U.S. patent application number 11/120642 was filed with the patent office on 2006-02-23 for maintaining a graphical user interface state that is based on a selected time.
This patent application is currently assigned to Vulcan Inc.. Invention is credited to Michael Stacie, Korina J. B. Stark, Daniel R. Sterling, Marcellino Tanumihardja.
Application Number | 20060041927 11/120642 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35320655 |
Filed Date | 2006-02-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060041927 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Stark; Korina J. B. ; et
al. |
February 23, 2006 |
Maintaining a graphical user interface state that is based on a
selected time
Abstract
A graphical user interface ("GUI") for a content management
system is provided, such as to present television program
information and/or information associated with other forms of
multimedia content. In some situations, the GUI displays various
types of information about multiple pieces of content that are
currently appropriate for display, and one or more users may make
various types of selections that affect the information being
displayed. In addition, in some situations various techniques are
employed to maintain a state of the GUI that is focused on one or
more current selections as changes occur, such as to coordinate
information display between multiple distinct information panes or
other view areas of the GUI, to alter the information to be
displayed in the GUI based on a selected piece of content, and/or
to enable identification of a selected piece of content from within
a large number of pieces of content.
Inventors: |
Stark; Korina J. B.;
(Seattle, WA) ; Sterling; Daniel R.; (Mill Creek,
WA) ; Stacie; Michael; (Kirkland, WA) ;
Tanumihardja; Marcellino; (Seattle, WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SEED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW GROUP PLLC
701 FIFTH AVE
SUITE 6300
SEATTLE
WA
98104-7092
US
|
Assignee: |
Vulcan Inc.
Seattle
WA
|
Family ID: |
35320655 |
Appl. No.: |
11/120642 |
Filed: |
May 2, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60567177 |
Apr 30, 2004 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
725/139 ;
348/E5.105; 707/E17.107; 725/135; 725/138; 725/37; 725/40;
725/42 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G11B 27/329 20130101;
H04N 21/482 20130101; H04N 21/4622 20130101; H04N 21/43615
20130101; H04L 2012/2849 20130101; H04L 12/282 20130101; H04N
21/4314 20130101; H04N 21/47 20130101; G11B 27/34 20130101; H04N
7/163 20130101; H04N 21/4147 20130101; G11B 27/034 20130101; H04N
21/4312 20130101; H04N 21/4316 20130101; H04N 21/4131 20130101;
H04N 21/4821 20130101; H04N 21/4828 20130101; H04N 21/4227
20130101; G06F 16/95 20190101; H04L 12/2818 20130101; H04M 1/72415
20210101; H04N 21/47214 20130101; H04L 12/2834 20130101; H04M
1/72403 20210101; H04N 21/4858 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
725/139 ;
725/138; 725/135; 725/037; 725/042; 725/040 |
International
Class: |
H04N 5/445 20060101
H04N005/445; H04N 7/16 20060101 H04N007/16; G06F 13/00 20060101
G06F013/00; G06F 3/00 20060101 G06F003/00 |
Claims
1. A method for a computing device to present information about
television programs via a graphical user interface, the method
comprising: receiving metadata information for a plurality of
television programs; identifying a group of the television programs
for a graphical user interface such that received metadata
information for those television programs will be included in the
graphical user interface, the group including a plurality of
television programs that are identified based at least in part on
the television programs each having an associated time that
corresponds to an initial currently selected time; displaying to a
user of the computing device a graphical window that includes the
graphical user interface, the displayed graphical user interface
having a state based at least in part on the currently selected
time and including metadata information for the television programs
in the identified group; receiving an indication of a selection by
the user of a new currently selected time, and updating the state
of the displayed graphical user interface to reflect the new
currently selected time, the updating including displaying metadata
information for television programs that are identified based at
least in part on each having an associated time that corresponds to
the new currently selected time; and automatically maintaining the
state of the graphical user interface so as to reflect the new
currently selected time by, when the graphical user interface is to
be updated such that at least some new metadata information is to
be displayed in the graphical user interface, automatically
performing the updating of the displayed graphical user interface
in such a manner as to display the new metadata information in a
manner based at least in part on the new currently selected time,
so that a state of the graphical user interface that is based at
least in part on a currently selected time is maintained when
information in the graphical user interface is updated.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of television
programs include programs on multiple channels with multiple
scheduled start times, wherein the received metadata information
includes electronic programming guide information for each of the
television programs, wherein the identified group of the television
programs includes a plurality of television programs on the
multiple channels whose start times are within a period of time
that is based on the initial currently selected time, wherein the
displayed graphical user interface has a plurality of distinct
display areas that include a view display area with indications of
multiple channels and with one or more indications of the period of
time, wherein the metadata information for the television programs
in the identified group that is included in the displayed graphical
