Method and system for providing a user interface application and presenting information thereon

Abstract

A presentation system and method provides a GUI application that allows presenting Internet information on electronic devices such as consumer electronic devices with minimal user key presses/commands. The user is enabled to browse/search for Internet information without having to enter queries, using a small number of key presses. Further the user is enabled to obtain desired Internet information with no or minimal user involvement in query construction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a functional block diagram of an example network which implements an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of the steps of a process for providing a user interface (UI) and presenting the desired information to a user, implemented in the network of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the user interface of FIG. 2, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows another example of the user interface of FIG. 2, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows an example functional block diagram of a digital television (DTV) 30 that implements the GUI program execution code/firmware, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of the steps of a process for providing the UI in FIGS. 3-4, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of presenting information to a user, comprising the steps of: utilizing an electronic device connected to a network for searching desired information on the network using a small number of input commands;obtaining additional relevant information with minimal user involvement in query construction; andpresenting the information on a graphical user interface (GUI).

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the network comprises the Internet.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the network comprises a local network and an external network, wherein the electronic device is connected to the local network.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic device comprises a consumer electronic device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining additional relevant information further includes the step of: accessing additional information available on the network, related to particular information that the user desires.

6. The method of claim 1 further including the step of: mapping functionalities for information search to a small number of input commands to the electronic device; andwherein searching desired information on the network using a small number of input commands, further includes utilizing the device to access desired information on the network based on said input commands from a user.

7. The method of claim 1 further including the step of: mapping functionalities for information search to a small number of input commands to the electronic device; andwherein obtaining additional information further includes receiving a user input command expressing interest in obtaining additional information related to the desired information currently accessed by the user.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein obtaining additional information further includes receiving user input command indicating further searching for the type of additional information.

9. The method of claim 8 further including receiving further user input commands refining the search for the type of additional information.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein receiving user input commands indicating the type of additional information includes: displaying a set of keywords related to the desired information; andproviding a set of one or more input commands for the user to select one or more of the keywords indicating the type of additional information, and receiving the user's input.

11. The method of claim 10 further including receiving further user input commands refining the search for the type of additional information.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein receiving further user input commands refining the search includes: receiving further user input commands refining a selected keyword by displaying a set of keyword categories for the selected keyword; andproviding a set of one or more input commands for the user to select one or more of the keyword categories further indicating the type of additional information.

13. The method of claim 12 further including the steps of: obtaining search results from the network based on the selected keyword categories;providing access to the search results by displaying a list of search results corresponding to the previously selected keyword and/or keyword category; andproviding a set of one or more input commands for the user to select one or more of the search results.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the search results include links to web pages containing information about the search.

15. The method of claim 13 further including the steps of: receiving a user input command to display content of one of the web pages; anddisplaying the content of the web page on a GUI.

16. The method of claim 7 wherein the network comprises a local network and an external network, wherein the electronic device is connected to the local network.

17. The method of claim 7 wherein the electronic device comprises a consumer electronic device.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of obtaining additional relevant information further includes the step of: accessing additional information available on the external network, related to particular information that the user desires.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein: the external network comprises the Internet; andthe local network comprises a local area network.

20. The method of claim 7 wherein mapping functionalities includes mapping functionalities for information search to a small number of input key presses representing said input commands.

21. A system for presenting information to a user, comprising: an application module configured to search desired information on a network using a small number of user input commands;a search module configured to obtain additional relevant information with minimal user involvement in query construction; anda presentation module configured to present the information on a graphical user interface (GUI).

22. The system of claim 21 wherein: the application module comprises an extractor that is configured to receive a video input signal including a video stream and to obtain content information corresponding to the video stream, and a keyword generator that is configured to extract keywords relating to information of interest to the user from the content information;the search module comprises a query module that is configured to construct a query based on the keywords using a small number of input commands with minimal user involvement, and to access a resource for searching relevant information on the network based on the query; andthe presentation module is further configured to present the information on the GUI and provide user refinement of the query.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the network comprises a local network and an external network, wherein the resource is located in the external network.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein the external network comprises the Internet.

