Patent Application
20090313561
Electronic devices have made significant contributions towards the advancement of modern society. An ever increasingly important aspect of electronic devices is the user experience. An important part of electronic devices that affects the user experience is the user interface. Electronic devices such as televisions, for example, include an input interface such as a remote control and/or a control panel and a display that makeup the user interface. Typically, a user may enter an alphanumeric input via the remote control as part of an input command to change the channel for instance. The alphanumeric input is typically echoed back to the user on the display. Generally, the display of the alphanumeric input is simply presented as small alphanumeric characters in white font on a black background super imposed on the content currently being displayed. However, this conventional technique is not particularly appealing to the user. Accordingly, there is a continued need for an improved user interface for electronic devices such as televisions that improves the user experience.
Embodiments of the present technology are directed toward alphanumeric input animation. In one embodiment, a system includes an input interface, a video processing unit and a display. The input interface generates alphanumeric inputs. The video processing unit generates an animated graphical representation of the alphanumeric inputs and combines the animated graphical representation with content for output on a display.
In another embodiment, a method includes receiving an alphanumeric input from an input interface. An animated graphical representation of the alphanumeric input is generated and combined with content from a content source. The combined animated graphical representation and the content are then output on a display.
Embodiments of the present technology are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present technology, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the present technology will be described in conjunction with these embodiments, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the invention to these embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, in the following detailed description of the present technology, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present technology. However, it is understood that the present technology may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present technology.
In an exemplary implementation, the display 110 and a video processing unit 120 may be part of an electronic device such as a television 150 or the like, the content source 130 may be a set top box (STB), digital video disk (DVD) player or the like, and the input interface 140 may be a remote control or the like. However, it is appreciated that the display 110, video processing unit 120, content source 130 and input interface 140 may be arranged in numerous other possible implementations. For example, the video processing unit 120 may be part of one or more content sources 130, or a content source 130 may be part of the television 150. The input interfaces 140 may be a remote control, and/or a control panel on the television 150 or one or more of the content sources 130. Furthermore, each input interface 140 may separately control a respective television 150 or content source 130, and/or at least one of the input interfaces 140 may control a plurality of elements that include the television 150 and/or one or more of the content sources 130.
At 210, an alphanumeric input is received by the video processing unit 120 from an input interface 140. In one implementation, the input may be an alphanumeric input received in response to user activation of one or more buttons on a ten-key pad of a remote control 140. As used herein the term “alphanumeric” is intended to include numbers, letters, and symbols in any one or more of a plurality of languages. At 220, an animated graphical representation of the input is generated by the video processing unit 120. The animated graphical representation of the alphanumeric input may include a graphic of one or more numbers, letters and/or symbols that change in one or more characteristics, such as size, contrast, color, transparency, shading, texture, position, orientation, location, perspective and/or the like, over a period of time. For example, a graphic of a number may start relatively large and get smaller as the number moves from a first position to a second position.
At 230, the animated graphical representation of the input is combined with content from a content source 130 by the video processing unit 120. The animated graphical representation, in one implementation, may be combined by replacing corresponding pixels in the content to be output on the display with the pixels of the animated graphical representation. In another implementation, the corresponding pixels in the content to be output on the display and the pixels of the animated graphical representation are blended. Blending the corresponding pixels results in a partial transparent effect, wherein the content that underlies the animated graphical representation is partially visible through the animated graphical representation. At 240, the combined animated graphical representation of the input and the content are output by the video processing unit 120 on the display 110. In addition, the operation of a device such as the television 150 or content source 130 may be controlled based on the alphanumeric input received from the input interface 140, at 250.
Referring now to
Accordingly, embodiments of the present technology give the user more of an interactive feeling when they are pressing buttons on a remote or other input interface. The animated visual feedback of alphanumeric inputs adds a special effect to enhance the user experience.
The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present technology have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present technology and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present technology and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents.
