Minimal and preferential option user interface

• US 9,921,716 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2014
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hill, Seth, Yi, Hyehoon, Yeh, Sabrina, Barnes, Tracy, Friedlander, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Linh K
• Application Number:
  US14/269,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20140245149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,415 Days
• 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 3/04817 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 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range

Abstract

A request to display a portion of a full-screen content overlay options menu of a multiple media player device is detected by the multiple media player device that represents less than all of the full-screen content overlay options menu. A media type of content media currently accessed by the multiple media player device is determined. A current setting status of an available adjustment of the multiple media player device associated with the portion of the full-screen content overlay options menu based upon the determined media type of content media currently accessed by the multiple media player device is determined. A first graphical menu pane of the full-screen content overlay options menu, including the current setting status of the available adjustment, is displayed over full-screen content on a display. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Claims

1. A multiple media player device, comprising:

an input device; and

one or more processors programmed to;

detect, via the input device, a request to display a portion of a full-screen content overlay options menu, where the portion of the full-screen content overlay options menu comprises less than all of the full-screen content overlay options menu;

determine which media type of a plurality of media types of content media is currently being accessed via the multiple media player device;

determine a current setting status of each of a plurality of available adjustment options associated with the portion of the full-screen content overlay options menu based upon the determined media type of content media currently accessed;

pair each of the plurality of current setting status with an option icon representing one of the plurality of available adjustment options;

send a first output signal to generate a first graphical menu pane of the full-screen content overlay options menu comprising current setting status of a default available adjustment option over full-screen video content along with an option icon representing the default available adjustment option;

the output signal further generating a control pane to a side of the first graphical menu pane comprising an adjustment control associated with the default available adjustment option for the multiple media player device;

detect an adjustment input associated with the adjustment control;

adjust the current setting status of the default available adjustment option for the multiple media player device based upon the adjustment input;

determine an adjusted current setting status of the default available adjustment option for the multiple media player device;

update the control pane and the first graphical menu pane with the adjusted current setting status of the default available adjustment option for the multiple media player device;

detect a request to display an additional portion of the full-screen content overlay options menu of the multiple media player device;

determine a second current setting status of a second available adjustment option of the multiple media player device associated with the additional portion of the full-screen content overlay options menu based upon the media type of content media currently accessed via the multiple media player device; and

send a second output signal to generate a second graphical menu pane comprising the second current setting status of the second available adjustment option over the full-screen content;

wherein the second graphical menu pane comprising the second current setting status of the second available adjustment option along with an option icon representing the second available adjustment option over the full-screen video content comprises the second graphical menu pane comprising the second current setting status of the second available adjustment option vertically relative to the first graphical menu pane.

2. The multiple media player device according to claim 1, where in being programmed to detect, via the input device, the request to display the portion of the full-screen content overlay options menu, the processor is further programmed to:

detect a remote control device key input associated with the available adjustment options via the input device.

3. The multiple media player device according to claim 2, wherein being programmed to detect the remote control device key input associated with the available adjustment options via the input device, the processor is further programmed to detect a designated remote control device navigation key associated with the portion of the full-screen content overlay options menu.

4. The multiple media player device according to claim 2, wherein being programmed to:

detect the remote control device key input associated with the available adjustment options via the input device, the processor is programmed to detect one of a remote control device up arrow key input and a remote control device down arrow key input; and

determine the current setting status of the available adjustment options associated with the portion of the full-screen content overlay options menu based upon the media type of content media currently accessed, the processor is further programmed to determine the current setting status of the default available adjustment option.

5. The multiple media player device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

generate a signal to place the control pane to a side of the first graphical menu pane comprising the adjustment control associated with the default available adjustment option.

6. The multiple media player device according to claim 5, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

detect the adjustment input via the input device associated with the adjustment control.

7. The multiple media player device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

detect, via the input device, one of a remote control device up arrow key input and a remote control device down arrow key input from a remote control device;

terminate the first output signal of the first graphical menu pane from a location of the first graphical menu pane within the full-screen content overlay options menu;

send a signal to generate the second graphical menu pane comprising the second current setting status of the second available adjustment option at the location of the first graphical menu pane; and

re-generate the first graphical menu pane as a top graphical menu pane of the full-screen content overlay options menu, which is vertically wrappable.

8. The multiple media player device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

detect, via the input device, a remote control device key input associated with the default available adjustment option;

determine that the detected remote control device key input is associated with a different available adjustment option;

determine a current setting status of the different available adjustment option;

determine a location of the first graphical menu pane;

terminate the first graphical menu pane; and

send a signal to generate a second graphical menu pane comprising the current setting status of the different available adjustment option over the full-screen content in the location of the first graphical menu pane.

9. The multiple media player device according to claim 1, wherein the associated available adjustment control comprises a content rewind adjustment, and wherein being programmed to:

detect, via the input device, the request to display the portion of the full-screen content overlay options menu, the processor is programmed to detect a remote control device left arrow key input;

send the output signal containing the first graphical menu pane of the full-screen content overlay options menu comprising the current setting status of the available adjustment over the full-screen content, the processor is programmed to output the first graphical menu pane in response to detecting the remote control device left arrow key input; and

the processor is further programmed to begin to rewind the content.

10. The multiple media player device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

generate a control pane to a side of the second graphical menu pane comprising a content position adjustment control associated with the content rewind adjustment comprising a current content rendering location of content;

determine whether continued actuations of a remote control device left arrow key input are detected; and

iteratively adjust the content position adjustment control to new content rendering locations of the content in response to each determined continued actuation of the remote control device left arrow key input.