user interface is displayed in a grid format within the view
display area and includes detail information for each of the
television programs in the identified group, wherein the updating
of the state of the displayed graphical user interface to reflect
the new currently selected time includes displaying in a
coordinated manner in one or more other display areas of the
displayed graphical user interface additional detail information
that reflects the new currently selected time, and wherein the
maintaining of the state of the graphical user interface so as to
reflect the new currently selected time includes maintaining
coordination of information displayed in the plurality of distinct
display areas regarding the new currently selected time.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the metadata information for the
television programs in the identified group that is included in the
displayed graphical user interface is displayed in a view area of
the displayed graphical user interface in the displayed graphical
window, and wherein the updating of the state of the graphical user
interface to reflect the new currently selected time includes
displaying additional information about a television program in a
distinct area of the displayed graphical user interface in the
displayed graphical window in such a manner as to reflect the new
currently selected time.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the updating of the state of the
graphical user interface to reflect the selection of the new
currently selected time includes displaying distinct information
about one or more television programs in a coordinated manner in a
plurality of distinct display areas of the displayed graphical user
interface in the displayed graphical window, and wherein the
maintaining of the state of the graphical user interface so as to
reflect the new currently selected time includes maintaining
coordination of information displayed in the plurality of distinct
display areas.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the updating of the displayed
graphical user interface to display the new metadata information in
a manner based at least in part on the new currently selected time
includes modifying the new metadata information to be included
based at least in part on the new currently selected time, so that
the updated displayed graphical user interface includes metadata
information corresponding to the new currently selected time.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the updating of the displayed
graphical user interface to display the new metadata information in
a manner based at least in part on the new currently selected time
includes providing in the displayed graphical user interface a
user-selectable control that when selected updates the displayed
graphical user interface to include metadata information for the
new currently selected time.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying of the group of
the television programs for the graphical user interface is based
at least in part on selecting television programs associated with a
time period for use with the graphical user interface that
corresponds to the initial currently selected time, and wherein the
updating of the state of the displayed graphical user interface to
reflect the new currently selected time includes identifying a new
group of television programs for the graphical user interface based
at least in part on a change in the time period for use with the
graphical user interface.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the identifying of the group of
the television programs for the graphical user interface is based
at least in part on an amount of information capable of being
displayed in a display area of the displayed graphical user
interface using an initial information size and/or based at least
in part on an initial size of the display area of the displayed
graphical user interface, and wherein the identifying of the new
group of the television programs is based at least in part on a
change in the information size at which information will be
displayed in the display area of the displayed graphical user
interface and/or based at least in part on a change in the size of
the display area of the displayed graphical user interface.
9. The method of claim 1 including, after the maintaining of the
state of the graphical user interface so as to reflect the new
currently selected time, receiving an indication of a selection by
the user of one or more other currently selected times and
modifying the state of the displayed graphical user interface to
reflect the selection of those one or more other currently selected
times.
10. The method of claim 1 including, after the maintaining of the
state of the graphical user interface so as to reflect the new
currently selected time, receiving an instruction from the user
based on use of one or more controls included in the displayed
graphical user interface to initiate current presentation of a
selected television program on at least one television display
device, and initiating the current presentation of the selected one
television program on the at least one television display device in
response to the instruction.
11. A computer-readable medium whose contents enable a computing
device to present information about television programming-related
content via a user interface, by performing a method comprising:
receiving information related to a plurality of pieces of
television programming-related content; presenting a user interface
that includes the received information for at least some of the
pieces of television programming-related content in such a manner
as to reflect at least one selected time; receiving an indication
of a selection of at least one new selected time; and when
information included in the user interface is updated, maintaining
a state of the user interface so as to reflect the at least one new
selected time.
