Download User friendly remote system interface with menu sizing

US006469721B2
(12)
(54)
United States Patent
(10) Patent N0.:
Matthews, III et al.
(45) Date of Patent:
USER FRIENDLY REMOTE SYSTEM
INTERFACE WITH MENU SIZING
* 12/1996 Lawler et a1. .............. .. 348/13
1/1997 White et a1. .............. .. 348/569
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5,826,051
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345/353
er
...................... ..
5/1998 Harrison et a1. .......... .. 348/552
*
5,805,763 A *
subjectto any disclaimer, the term Ofthis
........
3/1998 Hendricks et a1. ........ .. 345/352
5,748,254 A
562M159 WA(US)
Asslgneei Mlcmsoft COFP» Redmond, WA (Us)
Rowe et a1.
idilindler et a1
5,734,853 A
(73)
4/1997
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E713 (Usgl’ Iv);‘AVl%§V_mI')Pl.‘:1m:1e]§’
Oct. 22, 2002
5,585,838 A
5,596,373 A
(75) Inventors: Joseph H. Matthews, III, Redmond,
_
US 6,469,721 B2
A
5/1998 Dunn ................ .. 455/51
8/1998
Gentner
... ... .
. . . ..
9/1998 Lawler et a1.
10/1998
Porter et a1.
345/352
..... .. 386/83
.....
. . . ..
345/345
6,008,803 A * 12/1999 Rowe et a1. .............. .. 345/327
patent is extended or adjusted under 35
U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
(21)
Appl NO _ 09/422 653
.
(22)
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
..
Filed:
(65)
AST Computer User’s Manual, pp. 12—13, Feb. 1996.
,
Oct. 22, 1999
* ‘med by exammer
Prior Publication Data
Primary EXamine‘r—Ba Huynh
Us 2002/0080154 A1 Jun. 27, 2002
(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Banner & Witcoff Ltd
(57)
ABSTRACT
Related US. Application Data
(62)
_
_
A system, method, and medium for enhancmg a GUI and
viewing environment for a computer user is disclosed.
Division of application NO_ 08/917,857’ ?led on Aug 27’
1997, now Pat. No. 6,313,851.
Enabling a user to fully navigate and operate a computer
(51) Int. Cl? ................................................ .. G09G 5/00
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(52)
US. Cl. ...................... .. 345/830; 345/784; 345/829
theater mode of Operation, wherein the theater mode is
Fleld Of Search ...............................
345/786’ 810’.. 829’ 830’ 833
operating
designed for
in theater
distance
mode,
use received
thefunction
remote key
device‘
signals are
.
References Cited
(56)
mter rete
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2
,
gieltlmtetl a1‘ """"""" "
,
5,546,523 A
5,581,685 A
es
e
a.
dby t he comp uters ystem to o p eratevar1ous
'
func
vieWing and control. To enable the remote device to fully
control the applications executable on the computer, the
US. PATENT DOCUMENTS
5,198,802 A
p
tions Which have been modi?ed to accommodate remote
disclosed process noti?es the various applications of the
...... ..
-
3/1993 Bertram et a1.
345/146
8/1996
345/352
Gatto ......... ..
Current Operatmg mode‘
12/1996 Sakurai .................... .. 345/353
MW Bum"
Plated!
6 Claims, 18 Drawing Sheets
N0
Perform Action in
?mnectinn wlth
hypret:
[808
Hill
lndr Focus frame
Position
I806
0n: Cell Away from
Bnrdul
No
Have Focus Frame In
Direction 01 Arrow
Yes
Sunll Start Menu
through Faun Frame
“07
[0dr hon Frame
Position
Saoll Start Menu
through Fours Frame
U.S. Patent
0a. 22, 2002
Sheet 2 of 18
US 6,469,721 B2
20l
20|
TaskN 0
FIG. 3
U.S. Patent
Oct. 22, 2002
US 6,469,721 B2
Sheet 3 0f 18
/40l
/ 402
/ 403
Start
Menu
1
2
4
5
3
I
x
6
k
/
7
8
9
0
/
405»
408
406
5%
407
FIG. 4
U.S. Patent
0a. 22, 2002
Sheet 4 of 18
Not Pressed
Determine if Start Button
Pressed
Pressed
l
Retrieve List of
/ 502
Application Identi?ers
Sort List of Application
Identi?ers
Retrieve List of Available
Keypad Symbols
\ 503
\ 504
l
Assi n Available Keypad Symbols to / 505
orted Application Identi?ers
Output Application Identi?ers
and Assigned Symbol to Memory \ 506
Display Application Identi?er / 507
with Assigned Symbol
FIG. 5
US 6,469,721 B2
U.S. Patent
Oct. 22, 2002
Sheet 5 of 18
US 6,469,721 B2
f’l
No Key Press
Await Key Press
FIG. 6
Yes
1
Display Start Menu / 604
Sequence
608
/
Associated
.
