Method and apparatus for selectively displaying additional information relating to broadcast information

• US 6,400,379 B1
• Filed: 11/25/1997
• Issued: 06/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Digital Technologies, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Carlberg, Marvin, Johnson, Steve, Bader, Tracy, Tompkins, Bill
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US08/978,027
• Time in Patent Office: 1,652 Days
• Field of Search: 345/343, 345/344, 345/345, 345/348, 345/340, 345/346, 345/342, 345/327, 345/328, 345/356, 345/357, 345/850-851, 345/790, 345/792, 345/794, 345/798, 345/808, 345/712, 345/721, 345/720, 345/739
• US Class Current: 715/721
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• 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 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen

Abstract

An apparatus for displaying a primary display and a window containing additional information is provided. The apparatus contains a display device, a displaying mechanism, and an exposing mechanism. The display device has a screen, and the displaying mechanism displays the primary display on the screen. The exposing mechanism generates and displays the window containing the additional information on the screen such that the window is located underneath the primary display while the primary display is displayed on the screen and is exposed by removing the primary display from on top of the window. A method which is performed by the apparatus is also provided.

Claims

1. An apparatus for displaying a primary display and a window containing additional information, comprising:

a display device having a screen;

displaying means for displaying said primary display on said screen; and

exposing means for generating and displaying said window containing said additional information on said screen such that said window is located underneath said primary display while said primary display is displayed on said screen and is exposed by removing said primary display from on top of said window,

wherein said exposing means exposes said window by sliding said primary display at least partially off of said screen,

wherein said exposing means slides said primary display in a particular direction such that said primary display exits a particular side of screen, and

wherein a first portion of said window located furthest away from said particular side of said screen is exposed before a second portion of said window located closer to said particular side of said screen is exposed,

wherein said primary display is a broadcast program, and

wherein said additional information contained in said window relates to said broadcast program.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said exposing means causes said primary display to slide off of said window in response to a first command input from a user via an input device.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein said exposing means ceases displaying said window in response to a second command input from said user via said input device.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said exposing means slides said primary display back on top of said window when said second command is input after said window is displayed.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said exposing means immediately and entirely redisplays said primary display when said second command is input after said window is displayed.

2. An apparatus for displaying a primary display and a window containing additional information, comprising:

a display device having a screen;

displaying means for displaying said primary display on said screen; and

exposing means for generating and displaying said window containing said additional information on said screen such that said window is located underneath said primary display while said primary display is displayed on said screen and is exposed by removing said primary display from on top of said window,

wherein said exposing means exposes said window by sliding said primary display at least partially off of said screen,

wherein said exposing means slides said primary display in a particular direction such that said primary display exits a particular side of screen, and

wherein a first portion of said window located furthest away from said particular side of said screen is exposed before a second portion of said window located closer to said particular side of said screen is exposed,

wherein said primary display is a computer-generated graphic display,

wherein said computer-generated graphic display contains information relating to a broadcast program, and

wherein said additional information contained in said window relates to said broadcast program.

7. An apparatus for displaying a primary display and a window containing additional information, comprising:

a display device having a screen;

displaying means for displaying said primary display on said screen; and

exposing means for generating and displaying said window containing said additional information on said screen such that said window is located underneath said primary display while said primary display is displayed on said screen and is exposed by removing said primary display from on top of said window,

wherein said primary display is one of a broadcast program and a computer-generated graphic display containing information relating to said broadcast program,

wherein said additional information contained in said window relates to said broadcast program, and

wherein said exposing means exposes said window by rolling up at least a portion of said primary display.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said exposing means rolls up said primary display in a particular direction towards a particular side of screen, and

wherein a first portion of said window located furthest away from said particular side of said screen is exposed before a second portion of said window located closer to said particular side of said screen is exposed.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said exposing means rolls up said primary display in said particular direction such that at least a portion of said primary display located furthest away from said particular side of said screen is no longer displayed.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said primary display is said broadcast program.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said primary display is said computer-generated graphic display.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said exposing means causes said primary display to roll up off of said window in response to a first command input from a user via an input device.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said exposing means ceases displaying said window in response to a second command input from said user via said input device.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said exposing means unrolls said primary display over said window when said second command is input after said window is displayed.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said exposing means immediately and entirely redisplays said primary display when said second command is input after said window is displayed.

