The present invention generally relates to user interfaces in television receiver devices, and more particularly relates to systems and methods for providing graphical adjustment and control of user interface features provided by a television receiver device.
Most television viewers now receive their television signals through a content aggregator such as a cable or satellite television provider. For subscribers to a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service, for example, television programming is received via a broadcast that is sent via a satellite to an antenna that is generally located on the exterior of a home or other structure. Other customers receive television programming through conventional television broadcasts, or through cable, wireless or other media. Programming is typically received at a receiver such as a “set top box” (STB) or other receiver that demodulates the received signals and converts the demodulated content into a format that can be presented to the viewer on a television or other display. In addition to receiving and demodulating television programming, many television receivers are able to provide additional features. Examples of features available in many modern television receivers include electronic program guides (EPGs), digital or other personal video recorders, “place-shifting” features for streaming received content over a network or other medium, providing customer service information and/or the like.
Generally speaking, viewers interact with the STB or other receiver using some sort of user interface that receives inputs from a remote control or other input device. To change a channel, for example, the viewer typically depresses a “channel up/down” button, manually enters a number of a desired channel on a numeric keypad, and/or selects the new channel using a program guide feature of the receiver. Alternatively, viewers can often seek out programs using an EPG feature provided by the receiver. In general, the viewer tunes programs, selects features and otherwise interacts with the television receiver using conventional buttons on a remote control.
While conventional interfaces are useful for many purposes, there remains a continual desire for more efficient and intuitive user interfaces to the various features provided by the receiver. In particular, there is a desire to provide convenient access to user interface features using more advanced input techniques. It is therefore desirable to create systems and methods for improving the viewer interface to the television receiver. These and other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background section.
According to various exemplary embodiments, systems and methods are provided for graphically providing numeric inputs or other controls a set-top box (STB) or other video receiver.
In various embodiments, a method is provided for graphically features on a set top box (STB) or other television receiver in response to viewer instructions received from a remote control. Imagery including various tiles each corresponding to one of the provided features is presented on the display. A two-dimensional input is received from the remote control that indicates a selected one of the plurality of tiles, and, in response to the received two-dimensional input, the feature associated with the selected tile is provided.
In further embodiments, a method is provided for selecting a desired channel in a television receiver configured to present imagery on a display in response to viewer instructions transmitted from a remote control. The method comprises presenting the imagery on the display, wherein the imagery comprises a plurality of tiles each corresponding to one of the plurality of features, receiving a two-dimensional input from the remote control that indicates a selected one of the plurality of tiles, wherein the selected one of the plurality of tiles has an associated channel number, and, in response to the received two-dimensional input, tuning the television receiver to the associated channel number to thereby present programming from the desired channel on the display.
Still other embodiments provide a video receiver for presenting imagery on a display in response to viewer input signals provided from a remote control. The receiver comprises a receiver interface configured to receive an incoming modulated signal, a decoder configured to decode the incoming modulated signal to extract a video signal, a wireless receiver configured to receive the viewer input signals from the remote control, wherein the viewer input is a two-dimensional input, and a processor. The processor is configured generate the imagery presented on the display, wherein the imagery comprises a plurality of tiles each corresponding to one of the plurality of features. The processor is further configured to receive the viewer input signals from the remote control, and, in response to the received two-dimensional input indicating a selected one of the plurality of tiles, to provide the feature associated with the selected tile.
Various other embodiments, aspects and other features are described in more detail below.
Exemplary embodiments will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and
The following detailed description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background or the following detailed description.
Generally speaking, the viewer is able to access channels, programs, program guide information, placeshifting features, customer service features and/or any other features through a graphical user interface that includes various tiles that can be selected using a two-dimensional input device. In various embodiments, the viewer manipulates a touchpad or other two-dimensional input feature incorporated within a remote control to direct a cursor toward one or more tiles. By selecting the tile, a feature associated with the tile can be accessed. Features that can be associated with tiles include tuning particular channels or programs, setting recordings or other features associated with a PVR or placeshifting feature, accessing further menuing features provided by the receiver, and/or the like. Further, in many embodiments, the features associated with one or more tiles may be individually configured by the viewer and/or a content provider to customize the interface provided to the viewer by the receiver.
