(12) United States Patent
`Proehl et al.
`
`US006690391 B1
`US 6,690,391 B1
`Feb. 10, 2004
`
`(10) Patent No.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`(54)
`
`(75)
`
`(73)
`
`(21)
`(22)
`(51)
`(52)
`(58)
`
`(56)
`
`MODAL DISPLAY, SMOOTH SCROLL
`GRAPHIC USER INTERFACE AND REMOTE
`COMMAND DEVICE SUITABLE FOR
`EFFICIENT NAVIGATION AND SELECTION
`OF DYNAMIC DATA/OPTIONS PRESENTED
`WITHIN AN AUDIO/VISUAL SYSTEM
`
`Inventors: Andrew M. Proehl, San Francisco, CA
`(US); Jan-Christoph Zoels, Brooklyn,
`NY (US); Anne Hyan Jin Kim,
`Douglaston, NY (US); Yutaka
`Hasegawa, Tokyo (JP)
`Assignees: Sony Corporation, Tokyo (JP); Sony
`Electronics, Inc., Park Ridge, NJ (US)
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 411 days.
`
`Notice:
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`6,020,930 A 2/2000 Legrand ..................... 34.8/569
`6,028,600 A 2/2000 Rosin et al. ................ 345/327
`6,034,677 A 3/2000 Noguchi et al. ............ 345/327
`6,072,483 A 6/2000 Rosin et al. ................ 345/335
`6,128,009 A * 10/2000 Ohkura et al. ................ 725/46
`6,445,398 B1 * 9/2002 Gerba et al. ................ 345/721
`6,452,609 B1 * 9/2002 Katinsky et al. ............ 345/716
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`Toshiba, Owner’s Manual, 1998, Toshiba Corporation, pp.
`1–3. *
`Mitsubishi, Installation and Operation Manual, 1990, Mit
`subishi Corporation, pp. 1–2.*
`* cited by examiner
`Primary Examiner—Kristine Kincaid
`Assistant Examiner—Le V Nguyen
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Miller Patent Services;
`Jerry A. Miller
`ABSTRACT
`(57)
`Appl. No.: 09/615,871
`The efficient and intuitive presentation, navigation, and
`Filed:
`Jul. 13, 2000
`selection of AV information in a graphical user interface
`(GUI) displayed on a display apparatus of an AV system.
`Int. Cl." … G09G 5/00
`Related AV information is organized as items within lists
`U.S. Cl. ............................ 345/720; 725/40; 72.5/56
`that correspond to various navigable fields of a status bar of
`Field of Search ................................. 345/719–722,
`the GUI during the GUI interactive mode. A highlighted
`345/853–855, 727–729, 830, 841–843,
`navigable field of the status bar displays its list of related AV
`810; 725/37–61
`information and the items of the list are scrolled through the
`navigable field by a user causing a scrolling cylinder of a
`navigation and selection device to move in a scroll. A
`different field of the status bar may be selected by the user
`moving the scrolling cylinder in a lateral movement. Acti
`5.530,455 A *
`º º - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - sº vation of the selection mechanism of the navigation and
`5,793,366 A
`5/1999 Niijima et al". 34.8/564
`selection device will cause an AV device to be controlled in
`5,903,314 A
`9/1999 Sciammarella et al. ..... 345/353
`accordance with the currently displayed AV options.