12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the selection
of the at least one selected time is based on an indication from a
user of information included in the presented user interface for
that at least one selected time, wherein the presented user
interface is a graphical user interface that supports a plurality
of types of views of information for pieces of content, and wherein
updating of the information included in the user interface is based
on a change in the type of view of the included information.
13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein updating of
the information included in the user interface includes displaying
information about one or more pieces of television
programming-related content having associated times that do not
correspond to the at least one new selected time, and wherein the
maintaining of the state of the user interface so as to reflect the
at least one new selected time includes providing a user-selectable
control in the user interface that when selected updates the user
interface to include information about television
programming-related content that corresponds to the at least one
new selected time.
14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the
computer-readable medium is a memory of the computing device and/or
is a data transmission medium transmitting to the computing device
a generated data signal containing the contents.
15. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the contents
are instructions that when executed cause the computing device to
perform the method.
16. A computing system configured to present information about
pieces of television programming content via a graphical user
interface, comprising: a display; and a content management system
configured to present on the display a graphical user interface
whose information reflects a state that is based at least in part
on one or more selected times and to automatically maintain the
state of the information of the graphical user interface as being
based at least in part on those selected times when the graphical
user interface is updated.
17. The computing system of claim 16 wherein the presented
information corresponds to one or more television programs having
associated times that correspond to the one or more selected times
and includes metadata information for those television programs,
and wherein updating of the graphical user interface includes
modifying the television programs whose metadata information is
included in the displayed graphical user interface.
18. The computing system of claim 17 wherein the computing system
further comprises a device for controlling presentation of
television programs on one or more television display devices, and
wherein the presented graphical user interface further includes
user-selectable controls to allow a user to control the
presentation of the television programs on the one or more
television display devices via instructions sent to the device, the
device being one of a group of devices that includes a set-top box,
a digital video recorder device and a media center device.
19. The computing system of claim 16 wherein the content management
system includes software executing in memory of the computing
system.
20. The computing system of claim 16 wherein the content management
system consists of a means for presenting on the display a
graphical user interface whose information reflects a state that is
based at least in part on one or more selected times and to
automatically maintain the state of the information of the
graphical user interface as being based at least in part on those
selected times when the graphical user interface is updated.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.
60/567,177, entitled "Browser For Multimedia Content" and filed
Apr. 30, 2004, which is incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.
[0002] The present application is also related to U.S. patent
application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket # 931086.412),
entitled "Maintaining A Graphical User Interface State That Is
Based On A Selected Type Of Content" and filed concurrently, and to
U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (Attorney Docket #
931086.411), entitled "Maintaining A Graphical User Interface State
That Is Based On A Selected Piece Of Content" and filed
concurrently, and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.
60/667,836, entitled "Interface For Manipulating Multimedia
Content" and filed Apr. 1, 2005, each of which is hereby
incorporated by reference in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0003] The present disclosure generally relates to techniques for
reviewing, manipulating and presenting content, such as to manage
television-related content via a graphical user interface of a
computing device in such a manner as to maintain a state of the GUI
that is focused to reflect one or more selected times.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
[0004] In the current world of television, movies, and related
media systems, many consumers receive television
programming-related content via broadcast over a cable network to a
television or similar display, with the content often received via
a set-top box ("STB") from the cable network that controls display
of particular television (or "TV") programs from among a large
number of available television channels, while other consumers may
similarly receive television programming-related content in other
manners (e.g., via satellite transmissions, broadcasts over
airwaves, over packet-switched networks, etc.). In addition,
enhanced television programming services and capabilities are
increasingly being provided to consumers, such as the ability to
receive television programming-related content that is delivered
"on demand" using Video on Demand ("VOD") technologies (e.g., based
on a pay-per-view business model) and/or various interactive TV
capabilities. Consumers generally subscribe to services offered by
a cable network "head-end" or other similar content distribution
facility to obtain particular content, which in some situations may
include interactive content and Internet content.
