Graphical user interface for control of a home entertainment system

• US 6,359,636 B1
• Filed: 07/17/1995
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Moore, Robert, Schindler, Jeffrey, Zyzda, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUYNH, BA
• Application Number:
  US08/503,119
• Time in Patent Office: 2,437 Days
• Field of Search: 395/326, 395/327, 395/328, 395/329, 395/330, 395/331, 395/332, 395/340, 395/348, 395/349, 395/352, 395/353, 395/354, 395/358, 345/810, 345/835, 725/39, 725/42, 725/43, 725/44, 725/45, 725/46, 725/52, 725/56, 725/58, 725/60, 725/61
• US Class Current: 715/846
• 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: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42227 the keys being reprogrammable, e.g. soft keys
• 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 21/433 Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An entertainment system has a personal computer as the heart of the system with a large screen VGA quality monitor as the display of choice. The system has digital satellite broadcast reception, decompression and display capability with multiple radio frequency remote control devices which transmit self identifying signals and have power adjustment capabilities. These capabilities are used to provide context sensitive groups of keys which may be defined to affect only selected applications running in a windowing environment. In addition, the remote control devices combine television and VCR controls with standard personal computer keyboard controls. A keyboard remote also integrates a touchpad which is food contamination resistant and may also be used for user verification. Included in the system is the ability to recognize verbal communications in video signals and maintain a database of such text which is searchable to help identify desired programming in real time.

Claims

1. Apparatus for controlling the material displayed on a home entertainment system, comprising:

a cursor control device;

a display having a screen for viewing by users;

a processor for receiving cursor control information from the cursor control device and controlling the position of a cursor on the display;

at least one cell of video program information associated with a video program, displayed on said display by the processor;

a record icon displayed on the display by the processor;

a recording device coupled to the processor for recording the video program associated with the cell when the cell is dragged and dropped by the cursor control device onto the record icon; and

a remind icon displayed on the display by the processor and operable to cause the processor to provide a reminder when a cell is dragged and dropped onto the remind icon prior to the time at which the associated video programming is available for display.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising:

a buy icon displayed on the display by the processor and operable to cause the processor to obtain the material identified by a cell that is dragged and dropped onto the buy icon.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said material is a product offered for sale.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising:

at least one second type of cell containing links to computer application programs.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein a computer application program represented by a cell is executed by the processor when it is selected by the cursor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising a second cursor control device represented on the display by a second cursor, wherein the processor receives cursor control information from the second cursor control device and controls the position of the second cursor on the display.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising:

a view icon displayed on the display by the processor and operable to cause the processor to display a video program in full screen mode when a cell is dragged and dropped onto the view icon.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising:

a picture in picture icon displayed on the display by the processor and operable to cause the processor to display a video program in a window located in a predetermined portion of the display screen.

9. Apparatus for controlling the material displayed on a personal computer home entertainment system, comprising:

a plurality of remote control devices for providing command signals;

a personal computer further comprising;

a processor;

a main memory;

a bus connecting the processor to the main memory;

a display adapter coupled to the bus;

a display driven by the display adapter;

a circuit coupled to the bus for receiving signals from the plurality of remote control devices and decoding the signals to determine the commands, including cursor control signals, wherein the processor receives the cursor control information from the cursor control device and controls the position of a cursor on the display;

at least one cell of video program information associated with a video program, displayed on said display by the processor;

a record icon displayed on the display by the processor;

a recording device coupled to the processor for recording the video program associated with the cell when the cell is dragged and dropped by the cursor control device onto the record icon; and

a remind icon displayed on the display by the processor and operable to cause the processor to provide a reminder when a cell is dragged and dropped onto the remind icon to the time at which the associated video programming is available for display.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 and further comprising:

a buy icon displayed on the display by the processor and operable to cause the processor to obtain the material identified by a cell that is dragged and dropped onto the buy icon.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said material is a product offered for sale.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 and further comprising:

at least one second type of cell containing links to computer application programs.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein a computer application program represented by a cell is executed by the processor when it is selected by the cursor.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein there are multiple cursor control devices, and each cursor control device is represented on the display by a cursor which is identifiable with its corresponding cursor control device.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 and further comprising:

a view icon displayed on the display by the processor and operable to cause the processor to display a video program in full screen mode when a cell is dragged and dropped onto the view icon.

16. The apparatus of claim 9 and further comprising:

a picture in picture icon displayed on the display by the processor and operable to cause the processor to display a video program in a window located in a predetermined portion of the display screen.

17. An icon driven interface for controlling application and video programming on a home entertainment system comprising:

a first set of cells associated with video based programs and arranged in a time ordered manner on a display screen;

a second set of cells associated with computer application programs on a display screen;

a first set of icons on the display screen separate from the cells, and associated with functions to be performed related to the first set of cells;

a cursor controllable by a user of the home entertainment system;

a cursor control device for moving the cursor, and controlling the cursor to perform dragging and dropping of the cells on said icons to cause the system to perform the associated functions, and to select application programs from said second set of icons for execution on the system; and

a remind icon displayed on the display by the processor and operable to cause the processor to provide a reminder when a cell is dragged and dropped onto the remind icon prior to the time at which the associated video programming is available for display.