`5,956,035 A
`5,973,682 A
`10/1999 Saib et al. .................. 345/327
`Shiga et al. ................ 345/721
`6,005,562 A * 12/1999
`
`28 Claims, 19 Drawing Sheets
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`Page 1 of 31
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`SONY EXHIBIT 1009
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`U.S. Patent
`U.S. Patent
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`Feb. 10, 2004
`Feb. 10, 2004
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`Sheet 1 of 19
`Sheet 1 of 19
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`US 6,690,391 B1
`US 6,690,391 B1
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`Feb. 10, 2004
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`Feb. 10, 2004
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`U.S. Patent
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`Feb. 10, 2004
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`US 6,690,391 B1
`
`1
`MODAL DISPLAY, SMOOTH SCROLL
`GRAPHIC USER INTERFACE AND REMOTE
`COMMAND DEVICE SUITABLE FOR
`EFFICIENT NAVIGATION AND SELECTION
`OF DYNAMIC DATA/OPTIONS PRESENTED
`WITHIN AN AUDIO/VISUAL SYSTEM
`
`2
`having an integral scrolling mechanism, and a GUI dis
`played on the display apparatus, a user of the system is able
`to quickly, intuitively, and efficiently navigate available AV
`options displayed during an interactive mode of the GUI
`through appropriate manipulation of the scrolling mecha
`nism. Related AV options are organized by management
`software of the navigation and selection device as items
`within lists that, in turn, correspond to navigable fields of a
`status bar of the GUI during the GUI interactive mode. The
`AV options of a list are related in the sense that they will
`generally share one or more identifiable characteristics. A
`field of the status bar that is highlighted by a cursor of the
`GUI will display its list of related AV information options
`arranged as items within the list, assuming the highlighted
`field is navigable. Items within the list may be navigated by
`the user simply engaging the scrolling mechanism of the
`navigation and selection device to scroll the items through
`the highlighted field of the GUI status bar. A different field
`of the status bar may be selected by the user moving the
`scrolling mechanism in a lateral movement. Activation of
`the selection mechanism of the navigation and selection
`device will cause an AV device of the system to be controlled
`in accordance with the AV options displayed within the
`status bar fields at the time the selection mechanism is
`activated.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`The novel features believed characteristic of the invention
`are set forth in the claims. The invention itself, however, as
`well as the preferred mode of use, and further objects and
`advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to
`the following detailed description of an illustrative embodi
`ment when read in conjunction with the accompanying
`drawing(s), wherein:
`FIGS. 1A and 2B are front and side views, respectively,
`of a navigation and selection device in accordance with a
`first navigation and selection device embodiment of the
`present invention.
`FIGS. 2A and 2B are front and side views, respectively,
`of a navigation and selection device in accordance with a
`second navigation and selection device embodiment of the
`present invention.
`FIG. 3 is an AV system diagram in accordance with an
`embodiment of the present invention.
`FIG. 4 is a screen shot of a GUI in an information display
`mode in accordance with the present invention.
`FIGS. 4 to 18 are screen shots of various GUIs in an
`interactive mode in accordance with the present invention.
`FIG. 19 is a flow diagram of the methodology of the
`present invention.
`DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
`The present invention presents an improved approach,
`including an improved system, method, navigation and
`selection device, and GUI, for a user of an AV system to
`quickly and efficiently navigate through available AV
`options or choices of the AV system displayed via the GUI
`on the display apparatus through appropriate manipulation
`of the scrolling mechanism. The AV system has one or more
`AV devices, such as televisions, CD players, VCRs,
`computers, set top boxes, internet applications, etc., a dis
`play apparatus capable of displaying interactive menus,
`guides, and devices controls, a navigation and selection
`device (remote commander) having an integral scrolling
`mechanism, and a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`This invention relates generally to the use of audio/visual
`(AV) information on display apparatus of AV systems, and
`more particularly to the efficient and intuitive presentation,
`navigation, and selection of available AV information in a
`graphical user interface (GUI) that is displayed on a display
`apparatus of an AV system and controlled through judicious
`manipulation of a scrolling mechanism and selection mecha
`nism of a navigation and selection device of the AV system.
`
`10
`
`15
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`The continued growth of the numerous AV options avail
`able for viewing and/or listening by users of AV systems, has
`made it necessary and desirable for the users of such AV
`systems to be able to efficiently and intuitively navigate
`through the available AV options in order to select desired
`programming. The explosion in the number of cable, satel
`lite and digital television viewing choices, as well as the
`emergence of Internet websites dedicated to programming
`and music that are now available for viewing on television
`and computer screens via the airwaves, cable, and satellite,
`has made it necessary and desirable for the user to be able
`to easily navigate through more and more AV options. It is
`noted that the term “AV” as used herein may encompass
`solely audio, solely visual, or a combination of audio/visual.
