Maintaining a graphical user interface state that is based on a selected piece of content

• US 7,900,228 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2005
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vulcan SA (Ampco-Pittsburgh Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Vulcan SA (Ampco-Pittsburgh Corporation)
• Inventors: Stark, Korina J. B., Sterling, Daniel R., Stacie, Michael, Tanumihardja, Marcellino
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirl; Joseph P
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAYLOR, JOSHUA D
• Application Number:
  US11/120,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20060026636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,129 Days
• Field of Search: 725/28, 725/30, 725/39, 725/13, 725/14, 725/46, 725/47, 725/50, 725/37, 725 41- 43, 348/13, 348/906, 348/3, 348/731, 348/734, 348/564, 348/569, 345/326, 345/327, 345/146, 345/352
• US Class Current: 725/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• 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 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• 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 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• 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 21/4381 Recovering the multiplex stream from a specific network, e.g. recovering MPEG packets from ATM cells transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4433 Implementing client middleware, e.g. Multimedia Home Platform [MHP]
• 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 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• 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 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4858 for modifying screen layout parameters, e.g. fonts, size of the windows
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64707 for transferring content from a first network to a second network, e.g. between IP and wireless
• 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 5/765 : Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 : on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 : with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

A graphical user interface (“GUI”) for a content management system is provided, such as to present television program information and/or information associated with other forms of multimedia content. In some situations, the GUI displays various types of information about multiple pieces of content that are currently appropriate for display, and one or more users may make various types of selections that affect the information being displayed. In addition, in some situations various techniques are employed to maintain a state of the GUI that is focused on one or more current selections as changes occur, such as to coordinate information display between multiple distinct information panes or other view areas of the GUI, to alter the information to be displayed in the GUI based on a selected piece of content, and/or to enable identification of a selected piece of content from within a large number of pieces of content.

Claims

1. A method for a computing device to present information about television programs via a graphical user interface, the method comprising:

receiving metadata information for multiple television programs;

identifying a first distinct group of the multiple television programs for a graphical user interface such that received metadata information for the first distinct group of television programs will be included in the graphical user interface, the first distinct group including multiple television programs that satisfy a search request of television programs and that are identified based at least in part on a corresponding first category of television programs;

displaying to a user of the computing device a graphical window that includes the graphical user interface, the graphical user interface having a state based at least in part on the identified group, the displayed graphical user interface having;

multiple distinct display areas including a first display area and a second display area, such that metadata information for a first portion of the identified first distinct group of television programs is displayed in the first display area and metadata information for a selected television program is displayable in the second display area, and

a timebar displayed concurrently with the first display area, such that metadata information for a second portion of the identified first distinct group of television programs is displayed on the timebar in the form of graphical indicators, wherein the graphical indicators represent future occurrences of television programs in the second portion of the identified first distinct group of television programs,

wherein a graphical indicator is displayed on the timebar in reference to a time-related characteristic of an associated television program in the second portion of the identified first distinct group of television programs, and

wherein the graphical indicator is selectable by the user to display metadata information for the associated television program in the first display area;

receiving an indication of a selection by the user of one of the first distinct group of television programs having metadata information displayed in the first display area, and updating the state of the displayed graphical user interface to reflect the selected television program, such that metadata information for the selected television program is displayed in the second display area,

wherein the updating of the state of the graphical user interface to reflect the selected television program includes displaying distinct information about the selected television program in a coordinated manner in the multiple distinct display areas of the displayed graphical user interface in the displayed graphical window,

wherein displaying the distinct information in a coordinated manner comprises displaying the distinct information in a visibly different manner than information that is not included in the distinct information;

identifying a second distinct group of the multiple television programs, the second distinct group including multiple television programs that are identified based at least in part on a corresponding second category of television programs,

wherein the second category is different from the first category, and wherein the second group does not include the selected television program;

automatically maintaining the state of the graphical user interface so as to reflect the selected television program by updating the displayed graphical user interface to include metadata information for a first portion of the identified second distinct group of television programs in the first display area, while maintaining display of the metadata information for the selected television program in the second display area until a new television program is selected by the user,

