Method and apparatus for displaying layered user interface

• US 20070271532A1
• Filed: 09/08/2006
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Myrio Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Myrio Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Drake, Edward C., Nguyen, Loc V.
• Application Number:
  US11/517,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20070271532A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/854
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP

Abstract

A method including displaying an initial navigation layer in a fixed focus area on a screen, the initial navigation layer including a plurality of graphical navigation icon blocks; displaying a stacked graphical navigation icon block representative of the initial layer and graphical navigation icon blocks representative of subsequent navigation layers as a visible stack in a fixed focus area on the screen after a graphical navigation icon block from the initial layer has been selected such that a followed path is visible.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

displaying an initial navigation layer in a fixed focus area on a screen, the initial navigation layer including a plurality of graphical navigation icon blocks;

displaying a stacked graphical navigation icon block representative of the initial layer and graphical navigation icon blocks representative of subsequent navigation layers as a visible stack in a fixed focus area on the screen after a graphical navigation icon block from the initial layer has been selected such that a followed path is visible.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein navigation layers are accessible through selection of a corresponding stacked graphical navigation icon block.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein navigation layers represented as stacked graphical navigation icon blocks in the visible stack are hierarchically related.

4. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein navigation layers represented as stacked graphical navigation icon blocks in the visible stack are hierarchically independent.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein graphical navigation icon blocks in each layer are displayed as content rows.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein graphical navigation icon blocks in each layer are displayed as content columns.

7. A method, comprising:

displaying an initial navigation layer of graphical navigation icon blocks in a fixed focus area on a screen;

displaying a first subsequent navigation layer after a navigation icon from the initial layer has been selected; and

displaying the initial navigation layer as a stack in said first subsequent navigation layer while said first subsequent navigation layer is displayed.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7, further including displaying a second subsequent navigation layer after a navigation icon from the first subsequent navigation layer has been selected and displaying the initial navigation layer and the first subsequent navigation layer as a stack in said second subsequent navigation layer while said second subsequent navigation layer is displayed.

9. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein navigation layers are accessible through selection of a corresponding stacked graphical navigation icon block.

10. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein navigation layers represented as stacked graphical navigation icon blocks in the visible stack are hierarchically related.

11. A method in accordance with claim 8, wherein navigation layers represented as stacked graphical navigation icon blocks in the visible stack are hierarchically independent.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a display device;

an input device; and

a processor configured to cause the display device to

display an initial navigation layer in a fixed focus area on a screen, the initial navigation layer including a plurality of graphical navigation icon blocks; and

display a stacked graphical navigation icon block representative of the initial layer and graphical navigation icon blocks representative of subsequent navigation layers as a visible stack in a fixed focus area on the screen after a graphical navigation icon block from the initial layer has been selected such that a followed path is visible.

13. An apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein navigation layers are accessible through selection of a corresponding stacked graphical navigation icon block.

14. An apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein navigation layers represented as stacked graphical navigation icon blocks in the visible stack are hierarchically related.

15. An apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein navigation layers represented as stacked graphical navigation icon blocks in the visible stack are hierarchically independent.

16. An apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein graphical navigation icon blocks in each layer are displayed as content rows.

17. An apparatus in accordance with claim 12, wherein graphical navigation icon blocks in each layer are displayed as content columns.

18. An apparatus in accordance with claim 12, further comprising an Internet Protocol television engine, wherein the navigations layers implement television-related control icons.

19. A program product stored on one or more computer readable devices, the program product including:

code executable to cause a display device to display an initial navigation layer in a fixed focus area on a screen, the initial navigation layer including a plurality of graphical navigation icon blocks; and

code executable to cause a display device to display a stacked graphical navigation icon block representative of the initial layer and graphical navigation icon blocks representative of subsequent navigation layers as a visible stack in a fixed focus area on the screen after a graphical navigation icon block from the initial layer has been selected such that a followed path is visible.

20. The program product of claim 19, wherein navigation layers are accessible through selection of a corresponding stacked graphical navigation icon block.

21. The program product in accordance with claim 20, wherein navigation layers represented as stacked graphical navigation icon blocks in the visible stack are hierarchically related.

22. The program product in accordance with claim 20, wherein navigation layers represented as stacked graphical navigation icon blocks in the visible stack are hierarchically independent.

23. The program product in accordance with claim 19, wherein graphical navigation icon blocks in each layer are displayed as content rows.

24. The program product in accordance with claim 19, wherein graphical navigation icon blocks in each layer are displayed as content columns.