Turning now to the drawing figures and with initial reference to
Television imagery is presented on display 102 in any manner. Further, two-dimensional navigation features may be presented to allow the viewer to access various features of receiver 108 through control of a cursor 114 or other interface feature via remote control 112. In various embodiments, cursor 114 is able to move in response to two-dimensional input signals 129, which are, in turn, generated in response to inputs applied to two-dimensional input device 123. By moving cursor 114 to interact with the two-dimensional navigation features presented on display 102, various channels, programs, and/or other features may be tuned, activated or otherwise manipulated as desired.
Receiver 108 is any component, device or logic capable of receiving and decoding video signals 105. In various embodiments, receiver 108 is a set-top box (STB) or the like capable of receiving satellite, cable, broadcast and/or other signals encoding audio/visual content. Receiver 108 may further demodulate or otherwise decode the received signals 105 to extract programming that can be locally viewed on display 102 as desired. Receiver 108 may also include a content database stored on a hard disk drive, memory, or other storage medium to support a digital or other personal video recorder (DVR/PVR) feature in some embodiments. Receiver 108 may also provide place shifting, electronic program guide, multi-stream viewing and/or other features as appropriate.
In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in
Display 102 is any device capable of presenting imagery 110 to a viewer. In various embodiments, display 102 is a conventional television set, such as any sort of television operating in accordance with any digital or analog protocols, standards or other formats. Display 102 may be a conventional NTSC or PAL television receiver, for example. In other embodiments, display 102 is a monitor or other device that may not include built-in receiver functionality, but that is nevertheless capable of presenting imagery in response to signal 107 received from receiver 108. In various embodiments, receiver 108 and display 102 may be physically combined or interconnected in any manner. A receiver card, for example, could be inserted into a slot or other interface in a conventional television, or the functionality of receiver 108 may be provided within a conventional television display 102. In other embodiments, signals 107 are transferred between receiver 108 and display 102 using any sort of cable or other interface (including a wireless interface). Examples of common interfaces include, without limitation, component video, S-video, High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), Digital Visual Interface (DVI), IEEE 1394, and/or any other formats as desired.
Remote control 112 is any sort of control device capable providing signals 129 to receiver 108 that represent inputs received from one or more viewers. Typically, remote control 112 is an infrared, radio frequency (RF) or other wireless remote that includes any number of buttons or other features for receiving viewer inputs. In an exemplary embodiment, remote control 112 communicates with receiver 108 using the IEEE 802.15.4 (“ZIGBEE”) protocol for wireless personal area networks (WPANs), although other embodiments may instead communicate using IEEE 802.15.1 (“BLUETOOTH”), IEEE 802.11 (“WI-FI”), conventional infrared, and/or any other wireless techniques. In some embodiments, remote control 112 may be able to support multiple types of wireless communication, such as ZIGBEE communications and also infrared communications. This feature may be useful when remote control 112 is a so-called universal remote that is able to provide input signals 129 to multiple devices.
Remote control 112 generally includes any sort of buttons, sliders, rocker switches and/or other features for receiving physical inputs from the viewer. As the user depresses or otherwise interacts with the features, remote control 112 suitably produces wireless signals 129 in response. In further embodiments, remote control 112 includes a two-dimensional input device 123 that is able to receive inputs from the user in any multi-dimensional format (e.g, “X,Y”, “r,Θ”, and/or the like). Examples of two-dimensional input devices 123 that could be used in various embodiments include, without limitation, touchpads, directional pads, joysticks, trackballs, sets of arrows or other buttons, and/or the like. In a typical implementation, two-dimensional input device 123 provides coordinates or other signals 129 that indicate absolute (e.g, “X,Y”) and/or relative (e.g., “ΔX,ΔY”) movement in two or more dimensions. Such signals 129 may be decoded at controller 108 or elsewhere to coordinate the viewer's actions with respect to input device 123 to movement of cursor 114 or other features presented on display 102.
