User interface for switching between application modes

• US 6,266,059 B1
• Filed: 08/27/1997
• Issued: 07/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Matthews, Joseph H. III, Barnes, David A., Plummer, David Wm.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Ba
• Application Number:
  US08/917,826
• Time in Patent Office: 1,427 Days
• Field of Search: 345/327, 345/328, 345/348, 345/349, 345/352, 345/353, 345/354, 345/158, 345/163, 345/167, 345/168, 345/173, 345/179, 345/180, 348/906, 725/27, 725/38, 725/39, 725/40, 725/57, 725/60, 725/61
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A system, method, and medium for switching between application modes is disclosed. The computer system for operating in one of two display modes of operation comprises a storage storing at least one application which is operable in a first display mode and second display mode, wherein a displayed menu of the application in the first display mode includes first menu options operable from a keyboard and a displayed menu of the application in the second display mode includes second menu options operable from a remote control device; a display device for displaying said menu options; a receiving device for receiving input from a user comprising a request for a menu; a processor for alerting the application in which display mode the processor is currently operating, for retrieving menu options appropriate for at least one of the first and second display modes, and for controlling the display device to display the first display menu options or the second menu options in accordance with the current display mode.

Claims

1. A computer system for operating in one of two display modes of operation comprising:

a storage storing at least one application which is operable in a first display mode and second display mode, wherein a displayed menu of said application in said first display mode includes first menu options with associated functions operable from a keyboard and a displayed menu of said application in said second display mode includes second menu options with said associated functions operable from a remote control device, said second menu options different from said first menu options as dependent on said computer system operating in one of said two display modes;

a display device for displaying said menu options;

a receiving device for receiving input from a user comprising a request for a menu;

a processor for alerting said application in which display mode said processor is currently operating, for retrieving menu options appropriate for at least one of said first and second display modes, and for controlling said display to display said display first menu options or said second menu options in accordance with the current display mode,

wherein the menu options displayed when said processor in said first mode is different from the menu options displayed when said processor is operation in said second mode.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said first display mode is a conventional PC mode and said second mode is a theater mode.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said receiving device determines from what user input device said user input is received and switches the display mode based on origin of said user input.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the use of a keyboard or mouse switches the system to operate in said first display mode and wherein the use of a remote control device switches the system to operating in said second display mode.

5. A method for operating a computer system in one of two display modes comprising the steps of:

executing at least one application having a first display mode operable from a keyboard and second display mode operable from a remote control device;

receiving input from a user comprising a request for a menu from said at least one application;

alerting said application of said computer system operating in said first display mode or said second display mode;

retrieving from said application a menu in response to said user input; and

,

displaying said menu, wherein, when in said first display mode, said menu includes first menu options having associated functions and, when in said second display mode, said menu includes second menu options having said associated functions, said second menu options being different from said first menu options.

6. The method system according to claim 5, wherein said first display mode is a conventional PC mode and said second display mode is a theater mode.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

determining from what user input device said user input is received; and

,

switching the display mode based on origin of said user input.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the use of a keyboard or mouse switches the system to operate in said first display mode and wherein the use of a remote control device switches the system to operating in said second display mode.

9. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

executing at least one application which is operable in a first display mode and second display mode;

receiving input from a user from a keyboard or a remote control device comprising a request for a menu from said at least one application;

alerting said application of a computer system operating in said first display mode or said display second mode;

retrieving from said application a menu; and

,

displaying said menu, wherein, when in said first display mode associated with said keyboard, said menu includes first menu options having associated functions and, when in said second display mode associated with said remote control device, said menu includes second menu options having said associated functions, said second menu options being different from said first menu options.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 having further computer-executable instructions wherein said first display mode is a conventional PC mode and said second display mode is a theater mode.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 having further computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of:

determining from what user input device said user input is received; and

,

switching the display mode based on origin of said user input.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 having further computer-executable instructions wherein the use of a keyboard or mouse switches the system to operate in said first display mode and wherein the use of a remote control device switches the system to operating in said second display mode.

13. A computer system for operating in one of two display modes of operation comprising:

a storage storing at least one application which is operable in a first display mode associated with a conventional PC mode and second display mode associated with a theater mode, wherein a displayed menu of said application in said first display mode includes first menu options having associated functions operable from a first control unit and a displayed menu of said application in said second display mode includes second menu options having said associated functions operable from a second control unit, said second menu options being different from said first menu options;

a display device for displaying said menu options;

a receiving device for receiving input from a user comprising a request for a menu;

a processor for alerting said application in which display mode said processor is currently operating, for retrieving menu options appropriate for at least one of said first and second display modes, and for controlling said display to display said display first menu options or said second menu options in accordance with the current display mode of said computer system and whether said input is from said first control unit or said second control unit.