Music channel graphical user interface

• US 6,230,322 B1
• Filed: 11/05/1997
• Issued: 05/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Legrand, Lubric, Saib, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Application Number:
  US08/964,845
• Time in Patent Office: 1,280 Days
• Field of Search: 455/155.1, 455/156.1, 455/157.2, 455/158.2, 455/158.4, 455/158.5, 348/906, 348/563, 348/569, 348/729, 348/738, 345/978, 345/328, 345/327
• US Class Current: 725/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• 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 21/4852 for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/60 for the sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/40 Visual indication of stereophonic sound image

Abstract

The present invention relates to an entertainment system and method for selectively adjusting an audio parameter of a currently broadcast audio program. The system comprises a display monitor, having a screen menu including an information area on a first portion of the display. The information area displays a plurality of textual information regarding a currently broadcast audio program. The screen menu also includes a parameter area on a second portion of the display, which displays a status of a parameter corresponding to the currently broadcast audio program. An adjustment mechanism adjusts the status of the parameter, so that the parameter area is updated to display the corresponding adjusted status of the parameter. A broadcast receiver coupled to the display monitor includes a front-end unit capable of receiving and broadcasting programming data associated with an audio program and corresponding video information for viewing on the display monitor.

Claims

1. An entertainment system, comprising:

a broadcast receiver capable of receiving at least one video and audio program and at least one audio only program, the broadcast receiver generating a mixed video output corresponding to a video signal superimposing on one of the at least one video and audio program and at least one audio only program; and

a display monitor coupled to the broadcast receiver, having a screen display associated with the mixed video signal, comprising;

when receiving an audio only program,

an information area on a first portion of the display, said information area displaying textual information regarding a currently broadcast audio program from the audio only program, and

a parameter area on a second portion of the display, said parameter area displaying a status of a parameter corresponding to said currently broadcast audio program, and

an adjustment mechanism for adjusting said status of said parameter, said parameter area being updated by the adjustment mechanism to display the corresponding adjusted status of said parameter.

when receiving a video and audio program,

a display area on a least part of the display displaying the video.

2. The entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the display monitor includes a television receiver.

3. The entertainment system of claim 1, wherein the broadcast receiver includes an integrated receiver decoder.

4. The entertainment system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of memory elements, and

a central processing unit coupled to the plurality of memory elements, the central processing unit executing software to assist the broadcast receiver in loading programming data associated with the at least one video and audio program and at least one audio only program into one of the plurality of memory elements along with information indicating whether the status of the parameter is to be adjusted.

5. The entertainment system of claim 4, wherein the central processing unit of the broadcast receiver executes software to provide said screen display.

6. The entertainment system of claim 1, wherein said parameter is an audio parameter selected from a group consisting of:

volume, balance, treble, bass and fade.

7. The entertainment system of claim 1, wherein said parameter area further displays a status of a second parameter corresponding to said currently broadcast audio program.

8. The entertainment system of claim 1, wherein said screen display further comprises a spectral analysis area that displays a spectral analysis of said currently broadcast audio program.

9. The entertainment system of claim 1, wherein said information area further displays graphical information related to the currently broadcast audio program.

10. The entertainment system of claim 1, wherein said parameter area further displays an adjustment range for adjusting said status of said parameter.

11. A method for selectively adjusting a parameter of a currently broadcast audio program, comprising:

receiving the currently broadcast audio program from a broadcast receiver, the broadcast receiver being capable of receiving at least one video and audio program and at least one audio only program;

generating a mixed video output corresponding to a video signal superimposing on one of the at least one video and audio program and at least one audio only program;

displaying, in a information area on a first portion of a screen display of a display monitor, textual information regarding the currently broadcast audio program from the currently broadcast audio only program, the screen display being associated with the mixed video output;

displaying, in a parameter area on a second portion of the display, a status of the parameter corresponding to said currently broadcast audio only program;

adjusting said status of said parameter; and

updating said parameter area to display the corresponding adjusted status of said parameter.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving comprises receiving a digital bit stream including programming data and sensory data corresponding to the at least one video and audio program and at least one audio only program.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

executing software by a central processing unit to assist the broadcast receiver in loading programming data associated with the at least one video and audio program and at least one audio only program into a memory element along with information indicating whether the status of the parameter is to be adjusted.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising executing software by the central processing unit, implemented within the entertainment system, to produce said screen display.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said parameter is an audio parameter selected from a group consisting of:

volume, balance, treble, bass and fade.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying status of a second parameter corresponding to said currently broadcast audio program.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying, in a spectral analysis area, a spectral analysis of said currently broadcast audio program.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying, in said information area, graphical information related to the currently broadcast audio program.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

displaying, in said parameter area, an adjustment range for adjusting said status of said parameter.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving at least programming data associated with the the at least one video and audio program and at least one audio only program.