16. An apparatus for displaying a primary display and a window containing additional information, comprising:

a display device having a screen;

displaying means for displaying said primary display on said screen; and

exposing means for generating and displaying said window containing said additional information on said screen such that said window is located underneath said primary display while said primary display is displayed on said screen and is exposed by removing said primary display from on top of said window,

wherein said primary display is one of a broadcast program and a computer-generated graphic display containing information relating to said broadcast program,

wherein said additional information contained in said window relates to said broadcast program, and

wherein said exposing means exposes said window by disintegrating at least a portion of said primary display in a piecewise fashion.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said primary display is said broadcast program.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said primary display is said computer-generated graphic display.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein said exposing means causes said primary display to disintegrate off of said window in response to a first command input from a user via an input device.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein said exposing means ceases displaying said window in response to a second command input from said user via said input device.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein said exposing means reforms said primary display over said window in a piecewise fashion when said second command is input after said window is displayed.

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein said exposing means immediately and entirely redisplays said primary display when said second command is input after said window is displayed.

23. An apparatus for displaying a primary display and a window containing additional information, comprising:

a display device having a screen;

displaying means for displaying said primary display on said screen; and

exposing means for generating and displaying said window containing said additional information,

wherein said exposing means slides said primary display in a particular direction off said screen such that at least a portion of said primary display exits a particular side of said screen and such that at least a remaining portion of said screen is unoccupied by said primary display,

wherein said exposing means slides said window onto said screen such that said window occupies at least some of said remaining portion of said screen,

wherein said primary display comprises at least one of broadcast program and a computer-generated graphic display containing information relating to said broadcast program, and

wherein said additional information contained in said window relates to said broadcast program.

24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 23, wherein said exposing means slides said primary display off said screen in said particular direction and slides said window onto said screen in said particular direction.

25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein said exposing means slides said window onto said screen simultaneously when said primary display is slid off said screen, and

wherein a side of said window which is closest to said particular side of said screen is disposed against a side of said primary display which is furthest from said particular side of said screen so as to give an appearance that said window pushes said primary display off said screen in said particular direction.

26. The apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein said primary display is said broadcast program.

27. The apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein said primary display is said computer-generated graphic display.

28. The apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein said exposing means causes said primary display to slide off said screen and causes said window to slide onto said screen in response to a first command input from a user via an input device.

29. The apparatus as claimed in claim 28, wherein said exposing means ceases displaying said window in response to a second command input from said user via said input device.

30. The apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein said exposing means slides said window off of said screen in a second direction which is opposite to said particular direction and slides said primary display onto said window in said second direction when said second command is input after said window is displayed.

31. The apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein said exposing means immediately and entirely redisplays said primary display when said second command is input after said window is displayed.

32. A method for displaying a primary display and a window containing additional information, comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying said primary display on a screen of a display;

(b) generating said window containing said additional information; and

(c) displaying said window on said screen such that said window is located underneath said primary display while said primary display is displayed on said screen and is exposed by removing said primary display from on top of said window,

wherein said step (c) comprises the step of;

(c1) exposing said window by sliding said primary display at least partially off of said screen,

wherein said step (c1) comprises the step of;

(c1a) sliding said primary display in a particular direction such that said primary display exits a particular side of said screen,

wherein a first portion of said window located furthest away from said particular side of said screen is exposed before a second portion of said window located closer to said particular side of said screen is exposed,

wherein said primary display is a broadcast program, and

wherein said additional information contained in said window relates to said broadcast program.

34. The method as claimed in claim 32, wherein said step (c1a) comprises the steps of:

(c1a1) inputting a first command from a user via an input device; and

(c1a2) causing said primary display to slide off of said window in response to said first command.

35. The method as claimed in claim 34, further comprising the step of:

(d) ceasing to display said window in response to a second command input from said user via said input device.

36. The method as claimed in claim 35, wherein said step (d) comprises the step of:

(d1) sliding said primary display on top of said window when said second command is input after said window is displayed.

37. The method as claimed in claim 35, wherein said step (d) comprises the step of:

(d1) immediately and entirely redisplaying said primary display when said second command is input while said window is displayed.

33. A method for displaying a primary display and a window containing additional information, comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying said primary display on a screen of a display;

(b) generating said window containing said additional information; and

(c) displaying said window on said screen such that said window is located underneath said primary display while said primary display is displayed on said screen and is exposed by removing said primary display from on top of said window,

wherein said step (c) comprises the step of;

(c1) exposing said window by sliding said primary display at least partially off of said screen,

wherein said step (c1) comprises the step of;

(c1a) sliding said primary display in a particular direction such that said primary display exits a particular side of said screen,

wherein a first portion of said window located furthest away from said particular side of said screen is exposed before a second portion of said window located closer to said particular side of said screen is exposed,

wherein said primary display is a computer-generated graphic display,

wherein said computer-generated graphic display contains information relating to a broadcast program, and

wherein said additional information contained in said window relates to said broadcast program.