wherein the maintaining of the state of the graphical user interface so as to reflect the selected television program includes maintaining coordination of information displayed in the multiple distinct display areas; and

when the displayed graphical user interface is updated, automatically updating the timebar so as to display metadata information for a second portion of the identified second distinct group of television programs in the form of graphical indicators,

wherein a graphical indicator is displayed on the timebar in reference to a time-related characteristic of an associated television program in the second portion of the identified second distinct group of television programs, and

wherein the graphical indicator is selectable by the user to display metadata information for the associated television program in the first display area,

so that a state of the graphical user interface that is based at least in part on a selected television program is maintained when information in the graphical user interface is updated.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the multiple television programs include programs on multiple channels with multiple scheduled start times,

wherein the received metadata information includes electronic programming guide information for each of the multiple television programs,

wherein the identified first and second distinct groups of television programs include multiple television programs on the multiple channels whose start times are within a period of time,

wherein the first display area includes indications of multiple channels and one or more indications of the period of time,

wherein the metadata information for the television programs in the identified first and second distinct groups is displayed in a grid format within the first display area and includes detail information for each of the television programs in the identified group,

wherein the updating of the state of the displayed graphical user interface to reflect the selected television program includes displaying in a coordinated manner in one or more other display areas of the displayed graphical user interface additional detail information for the selected television program and one or more other indications of the selected television program, and

wherein the maintaining of the state of the graphical user interface so as to reflect the selected television program includes maintaining coordination of information displayed in the multiple distinct display areas regarding the selected television program.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the updating of the displayed graphical user interface to include metadata information for the identified second distinct group of television programs includes modifying the identified second distinct group to include the selected television program, so that the updated displayed graphical user interface includes metadata information for the selected television program.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the updating of the displayed graphical user interface to include metadata information for the identified second distinct group of television programs includes providing in the displayed graphical user interface a user-selectable control that when selected updates the displayed graphical user interface to include metadata information for the selected television program.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying of the first distinct group of the multiple television programs for the graphical user interface is based at least in part on an amount of information capable of being displayed in a display area of the displayed graphical user interface using an initial information size and/or based at least in part on an initial size of the display area of the displayed graphical user interface, and including identifying the second distinct group of the multiple television programs based at least in part on a change in the information size at which information will be displayed in the display area of the displayed graphical user interface and/or based at least in part on a change in the size of the display area of the displayed graphical user interface.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the indicated selection by the user of the one of the first distinct group of television programs includes an indication from the user to use metadata information for the selected television program to assist in identifying one or more other related pieces of multimedia content,

wherein the updating of the state of the displayed graphical user interface to reflect the selected television program includes displaying metadata information for the selected television program to the user for possible use as specified criteria to be used in the identifying of the other related pieces of multimedia content, and

wherein the method further comprises:

receiving one or more indications of one or more selections by the user of multiple attributes of at least one television program for use as part of specified criteria to be used in the identifying of the other related pieces of multimedia content.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the receiving of the indications of the selections by the user of the multiple attributes of the at least one television program for use as part of the specified criteria includes receiving a succession of multiple selections by the user that each indicate at least one attribute of an indicated television program for use as part of the specified criteria, at least one indicated television program being the selected television program,

wherein the specified criteria is for use in identifying other television programs that each have the multiple attributes of the specified criteria, and

wherein the identifying of the one or more other related pieces of multimedia content includes performing a search for the other television programs.

8. A method for a computing device to present information about television programs via a graphical user interface, the method comprising:

receiving metadata information for multiple television programs;

identifying a distinct group of the television programs for a graphical user interface such that received metadata information for those television programs will be included in the graphical user interface, the distinct group including multiple television programs that satisfy a search request of television programs and that are identified based at least in part on the television programs each having an associated genre or category that corresponds to an initially selected genre or category;

displaying to a user of the computing device a graphical window that includes the graphical user interface, the graphical user interface having a state based at least in part on the identified distinct group, the displayed graphical user interface having;

multiple distinct display areas including a first display area and a second display area, such that metadata information for the television programs in a first portion of the identified distinct group is displayed in the first display area and metadata information for a selected television program is displayable in the second display area, and

