Techniques for displaying data based on characteristics of a display device

• US 8,042,133 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2008
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shintani, Peter Rae, Usui, Hirofumi
• Primary Examiner(s): LONSBERRY, HUNTER B
• Application Number:
  US12/025,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20080148314A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,352 Days
• Field of Search: 725/39, 725/44, 725/47, 348/445, 348554-556, 348/558, 348/581
• US Class Current: 725/44
• 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 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4351 involving reassembling additional data, e.g. rebuilding an executable program from recovered modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4355 involving reformatting operations of additional data, e.g. HTML pages on a television screen optimising the visualization of content for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/9577; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/066; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4356 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. to reformat additional data on a handheld device, attached to the STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4358 for generating different versions, e.g. for different peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440263 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for displaying on a connected PDA
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4516 involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• 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 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0122 the input and the output signals having different aspect ratios
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/0884 for the transmission of additional display-information, e.g. menu for programme or channel selection

Abstract

A method of selecting a portion of a block of data for display based on characteristics of a display device. The method comprises several steps. In the first step, a block of Electronic Program Guide (EPG) data is received at a communication device adapted to process this data. Next, an input is received at the communication device regarding an appearance of the display device. The communication device can be a set-top box. The appearance of the display includes, but is not limited to, the resolution, the aspect ratio (AR), and the physical size of the display. Based on these inputs, the communication device next selects a portion, more or fewer columns or rows, of the block of EPG data to be displayed on the display device. The portion of the EPG data selected is formatted and communicated to the display device, e.g. television, for viewing by the user.

Claims

1. In a video device, a method of determining a portion of a block of text-based data to be provided to a display device, said method comprising:

receiving said block of text-based data;

receiving one or more characteristics of said display device from said display device;

selecting a portion of said block of text-based data corresponding to an array of columns and rows based on said one or more characteristics received from said display device;

receiving said one or more characteristics of said display device from a user, if said one or more characteristics are not received from said display device;

selecting said portion of said block of text-based data corresponding to said array of columns and rows based on said one or more characteristics received from said user;

formatting said portion of said block of text-based data to create an image frame for said display device; and

communicating said image frame to said display device.

2. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising selecting said portion of said block of text-based data corresponding to said array of columns and rows based on a default value for said one or more characteristics of said display device, if said one or more characteristics are not received from said display device or said user.

3. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second input from a user regarding an appearance of said image frame on said display device;

changing said portion of said block of text-based data corresponding to an array of columns and rows of based on said second input from said user;

formatting said changed portion of said block of text-based data to create an adjusted image frame for said display device; and

communicating said adjusted image frame to said display device.

4. The method recited in claim 1, wherein said one or more characteristics of said display device includes an aspect ratio data regarding said display device.

5. The method recited in claim 4, wherein said one or more characteristics of said display device includes a resolution data regarding said display device.

6. The method recited in claim 5, wherein said one or more characteristics of said display device includes a screen size data regarding said display device.

7. The method recited in claim 1, wherein said video device is a set-top box.

8. The method recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of storing said block of text-based data in a memory buffer for subsequent use.

9. The method recited in claim 1, wherein said block of text-based data is on-screen display information.

10. The method recited in claim 9, wherein said on-screen display information is an electronic programming guide (EPG).

11. The method recited in claim 1 wherein said portion of said block of text-based data to be displayed and said formatting of said portion of said block of text-based data is adapted for a display device having an aspect ratio of 4:

3.

12. The method recited in claim 1 wherein said portion of said block of text-based data to be displayed and said formatting of said portion of said block of text-based data is adapted for a display device having an aspect ratio of 16:

9.

13. A video device comprising:

a receiver unit for receiving a block of text-based data;

a processor coupled to said receiver unit; and

a computer readable memory coupled to said processor and containing program instructions stored therein that when executed cause said processor to implement a method for determining a portion of said block of text-based data to be provided to a display device comprising;

receiving one or more characteristics of said display device from said display device;

selecting a portion of said block of text-based data corresponding to an array of columns and rows of an electronic on-screen display information based on said one or more characteristics received from said display device;

receiving said one or more characteristics of said display device from a user, if said one or more characteristics are not received from said display device;

selecting said portion of said block of text-based data corresponding to an array of columns and rows of said electronic on-screen display information based on said one or more characteristics received from said user;

formatting said portion of said block of text-based data to create an image frame for said display device; and

communicating said image frame to said display device.

14. The video device recited in claim 13, further comprising a memory buffer coupled to said processor for storing said block of text-based data.

15. The video device recited in claim 13, wherein said electronic on-screen display information is Electronic Program Guide (EPG) information.

16. The video device recited in claim 13, wherein said method implemented by said processor further comprises selecting said portion of said block of text-based data corresponding to an array of columns and rows of said electronic on-screen display information based on a default value for said one or more characteristics of said display device, if said one or more characteristics are not received from said display device or said user.

17. The video device recited in claim 13, wherein said method implemented by said processor further comprises:

receiving a second input from a user regarding an appearance of said image frame on said display device;

changing said portion of said block of text-based data corresponding to an array of columns and rows of said electronic on-screen display information based on said second input from said user;

formatting said changed portion of said block of text-based data to create an adjusted image frame for said display device; and

communicating said adjusted image frame to said display device.

18. The video device recited in claim 13, wherein said one or more characteristics of said display device includes an aspect ratio of said display device.

19. The video device recited in claim 13, wherein said one or more characteristics of said display device includes a resolution of said display device.

20. The video device recited in claim 13, wherein said one or more characteristics of said display device includes a screen size of said display device.