38. A method for displaying a primary display and a window containing additional information, comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying said primary display on a screen of a display;

(b) generating said window containing said additional information; and

(c) displaying said window on said screen such that said window is located underneath said primary display while said primary display is displayed on said screen and is exposed by removing said primary display from on top of said window,

wherein said primary display is one of a broadcast program and a computer-generated graphic display containing information relating to said broadcast program,

wherein said additional information contained in said window relates to said broadcast program, and

wherein said step (c) comprises the step of;

(c1) exposing said window by rolling up at least a portion of said primary display.

39. The method as claimed in claim 38, wherein said step (c1) comprises the step of:

(c1a) rolling up said primary display in a particular direction towards a particular side of screen,

wherein a first portion of said window located furthest away from said particular side of said screen is exposed before a second portion of said window located closer to said particular side of said screen is exposed.

40. The method as claimed in claim 39, wherein said step (c1a) comprises the step of:

(c1a1) rolling up said primary display in said particular direction such that at least a portion of said primary display located furthest away from said particular side of said screen is no longer displayed.

41. The method as claimed in claim 38, wherein said primary display is said broadcast program.

42. The method as claimed in claim 38, wherein said primary display is said computer-generated graphic display.

43. The method as claimed in claim 38, wherein said step (c1) comprises the steps of:

(c1a) inputting a first command from a user via an input device; and

(c1b) causing said primary display to roll up off of said window in response to said first command.

44. The method as claimed in claim 43, further comprising the step of:

(d) ceasing to display said window in response to a second command input from said user via said input device.

45. The method as claimed in claim 44, wherein said step (d) comprises the step of:

(d1) unrolling said primary display back on top of said window when said second command is input after said window is displayed.

46. The method as claimed in claim 44, wherein said step (d) comprises the step of:

(d1) immediately and entirely redisplaying said primary display when said second command is input after said window is displayed.

47. A method for displaying a primary display and a window containing additional information, comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying said primary display on a screen of a display;

(b) generating said window containing said additional information; and

(c) displaying said window on said screen such that said window is located underneath said primary display while said primary display is displayed on said screen and is exposed by removing said primary display from on top of said window,

wherein said primary display is one of a broadcast program and a computer-generated graphic display containing information relating to said broadcast program,

wherein said additional information contained in said window relates to said broadcast program, and

wherein said step (c) comprises the step of;

(c1) exposing said window by disintegrating at least a portion of said primary display in a piecewise fashion.

48. The method as claimed in claim 47, wherein said primary display is said broadcast program.

49. The method as claimed in claim 47, wherein said primary display is said computer-generated graphic display.

50. The method as claimed in claim 47, wherein said step (c1) comprises the steps of:

(c1a) inputting a first command from a user via an input device; and

(c1b) causing said primary display to disintegrate off of said window in response to said first command.

51. The method as claimed in claim 50, further comprising the step of:

(d) ceasing to display said window in response to a second command input from said user via said input device.

52. The method as claimed in claim 51, wherein said step (d) comprises the step of:

(d1) reforming said primary display over said window in a piecewise fashion when said second command is input after said window is displayed.

53. The method as claimed in claim 51, wherein said step (d) comprises the step of:

(d1) immediately and entirely redisplaying said primary display when said second command is input after said window is displayed.

54. A method for displaying a primary display and a window containing additional information, comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying said primary display on a screen of a display;

(b) generating said window containing said additional information;

(c) sliding said primary display in a particular direction off said screen such that at least a portion of said primary display exits a particular side of said screen and such that at least a remaining portion of said screen is unoccupied by said primary display; and

(d) sliding said window onto said screen such that said window occupies at least some of said remaining portion of said screen;

wherein said primary display comprises at least one of broadcast program and a computer-generated graphic display containing information relating to said broadcast program, and

wherein said additional information contained in said window relates to said broadcast program.

55. The method as claimed in claim 54, wherein said step (d) comprises the step of:

(d1) sliding said window onto said screen in said particular direction.

56. The method as claimed in claim 55, wherein said step (d1) comprises the step of:

(d1a) sliding said window onto said screen simultaneously when said primary display is slid off said screen,

wherein a side of said window which is closest to said particular side of said screen is disposed against a side of said primary display which is furthest from said particular side of said screen so as to give an appearance that said window pushes said primary display off said screen in said particular direction.

