User friendly remote system interface with menu sizing

• US 6,469,721 B2
• Filed: 10/22/1999
• Issued: 10/22/2002
• 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:
  US09/422,653
• Publication Number:
  US 20020080154A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 345/784, 345/785, 345/786, 345/810, 345/829, 345/830, 345/833
• US Class Current: 715/830
• 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: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234381 by altering the temporal resolution, e.g. decreasing the frame rate by frame skipping
• 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 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• 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 21/8113 comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format

Abstract

A system, method, and medium for enhancing a GUI and viewing environment for a computer user is disclosed. Enabling a user to fully navigate and operate a computer through the use of a remote control device, the present invention includes at least a PC mode of operation and a theater mode of operation, wherein the theater mode is designed for distance use with the remote device. While operating in theater mode, received function key signals are interpreted by the computer system to operate various functions which have been modified to accommodate remote viewing and control. To enable the remote device to fully control the applications executable on the computer, the disclosed process notifies the various applications of the current operating mode.

Claims

1. A system for scrolling through a list of menu options displayed on a display comprising:

a display for displaying a list of menu options in response to at least one of a start button and a menu button where one of said menu options is a current selection at a current location;

a receiver for receiving a user command to alter the current selection with respect to the list of menu options;

a processor for controlling said list of menu options to scroll through said current location of said current selection as currently displayed on said display and for controlling the display to display the list of menu options with the new current selection as scrolled by said processor, wherein the list of menu options is displayed in a number of cells and the current location of the current selection is movable in the direction towards a nearest display border perpendicular to the scrolling direction only if the current location of the current selection is greater than one cell removed from said nearest display border.

2. The system of claim 1, herein said processor moves said current location of said current selection in the direction of an end of said list of menu options and toward a display border and prevents movement of said current location of the current selection in the direction of the end of said list of menu options and toward a display bore if the current location of the current selection is one cell removed from said display border.

3. A method for scrolling trough a list of menu options displayed on a display comprising the steps of:

displaying on a display a list of menu options in response to receiving at least one of a start button and a menu button;

designating one of said menu options as a current selection at a current location;

controlling said list of menu options to scroll through the current location of said current selection as currently displayed in a scrolling direction;

controlling the display to display the list of menu options with the new current selection as scrolled by said processor,

wherein the list of menu options is displayed in a number of cells and the current location of the current selection is movable in the direction towards a nearest display border perpendicular to the scrolling direction only if the current location of the current selection is greater than one cell removed from said nearest display border.

4. The method of claim 3, comprising the further step of:

moving said current location of the current selection in the direction of an end of said list of menu options and toward a display border;

preventing movement of said current location of the current selection in the direction of an end of said list of menu options and toward a display border if the current location of the current selection is one cell removed from said display border;

moving said list of menu options through said current location of the current selection.

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

displaying on a display a list of menu options in response to receiving at least one of a start button and a menu button;

designating one of said menu options as a current selection at a current location;

controlling said list of menu options to scroll through the current location of said current selection as currently displayed in a scrolling direction;

controlling the display to display the list of menu options with the new current selection as scrolled by said processor,

wherein the list of menu options is displayed in a number of cells and the current location of the current selection is movable in the direction towards a nearest display border perpendicular to the scrolling direction only if the current location of the current selection is greater than one cell removed from said nearest display border.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 5 having further computer-executable instructions for performing the step of:

moving said current location of the current selection in the direction of an end of said list of menu options and toward a display border;

preventing movement of said current location of the current selection in the direction of the end of said list of menu options and toward a display border if the current location of the current selection is one cell removed from said display border;

moving said list of menu options through said current location of the current selection.