[0005] Consumers of content are also increasingly using a variety
of devices to record and control viewing of content, such as via
digital video recorders ("DVRs") that can record television-related
content for later playback and/or can temporarily store recent and
current content to allow functionality such as pausing or rewinding
live television. A DVR may also be known as a personal video
recorder ("PVR"), hard disk recorder ("HDR"), personal video
station ("PVS"), or a personal television receiver ("PTR"). DVRs
may in some situations be integrated into a set-top box, such as
with Digeo's MOXI.TM. device, while in other situations may be a
separate component connected to an STB and/or television. In
addition, electronic programming guides ("EPGs") are often made
available to aid consumers in selecting a desired program to
currently view and/or to schedule for delayed viewing. Using an EPG
and a DVR, a consumer can cause a desired program to be recorded
and can then view the program at a more convenient time or
location.
[0006] However, as the cable industry grows and as additional types
of content are increasingly being stored and made available to
consumers, it is becoming increasingly difficult for consumers to
effectively manage the content and the related capabilities of the
various devices that are available. Moreover, the proliferation of
networked presentation devices within homes (e.g., televisions,
handheld and desktop computing systems, stereos, speakers, cell
phones, etc.) makes the task of effectively managing the content,
including its presentation via the various devices, even more
difficult.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a content
management ("CM") system environment that can provide a time-based
GUI to manage content.
[0008] FIGS. 2-28 show example embodiments of a GUI for a content
management system.
[0009] FIGS. 29A and 29B are a flowchart of an embodiment of a
routine for an embodiment of a GUI for a content management
system.
[0010] FIGS. 30A-30S provide examples of a GUI and related
capabilities that may be used in some embodiments with a cellphone
or other device with limited display and/or input capabilities.
[0011] Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments are described
with reference to the figures, wherein like reference numerals
refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise
specified.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0012] Techniques are described below for managing various types of
content in various ways, such as via a graphical user interface
("GUI") of a Content Management ("CM") system executing on a
computing device, such as a GUI displayed in a single graphical
window with multiple display areas to display varying types of
information and controls. In some embodiments, at least some of the
content being managed includes television programming-related
content, with the CM system receiving EPG metadata information for
the content (e.g., via interactions with an STB). In such
embodiments, the television programming-related content can then be
managed via the CM system GUI so as to maintain a state of the GUI
as the content changes, such as for a GUI that is presenting
information in such a manner as to reflect a prior user selection
of a piece of content or on another type of selection. Such content
changes may occur, for example, when a user locates and identifies
content of potential interest, schedules recordings of selected
content, manages previously recorded content in various ways (e.g.,
to play or delete the content), controls live television, modifies
the manner in which the GUI presents information in various ways,
etc. In addition, the CM system may further manage various other
types of contents and perform various other types of content
management functions, as described in greater detail below.
[0013] In at least some embodiments, the CM system GUI displays a
variety of types of information about a group of multiple pieces of
content that are chosen as being currently appropriate for display,
as discussed in greater detail below, such as based on those pieces
of content having presentation times or other associated times that
correspond to a currently selected time period and/or based on
those pieces of content having other appropriate characteristics
(e.g., characteristics that match user-specified search criteria or
information filtering criteria). In addition, in at least some
embodiments one or more users of the CM system GUI may make various
types of current selections via the GUI that affect the information
being displayed in the GUI--for example, a user may select a piece
of content for which various detail information is displayed, may
select a time of interest for which corresponding pieces of content
are displayed (e.g., content corresponding to a currently selected
period of time based on the selected time), may select one or more
criteria of interest such that matching or otherwise corresponding
pieces of content are identified, etc. Moreover, in at least some
embodiments a current state of the CM system GUI may be focused to
reflect one or more such current selections by users, such as to
present in a coordinated manner various types of information that
are based on or otherwise related to the current selections, as
discussed in greater detail below. Furthermore, in at least some
such embodiments various techniques are employed to maintain such a
focused state of the CM system GUI as changes occur with respect to
the GUI, such as changes in the types of information being
displayed and/or changes in pieces of content for which information
is being displayed.
