U.S. patent application number 10/497076 was filed with the patent office on 2005-04-07 for media player interface.
Invention is credited to Robbin, Jeff.
Application Number | 20050076307 10/497076 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25045942 |
Filed Date | 2005-04-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050076307 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Robbin, Jeff |
April 7, 2005 |
Media player interface
Abstract
A computer readable medium contains media player application
code which implements the procedures of generating in a user
interface an application window having a window frame and a
plurality of stiles to define a plurality of panes within said
frame, displaying in a first one of said panes a user selectable
index of a plurality of media files, displaying in a second one of
said first selected information for said media files, and
displaying in a third one of said panes second selected information
for said media files.
Inventors: |
Robbin, Jeff; (Los Altos,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BURNS DOANE SWECKER & MATHIS L L P
POST OFFICE BOX 1404
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22313-1404
US
|
Family ID: |
25045942 |
Appl. No.: |
10/497076 |
Filed: |
November 22, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
January 8, 2002 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/US02/00484 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10497076 |
Nov 22, 2004 |
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09757000 |
Jan 8, 2001 |
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6731312 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
715/792 ;
715/716; 715/781; 715/855 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G11B 27/34 20130101;
H04L 67/36 20130101; G11B 27/105 20130101; H04L 29/06027
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
715/792 ;
715/716; 715/781; 715/855 |
International
Class: |
G06F 003/00; G11B
027/00 |
Claims
1-66. (Canceled).
67. A user interface for a media player application comprising: an
application window having a window frame and a plurality of stiles
that define: a first pane that displays a user selectable index of
a plurality of media files; a second pane that displays first
selected information for said media files; and a third pane that
displays second selected information for said media files.
68. A user interface as set forth in claim 67 wherein said first
selected information includes an index of a plurality of artists
associated with said media files.
69. A user interface as set forth in claim 67 wherein said second
selected information includes an index of a plurality of albums
associated with said media files.
70. A user interface as set forth in claim 67 further comprising a
browse button in said frame which toggles said window between all
of said panes being displayed and only a selected one of said panes
being displayed.
71. A user interface as set forth in claims 70 wherein said
selected one of said panes is said first one of said panes.
72. A user interface as set forth in claim 67 further comprising a
fourth pane that displays information relating to a plurality of
selectable sources for said media files, one of said sources being
a library source which when selected causes said first, second and
said third ones of said panes to be displayed.
73. A user interface as set forth in claim 72 wherein a second
source includes a radio tuner.
74. A user interface as set forth in claim 73 further comprising a
fifth pane that displays an index of genre of said media files when
said radio tuner source has been selected, said fifth pane being
displayed in lieu of said first, second and third panes.
75. A user interface as set forth in claim 73 further comprising a
user selectable refresh button in said frame that connects said
media player application to the Internet to obtain refreshed
information for said media files.
76. A user interface as set forth in claim 67 further including a
plurality of user selectable control buttons disposed in a selected
portion of said frame, said control buttons controlling execution
of said media player reproducing content from said media files in
said index.
77. A user interface for a media player application, comprising: an
application window having a window frame and a plurality of stiles
that define: a first pane that displays a user selectable index of
a plurality of media files; a second pane that displays selected
information for said media files; a third pane that displays second
selected information for said media files; and a fourth pane that
displays information relating to a plurality of user selectable
sources for said media files, wherein a first one of said sources
is a library source and a second one of said sources is a user
definable playlist, said library source when selected causing said
first, second and said third ones of said panes to be
displayed.
78. A user interface as set forth in claim 77 further comprising a
fifth pane that displays an index of media files contained in said
playlist when said playlist has been selected, said fifth pane
being displayed in lieu of said first, second and third panes.
79. A user interface as set forth in claim 77 wherein a third one
of said sources is a radio tuner.
80. A user interface as set forth in claim 79 further comprising a
fifth pane that displays an index of genre of said media files when
said radio source has been selected, said fifth pane being
displayed in lieu of said first, second and third panes.
81. A user interface as set forth in claim 79 further comprising a
user selectable refresh button that is displayed in said frame when
said radio tuner has been selected, which selectively connects said
media player application to the Internet to obtain refreshed
information for said media files.