11. The multiple media player device according to claim 10, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

detect, via the input device, a remote control device right arrow key input associated with a content fast forward adjustment;

begin to fast forward the content;

determine whether continued actuations of the remote control device right arrow key input are detected; and

iteratively adjust the content position adjustment control to new content rendering locations of the content in response to each determined continued actuation of the remote control device right arrow key input.

12. The multiple media player device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to send the first graphical menu pane comprising the current setting status of the default available adjustment option over the full-screen content proximate to a lower corner.

13. The multiple media player device according to claim 12, wherein the processor is further programmed to send the first graphical menu pane comprising the current setting status of the default available adjustment option over the full-screen content proximate to a right lower corner.

14. The multiple media player device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to detect a first touchscreen input proximate to a default location of the portion of the full-screen content overlay options menu.

15. The multiple media player device according to claim 14, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

detect a second touchscreen input proximate to the default location of the portion of the full-screen content overlay options menu; and

generate a control pane to a side of the first graphical menu pane comprising the adjustment control associated with the default available adjustment option.

16. The multiple media player device according to claim 15, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

detect, via the input device, one of a sliding touchscreen input and a rotating touchscreen input proximate to a location of the adjustment control;

adjust the current setting status of the default available adjustment option based upon a magnitude and a direction of the one of the sliding touchscreen input and the rotating touchscreen input;

determine an adjusted setting status of the default available adjustment option; and

update the control pane and the first graphical menu pane with the adjusted setting status of the default available adjustment option.

17. The multiple media player device according to claim 14, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

detect, via the input device, a second touchscreen input associated with a first location above a location of the first graphical menu pane; and

generate a plurality of graphical menu panes, each associated with one additional available adjustment option associated with the full-screen content overlay options menu based upon the determined media type, above the first graphical menu pane.

18. The multiple media player device according to claim 17, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

detect, via the input device, a third touchscreen input associated with a second location above the location of the first graphical menu pane;

scroll the plurality of graphical menu panes by a number of the graphical menu panes based upon a magnitude of distance between the second location above the location of the first graphical menu pane and the location of the first graphical menu pane and relative to a size of each of the plurality of graphical menu panes;

output a different one of the plurality of graphical menu panes at the location of the first graphical menu pane;

generate a control pane to a side of the different one of the plurality of graphical menu panes comprising an adjustment control associated with available adjustment options associated with the different one of the plurality of graphical menu panes; and

re-generate the first graphical menu pane at a new location.

19. The multiple media player device according to claim 1, where the media type of the content media currently accessed comprises a type of media selected from a group consisting of:

audio media, audio and video media, and still image media.

20. The multiple media player device according to claim 1, where the processor is further programmed to:

determine a remote control device type based upon input signaling received from a remote control device; and

select a remote control input command map to control the full-screen content overlay options menu based upon the determined remote control device type.

21. The multiple media player device according to claim 20, where the processor is further programmed to:

assign one remote control input command from the remote control input command map as a default remote control input command for accessing the portion of the full-screen content overlay options menu.

22. The multiple media player device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to:

detect repeated use of at least one general remote control device navigation key associated with a plurality of requests to display the portion of the full-screen content overlay options menu; and

assign one of the at least one general remote control device navigation key as a default remote control device navigation key associated with the portion of the full-screen content overlay options menu.

23. The multiple media player device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to output the first graphical menu pane comprising a current setting status icon associated with the default available adjustment option with an option icon that represents the default available adjustment option over the full-screen content.

24. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed on one or more programmed processors, carry out a method comprising:

detecting, via a multiple media player device, a request to display a portion of a full-screen content overlay options menu of the multiple media player device comprising one of a remote control device up arrow key input and a remote control device down arrow key input, where the portion of the full-screen content overlay options menu comprises less than all of the full-screen content overlay options menu;

determining which media type of a plurality of media types of content media is currently being accessed via the multiple media player device;

determining a current setting status of each of a plurality of available adjustment options of the multiple media player device associated with the portion of the full-screen content overlay options menu based upon the determined media type of content media currently accessed via the multiple media player device;

pairing each of the plurality of current setting status with an option icon representing one of the plurality of available adjustment options;

generating a first graphical menu pane of the full-screen content overlay options menu comprising current setting status of a default available adjustment option over full-screen video content along with an option icon representing the default available adjustment option;

generating a control pane to a side of the first graphical menu pane comprising an adjustment control associated with the default available adjustment option for the multiple media player device;

detecting an adjustment input associated with the adjustment control;

adjusting the current setting status of the default available adjustment option for the multiple media player device based upon the adjustment input;

determining an adjusted current setting status of the default available adjustment option for the multiple media player device;

updating the control pane and the first graphical menu pane with the adjusted current setting status of the default available adjustment option for the multiple media player device; and

wherein a second graphical menu pane comprising the second current setting status of a second available adjustment option along with an option icon representing the second available adjustment option over a full-screen video content comprises the second graphical menu pane comprising the second current setting status of the second available adjustment option vertically relative to the first graphical menu pane.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 24, where detecting, via the multiple media player device, the request to display the portion of the full-screen content overlay options menu of the multiple media player device comprises:

detecting a remote control device key input associated with the available adjustment options for the multiple media player device.

26. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 25, where detecting the remote control device key input associated with the available adjustment options for the multiple media player device comprises detecting a designated remote control device navigation key associated with the portion of the full-screen content overlay options menu.

27. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 25, wherein:

detecting the remote control device key input associated with the available adjustment options for the multiple media player device comprises detecting one of a remote control device up arrow key input and a remote control device down arrow key input; and

determining the current setting status of the available adjustment options of the multiple media player device associated with the portion of the full-screen content overlay options menu based upon the media type of content media currently accessed via the multiple media player device comprises determining a current setting status of the default available adjustment option for the multiple media player device.