[0014] Embodiments of the CM system GUI may display or otherwise
present various types of Information about various pieces of
content in various manners. For example, in some embodiments the CM
system GUI simultaneously displays at least some metadata
information about multiple pieces of content in a single view area,
as discussed in greater detail below, such as to provide
information about multiple television programs that are available
for display on one or more channels during a specified period of
time (e.g., by displaying a grid whose rows each correspond to a
distinct channel and whose columns each correspond to a distinct
time segment within the specified period of time, such as half-hour
time segments for a period of time of multiple hours). In addition,
in at least some embodiments the CM system GUI also includes one or
more other distinct information panes or other display areas that
may each simultaneously display distinct information, as discussed
in greater detail below, such as information about different pieces
of content and/or different types of information (e.g., different
levels of detail of information) for a single piece of content
(e.g., a currently selected piece of content, such as a television
program).
[0015] Thus, the CM system GUI may provide various types of
information about various pieces of content that are currently
appropriate for display, and in at least some embodiments may
modify the types of information being displayed and/or the pieces
of content for which the information is being displayed in various
manners. For example, as discussed in greater detail below, various
techniques and user-selectable controls are provided in various
embodiments for displaying, sorting, identifying, filtering, and
otherwise managing content, and user selections related to such
controls may cause changes in the pieces of content that are
currently appropriate for display and/or in one or more currently
selected pieces of content. As one example, in at least some
embodiments the metadata information displayed in a single view
area for multiple pieces of content may be displayed using
different types of views, as discussed in greater detail below,
such as a grid-based view, a channel-based view, an icon-based
view, a list-based view, and a tree-based view. In addition, the
GUI may further automatically modify the types of information being
displayed and/or the pieces of content for which the information is
being displayed in various manners, such as to update a currently
selected period of time and the corresponding pieces of content
based on changes in the current time.
[0016] As noted above, in at least some embodiments the CM system
GUI displays information such that a state of the GUI is focused
based on one or more current selections. For example, in some
embodiments one or more pieces of content may be currently selected
(e.g., based on one or more prior selections by a user), and if so
at least portions of the GUI may be focused to reflect those
currently selected pieces of content, such as by simultaneously
displaying various types of information related to the currently
selected pieces of content in a coordinated manner in multiple
distinct display areas of the GUI. In addition or alternatively, in
some embodiments one or more types of content may be currently
selected (e.g., based on user selection of a predefined genre or
category of content, based on a user specification of one or more
criteria that identify content characteristics of interest, etc.),
and if so at least portions of the GUI may be focused to reflect
those currently selected types of content, such as by displaying
various types of information related to content of those currently
selected types in a coordinated manner in multiple distinct display
areas of the GUI (e.g., by displaying only content of those
currently selected types, by displaying content of those currently
selected types in a manner distinct from other content, etc.).
Moreover, in some embodiments one or more times may be currently
selected (whether instead of or in addition to one or more
currently selected pieces of content and/or one or more currently
selected types of content), such as based on user selection of a
time displayed in one or more timebars, and if so at least portions
of the GUI may be focused to reflect those currently selected
times, such as by displaying various types of information related
to content corresponding to those currently selected times in a
coordinated manner in multiple distinct display areas of the GUI
(e.g., by displaying only such corresponding content, by displaying
such corresponding content in a manner distinct from other content,
etc.).
[0017] In addition, in at least some embodiments a state of the CM
system GUI that is focused to reflect one or more currently
selected pieces of content may be maintained in various ways, such
as when changes occur in the CM system GUI and/or in information
displayed in the GUI. For example, when information in one or more
display areas of the GUI changes (e.g., when the display of
metadata information for multiple pieces of content in a single
view area changes, such as based on changing a type of view for the
information and/or changing some or all of the pieces of content
for which metadata information is being displayed), corresponding
information in one or more other display areas of the GUI may be
updated so as to maintain a coordination among the displayed
information. In addition, when such information in one or more such
display areas of the GUI changes, the changed information may also
be displayed in such a manner as to include or emphasize a
currently selected piece of content on which the GUI state is
focused (e.g., when possible, such as when the changed information
includes information for the currently selected piece of content,
or instead always, such as to cause information for the currently
selected piece of content to be included in the changed
information). Emphasizing information about a currently selected
piece of content in the GUI can be particularly beneficial when
large numbers of pieces of content are available, for example, and
may be performed in a variety of ways (e.g., by changing a visual
representation of an indication of the currently selected piece of
content, such as a color or a degree of highlighting, by adding a
suitably colored line or other graphical indication around
displayed information for the currently selected piece of content,
etc.). Moreover, if information about a currently selected piece of
content is not currently displayed in one or more display areas of
the GUI, various controls and capabilities may be provided to
assist a user in easily locating the currently selected piece of
content, such as to find the currently selected piece of content in
a current view.