No ——-—>‘ Launch Application
Application
Running
Yes
7 Switch to Application
\ 609
U.S. Patent
061. 22, 2002
Sheet 6 6f 18
US 6,469,721 B2
mm:
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23
8
U.S. Patent
0a. 22, 2002
Sheet 7 0f 18
Load to Buffer
US 6,469,721 B2
\ 803
Execute Tasks Associated with
Symbols in Buffer
\ 804
No
Yes
‘7
Display Appropriate
"°""
\806
FIG. 8
U.S. Patent
0a. 22, 2002
Sheet 8 of 18
US 6,469,721 B2
Start or Menu
Button Pressed
90\
Yes
902
Source of Menu or
Start Button
PC Input Device
Remote
Already in Theater
Mode?
No
l / 905
_
Yes
I
Notify
_Notify
_
App1'|cat|on(s)of
'
PC
Theater Node
Mode
App||cat1on(s)of
,
y
es
S
S
'
Display Start Menu or / 904
Application Menu
I
908 \ gg?grg?d?ggft
Menu
FIG. 9
U.S. Patent
0a. 22, 2002
Sheet 9 of 18
US 6,469,721 B2
603
/ I005
Menu Button
N0
Pressed
, Forward Key Press to
Current Application
I006 \ Execute Key Press in
Current Application
Theater Mode
PC Mode
Detect Current
1
/ I003
Display PC Mode
Menu of Current
Application
/' Ap lication
I007
‘
F | G. 1 0
‘
Retrieve Theater
‘008 ‘\ Mode Menu front
Current Npplicatron
I009 \ or;?enyu
Ia Theater
Mode
of Current
Application
U.S. Patent
0a. 22, 2002
Fig. 11
Sheet 10 of 18
US 6,469,721 B2
U.S. Patent
0a. 22, 2002
Sheet 11 of 18
US 6,469,721 B2
.QENF
U.S. Patent
0a. 22, 2002
Sheet 12 of 18
Tas
Task 2
Task N
FIG. 13
Task l
Task 2
I402
Task N
FIG. 14
US 6,469,721 B2
U.S. Patent
Oct. 22, 2002
sh?et 14 0f 18
US 6,469,721 B2
|1o|
Task |
/
TaskZ
/ I702
// ‘705
“Ines
FIG. 17
U.S. Patent
0a. 22, 2002
Sheet 15 of 18
US 6,469,721 B2
Display Start Menu
‘802
I803
No
I804
/ I805
Periorm Action in
Angrve'sgélgon
No ---> connection with
'
Keypress
I808
‘
/ l8ll
One Cell Awa From
lockifgfiliiolmme /l806
l
L maxim?F3316 /
Border;
I801
Yi’
Lock Focus Frame
Position
\loo9
FIG. 18
Move Focus frame In
"0-, Direction of Arrow
Scroll Start Menu ___
' through Focus Frame
\ mo
U.S. Patent
061. 22, 2002
Sheet 16 0f 18
US 6,469,721 B2
Task F
TaskG |
TaskH 2
TaskPO
TaskQ
\1906
\
I901
FIG . 1 9
mm
\ZOM
TaskG
\2l0l
Task H |
2002
Task H l
\ H 02
Task l 2
\2l 03
Task | 2
\ 2005
\ 2104
Task‘! 0
\ 2006
“"‘Q 0
Task R
\ 2007
Task R
FIG. 20
FIG. 21
‘(2120606
\
2|01
U.S. Patent
Oct. 22, 2002
Sheet 18 of 18
US 6,469,721 B2
l
Folder Preview
Accessed
Determine Position of
Current Selection \
230l/ L’
‘
Highlight Selection
lletrieire image,
Wdep. Audio. Te>_<t \ 2304
Relating to Selection
‘
Display/Play
Retrieved Information \2305
l_________v
FIG. 23
l
Retrieve and Execute
Selection '
\2307
US 6,469,721 B2
1
2
USER FRIENDLY REMOTE SYSTEM
INTERFACE WITH MENU SIZING
normally ?Xed on the screen. This taskbar often includes a
“STAR ” button at the loWer left hand corner Which, When
activated by the user via a mouse or keyboard, displays a list
RELATED APPLICATION INFORMATION
of options for starting or “launching” applications. Display
This application is a divisional of US. patent application
Ser. No. 08/ 917,857, entitled “User Friendly Remote System
Interface”, ?led Aug. 27, 1997 now US. Pat. No. 6,313,851.
This application is also related to US. patent application Ser.
No. 08/917,826, entitled “User Interface For Switching
BetWeen Application Modes”, ?led Aug. 27, 1997, and US.
patent application Ser. No. 08/917,739, entitled “User
Friendly Remote System Interface Providing PrevieWs Of
Applications”, ?led Aug. 27, 1997, now US. Pat. No.