In the exemplary embodiment shown in
In operation, then, receiver 108 suitably receives television signals 105 from a satellite, cable, broadcast or other source. In a satellite based embodiment, for example, one or more channels can be extracted from a conventional satellite feed; the video content on the selected channel can be demodulated, extracted and otherwise processed as appropriate to display the desired content to the viewer. One or more cable or broadcast channels may be similarly obtained in any manner. In some embodiments, receiver 108 may obtain multiple channel signals from different sources (e.g., one channel from a cable or satellite source and another channel from a terrestrial broadcast, DVD or other source).
Receiver 108 suitably obtains the desired content from the channel(s) indicated by the viewer, and presents the content on display 102. In various embodiments, viewers are able to further view imagery (e.g., the imagery 110 shown in
Imagery 110 may be organized and presented in any manner. In the exemplary embodiment shown in
In the exemplary embodiment shown in
The particular tiles 124A-E shown in
In various embodiments, the particular tiles displayed on any window 126 are configurable so that the viewer and/or a service provider are able to choose particular tiles for presentation on display 102. Tab 126C, for example, may allow a customized set of tiles to be provided for a particular viewer or receiver 104. Tabs 126 may be selected in any manner. Viewers may be able to drag tiles, for example, from the default view (tab 126A) or another view (e.g., the “all tiles” tab 126B) to the custom tile view (e.g., tab 126C). Other embodiments may select tabs for custom lists in any other manner. Further, the features performed by certain tiles may be configurable. A “favorite channel” tile, for example, could be configured to tune to a channel that is configurable by the viewer, since this feature would vary from viewer to viewer. Other parameters may be adjusted based on temporal factors, viewer preferences, and/or other factors as appropriate.
Receiver 108 may be physically and logically implemented in any manner.
Various embodiments of receiver 108 therefore include any number of appropriate modules for obtaining and processing media content as desired for the particular embodiment. Each of these modules may be implemented in any combination of hardware and/or software using logic executed within any number of semiconductor chips or other processing logic.
Various embodiments of control logic 205 can include any circuitry, components, hardware, software and/or firmware logic capable of controlling the various components of receiver 108. Various routines, methods and processes executed within receiver 108 are typically carried out under control of control logic 205, as described more fully below. Generally speaking, control logic 205 receives user input signals 129 (
As noted above, receiver 108 suitably includes a receiver interface 208, which is any hardware, software, firmware and/or other logic capable of receiving media content via one or more content sources 105. In various embodiments, content sources 105 may include cable television, direct broadcast satellite (DBS), broadcast and/or other programming sources as appropriate. Receiver interface 208 appropriately selects a desired input source and provides the received content to an appropriate destination for further processing. In various embodiments, received programming may be provided in real-time (or near real-time) to a transport stream select module 212 or other component for immediate decoding and presentation to the user. Alternatively, receiver interface 208 may provide content received from any source to a disk or other storage medium in embodiments that provide DVR functionality. In such embodiments, receiver 108 may also include a disk controller module 206 that interacts with an internal or external hard disk, memory and/or other device that stores content in a database 110, as described above.
In the embodiment shown in
Transport stream select module 212 is any hardware and/or software logic capable of selecting a desired media stream from the available sources. In the embodiment shown in
Receiver 108 may include any number of decoder modules 214 for decoding, decompressing and/or otherwise processing received/stored content as desired. Generally speaking, decoder module 214 decompresses, decodes and/or otherwise processes received content from stream select module 212 to extract an MPEG or other media stream encoded within the stream. The decoded content can then be processed by one or more display processor modules 218 to create a presentation on display 102 (
Display processor module 218 includes any appropriate hardware, software and/or other logic to create desired screen displays via display interface 228 as desired. Such displays may include combining signals received from one or more decoder modules 214 to facilitate viewing of one or more channels. In various embodiments, display processing module 218 is also able to produce on screen displays (OSDs) for electronic program guide, setup and control, input/output facilitation and/or other features that may vary from embodiment to embodiment. Such displays are not typically contained within the received or stored broadcast stream, but are nevertheless useful to users in interacting with receiver 108 or the like. The generated displays, including received/stored content and any other displays may then be presented to one or more output interfaces 228 in any desired format. The various interface features described herein, for example, may be generated by display processor module 218 operating alone or in conjunction with control logic 205.