[0018] Similarly, in at least some embodiments a state of the CM
system GUI that is focused to reflect one or more currently
selected types of content and/or currently selected times may be
maintained in various ways, such as in manners similar to those
described with respect to a currently selected piece of content.
For example, information in multiple display areas of the GUI that
relates to one or more current selection may be updated so as to
maintain a coordination among the displayed information, and
information may be displayed in such a manner as to include or
emphasize content that corresponds to current selection(s) on which
the GUI state is focused (e.g., content of a currently selected
type and/or content that corresponds to a currently selected time).
In addition, various controls and capabilities may be provided to
assist a user in easily selecting or identifying content that
corresponds to one or more current selections.
[0019] For illustrative purposes, some embodiments are described
below in which specific types of content are managed in specific
ways via specific example embodiments of the CM system GUI. For
example, while in some embodiments the techniques are described
with respect to maintaining state information for a GUI while
managing information related to live television, in other
embodiments a variety of other types of television
programming-related content may be managed, such as programs that
are scheduled, that are being recorded, that are already recorded,
that are available onDemand or otherwise at the request of a user,
etc. However, the techniques can be used in a wide variety of other
situations, and that the invention is not limited to the specific
illustrative details discussed. For example, the techniques
described with respect to maintaining state information for a GUI
while managing information may further apply to a variety of other
types of content, with the term multimedia "content" as used herein
generally including television programs, movies and other video
information (whether stored, such as in a file, or streamed),
photos and other images, music and other audio information (whether
stored or streamed), presentations, video/teleconferences,
videogames, Internet Web pages and other data, and other similar
video or audio content.
[0020] Referring first to FIG. 1, a network diagram illustrates an
example use of an embodiment of the CM system in a home environment
395 for entertainment purposes, although the CM system could
similarly be used in business or other non-home environments and
for purposes other than entertainment. In this example, the home
environment includes an STB or other media center 350 receiving
external content 360a that is available to one or more consumers
(not shown) in the home environment 395, such as television
programming-related content 360a for presentation on a television
370. Other types of audio and/or video content could similarly be
received by and/or stored by the media center 350 and presented to
the consumer(s) on the television and/or optional other content
presentation devices 380 (e.g., other televisions, a stereo
receiver, stand-alone speakers, the displays of various types of
computing systems, a digital picture frame, etc.) in the home
environment 395.
[0021] The home environment 395 also includes an example computing
system 300 suitable for executing a software embodiment of the CM
system, as well as one or more optional other local computing
systems and/or storage devices 390 with which the computing system
300 can interact via local network 385 (e.g., a wireless or
wired/cabled LAN). In the illustrated embodiment, the computing
system includes a CPU 305 or other processor(s), various I/O
devices 310, storage 320, and memory 330, and the illustrated I/O
devices include a display 311, a network connection 312, a
computer-readable media drive 313, and other I/O devices 315 (e.g.,
a keyboard, a mouse, a pointing device, speakers, etc.). In some
embodiments, the computing system 300 may further interact with one
or more external computing systems, not shown (e.g., via the World
Wide Web or otherwise via the Internet), such as to receive
additional external content 360b and/or other information or
services.
[0022] In the illustrated embodiment, the computing system 300
interacts with the media center 350 in a variety of ways (e.g., via
a direct connection, as part of local network 385, or as part of
another network, not shown), including to receive information about
current and/or future television programming-related content 360a
and/or other content 360a. In this example, the information
received by the computing system 300 includes EPG metadata
information for the television programming-related content (e.g.,
from a cable network operator), and can further include a variety
of other types of metadata for the content 360a, whether from the
cable network operator or other third-parties (e.g., from various
external computing systems, not shown, such as via external content
360b). This received content metadata is then stored in a content
metadata database 322 (or other suitable data structure) in the
illustrated embodiment for use by the CM system.