`Consider, for instance, that as the number and availability
`of broadcast channels for viewing on multiple channel
`television broadcast systems has continued to proliferate at
`an astonishing rate, the problem of navigating through the
`morass of available viewing selections has correspondingly
`become of more and more concern to the viewers of such
`systems. The sources of such programming can today pro
`vide hundreds of stations to viewers who must navigate
`through myriad broadcasting choices, a prospect that is both
`time-consuming and frustrating.
`Many on-screen guides, such as electronic program
`guides (EPGs), allow the user presented with AV program
`ming options to navigate options through the use of four
`way directional buttons and a selection button. This is a
`cumbersome and unsatisfactory solution, however, in that it
`requires the user to use these buttons many times to reach a
`desired on-screen option in the guide. There currently exists
`a need in the art, therefore, to be able to quickly view
`available AV options and information of an AV system.
`There additionally is a need in the art to be able to quickly
`and intuitively navigate the AV options and information of
`the AV system.
`
`20
`
`25
`
`30
`
`35
`
`40
`
`45
`
`50
`
`55
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`It is accordingly an object of the invention to be able to
`quickly and intuitively view, navigate, and select available
`AV options and information of an AV system.
`Therefore, according to the present invention, an
`improved method, navigation and selection device, GUI and
`system are presented. In an AV system having one or more
`AV devices, a display apparatus capable of displaying inter
`active AV information, a navigation and selection device
`
`60
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`25
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`3
`on the display apparatus. The GUI/navigation and selection
`device combination allows the user to easily navigate AV
`options that may be presented in a variety of formats,
`including an electronic program guide (EPG), websites, and
`AV device menus, on a television screen, monitor, screen or
`other display apparatus. The scrolling mechanism of the
`navigation and selection device, together with the organiza
`tion of related AV information within the GUI, allows the
`user to quickly and easily navigate the AV information and
`make desired selections.
`Related AV options are organized by software as items
`within lists that, in turn, correspond to fields of a status bar
`of the GUI during an interactive mode of the GUI. The
`software may be implemented as executable computer pro
`gram instructions of a computer readable medium that, when
`15
`executed by a processing system, cause the processing
`system to provide for efficient navigation of available AV
`options in an AV system. The AV options of a list are related
`in the sense that they will generally share one or more
`identifiable characteristics. The AV options displayed as
`items of a navigable list of a particular field of the status bar
`may all be types of movies available for viewing, television
`channels available for viewing, CDs available for listening,
`AV device controls such as play, stop, fast forward, etc. The
`available AV viewing and/or listening options that are pre
`sented as items within vertical lists are easily scanned and
`navigated using the scrolling mechanism of the navigation
`and selection device.
`Generally speaking, the fields of the status bar are dis
`played in the GUI in hierarchical fashion from left to right,
`with the left-most field representing the broadest category of
`navigation and selection available to the user and the right
`most field representing the narrowest category. Fields to the
`right of a particular field, then, may generally be considered
`to be sub-categories or subsets of that particular field,
`although such is not always the case. When inactive (not
`highlighted), these fields of a status bar are presented by
`displaying only the current or last-selected item within a
`field. When activated (the field is highlighted and the
`OK/select button is pressed), the field, if navigable, verti
`cally expands to display not only the current or last-selected
`item but also the entire list of items associated with the field;
`the navigable list may then be navigated and any item of the
`list placed within the field of the status bar by the user
`controlling the scroll wheel to highlight the desired item. A
`45
`field of the status bar is highlighted by using the lateral
`movement of the scrolling mechanism to place the GUI
`cursor over the desired field.
`Referring now to FIGS. 1A and 1B, front and side views,
`respectively, of a first preferred embodiment of navigation
`and selection device 10, commonly referred to as a remote
`commander or remote control, which is capable of providing
`the means by which a user can communicate with a dynamic
`GUI to control an AV device, are shown. The navigation and
`selection device 10 may be any remote hardware controller
`for AV devices, including audio playback. devices, such as
`Sony’s Discman or Walkman, television, cable set-top
`boxes, VCRs, etc. The navigation and selection device 10
`may additionally be a liquid crystal display (LCD)-based
`remote commander used to control multiple AV devices.