82. A user interface as set forth in claim 81 wherein said refresh
button changes state to a browse button when said library source is
selected.
83. A user interface as set forth in claim 82 wherein said browse
button toggles said window between all of said panes being
displayed and only said first one and said fourth one of said panes
being displayed.
84. A user interface as set forth in claim 81 wherein said refresh
button changes state to a burn CD button when said playlist is
selected, that selectively initiates a further procedure allowing
media files indicated in said selected playlist to be recorded onto
a compact disk.
85. A user interface for media player application, comprising: an
application window having a window frame and a plurality of stiles
that define a plurality of panes including: a first pane that
displays a user selectable index of a plurality of media files; a
second pane that displays first selected information for said media
files; and a third pane that displays second selected information
for said media files; said frame including a user selectable button
that causes a visual effect to be displayed in said window in lieu
of said panes.
86. A user interface as set forth in claim 85 wherein said visual
effect is responsive to at least one parameter of one of said media
files while used by said media player.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to graphic user interfaces for
computer application programs, and more particulary to a graphic
user interface for a medial player on a personal computer or
similar user device.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Graphical users interfaces for media players are well known.
Such interfaces typically provide a computer generated image that
simulates a control panel of a hardware media player. In addition,
the computer generated image may also include information not
generally accessible in a hardware player. For example, the
computer generated image may include an index of media files whose
content is capable of being read by the media player. The index is
generated by the media player usually by reading the entries of one
or more directories of an operating system file system within a
user computer. The media player may search all such directories
such that only file types having an extension readable by the media
player are displayed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] According to the present invention, a computer readable
medium contains media player application code which implements the
procedures of generating in a user interface an application window
having a window frame and a plurality of stiles to define a
plurality of panes within said frame, displaying in a first one of
said panes a user selectable index of a plurality of media files,
displaying in a second one of said first selected information for
said media files, and displaying in a third one of said panes
second selected information for said media files.
[0006] In one embodiment of the present invention, a user
selectable browse button may be displayed in the frame such that
the user may toggle the window between displaying all of the panes,
and only the pane containing the index of the media files. In
another embodiment, a fourth pane displays an index of all the
sources for the media files. A feature of this embodiment is that a
single user selectable button displayed with the frame may change
states in accordance with the particular source of media files
selected. In still another embodiment, the frame may contain a user
accessible search box. As the user enters each character into the
search box, the content of each of the panes is automatically
updated to reflect only those entries of the index which match the
search character string. In yet another embodiment, a user
selectable button allows the window to toggle between display of
the panes and a visual effect to accompany the presentation of the
content of the media files.
[0007] These and other objects, advantages and features of the
present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in
the art from a study of the following Description of the Exemplary
Preferred Embodiments when read in conjunction with the attached
Drawing and appended Claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0008] FIGS. 1-10 are representative of a graphic user interface of
a media player in accordance with the present invention;
[0009] FIG. 11 is a schematic block diagram of a network system
useful in practicing one aspect of the present invention; and
[0010] FIG. 12 is a flow chart useful to describe a search function
of the user interface of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0011] Referring now to FIG. 1-10, there is shown an application
window 10 having a window frame 12 and a plurality of stiles 14 to
define a plurality of panes 16 within the frame 12. In a preferred
embodiment of the present invention, the window 10 may be generated
in a user interface, such as a monitor 18 of a computer 20, as seen
in FIG. 11. The computer 20 contains a computer readable medium,
such a disk 22, which contains an application code, such as a media
player. The code, when executed, would then generate the
application window 10 and implement the following described
procedures.
[0012] As best seen in FIG. 1, an index 24 of a plurality of media
files is displayed in a first one 26 of the panes 16, first
selected information 28 for the media files is displayed in a
second one 30 of the panes 16 and second selected information 32
for the media files is displayed in a third one 34 of the panes 16.
