System and method for focused navigation within a user interface

• US 7,735,102 B1
• Filed: 03/29/2002
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ARRIS Group, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Billmaier, James A., Rogan, Philip, Reid, Dewey, Kellum, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirl; Joseph P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peng; Fred
• Application Number:
  US10/113,889
• Time in Patent Office: 2,993 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 725/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• 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

Abstract

A sequence of cards is stored that graphically represents available options within an information system. In addition, supplemental information related to at least one card may be obtained. In response to a single user action, the sequence of cards is successively displayed within a focus area of the user interface. When a card having supplemental information is displayed, the supplemental information is also displayed, either on or near the card. In response to a subsequent user action, the successive display is discontinued to display a particular card representing a selected option.

Claims

1. A method for navigating a plurality of options within a user interface, the method comprising:

displaying a first sequence of cards along a first axis of the user interface, each card graphically representing a single respective option from a first set of options;

scrolling only the first sequence of cards along the first axis through a focus area of the user interface without scrolling any cards not in the first sequence;

in response to a first card being scrolled into the focus area without being otherwise selected by a user, displaying a second sequence of cards along a second axis of the user interface, each card of the second sequence graphically representing a single respective option from a second set of options, the second axis being perpendicular to the first axis;

obtaining supplemental information related to at least two cards in the second sequence;

displaying the supplemental information adjacent to but outside of the respective at least two cards; and

scrolling only the second sequence of cards along the second axis through the focus area without scrolling any cards not in the second sequence, wherein the supplemental information for the at least two cards is scrolled substantially parallel to the second axis to maintain a relative position of the supplemental information to the respective at least two cards, wherein the focus area is fixed relative to the first axis and to the second axis such that the focus area does not move as cards are scrolled along the first axis or the second axis, and wherein a representation of only one option at a time is scrolled through the focus area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the

supplemental information of a selected one of the at least two cards comprises a plurality of supplemental information items, the method further comprising:

displaying the plurality of supplemental information items in different positions adjacent to but outside of the selected one of the at least two cards.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein a first one of the plurality of supplemental information items comprises textual information and a second one of the plurality of supplemental information items comprises graphical information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the supplemental information comprises textual information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the textual information is selected from the group consisting of a title, a description, and a synopsis.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the supplemental information comprises a program completion indicator.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the program completion indicator graphically indicates how much of television program has been missed.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the program completion indicator graphically indicates how much of a television program remains to be watched.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the program completion indicator comprises one of a pie chart, a bar graph, and a numerical percentage.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the supplemental information comprises a status indicator.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the status indicator provides a status of an event being depicted in a television program.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the event comprises a sporting event, and wherein the status comprises a score.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the status indicator comprises a stock ticker.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the status indicator comprises a news headline.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the status indicator comprises a weather forecast.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the status indicator indicates that a television program represented by the first card has been recorded.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the status indicator indicates that a recorded television program represented by the first card has been watched.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the status indicator indicates how much of a recorded television program represented by the first card has been watched.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the first card comprises a network address, and wherein the supplemental information is retrieved through a network using the network address.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the supplemental information is received via an ATVEF trigger.

44. The method of claim 1, wherein the options in the first set are of a first type, and wherein the options in the second set are of a second type.

21. A system for navigating a plurality of options within a user interface, the system comprising:

a memory for storing a first sequence of cards, each card graphically representing a single respective option from a first set of options, wherein the memory is further adapted to store a second sequence of cards, each card in the second sequence graphically representing a single respective option from a second set of options;

a network interface for obtaining supplemental information related to cards in the second sequence;

an input interface for detecting user actions; and

a display interface configured to;

scroll only the first sequence of cards along the first axis through a horizontally and vertically fixed focus area of the user interface without scrolling any cards not in the first sequence;

display, in response to the first card being scrolled into the focus area without being otherwise selected by a user, the second sequence of cards along a second axis of the user interface, each card of the second sequence graphically representing a single respective option from a second set of options, the second axis being perpendicular to the first axis;

obtain supplemental information related to at least two cards in the second sequence;

display the supplemental information adjacent to but outside of the respective at least two cards; and

scroll only the second sequence of cards along the second axis through the focus area without scrolling any cards not in the second sequence, wherein the supplemental information for the at least two cards is scrolled substantially parallel to the second axis to maintain a relative position of the supplemental information to the respective at least two cards, wherein the focus area is fixed relative to the first axis and to the second axis such that the focus area does not move as cards are scrolled along the first axis or the second axis, and wherein a representation of only one option at a time is scrolled through the focus area.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the supplemental information of a selected one of the at least two cards comprises a plurality of supplemental information items, and wherein the display interface is further adapted to:

display the plurality of supplemental information items in different positions adjacent to but outside of the selected one of the at least two cards.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein a first one of the plurality of supplemental information items comprises textual information and a second one of the plurality of supplemental information items comprises graphical information.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the supplemental information comprises textual information.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the textual information is selected from the group consisting of a title, a description, and a synopsis.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the supplemental information comprises a program completion indicator.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the program completion indicator graphically indicates how much of television program has been missed.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the program completion indicator graphically indicates how much of a television program remains to be watched.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the program completion indicator comprises one of a pie chart, a bar graph, and a numerical percentage.