`Navigation and selection device 10 features an integral
`scrolling mechanism, shown here as a scroll wheel or
`cylinder 12. The user is able to engage in interactive
`communication with a dynamic GUI by appropriate opera
`tion of the navigation and selection device 10. The inte
`grated scroll cylinder is capable of scrolling movement up
`and down, allowing the user to scroll up and down through
`
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`US 6,690,391 B1
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`4
`vertical fields of related information by simply scrolling the
`scroll cylinder up or down as will be described. The inte
`grated scroll cylinder additionally is capable of lateral,
`side-to-side movement, thereby allowing the user to high
`light an item of a toolbar of the dynamic GUI as will be
`described; the side-to-side lateral movement of scroll cyl
`inder 12 is indicated by the presence of arrows pointing to
`the left and to the right on the remote commander housing.
`Once the user has manipulated the scroll cylinder to high
`light a desired option of the GUI, that option is selected by
`the user engaging the selection mechanism of the navigation
`and selection device; in this example, engaging the selection
`mechanism is accomplished by manually depressing the
`scroll cylinder in a perpendicular direction with respect to
`the axis running through the scroll cylinder. In other words,
`in this embodiment selection operation of the navigation and
`selection device is accomplished by the user pressing down
`on scroll cylinder 12 in a direction along the z-axis (into the
`paper for purposes of illustration) and perpendicular to the
`x-axis.
`Scroll cylinder 12 thus provides smooth scrolling navi
`gation through the available AV options, such as those
`displayed in an electronic programming guide (EPG), that
`are presented to the user via the GUI. It is noted, however,
`that it is not a requirement of the present invention that the
`scrolling and selection mechanisms of the navigation and
`selection device be one and the same. Thus, the scroll
`cylinder 12 could be used solely for navigation while
`another feature of the navigation and selection device, such
`as a button, could perform the selection operation. It should
`be noted that the scroll wheel itself could be rotary encoded,
`meaning that it rotates with discreet positions, or free
`rotating.
`In addition to a scroll wheel or cylinder, the scrolling
`mechanism of the remote commander 10 may be provided
`by alternate scrolling devices offering differing scrolling
`speeds. Scrolling at variable speeds provides the user with
`dynamic control of navigation, so that the user may navigate
`quickly to far away AV choices but more slowly to closer AV
`options, for instance. Variable speed control movement may
`be accomplished with a spring-loaded jog shuttle, for
`example. A rocker switch, of the type commonly used on
`camcorder zoom buttons, for instance, is typically capable of
`variable action speeds to scroll much faster than is a scroll
`wheel and thus may be more suitable for navigating through
`navigable lists containing a large number of items.
`In addition to scroll cylinder 12, navigation and selection
`device 10 has power button 14, guide button 16, favorite
`(FAV) button 18, menu button 20, exit button 22, volume
`control buttons 24, and channel control button 26. Guide
`button 16 may be manually depressed to cause a EPG to be
`displayed on a display apparatus, such as a monitor, a
`television screen, or a screen of an AV device. Favorite
`button 18 is manually operated to display one or more
`favorite AV options, such as television channels or audio CD
`tracks, for instance. Menu button 20 is manually operated to
`cause a predetermined menu screen to be displayed on the
`display apparatus. Exit button 22 is manually operated to
`restore ordinary screen display. Volume control buttons 24
`are manually operated to increase or decrease the volume of
`sound produced by the AV device being controlled by the
`navigation and selection device 10. Channel control buttons
`26 are used to manually control which broadcasting channel
`is to be received by the AV device.
`A second preferred embodiment of a navigation and
`selection device 30 suitable for controlling an AV device in
`accordance with the present invention is illustrated in the
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`front and side views, respectively, of FIGS. 2A and 2B.
