown in the content listing in the second region of the first interactive graphical user interface, and

a third menu provided in place of the content listing in the second region of the display, the third menu including selectable entries related to at least one of the selectable entries of the second menu, the third menu provided for concurrent display together with the second menu in the end interactive graphical user interface, and

perform an action corresponding to a selected entry within the third menu of the end interactive graphical user interface in response to another repeat transmission of the input command generated in response to a third actuation of the single navigation button; and

an output driver configured to provide the first and end interactive graphical user interfaces to the display for presentation to a user,

wherein the selected entry corresponds to a media content instance and wherein the action comprises at least one of playing, recording, and purchasing the media content instance.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the action further comprises providing a contextual pop-up window having at least one option corresponding to the selected entry.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the at least one facility is further configured to direct the at least one processor to provide, within the third menu of the end interactive graphical user interface, a graphical object in the form of a directional arrow symbol indicating that the action corresponding to the selected entry is selectable by actuation of the single navigation button.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the single navigation button is a right navigation button and the directional arrow symbol is a directional right arrow symbol.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the user input device comprises a remote control device.

16. A method comprising:

providing a first interactive graphical user interface to a display for presentation to a user in response to a transmission of an input command generated in response to a first actuation of a single navigation button that is part of a user input device, the first interactive graphical user interface corresponding to a first content level or an intermediate content level within a navigation thread, the first interactive graphical user interface comprising;

a first menu in a first region of the display, the first menu including selectable entries, and

a content listing in a second region of the display, the content listing showing a preview of content items related to at least one of the selectable entries of the first menu;

providing an end interactive graphical user interface to the display for presentation to the user in response to a repeat transmission of the input command generated in response to a first actuation of a single navigation button that is part of a user input device, the end interactive graphical user interface corresponding to an end content level within the navigation thread, the end interactive graphical user interface comprising;

a second menu provided in place of the first menu in the first region of the display, the second menu including selectable entries corresponding to the content items shown in the content listing in the second region of the first interactive graphical user interface, and

a third menu provided in place of the content listing in the second region of the display, the third menu including selectable entries related to at least one of the selectable entries of the second menu, the third menu provided for concurrent display together with the second menu in the end interactive graphical user interface; and

performing an action corresponding to a selected entry within the third menu of the end interactive graphical user interface in response to another repeat transmission of the input command generated in response to a third actuation of the single navigation button.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the selected entry corresponds to a media content instance and wherein the performing of the action comprises at least one of playing, recording, and purchasing the media content instance.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the method further comprises providing, within the third menu of the end interactive graphical user interface, a graphical object in the form of a directional arrow symbol indicating that the action corresponding to the selected entry is selectable by actuation of the single navigation button.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the single navigation button is a right navigation button and the directional arrow symbol is a directional right arrow symbol.