a time scale displayed concurrently with the first display area, such that metadata information for a second portion of the identified distinct group is displayed on the time scale in the form of graphical indicators, wherein the graphical indicators represent future occurrences of television programs in the second portion of the identified distinct group,

wherein a graphical indicator is displayed on the time scale in reference to a time-related characteristic of an associated television program in the second portion of the identified distinct group, and

wherein the graphical indicator is selectable by the user to display metadata information for the associated television program in the first display area;

receiving an indication from the user via the graphical user interface of a selection of a television program of the identified group;

in response to the received indication of the selected television program, displaying metadata information for the selected television program in the second display area;

receiving one or more indications from the user via the graphical user interface of a new genre or category, identifying a new distinct group of the television programs for the graphical user interface, the new distinct group including multiple television programs that are identified based at least in part on the television programs each having an associated genre or category that corresponds to the new genre or category, and updating the state of the displayed graphical user interface to reflect the new distinct group of television programs, the updating including displaying metadata information for the new distinct group of television programs in the first display area;

automatically maintaining the state of the graphical user interface so as to reflect the new distinct group of television programs by, when the graphical user interface is to be updated such that at least some new metadata information is to be displayed in the graphical user interface, automatically performing the updating of the displayed graphical user interface in such a manner as to display the new metadata information in the first display area, to include one or more indications of a first portion of the new distinct group of television programs, and to maintain display of the metadata information for the selected television program in the second display area until a new television program is selected by the user; and

when the graphical user interface is updated, automatically updating the time scale so as to display metadata information for a second portion of the new distinct group of television programs in the form of graphical indicators,

wherein a graphical indicator is displayed on the time scale in reference to a time-related characteristic of an associated television program in the second portion of new distinct group of television programs, and

wherein the graphical indicator is selectable by the user to display metadata information for the associated television program in the first display area,

so that a state of the graphical user interface that is based at least in part on a selected group of television programs is maintained when information in the graphical user interface is updated.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the received metadata information includes electronic programming guide information for each of the television programs,

wherein the new group of the television programs includes television programs on multiple channels having start times within a period of time,

wherein the first display area includes indications of multiple channels and one or more indications of the period of time,

wherein metadata information for the television programs in the new distinct group is displayed in the displayed graphical user interface in a grid format within the view display area and includes detail information for each of the television programs in the new distinct group,

wherein the updating of the state of the displayed graphical user interface to reflect the new distinct group includes displaying in a coordinated manner in one or more other display areas of the displayed graphical user interface additional detail information for one or more of the television programs of the new distinct group, and

wherein the maintaining of the state of the graphical user interface so as to reflect the new distinct group includes maintaining coordination of information displayed in the multiple distinct display areas.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the updating of the state of the graphical user interface to reflect the new distinct group includes displaying distinct information about one or more of the television programs of the new distinct group in a coordinated manner in the multiple distinct display areas of the displayed graphical user interface in the displayed graphical window, and

wherein the maintaining of the state of the graphical user interface so as to reflect the new distinct group includes maintaining coordination of information displayed in the multiple distinct display areas.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the maintaining of the state of the graphical user interface so as to reflect the new distinct group includes maintaining one or more of color coding and highlighting used to indicate at least portions of the new distinct group.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the maintaining of the state of the graphical user interface when the graphical user interface is to be updated is based at least in part on modifying a type of view of metadata information for at least some of the television programs of the new distinct group.

13. A method for a computing device to present information about television programs via a graphical user interface, the method comprising:

receiving metadata information for multiple television programs;

identifying a group of the television programs for a graphical user interface such that received metadata information for those television programs will be included in the graphical user interface, the group including multiple television programs that satisfy a search request of television programs and that are identified based at least in part on the television programs each having an associated category that corresponds to an initially selected category and based at least in part on the television programs each having an associated time that corresponds to an initial currently selected time;

displaying to a user of the computing device a graphical window that includes the graphical user interface, the displayed graphical user interface having a state based at least in part on the currently selected time and based at least in part on the identified group, the displayed graphical user interface having;

