System and method of customizing video display layouts having dynamic icons

• US 8,756,528 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2006
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ascom (Sweden) AB (Ascom Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Ascom (Sweden) AB (Ascom Holding AG)
• Inventors: Cristofoli, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo, Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHUONG, TRUC T
• Application Number:
  US11/429,233
• Publication Number:
  US 20070260986A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,962 Days
• Field of Search: 715719-726, 715/757, 715790-780, 715/800, 715/801, 715/815, 715/838
• US Class Current: 715/838
• 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 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4858 for modifying screen layout parameters, e.g. fonts, size of the windows
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen

Abstract

A system and method of enabling a user to customize a layout of a video display uses a data file. The data file may be stored within an application. The data file enables the user to specify at least one parameter of a cell of a video display such as, for example, a location, height, width, and display percentage. A layout creating module creates the layout based on the parameter(s) defined by the user. A dynamic icon creating module dynamically creates an icon that represents the layout created by the user. Preferably, the icon depicts the layout of created by the user.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

creating a data file for storing a set of parameters defining a plurality of non-overlapping cells for a user-defined layout of a video display, the parameters comprising a cell size and a cell location;

accessing the data file;

creating the user-defined layout based on the stored parameters and a home location for each of the cells; and

dynamically creating an icon following the creating of the user-defined layout, the icon comprising an exact image of the user-defined layout including all of the cells as arranged in the user-defined layout,

wherein each cell of the user-defined layout comprises a first cell border that extends from the home location to a height end point, and a second cell border that extends from the home location to a width end point, and

wherein the user-defined layout includes at least one cell that comprises at least one of a command bar and an action bar.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the action bar comprises one or more action buttons operatively configured to control a video source.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising locating the icon in a user-selectable menu.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the cell data defines, for each cell, at least one of a cell width, height, home location, and percentage of display occupied.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the user to specify at least one source for display within at least one cell.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one source comprises at least one of a video source, image, and text.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising specifying a location within the application for the data file.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising re-sizing at least one cell to accommodate an input source.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining an aspect ratio of an input source upon presentation of the input source in at least one cell.

10. An electronic display system, comprising:

a layout creator and a video display;

the layout creator comprising;

a data file for storing a set of parameters defining a plurality of non-overlapping cells for a user-defined layout of a video display, the parameters comprising a cell size and a cell location;

a parameter receiving module to receive the parameters from the data file and a home location for each of the cell;

a layout creating module to create the user-defined layout based on the parameters; and

a dynamic icon creating module to dynamically create an icon following the creation of the user-defined layout, the icon comprising an exact image of the user-defined layout including all of the cells as arranged in the user-defined layout, wherein each cell of the user-defined layout comprises a first cell border that extends from the home location to a height end point, and a second cell border the extends from the home location to a width end point, and wherein the user-defined layout includes at least one cell that comprises at least one of a command bar and an action bar,

wherein the layout creating module presents the user-defined layout on the video display.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the layout creator includes an icon locating module to locate the icon within a user-selectable menu.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the cell data defines, for each cell, at least one of a cell width, height, home location, and percentage of display occupied.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising a source specifying module that enables the user to specify at least one source for display within the at least one cell by the video display.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one source comprises at least one of a video source, image, and text.

15. The system of claim 10, further comprising a source display re-sizing that resizes an input source display to fit within at least one cell.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising an aspect ratio maintaining module that maintains an aspect ratio of an input source upon presentation of the input source in at least one cell.