25. The system of claim 22 wherein the search module is further configured to access additional information available on the network, related to particular information that the user desires.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the presentation module further includes: a command processor configured to map functionalities for information search to a small number of input commands; andwherein the search module is further configured to access desired information on the network based on said input commands from a user.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein the presentation module further includes a keyword menu generator that is configured to receive a user input command selecting one or more keywords expressing interest in obtaining additional information related to the desired information currently accessed by the user.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the presentation module further includes a category menu generator that is configured to receive a user input command indicating further searching for the type of additional information.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the presentation unit further includes a search result menu generator for displaying search results to the user.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the keyword menu generator is further configured to receive further user input commands refining the search for the type of additional information.

31. The system of claim 28 wherein the keyword menu generator is further configured to display a set of keywords related to the desired information, and provide a set of one or more input commands for the user to select one or more of the keywords indicating the type of additional information, and receiving user input.

32. The system of claim 29 wherein the keyword menu generator is further configured to receive further user input commands refining a selected keyword by displaying a set of keyword categories for the selected keyword, and to provide a set of one or more input commands for the user to select one or more of the keyword categories further indicating the type of additional information.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the presentation module is further configured to provide access to the search results by displaying a list of search results corresponding to the previously selected keyword and/or keyword category, and to provide a set of one or more input commands for the user to select one or more of the search results.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the search results include links to web pages containing information about the search.

35. The system of claim 33 wherein the search result menu generator is further configured to receive a user input command to display content of one of the web pages, and display the content of the web page on a GUI.

36. The system of claim 27 wherein the network comprises a local network and an external network, wherein the electronic device is connected to the local network.

37. An electronic device for presenting information to a user, comprising: an application module configured to search desired information on a network using a small number of user input commands;a search module configured to obtain additional relevant information with minimal user involvement in query construction; anda presentation module configured to present the information on a graphical user interface (GUI).

38. The device of claim 37 wherein: the application module comprises an extractor that is configured to receive a video input signal including a video stream and to obtain content information corresponding to the video stream, and a keyword generator that is configured to extract keywords relating to information of interest to the user from the content information;the search module comprises a query module that is configured to construct a query based on the keywords using a small number of input commands with minimal user involvement, and to access a resource for searching relevant information on the network based on the query; andthe presentation module is further configured to present the information on the GUI and to provide user refinement of the query.

39. The device of claim 38 wherein the network comprises a local network and an external network, wherein the resource is located in the external network.

40. The device of claim 37 wherein the external network comprises the Internet.

41. The device of claim 38 wherein the search module is further configured to access additional information available on the network, related to particular information that the user desires.

42. The device of claim 41 wherein the presentation module further includes: a command processor configured to map functionalities for information search to a small number of input commands; andwherein the search module is further configured to access desired information on the network based on said input commands from a user.

43. The device of claim 41 wherein the presentation module further includes a keyword menu generator that is configured to receive a user input command selecting one or more keywords expressing interest in obtaining additional information related to the desired information currently accessed by the user.

44. The device of claim 43 wherein the presentation module further includes a category menu generator that is configured to receive a user input command indicating further searching for the type of additional information.

45. The device of claim 44 wherein the presentation unit further includes a search result menu generator for displaying search results to the user.

46. The device of claim 45 wherein the keyword menu generator is further configured to receive further user input commands refining the search for the type of additional information.

47. The device of claim 44 wherein the keyword menu generator is further configured to display a set of keywords related to the desired information, and to provide a set of one or more input commands for the user to select one or more of the keywords indicating the type of additional information, and receiving user input.

48. The device of claim 45 wherein the keyword menu generator is further configured to receive further user input commands refining a selected keyword by displaying a set of keyword categories for the selected keyword, and to provide a set of one or more input commands for the user to select one or more of the keyword categories further indicating the type of additional information.

49. The device of claim 48 wherein the presentation module is further configured to provide access to the search results by displaying a list of search results corresponding to the previously selected keyword and/or keyword category, and to provide a set of one or more input commands for the user to select one or more of the search results.

50. The device of claim 49 wherein the search results include links to web pages containing information about the search.

51. The device of claim 49 wherein the search result menu generator is further configured to receive a user input command to display content of one of the web pages, and display the content of the web page on a GUI.

52. The device of claim 43 wherein the network comprises a local network and an external network, wherein the electronic device is connected to the local network.

53. The device of claim 43 wherein the device comprises a consumer electronic device.