30. The system of claim 21, wherein the supplemental information comprises a status indicator.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the status indicator provides a status of an event being depicted in a television program.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the event comprises a sporting event, and wherein the status comprises a score.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein the status indicator comprises a stock ticker.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein the status indicator comprises a news headline.

35. The system of claim 30, wherein the status indicator comprises a weather forecast.

36. The system of claim 30, wherein the status indicator indicates that a television program represented by the first card has been recorded.

37. The system of claim 30, wherein the status indicator indicates that a recorded television program represented by the first card has been watched.

38. The system of claim 30, wherein the status indicator indicates how much of a recorded television program represented by the first card has been watched.

39. The system of claim 21, wherein the first card comprises a network address, and wherein the network interface is further adapted to retrieve the supplemental information through a network using the network address.

40. The system of claim 21, wherein the network interface is further adapted to receive the supplemental information via an ATVEF trigger.

41. A method for navigating a plurality of options within a user interface of an interactive television system, the method comprising:

displaying only cards from a first sequence of cards along a horizontal axis of the user interface, each card graphically representing a single respective interactive application associated with the interactive television system;

in response to a single user action, horizontally scrolling only the cards from the first sequence along the horizontal axis through a focus area of the user interface without scrolling any cards not in the first sequence to progressively change the card within the focus area to a next card in the first sequence;

in response to a first card from the first sequence being scrolled into the focus area without a user initiating a selection action with respect to the first card, displaying a second sequence of cards along a vertical axis of the user interface, each card of the second sequence graphically representing a single respective option corresponding to the interactive application represented by the first card;

obtaining supplemental information related to at least two cards in the second sequence;

displaying the supplemental information adjacent to but outside of the respective at least two cards; and

scrolling only the cards from the second sequence of cards along the second axis without scrolling any cards not in the second sequence to progressively change the card within the focus area to a next card in the second sequence, wherein the supplemental information for the at least two cards is scrolled on the second axis to maintain its relative position to the respective at least two cards, wherein the focus area is fixed relative to the first axis and to the second axis such that the focus area does not move as cards are scrolled along the first axis or the second axis, and wherein a representation of only one interactive application or option at a time is scrolled through the focus area.

42. A system for navigating a plurality of options within a user interface, the system comprising:

means for displaying a first sequence of cards along a first axis of the user interface, each card graphically representing a single respective option from a first set of options;

means for scrolling only the first sequence of cards along the first axis through a horizontally and vertically fixed focus area of the user interface in response to a single user action without scrolling any cards not in the first sequence;

means for displaying, in response to a first card being scrolled into the focus area without being otherwise selected, a second sequence of cards along a second axis of the user interface, each card of the second sequence graphically representing a single respective option from a second set of options, the second axis being perpendicular to the first axis;

means for obtaining supplemental information related to at least two cards in the second sequence;

displaying the supplemental information adjacent to but outside of the respective at least two cards; and

means for scrolling only the second sequence of cards along the second axis through the focus area without scrolling any cards not in the second sequence, wherein the supplemental information for the at least two cards is scrolled substantially parallel to the second axis to maintain a relative position of the supplemental information to the respective at least two cards, wherein the focus area is fixed relative to the first axis and to the second axis such that the focus area does not move as cards are scrolled along the first axis or the second axis, and wherein a representation of only one option at a time is scrolled through the focus area, and wherein no card in the first sequence displayed along the first axis is subsequently scrollable along the second axis.

43. A computer-readable medium comprising program code for performing a method for navigating a plurality of options within a user interface, the method comprising:

displaying a first sequence of cards along a first axis of the user interface, each card graphically representing a single respective option from a first set of options;

scrolling only the first sequence of cards along the first axis through a focus area of the user interface in response to a single user action without scrolling any cards not in the first sequence;

in direct response to a first card being scrolled into the focus area, displaying a second sequence of cards along a second axis of the user interface, each card of the second sequence graphically representing a single respective option from a second set of options, the second axis being perpendicular to the first axis;

obtaining supplemental information related to at least two cards in the second sequence;

displaying the supplemental information adjacent to but outside of the respective at least two cards; and

scrolling only the second sequence of cards along the second axis through the focus area without scrolling any cards not in the second sequence, wherein the supplemental information for the at least two cards is scrolled substantially parallel to the second axis to maintain a relative position of the supplemental information to the respective at least two cards, wherein the focus area is fixed relative to the first axis and to the second axis such that the focus area does not move as cards are scrolled along the first axis or the second axis, and wherein no card is scrollable along both the first and second axes, and wherein a representation of only one option at a time is scrolled through the focus area.