Information providing device and method

• US 7,607,150 B1
• Filed: 11/30/1999
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Nashida, Tatsushi, Kobayashi, Motoki, Hashimoto, Takeshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller; John W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chowdhury; Sumaiya A
• Application Number:
  US09/601,150
• Time in Patent Office: 3,612 Days
• Field of Search: 725 37- 61, 725/41, 725 43- 44, 725/38, 725/52, 348/578, 348/583, 348/206, 386 45- 46, 386/1, 386125-126, 715/716
• US Class Current: 725/41
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40117 Interconnection of audio or video/imaging devices home automation networks H04L12/2803; bitstream network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4221 Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• 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 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control

Abstract

The present invention relates to an information providing apparatus and an information providing apparatus. Information for indexes is obtained through a network, and information screens are classified by this information to create a menu screen. In this manner, the present invention can be applied to a set-top box for digital satellite broadcasting, and a desired program and the like can be selected easily and rapidly even in case where a large number of information screens such as programs and the like are provided from a plurality of sources.

Claims

1. An information providing apparatus comprising:

image generation means for generating a plurality of images which are sequential and arranged spirally, based on input image data, and for generating the plurality of images such that an image at a second time point is larger than an image at a first time point;

image display control means for controlling the display of the plurality of images generated;

wherein when the input image data is recorded in a recording medium that cannot be randomly accessed, the image display control means displays operation keys of a video tape recorder for a user to choose a program;

focus setting means for setting a focus on an image positioned at a focus area surrounded by a frame, among the plurality of images displayed,

wherein when the image set by the focus setting means is a head of the input image data, the image generation means generates a dummy image for a display area that is before the presently focused image; and

wherein a value of maximum number of images that are allowed to be arranged spirally is displayed with the plurality of images,

wherein the image set by the focus setting means is enlarged until the image becomes equal to or larger than a predetermined value which renders the image gradually transparent in view of said plurality of images displayed,

wherein the image set by the focus setting means is switched to a display of a child screen when the image becomes equal to or larger than said predetermined value,

wherein the plurality of images are arranged such that elapsed time is depicted and the plurality of images gradually fade toward the center of the spiral from the outer circumferential side such that background images are visible, and

wherein the focus area is maintained at a fixed position during the operation of the focus setting means; and

selection means for selecting the image set by the focus setting means;

wherein the plurality of images are index images which are respectively selected from scenes of one program, and the image display control means displays the program corresponding to the image selected by the selection means.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the first time point is a future time point with respect to the second time point, and

the image generation means makes the image display control means display the plurality of images such that the image at the first time point is situated in a more inner circumferential side of a spiral constructed by the plurality of images than the image at the second time point, among the plurality of images arranged spirally.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the image generation means makes the image display control means display the plurality of images such that the image at the first time point is displayed more faded than the image at the second time point, among the plurality of images arranged spirally.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the image generation means makes a frame having a predetermined size be displayed at a predetermined position on the image display control means, and moves the plurality of images spirally displayed, with respect to the frame, in response to input operation of an operation input.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the image generation means moves the plurality of images arranged spirally, in a radial direction of a spiral constructed by the plurality of images.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the image generation means moves the plurality of image spirally arranged, in a substantially circumferential direction of a spiral constructed by the plurality of images.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the image display control means generates a background image which radially spreads from a center of a spiral constructed by the plurality of images, and makes the image display control means display the background image.

8. An information providing method comprising:

an image generation step of generating a plurality of images which are sequential and arranged spirally, based on input image data, and of generating the plurality of images such that an image at a second time point is larger than an image at a first time point;

an image display control step of controlling the display of the plurality of images generated, on image display control means;

when the input image data is recorded in a recording medium that cannot be randomly accessed, displaying operation keys of a video tape recorder for a user to choose a program;

a focus setting step of setting a focus on an image positioned at a focus area surrounded by a frame, among the plurality of images displayed,

enlarging the image set by the focus setting step until the image becomes equal to or larger than a predetermined value which renders the image gradually transparent in view of said plurality of images displayed, and

switching the image set by the focus setting step to a display of a child screen when the image becomes equal to or larger than said predetermined value,

wherein when the image set by the focus setting step is a head of the input image data, the image generation step generates a dummy image for a display area that is before the presently focused image; and

wherein a value of maximum number of images that are allowed to be arranged spirally is displayed with the plurality of images, and

wherein the focus area is maintained at a fixed position during the focus setting step; and

a selection step of selecting the image set by the focus setting step;

wherein the plurality of images are arranged such that elapsed time is depicted and the plurality of images gradually fade toward the center of the spiral from the outer circumferential side such that background images are visible, and

wherein the plurality of images are index images which are respectively selected from scenes of one program, and the image display control means displays the program corresponding to the image selected by the selection step.

9. The method according to claim 8,

wherein the first time point is a future time point with respect to the second time point, and

in the image generation step, the plurality of images are displayed such that the image at the first time point is situated in a more inner circumferential side of a spiral constructed by the plurality of images than the image at the second time point, among the plurality of images arranged spirally.

10. The method according to claim 8,

wherein in the image generation step, the plurality of images are displayed such that the image at the first time point is displayed more faded than the image at the second time point, among the plurality of images arranged spirally.

11. The method according to claim 8,

wherein the image generation step includes a display step of generating a frame having a predetermined size and of displaying the frame at a predetermined position on the image display control means, and a movement step of moving the plurality of images spirally arranged, with respect to the frame, in response to input operation of an operation input.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein in the image generation step, the plurality of images arranged spirally are moved in a radial direction of a spiral constructed by the plurality of images.

13. The method according to claim 11,

wherein in the image generation step, the plurality of image spirally arranged are moved in a substantially circumferential direction of a spiral constructed by the plurality of images.

14. The method according to claim 8,

wherein the image generation step includes a background image generation step of generating a background image which radially spreads from a center of a spiral constructed by the plurality of images.