6,028,604. This application is further related to US. patent
application Ser. No. 09/422,654, entitled “User Friendly
Remote System Interface With Menu Highlighting”, ?led
Oct. 22, 1999, and US. application Ser. No. 09/422,652,
entitled “”, ?led Oct. 22, 1999. The application Ser. Nos.
09/422,654 and 09/422,652 are co-divisionals of the appli
cation Ser. No. 08/917,857.
ing such a taskbar While Watching a television program
detracts from the program and takes up valuable display
space. Moreover, When a user is sitting on a couch, requiring
the user to use a mouse or keyboard to activate the start
10
Consequently, the conventional display model for launching
15
Another computer feature normally provided in a Win
20
Some personal computers can noW be equipped With plug-in
television boards Which permit vieWing of a television
erators” Which permit the user to quickly select a desired
25
arroW key. Unfortunately, if a vieWer uses a remote control
device Which lacks alphabetic characters, these shortcut
selection techniques cannot be used. Moreover, the choices
30
are not mutually eXclusive (e.g., note that the letter “S” does
not uniquely distinguish betWeen “settings” and “shut
doWn”; thus, the alternative “U” designator must be used to
select “shut doWn”). Although one solution is to force the
user to scroll up or doWn using arroW keys to select a choice,
alWays convenient for a remote user.
Consequently, a need eXists to improve the Way in Which a
user navigates through a menu list When using a remote
35 this is not
broadcast in a WindoW on the computer monitor.
40
the GateWay Corporation, provides a personal computer
system With a large vieWing screen, and a Wireless keyboard,
control device to control computer functions. Moreover,
providing a conventional cascading type menu display in an
entertainment environment uses up valuable display space,
causing for example a television program to be obscured
With menu options.
Some keyboards include an “Application” dedicated key
Which may be con?gured by softWare. Pressing such a
remote control, and mouse.
The combination of personal computer functions With
item by pressing a single keyboard key (e.g., “p”, “s”, or
“u”) rather than scrolling through the list With a mouse or
Additionally, so-called “large screen” televisions providing
combined television and PC vieWing capabilities have also
been introduced. One such product, announced in 1996 by
or keyboard. For eXample, pressing the “START” button in
WindoWs95 causes a display to be generated With options
such as Programs, Settings, Find, Help, Shut DoWn, etc. The
underlined characters in the previous list represents “accel
present invention is particularly useful in conjunction With
an entertainment setting, such as When a computer is used
from a distance and/or in conjunction With a television
broadcast, movie, or a sporting event.
2. Related Art
The use of personal computers in connection With tele
visions and other mass media has recently become a reality.
and interacting With programs in a WindoWed environment
cannot be readily adapted to a remote control television
environment.
doWed display environment such as WindoWs95 is a display
menu With multiple choices Which can be selected by mouse
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved
user interface for a computer operating system Which pro
vides different operating modes and enhanced features. The
button is inconvenient. Once the user launches an applica
tion program, it is a further inconvenience to require that the
vieWer use a keyboard or mouse to activate various pull
doWn menus and the like for the application program.
45
television and other media/entertainment functions creates
button, for eXample, may cause a menu to be shoWn With
several problems When a single vieWing display is used for
options such as cut, paste, copy, etc. HoWever, the button
operates the same Way regardless of the display mode in
both functions. For example, traditional remote controls
associated With televisions do not include keys Which are
Which computer is operating.
useful for computer applications. Providing a separate
Another problem Which can occur When computer func
50 tions are implemented on a large screen such as a large
remote control for the television and one for computer
screen television display is that menu selection choices are
functions, hoWever, unfortunately contributes to the prolif
not adequately distinguishable from the background. For
eration of remote controls in a house.
eXample, if a television program is displayed on the screen
The aforementioned GateWay product provides some lim
ited support for controlling computer functions from an
and the user activates a menu to select a choice, the
55
conventional menu choice highlighting techniques may not
integrated remote control. HoWever, it fails to solve many
problems associated With providing computer functions in a
permit the selected choice to be clearly distinguished against
large-screen setting. Moreover, displaying conventional
enhance highlighted menu choices in such an environment.
Another problem Which occurs When a computer function
is implemented on a large-screen display is that screen
display resolutions Which are suitable for a smaller screen
the moving background. Consequently, a need eXists to
computer-related functions on a television screen during a
television broadcast clutters up the screen and detracts from
60
the entertainment value of the programming. Thus, merely
transferring computer related user interface features from a
computer display to the larger screen format are disadvan
tageous.
As one example, computers Which use a WindoWs-based 65
operating system such as WindoWs95 provide a “taskbar”
display component at the bottom part of the screen Which is
display may not be suitable for a larger screen. Merely
alloWing the user to change the resolution siZe on the larger
screen, as is conventional, does not adequately permit the
vieWer to control hoW large the resulting WindoW elements
are. For eXample, sWitching the screen resolution to 800 by
600 piXels for a large screen TV Will result in smaller icons