[0023] An embodiment of the CM system 335 is executing in memory
330. As discussed in greater detail below, the CM system provides
information about the available content to one or more users (e.g.,
one or more of the consumers in the home environment), such as via
a GUI that is displayed on the display device 311 and/or on one or
more of the content presentation devices 370 or 380 or other
computing systems 390. The CM system may, for example, provide some
or all of the stored content metadata 322 to the users and allow
the user to manipulate the content in a variety of ways (e.g., to
select content for current presentation, for future recording,
etc.), as well as in some embodiments maintaining a state of the
GUI as displayed information changes. As the user provides
instructions related to manipulation of the content, those content
manipulation instructions are in the illustrated embodiment stored
in a database 324 (or other suitable data structure) on storage 320
for later retrieval and use by the CM system, and at least some
such content manipulation instructions may additionally in some
embodiments be provided to the media center 350 for use in actually
performing the tasks to satisfy the manipulation instructions. In
addition, in some embodiments the CM system may also interact with
other executing programs in order to provide additional information
and/or functionality to the user(s), such as one or more optional
executing other programs 339 in memory 330 or instead remote
executing programs (not shown) on another computing system.
[0024] In the illustrated embodiment, the CM system does not itself
present the external content 360a to the user(s), instead
interacting with the media center 350 to control the display of the
content to the user via the TV and/or one or more of the other
content presentation devices. However, in other embodiments the CM
system may instead receive some or all of the external content
360a, whether via the media center 350 or instead directly from the
source of that content, and if so could directly control the
presentation of that content to the user(s) on the display device
311 and/or other content presentation device 370 or 380 or other
computing system 390. Conversely, in the illustrated embodiment the
computing system 300 and/or media center 350 may have access to
additional content, such as external content 360b (e.g., from
remote computing systems over the Internet), locally stored other
content 360c on storage 320, and/or other locally accessible
content (not shown), such as from one or more of the other
computing systems/storage devices 390--if so, the computing system
300 may in some embodiments directly present some or all of that
content to the user(s), such as on display device 311 (e.g., as
part of the CM system GUI) and/or on one or more other content
presentation devices 370 or 380 or other computing system 390,
while in other embodiments may present some or all of that content
to the user(s) by instead interacting with the media center 350 to
facilitate the presentation (e.g., by providing the additional
content to be presented and/or associated instructions to the media
center). As previously noted, the additional content may be content
related to the external content 360a but from another source (e.g.,
additional television-related programming, such as streamed or
downloaded over a computer network) and/or multimedia content of
other types (e.g., movies and other video information, photos and
other images, music and other audio information, presentations,
video/teleconferences, videogames, Internet Web pages and other
data, etc.).
[0025] The functionality of the CM system can be accessed in
various ways in various embodiments. For example, some users may
have physical access to the computing system 300, and if so can
interact with the various I/O devices 310 to provide and/or receive
information. Alternatively or additionally, other users may use
other client computing devices to remotely access the CM system,
such as other local computing systems 390 or instead one or more
remote computing systems, not shown (e.g., via the World Wide Web
or otherwise via the Internet). Such remote users may use software
or other functionality provided on the client computing systems
(not shown), such as a browser, to interact with the CM system. In
other embodiments, users may receive functionality and/or
information from the CM system indirectly via interactions with one
or more other devices, such as the media center 350, which may
directly receive that functionality or information from the CM
system before providing it to the users.