In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the first
selected information 28 is an index of a plurality of artists
associated with each of the media files, and the second selected
information 32 is an index of a plurality of albums associated with
each of the media files. Each of the artist and album indices may
further be selectable by a user of the computer 20 through its user
interface to limit, respectively, the display of the index 24 of
the media files to selected ones of the media files associated with
the selected one of said artists, or to selected ones of the media
files associated with one of the albums. It is to be understood
that the term user interface as used herein may also include, as
required to perform the procedures set forth herein, a keyboard 36
or mouse 38, as best seen in FIG. 11.
[0013] In accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the present
invention, a browse button 40a, selectable through the user
interface, may be displayed. Selecting the browse button 40a
toggles the window 10 between all of the panes 16 being displayed
and only a selected one of the panes 16 being displayed. For
example, the selected one of the panes 16 may be the first one 26
of the panes 16. As best seen in FIG. 2, only the selected one of
the panes 16 is displayed in the window 10 in lieu of the other
ones of the panes 16 when the window is toggled.
[0014] As best seen in FIG. 1, the index 24 of the media files
includes columnar categories 42a, 42b, 42c for each of the media
files. As is known, the index 24 is sortable by each of the
categories 42a, 42b, 42c. To implement such sorting, a plurality of
heading buttons 44a, 44b, 44c, associated with a respective one of
the categories 42a, 42b, 42c, may be displayed. Each of the heading
buttons 44a, 44b, 44c are selectable through the user interface,
such as by using the mouse 38 to place a cursor over the desired
button and then performing a mouse click, to sort the index 24 by
the respective one of the categories 42a, 42b, 42c.
[0015] In another embodiment of the present invention, the index 24
may further include a plurality of check boxes 46 also selectable
through the user interface. As best seen in FIG. 1, each of the
check boxes is associated with a respective one of each of the
media files in the index 24. Status information 48 concerning the
media files for which the associated one of the check boxes 46 has
been selected may further be displayed in a selected portion of the
frame 12.
[0016] In addition to the hereinabove described panes 16, a fourth
one 50 of the panes 16 may contain information relating to a
plurality of selectable sources 52 for the media files. For
example, a first one 54 of the sources 52 may be a library source
of all or selected ones of the media files stored in the disk 22 of
the computer 20. In accordance with one embodiment of the present
invention, when the library source is selected the first one 26,
the second one 30 and the third one 34 of the panes 16 are
displayed.
[0017] A second one 56 of the sources 52 may include a radio tuner.
As best seen in FIG. 3, when the radio tuner is selected through
the user interface, a fifth one 58 of the panes 16 is displayed in
lieu of said first, second and third ones of said panes. The fifth
one 58 of the panes 16 includes an index 60 of genre of the media
files. Similarly as described hereinabove, the index 60 of genre
may also include columnar categories 62a, 62b for each of the genre
of the media files, and such categories 62a, 62b may also be
sortable by each of these categories 62a, 62b. Accordingly, a
heading button 64a, 64b, for each respective one of the categories
62a, 62b may be displayed in the fifth one 58 of the panes 16. Each
of the heading buttons 64a, 64b are selectable through the user
interface to sort the index 60 of genre by the respective one of
the categories 62a, 62b.
[0018] As also seen in FIG. 3, user selectable refresh button 40b
may also be displayed in the frame 12 when the radio tuner has been
selected. Selection of the refresh button 40b connects the user
computer 20 to the Internet 66, as best seen in FIG. 11, to obtain
refreshed information for the media files, such as from a file
server 68 or an Internet radio 70, and update the index 60 of genre
as needed. In one embodiment of the present invention, the browse
button 40a described in conjunction with FIGS. 1-2, and the refresh
button 40b may be the same button which changes states and icons in
accordance with the selection of one of the sources 52, as
described in commonly owned, copending application Ser. No.
09/757,109 filed on Jan. 8, 2001, which is incorporated herein by
reference.
[0019] In another embodiment of the present invention, a third one
72 of the sources 52 may include a user definable playlist.
Selected ones of the media files may be added to the playlist by
dragging and dropping through the user interface from the index 24
of the media files to an icon 74 for the playlist in the fourth one
50 of the panes 16, as is known in the art. As best seen in FIG. 4,
when the playlist icon 74 is selected, an index 76 of media files
contained in the selected playlist is displayed in a sixth one 78
of the panes 16 in lieu of the first one 26, the second one 30 and
the third one 34 of the panes 16 (FIG. 1).
