Multimedia center including widgets

• US 20080034309A1
• Filed: 08/01/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Forstall, Scott, Chaudhri, Imran A., Louch, John O., Madden, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US11/497,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20080034309A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/766
• 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

Abstract

Systems, methods, computer-readable mediums, user interfaces and other implementations are disclosed for organizing, managing and presenting widgets and dashboards in a multimedia center application.

Claims

1. A method of displaying widgets, comprising:

providing a user interface for a multimedia center application; and

displaying a widget in the user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

scaling the widget to a predetermined size prior to displaying the widget in the user interface.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying content in the user interface; and

displaying the widget over the content.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

pausing the content when displaying the widget over the content.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising

obfuscating the content when displaying the widget over the content.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information associated with content displayed in the user interface; and

selecting the widget for display based on the information.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a widget manager for display in the user interface; and

displaying a widget in the user interface in response to user interaction with the widget manager.

8. A method of displaying widgets, comprising:

providing a user interface for presentation on a display device;

receiving a request from a remote control device to display a widget in the user interface; and

displaying the widget in the user interface in response to the request.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

scaling the widget to a predetermined size prior to displaying the widget in the user interface.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

displaying content in the user interface; and

displaying the widget over the content.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

pausing the content when displaying the widget over the content.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising

obfuscating the content when displaying the widget over the content.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving information associated with content displayed in the user interface; and

selecting the widget for display based on the information.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

mapping functions associated with the widget to one or more controls on the remote control device.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

displaying information associated with the mapping in the user interface.

16. A method of displaying widgets, comprising:

providing a user interface for a multimedia center application; and

displaying a widget in the user interface for displaying one or more participants engaged in real-time communication.

17. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the operations of:

providing a user interface for a multimedia center application; and

displaying a widget in the user interface.

18. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the operations of:

providing a user interface for presentation on a display device;

receiving a request from a remote control device to display a widget in the user interface; and

displaying the widget in the user interface in response to the request.

19. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the operations of:

providing a user interface for a multimedia center application; and

displaying a widget in the user interface for displaying one or more participants engaged in real-time communication.

20. A system for displaying widgets, comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the operations of;

providing a user interface for a multimedia center application; and

displaying a widget in the user interface.

21. A method, comprising:

providing a user interface for presentation on a display device; and

responsive to input from a remote control device, providing a set of user interface elements for presentation in the user interface, where at least some of the user interface elements are configured for providing access to multimedia applications, and at least one user interface element is configured for providing access to an application that performs a fixed task.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving input requesting access to the fixed application;

receiving output from the fixed application in response to the input;

scaling the output to a predetermined size; and

displaying the output in the user interface.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

displaying content in the user interface; and

displaying the output over the content.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

pausing the content when displaying the output over the content.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising

hiding the content when displaying the output over the content.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving information associated with content displayed in the user interface; and

selecting the output for display based on the information.

27. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

providing a manager application for display in the user interface; and

displaying the output in the user interface in response to user interaction with the manager application.

28. A method, comprising:

providing a user interface for presentation on a display device;

receiving a request from a remote control device to display a fixed application in the user interface, where the user interface includes user interface elements for accessing multimedia applications; and

displaying output from the fixed application in the user interface in response to the request.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

scaling the output to a predetermined size prior to displaying the output in the user interface.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

displaying content in the user interface; and

displaying the output over the content.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

pausing the content when displaying the output over the content.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising

obfuscating the content when displaying the output over the content.

33. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

receiving information associated with content displayed in the user interface; and

selecting the output for display based on the information.

34. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

mapping functions associated with the output to one or more controls on the remote control device.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

displaying information associated with the mapping in the user interface.

36. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the operations of:

providing a user interface for presentation on a display device; and

responsive to input from a remote control device, providing a set of user interface elements for presentation in the user interface, where at least some of the user interface elements are configured for providing access to multimedia applications, and at least one user interface element is configured for providing access to an application that performs a fixed task.

37. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the operations of:

providing a user interface for presentation on a display device;

receiving a request from a remote control device to display a fixed application in the user interface, where the user interface includes user interface elements for accessing multimedia applications; and

displaying output from the fixed application in the user interface in response to the request.

38. A system for displaying widgets, comprising:

means for providing a user interface for a multimedia center application; and

means for displaying a widget and one or more multimedia applications in the user interface.

39. A system, comprising:

means for providing a user interface for presentation on a display device; and

responsive to input from a remote control device, means for providing a set of user interface elements for presentation in the user interface, where at least some of the user interface elements are configured for providing access to multimedia applications, and at least one user interface element is configured for providing access to an application that performs a fixed task.

40. The system of claim 39, further comprising:

means for selecting the application that performs a fixed task from a plurality of applications that perform fixed tasks.