Patent Application
20100011294
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 the electronic devices that affects the user's experience is the user interface. Electronic devices such as televisions may present content in any one of a plurality of formats, such as standard (e.g., 4:3), fullscreen, widescreen, zoom 14:9, zoom 16:9, super zoom, subtitle zoom or the like. Typically, the user can select a particular format from a setup menu. The setup menu may present a generic still image in each of the available formats. However, the conventional technique sometimes results in the user selecting a mode that the user may not prefer for the particular content that he or she is viewing. Accordingly, there is a continued need for an improved user interface for electronic devices.
Embodiments of the present technology are directed toward the configuration of a display mode in electronic devices. In one embodiment a system includes a content source, a video processing unit and a display. The video processing unit applies a plurality of mode effects to content captured from the content source. The video processing unit then generates a graphical user interface including the content formatted in the plurality of mode effects for output on the display.
In another embodiment, a method includes capturing content from a content source. A plurality of mode effects are then applied to the captured content. Thereafter a graphical user interface (GUI) for selecting from a plurality of modes is displayed. The GUI includes the captured content formatted in each of the plurality of mode effects.
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 video processing unit 120 may be part of a television 150, game console, personal computer or the like. The content source 130 may be a set top box (STB), DVD player, hard disk drive (HDD) or the like, and the input interface 140 may be a remote control, keyboard, pointing device and/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, game console, personal computer or the like. 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, content is captured from a content source 130 by the video processing unit 120. In one implementation, the content may be captured from a DVD player or set top box (STB). The content may be captured in response to an input from a user that triggers a mode setup process. In another implementation, the content may be captured at the beginning of a given content (e.g., when the user starts a new movie). In one implementation, a video clip (e.g., a plurality of frames) is captured. In another implementation, a single frame is captured. In yet another implementation, a generic animated image may be used to generate the mode effects. At 220, a plurality of mode effects are applied to the captured content by the video processing unit 120. The plurality of mode effects may include standard (e.g., 4:3), fullscreen, widescreen, zoom 14:9, zoom 16:9, super zoom, subtitle zoom and/or the like modes.
At 230, a graphical user interface (GUI) 160 for selecting from the plurality of modes is output on the display 110 by the video processing unit 120. The GUI 160 displays the current content formatted in each of the plurality of mode effects. At 240, a selection of one of the plurality of modes is received in response to the GUI. For example, a user may use an input interface, such as a remote control, mouse or game controller, to highlight and select a given mode from the GUI. At 250, the current content formatted in the selected mode effect is then output on the display 110 by the video processing unit 120 in response to the selection.
Referring now to
In contrast, the conventional art, as illustrated in
Referring now to
Accordingly, embodiments of the present technology advantageously assist the user with selecting a desired mode effect by presenting improved examples of the mode using the content to be displayed. The user will therefore have a better idea of how the current content will look before actually applying the mode.
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.