multiple distinct display areas including a first display area and a second display area, the first display area displaying metadata information for the television programs in the identified group, and the second display area to display metadata information for a selected television program,

a first timebar associated with the first display area, wherein the first timebar corresponds to the initial currently selected time, and

a second timebar displayed simultaneously with the first display area that corresponds to a time period outside of the initial currently selected time, wherein the second timebar includes one or more graphical indicators representing future occurrences of television programs having an associated category that corresponds to the initially selected category and an associated time that corresponds to the time period outside of the initial currently selected time,

wherein a graphical indicator is displayed on the timebar in reference to a time-related characteristic of an associated television program, and

wherein the graphical indicator is selectable by the user to display metadata information for the associated television program in the first display area;

receiving an indication of a selection by the user of a television program of the identified group;

in response to the received indication of the selected television program, displaying metadata information for the selected television program in the second display area;

receiving an indication of a selection by the user of a new currently selected time, and updating the state of the displayed graphical user interface to reflect the new currently selected time, the updating including displaying in the first display area metadata information for television programs that are identified based at least in part on the television programs each having an associated category that corresponds to the initially selected category and based at least in part on the television programs each having an associated time that corresponds to the new currently selected time;

automatically maintaining the state of the graphical user interface so as to reflect the new currently selected time by, when the graphical user interface is to be updated such that at least some new metadata information is to be displayed in the graphical user interface, automatically performing the updating of the displayed graphical user interface in such a manner as to display the new metadata information in the first display area in a manner based at least in part on the new currently selected time and based at least in part on the initially selected category, while maintaining display of the metadata information for the selected television program in the second display area until a new television program is selected by the user; and

when the graphical user interface is updated,

automatically updating the first timebar to correspond to the new currently selected time, and

automatically updating the second timebar so as to display one or more graphical indicators corresponding to television programs having an associated category that corresponds to the initially selected category and an associated time that corresponds to a time period outside of the new currently selected time,

wherein a graphical indicator is displayed on the timebar in reference to a time-related characteristic of an associated television program, and

wherein the graphical indicator is selectable by the user to display metadata information for the associated television program in the first display area,

so that a state of the graphical user interface that is based at least in part on a currently selected time and based at least in part on an initially selected category is maintained when information in the graphical user interface is updated.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the identifying of the group of the television programs for the graphical user interface is based at least in part on selecting television programs associated with a time period for use with the graphical user interface that corresponds to the initial currently selected time, and wherein the updating of the state of the displayed graphical user interface to reflect the new currently selected time includes identifying a new group of television programs for the graphical user interface based at least in part on a change in the time period for use with the graphical user interface.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the multiple television programs include programs on multiple channels with multiple scheduled start times,

wherein the received metadata information includes electronic programming guide information for each of the television programs,

wherein the identified group of the television programs includes multiple television programs on the multiple channels whose start times are within a period of time that is based on the initial currently selected time,

wherein the first display area includes indications of multiple channels and one or more indications of the period of time,

wherein the metadata information for the television programs in the identified group that is included in the displayed graphical user interface is displayed in a grid format within the first display area and includes detail information for each of the television programs in the identified group,

wherein the updating of the state of the displayed graphical user interface to reflect the new currently selected time includes displaying in a coordinated manner in one or more other display areas of the displayed graphical user interface additional detail information that reflects the new currently selected time, and

wherein the maintaining of the state of the graphical user interface so as to reflect the new currently selected time includes maintaining coordination of information displayed in the multiple distinct display areas regarding the new currently selected time.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the identifying of the group of the television programs for the graphical user interface is based at least in part on an amount of information capable of being displayed in a display area of the displayed graphical user interface using an initial information size and/or based at least in part on an initial size of the display area of the displayed graphical user interface, and wherein the updating of the state of the displayed graphical user interface to reflect the new currently selected time is based at least in part on a change in the information size at which information will be displayed in the display area of the displayed graphical user interface and/or based at least in part on a change in the size of the display area of the displayed graphical user interface.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the updating of the state of the graphical user interface to reflect the new currently selected time includes displaying distinct information about one or more television programs in a coordinated manner in the plurality of distinct display areas of the displayed graphical user interface in the displayed graphical window, and wherein the maintaining of the state of the graphical user interface so as to reflect the new currently selected time includes maintaining coordination of information displayed in the plurality of distinct display areas.