[0020] Similarly as described hereinabove, the index 76 of the
selected playlist may also include columnar categories 80a-e for
each of the media files contained in the playlist. Each of the
categories 80a-e may also be sortable. Accordingly, a plurality of
heading buttons 82a-e for each respective one of the categories
80a-e for the index 76 of the selected playlist are selectable
through the user interface to sort this index 76.
[0021] As best seen in FIG. 4, when a playlist is selected, a burn
CD button 40c may also be displayed in the frame 12. Selecting
through the user interface of the burn CD button 40c initiates a
further procedure allowing media files indicated in said selected
playlist to be recorded onto a compact disk. Also as described
hereinabove, the burn CD button 40c may be the same as the browse
button 40a described in conjunction with FIGS. 1-2, and the refresh
button 40b described in conjunction with FIG. 3 which changes
states and icons in accordance with the selection of one of the
sources 52, as described in the hereinabove referenced
application.
[0022] In another embodiment of the present invention, a user
selectable button 84 in a selected portion of the frame may also be
displayed. Selecting of the button 84 through the user interface
causes a new user definable playlist to be added to the sources
52.
[0023] As best seen in FIG. 5, another user selectable button 86
may be displayed in the frame 12. Selection of this button 86 may
develop a visual effect in the window 10 in lieu of the panes 16.
The visual effect may be developed responsive to at least one
parameter of one of the media files while used by the media
player.
[0024] Referring now to FIGS. 6-9, a search box 88 may be disposed
in a selected portion of the frame 16. In this embodiment of the
present invention, the search box 88 is adapted to receive through
the user interface successive characters of a search term or search
string. As each one of the characters of the search string are
entered, the index 24 of the media files is automatically searched.
In response to the search being performed, the index 24 of the
media files is refreshed such that only selected ones of the media
files in the index 24 that match the successive ones of said
characters are displayed.
[0025] In further reference to the flow chart 90 of FIG. 12, a
search character is entered into the search box 88, as indicated
92. For example, as seen in FIG. 6, the character "p" may be
entered into the search box 88. A query is made to determine if an
artist or album has heretofore been selected, as indicated at 94.
If yes, then the "All" selection of the artist and album is
automatically selected, as indicated at 96, so that the index 24
may be refreshed, as indicated at 98, so that the entire index 24
is searched for this character, instead of the limited selected
index 24 as described above when an artist or album had been
selected. Upon the character "p" being entered, the index 24 is
then displayed, as indicated at 100, to contain only those media
files which contain this search character. Also as seen in FIG. 6,
the status information 48 is also refreshed indicating that fewer
media files are now selected.
[0026] The flow process of FIG. 12 repeats for each subsequent
character entered into the search box 88. Progressively in FIGS.
7-9, the characters "r", "i" and "m" are appended to the search
string. In each of FIGS. 7-9, it is clearly shown that the index
24-of the media files becomes successively more limited, and the
status information 88 also further refreshed, until only one match
remains, as seen in FIG. 9.
[0027] With reference to FIG. 10, a plurality of user selectable
control buttons 102 may be disposed in a selected portion of the
frame 12. As is conventionally known, the control buttons 102
control execution of the media player, such as play, fast forward
and fast reverse, when calling content from the media files in said
index 24. Furthermore the media player may only call content from
only user selected ones of the media files, such as through
selection of the check boxes 46. At least one user selectable
slider 104 in association with the control buttons 102 may also be
displayed. The slider 104 controls at least one parameter of
content of the media files, such as volume. A status pane 106 may
also be displayed in a selected portion of the frame 16. The status
frame 106 displays status of content of one of the media files when
called by the media player. The stiles 16 are movable in the window
10 to change selectively through the user interface dimensions of
the panes 16.
[0028] There has been described hereinabove exemplary preferred
embodiments of a graphic user interface for a media player. Those
skilled in the art may now make numerous uses of, and departures
from, the hereinabove described exemplary preferred embodiments
without departing from the inventive concepts disclosed herein.
Accordingly, the present invention is to be described solely by the
scope of the appended claims.
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