`Navigation and selection device 30 which may also be
`referred to as a remote commander or control, also has an
`integral scroll cylinder, or wheel, 38, although cylinder 38 is
`smaller than scroll cylinder 12 of FIGS. 1A and 1B. Also
`present in this particular embodiment is 4-way joy pad 34,
`making navigation and selection device 20 very well suited
`for use with game applications. Navigation and selection
`device 20 additionally has mute button 32 and option button
`36.
`In addition to the scroll cylinders shown in FIGS. 1A–1B
`and 2A-2B, the scrolling mechanism may be fulfilled by
`other suitable choices, including rocker switches and spring
`loaded jog shuttles, for example.
`FIG. 3 illustrates an example of the AV system, according
`to an embodiment of the present invention. The AV system
`40 has several components used in the invention. AV options
`available to a user of the system for viewing and/or listening
`may be remotely or locally available; there are thus two
`computer servers shownremote server 44 and home (local)
`server 48. The related AV options, also referred to as grid
`information, that will be shown in vertically navigable lists
`of the GUI 62 are stored in one or more databases on a
`server, either local or remote, and downloaded as needed.
`Locally available AV information, shown as local databases
`49a–49i, includes, for purposes of illustration, CD Track
`lists 49a, local system information 49b, and electronic music
`files 49i, such as those in MP3 or Atrac formats, and is made
`available on the system to home server 48. Other AV options
`available for viewing and/or listening may be obtained from
`a remote server 44 over the world wide web or Internet;
`remote databases music download databases 42a and tele
`vision program database 42m (EPG) are examples of AV
`information that can be downloaded from the remote data
`bases 42 to a remote server 44 before being sent over the
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`Internet 46 to the local server 48 in response to a request. AV
`options or information include hyperlinks that permit navi
`gation to remote sites on the Internet using the smooth scroll
`GUI and remote commander of the invention.
`AV options, whether obtained locally or over the web, can
`be played for viewing or listening by the user on the
`appropriate AV device. This is a good example of how the
`GUI can be dynamically generated based on receiving
`structured information from any source. Several types of AV
`devices capable of displaying interactive menus, guides,
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`and/or device controls are shown here, for purposes of
`illustration, and include digital cable set top box (STB) 52a,
`compact disc (CD) player 52b, digital video disc (DVD)
`player 52c, and DV camcorder device 52n. Other types of
`AV devices include digital television products, VCRs, etc.
`The music or AV data sought to be presented to the user of
`the system may be viewed on a display apparatus of the
`appropriate AV device 52 (such as a CD played by CD player
`52b) or it may be viewed on a display apparatus 60, such as
`a satellite program viewed on a television screen, a monitor,
`etc
`The dynamic GUI displayed on display apparatus 60, in
`conjunction with the smooth scroll navigation and selection
`device 54, allow the user of the AV system to quickly and
`easily navigate through the available AV options and select
`a desired AV option in the manner that will be described.
`Management software or program 50 manages AV devices
`52a . . . 52n as well as the smooth scroll dynamic GUI 62
`and preferably resides within navigation and selection
`device 54. Software 50 ensures that the available AV infor
`mation options provided to server 48 from source 42 or 49
`are available for the dynamic GUI 62 when needed. As
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`previously described, the methodology of software 50 may
`be implemented as executable computer program instruc
`tions of a computer readable medium that, when executed by
`a processing system, such as might reside within navigation
`and selection device 54, cause the processing system to
`provide efficient navigation of available AV options in the
`AV system.
`The user manipulates the integral scrolling mechanism 56
`of navigation and selection device 54 to navigate through AV
`options presented in fields 65 of a status bar 64 that are
`capable of expanding when highlighted to reveal AV options
`arranged as items 66 within a vertically navigable list 68. As
`previously mentioned, scrolling mechanism 56 is capable of
`lateral movement and scrolling movement, and additionally
`has a selection mechanism by which desired AV information
`contained within the status bar 64 may be selected.