18. A computer-readable storage medium, wherein the medium is not a signal, whose contents enable a computing device to present information about television programming-related content via a user interface, by performing a method comprising:

receiving information related to multiple pieces of television programming-related content;

presenting a user interface that has multiple distinct display areas, wherein a first display area displays the received information for at least some of the pieces of television programming-related content that satisfy a search request of television programming-related content, wherein the received information is displayed in such a manner as to reflect at least one selected category, and

wherein a time scale displayed simultaneously with the first display area displays graphical indicators corresponding to at least some of the pieces of television programming-related content, wherein the graphical indicators represent future occurrences of the at least some of the pieces of television programming-related content,

wherein a graphical indicator is displayed on the time scale in reference to a time-related characteristic of an associated piece of television programming-related content, and

wherein the graphical indicator is selectable to display the received information for the associated piece of television programming-related content in the first display area;

receiving an indication of a selection of a piece of television programming-related content whose information is displayed in the first display area;

in response to the received indication of the selected piece of television programming-related content, displaying at least some of the information related to the selected piece of television programming-related content in a second display area;

receiving an indication of a selection of a new category;

in response to the received indication of the new selected category, identifying a new distinct group of the television programming-related content based on the new selected category, wherein the new distinct group does not include the selected piece of television programming-related content;

updating the information displayed in the first display area to reflect the new selected category and the identified new distinct group of television programming-related content;

when information displayed in the first display area is updated to reflect the new selected category and the identified new distinct group of television programming-related content,

maintaining a state of the user interface so as to reflect the selected piece of television programming-related content, such that the displayed information related to the selected piece of television programming-related content remains displayed in the second display area until a new piece of television programming-related content is selected, and

automatically updating the time scale so as to display graphical indicators corresponding to at least some pieces of the identified new distinct group of television programming-related content,

wherein a graphical indicator is displayed on the time scale in reference to a time-related characteristic of an associated piece of television programming-related content, and

wherein the graphical indicator is selectable to display the received information for the associated piece of television programming-related content in the first display area.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 wherein the selection of the piece of television programming-related content is based on an indication from a user for that piece of television programming-related content,

wherein the presented user interface is a graphical user interface that supports multiple types of views of information for pieces of content, and

wherein updating of the information included in the user interface is based on a change in the type of view of the included information.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 wherein the maintaining of the state of the user interface so as to reflect the selection of the one piece of television programming-related content includes providing a user-selectable control in the user interface that when selected updates the user interface to include information about the selected piece of television programming-related content.

21. A computing system configured to present information about pieces of television programming content via a graphical user interface, comprising:

a display; and

a content management system configured to;

present on the display a graphical user interface whose information reflects a state that is based at least in part on one or more selected pieces of content;

automatically maintain the state of the information of the graphical user interface as being based at least in part on those selected pieces of content when the graphical user interface is updated,

such that when information in a first distinct display area of the graphical user interface is updated to reflect a search request of a new category of content that does not include the one or more selected pieces of content, information about the one or more selected pieces of content remains displayed in a second distinct display area of the graphical user interface; and

automatically updating a timebar displayed concurrently with the first distinct display area so as to display information for the new category of content in the form of graphical indicators, wherein the graphical indicators represent future occurrences of pieces of content of the new category of content,

wherein a graphical indicator is displayed on the timebar in reference to a time-related characteristic of an associated piece of content of the new category of content, and

wherein the graphical indicator is selectable by the user to display information for the associated piece of content in the first distinct display area.

22. The computing system of claim 21 wherein the computing system further comprises a device for controlling presentation of television programs on one or more television display devices, and

wherein the presented graphical user interface further includes user-selectable controls to allow a user to control the presentation of the television programs on the one or more television display devices via instructions sent to the device, the device being one of a group of devices that includes a set-top box, a digital video recorder device and a media center device.