57. The method as claimed in claim 55, wherein said primary display is a broadcast program.

58. The method as claimed in claim 57, wherein said additional information contained in said window relates to said broadcast program.

59. The method as claimed in claim 55, wherein said primary display is a computer-generated graphic display.

60. The method as claimed in claim 59, wherein said computer-generated graphic display contains information relating to a broadcast program, and

wherein said additional information contained in said window relates to said broadcast program.

61. The method as claimed in claim 56, wherein said step (c) comprises the steps of:

(c1) inputting a first command from a user via an input device; and

(c1) causing said primary display to slide off of said window in response to said first command.

62. The method as claimed in claim 61, further comprising the step of:

(e) ceasing to display said window in response to a second command input from said user via said input device.

63. The method as claimed in claim 62, wherein said step (e) comprises the step of:

(e1) sliding said window off of said screen in a second direction which is opposite to said particular direction and sliding said primary display onto said window in said second direction when said second command is input after said window is displayed.

64. The method as claimed in claim 62, wherein said step (e) comprises the step of:

(e1) immediately and entirely redisplaying said primary display when said second command is input after said window is displayed.

65. An apparatus for displaying information relating to a selected broadcast program, comprising:

a display device having a screen; and

a controller that controls the display of a primary display on said screen, wherein said primary display is one of said selected broadcast program and a graphic display containing information about said selected broadcast program,

wherein a secondary display containing additional information relating to said selected broadcast program is located underneath said primary display,

wherein, in response to a user input from a user, said controller automatically exposes said secondary display on said screen by removing said primary display at least partially off of said secondary display so that said additional information can be viewed by said user,

wherein said selected broadcast program is selected by said user, and

wherein said controller automatically exposes said secondary display in response to and after said user input is input by at least one of the following operations;

(1) sliding said primary display off of said secondary display,

(2) rolling said primary display off of said secondary display, and

(3) disintegrating said primary display off of said secondary display.

66. The apparatus as claimed in claim 65, wherein said primary display is said selected broadcast program.

67. The apparatus as claimed in claim 65, wherein said primary display is said graphic display.

68. The apparatus as claimed in claim 67, wherein said graphic display comprises schedule information relating to scheduled broadcasts of a plurality of broadcast programs, and

wherein said selected broadcast program is one of said plurality of broadcast programs.

69. The apparatus as claimed in claim 68, wherein said user can input at least one selection input to select said schedule information relating to said selected broadcast program, and

wherein, after selecting said schedule information relating to said selected broadcast program, said user can input said user input to instruct said controller to display said secondary display.

70. The apparatus as claimed in claim 65, wherein said controller exposes said secondary display by sliding said primary display off of said secondary display.

71. The apparatus as claimed in claim 70, wherein, in response to and after said user input is input, said controller automatically and completely exposes said secondary display.

72. The apparatus as claimed in claim 70, wherein said primary display is at least partially slid off of said screen.

73. The apparatus as claimed in claim 65, wherein said controller exposes said secondary display by rolling said primary display off of said secondary display.

74. The apparatus as claimed in claim 73, wherein, in response to and after said user input is input, said controller automatically and completely exposes said secondary display.

75. The apparatus as claimed in claim 65, wherein said controller exposes said secondary display by disintegrating said primary display off of said secondary display.

76. The apparatus as claimed in claim 75, wherein, in response to and after said user input is input, said controller automatically and completely exposes said secondary display.

81. The apparatus as claimed in claim 65, wherein said user input is generated when said user presses a certain button on a control device.

77. An apparatus for displaying information relating to a selected broadcast program, comprising:

a display device having a screen; and

a controller that controls the display of a primary display on said screen, wherein said primary display is one of said selected broadcast program and a graphic display containing information about said selected broadcast program,

wherein, in response to a user input from a user, said controller controls the display of a secondary display on said screen,

wherein said secondary display contains additional information relating to said selected broadcast program,

wherein, in response to said user input, said controller automatically slides said primary display across said screen in a particular direction and simultaneously slides said secondary display onto said screen in said particular direction so as to give an appearance that said secondary display pushes said primary display.

78. The apparatus as claimed in claim 77, wherein said secondary display pushes said primary display at least partially off of said screen.

79. The apparatus as claimed in claim 78, wherein said primary display is said selected broadcast program.

80. The apparatus as claimed in claim 78, wherein said primary display is said graphic display.

82. The apparatus as claimed in claim 77, wherein said user input is generated when said user presses a certain button on a control device.