`There are two modes of the dynamic GUI, each of which
`present different types of information to the user. The user
`controls the mode of the dynamic GUI through appropriate
`manipulation of the remote commander navigation and
`selection device. The information display mode of the GUI,
`activated by the user depressing an appropriate information
`button of the remote commander, or by moving the scroll
`wheel or cylinder 12, 38 in any direction without activating
`its selection mechanism, causes certain information to be
`displayed on the display apparatus. The user is not interac
`tive with the GUI in the information display mode; rather,
`certain predetermined information, such as information
`about the current or last-selected AV option, is simply
`displayed to the user. The second mode of the dynamic GUI
`is the interactive mode, during which the user is able to
`communicate with the GUI. The interactive mode is entered
`by the user activating the selection mechanism of the
`navigation and selection device, in this embodiment by
`depressing the scroll cylinder of the remote commander in a
`downward direction. It is noted that the interactive mode
`may be launched from the information display mode or it
`may be entered directly by activation of the selection
`mechanism.
`FIG. 4 is a representation of the information display mode
`of the dynamic GUI 100 presented to the user on a display
`apparatus, according to an embodiment of the present inven
`tion. The information display mode is activated by the user
`moving the scroll cylinder of the remote commander without
`depressing it or by the user depressing an appropriate
`information button of the remote commander to enter the
`mode. Activation of the GUI information display mode
`causes the dynamic GUI 100 to display a status bar 102 that
`provides the user with information specifically about the AV
`option currently or last selected by the user, whether it be a
`television channel, DVD movie, CD audio track, etc.; in this
`example, the selected AV option is a track of a particular
`music CD, so the information displayed in the status bar 102
`concerns selected music CD. Again, because the user has not
`caused the GUI to enter the interactive mode, the only
`information available to the user in the information display
`mode concerns the status of the current or last-selected AV
`option. It should be noted that if the user does not enter the
`interactive mode of the GUI after a certain period of time,
`such as 4 seconds, a time-out feature of the GUI will cause
`the GUI to no longer be displayed on the display apparatus.
`The status bar in this particular implementation has a
`number of non-navigable fields 104,106, 108, 110, and 112
`(as opposed to the navigable fields provided in the interac
`tive mode) displayed at the top of the GUI window 100; the
`term non-navigable fields refers to the fact that, since the
`fields 104–112 only convey information about the currently
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`selected AV option, there is only one item displayed per
`field, rendering them non-navigable. As will be described,
`the user can choose to learn more about any field by
`highlighting a desired field in the status bar with the scroll
`cylinder (using the lateral movement of the scrolling mecha
`nism to move the cursor of the GUI over the field to be
`highlighted) and then depressing the scroll cylinder down
`ward to select the highlighted field, thereby entering the GUI
`interactive mode; the non-navigable field currently high
`lighted in this GUI screen shot is the CD Track Field 110, as
`indicated by the thicker white line that surrounds this field.
`The highlighting and subsequent selection of any particular
`non-navigable field within the status bar causes the GUI to
`enter the interactive mode in which the highlighted field
`transitions from a non-navigable field to a vertically navi
`gable field having one or more related navigation and
`selection AV options arranged as items within a list of the
`vertically navigable field, assuming that the particular field
`does indeed have multiple, related AV options that can be
`navigated and selected if desired.
`The fields 104–112 of status bar 102 are arranged in an
`easily readable fashion, such as along the top of the GUI
`screen from left to right in horizontal formation, preferably
`in a non-prominent position of the GUI. In this particular
`embodiment, it can be seen that the status bar is displayed
`at the very top of the GUI in what may be considered to be
`a non-prominent position of the screen so as to minimize any
`distraction caused by the status bar; if the GUI subsequently
`is caused to go from the information display mode to the
`interactive mode, the status bar will assume a more promi
`ment position in the GUI screen.
`Generally speaking, in both the information display mode
`and the interactive modes of operation of the GUI, the fields
`of a status bar displayed in the GUI are displayed in
`hierarchical fashion from left to right, with the left-most
`field representing the broadest category of navigation and
`selection available to the user and the rightmost field rep
`resenting the narrowest category. Fields to the right of a
`particular field, then, may generally be considered to be
`sub-categories or subsets of that particular field, although
`not every move to the right in the status bar indicates a
`further subdivision in the hierarchy. Thus, in the illustration
`of FIG. 4, Title Field 106 is a sub-cat