Display processor 218 may also generate imagery 110 in response to viewer inputs received (and/or in response to instructions from command logic 205) to thereby make up a user interface that allows the viewer select channels or programs, or to perform other tasks as desired. When the viewer provides inputs at tiles 124 or any other user interface features, for example, display processor 218 may be operable to draw (or redraw) imagery 110 in response, and/or to present television content identified by the viewer, as appropriate. As receiver 108 receives user inputs 129 from remote control 112, control logic 205 may direct display processor 218 to adjust any feature(s) of imagery 110 as directed by the viewer. Display processor 218 therefore directs the presentation of imagery 110 in conjunction with one or more navigation features, and adjusts the imagery 110 in response to inputs received from the viewer.
Display processor 218 produces an output signal encoded in any standard format (e.g., ITU656 format for standard definition television signals or any format for high definition television signals) that can be readily converted to standard and/or high definition television signals at interface 228. In other embodiments, the functionality of display processor 218 and interface 228 may be combined in any manner.
In the embodiment shown in
As noted above, the particular features executed by any particular tile can vary widely from embodiment to embodiment, and even from tile to tile. Selecting a network tile (e.g., tile 124A), for example, may result in any actions associated with that network being executed. A particular channel could be tuned, for example, or other features could be provided as appropriate. Such features may include, for example, specific information about the network or programs produced by the network. Other features could include scheduling or program guide information that is specific to the network. In still other embodiments, the viewer may be able to select and view preview clips, informational clips, or other additional content about programs shown on the associated network. Such information may be downloaded, for example, via a digital network or via satellite, cable and/or other programming signals 105 delivered to receiver 108. In some embodiments, tiles (e.g., network tile 124A) could be sponsored tiles in which a DBS, cable or other television service provider send instructions to receiver 108 to display a sponsored tile 124A at appropriate times.
Similarly, tiles associated with particular programs (e.g, tile 124H in
Channel tiles (e.g., tiles 124F-G) may be associated with particular channels in any manner. Selection of these tiles may result in the particular channel being immediately tuned by receiver 108 so that programming on that channel can be presented. In other embodiments, program guide information for that channel can be displayed so the viewer can see upcoming programming on that channel. In still other embodiments, particular channels may provide other information (e.g., RSS feeds for weather, traffic, local news and/or other information) that can be displayed in response to selection of the tile. Other features may be alternately or additionally provided as desired.
As noted above, other tiles could be formulated for any purpose or feature. Other tiles may allow for viewer settings, for example, that would allow the viewer to configure receiver 108 in any manner. Tiles 124B, 124C, 124I shown in
With reference now to
Step 402 suitably involves presenting imagery 110 with one or more tiles 124 (e.g., tiles 124A-I in
The viewer interacts with the presented tiles 124 in any manner. As noted above, in various embodiments the viewer provides inputs to receiver 104 using a remote control 112 that incorporates a two-dimensional input device 123 such as a touchpad, motion sensor, directional pad, joystick, trackball and/or the like. Signals 129 from remote control 112 provide receiver 104 with appropriate information to direct the position of cursor 114 on imagery 110, and to indicate viewer selections of tiles 124 as appropriate.
In response to the viewer selecting a tile 124, receiver 104 suitably provides the feature(s) associated with the selected tile in any manner (step 408). The particular features, as noted above, can vary significantly from embodiment to embodiment and tile to tile. Some features may include tuning to a selected channel or program, providing downloaded content, providing an interface for additional options (e.g., channel selection, placeshifting, recording, search, device configuration, preference selection and/or the like), or taking any other actions as appropriate. As noted above, the tiles 124 presented in imagery 110 may be configurable by the viewer in any manner, as may the features executed by one or more tiles 124. Accordingly, new systems and techniques are presented for graphically providing various features in a television receiver or the like using two-dimensional graphical interaction between the viewer and a tile or other feature presented on display 102.
As used herein, the word “exemplary” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as exemplary is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations.
While the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing various embodiments of the invention, it should be appreciated that the particular embodiments described above are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. To the contrary, various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described without departing from the scope of the invention.