[0026] As one example, in some embodiments the computing system 300
and/or one of more of the computing systems 390 is a cellphone
(e.g., a smartphone) or other mobile or handheld device with
communications capabilities (e.g., a Pocket PC computer, a PDA, an
electronic organizer, etc.), and if so the user may use that device
to manage content in various ways. In such embodiments, the
communications between the cellphone or other device and other
computing systems and devices in the example home environment may
occur in various manners. For example, some devices may support
various types of local communication mechanisms (e.g., wireless
communications via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, direct infrared, etc.) and/or
communication mechanisms that may be used remotely (e.g., if the
device supports Internet access, such as via GPRS and using HTTP or
WAP, or instead using a standard telecommunications link for
exchanging voice and other audio information), and may further
support various communication and messaging protocols (e.g.,
Universal Plug-and-Play (or "UPnP"), Home Audio Video
Interoperability (or "HAVI"), etc.). When a device supports both
local and remote communication mechanisms, the device may further
be configured to seamlessly switch between local and remote
communications as appropriate, such as to automatically use local
communications when available and to use remote communications
otherwise, or instead may use various communications as directed by
the user. Remote communications may be appropriate, for example,
when the device is remote from the home environment (e.g., outside
a building that contains the home environment, not shown, such as
at significant distances), such as to perform some or all data
exchange via Internet access and/or using voice commands over a
standard telecommunication link. In addition, various types of
devices may have varying communications abilities, and thus devices
in various embodiments may use different forms of communication for
a single type of information exchange.
[0027] When a user uses a cellphone or other mobile or handheld
device to manage content, various types of information may be
exchanged in various ways. For example, software to implement at
least a portion of the CM system on the device and/or to interact
with a remote executing CM system may be preinstalled on the device
when provided to the user (e.g., by the distributor of the device)
and/or may be downloaded to the device after the user has the
device (e.g., as an executable file from another local computing
system to which the device has a physical or wireless connection,
or directly from a remote Web site if the device supports Internet
access). EPG information and/or other types of metadata may
similarly be provided to the device in various ways, such as via
Internet access to a local computing system (e.g., computing system
300) and/or a remote computing system, or instead from a local
computing system and/or media center device 350 via local
communication mechanisms. Commands and other information from the
user may similarly be provided from the device to computing systems
and other devices in the home environment in various ways,
including via Internet access and/or local communication
mechanisms. FIGS. 30A-30S provide examples of a GUI and related
capabilities that may be used in some embodiments with a cellphone
or other device with a limited display screen and/or limited input
device capabilities (e.g., a device without an alphanumeric
keyboard), as discussed in greater detail below--in at least some
such embodiments, a state of the example GUI is maintained to
reflect one or more current selections, such as when changes occur
in information being displayed via the example GUI.
[0028] Computing system 300 is merely illustrative and is not
intended to limit the scope of the present invention. For example,
the computing system may instead be comprised of multiple
interacting computing systems or devices, and may be connected to
other devices that are not illustrated, including through one or
more networks such as over the World Wide Web ("Web") or otherwise
via the Internet. More generally, the computing system 300 and/or
the other computing systems 390 may each comprise any combination
of hardware or software that can perform the described techniques,
including (without limitation) desktop or other computers, network
devices, Internet appliances, PDAs, cordless and other wireless
phones, cellphones, devices with walkie-talkie and other
push-to-talk capabilities, personal/digital video recorders,
pagers, electronic organizers, television-based systems and various
other consumer products that include appropriate
inter-communication and computing capabilities. In addition, the
functionality provided by the CM system may in some embodiments be
distributed in additional systems, and the CM system may have
multiple components that each provides a portion of the
functionality of the system. Similarly, in some embodiments some of
the illustrated types of functionality of the CM system may not be
provided and/or other additional functionality may be
available.
[0029] While various items are illustrated as being stored in
memory or on storage while being used, these items or portions of
them can be transferred between memory and other storage devices,
such as for purposes of memory management and data integrity.
Alternatively or additionally, in other embodiments some or all of
the software system (or portions of it) may execute in memory on
another device and communicate with the illustrated computing
system via inter-computer communication. Some or all of the system
and/or data structures (e.g., portions of a database, such as one
or more tables or views or portions thereof) used by the system may
also be stored (e.g., as software instructions or structured data)
on a computer-readable medium, such as a hard disk, a memory, a
computer network or other transmission medium, or a portable media
article (e.g., a CD, DVD or flash memory device) to be read by an
appropriate drive or via an appropriate connection. Some or all of
the system and data structures may also be transmitted via
generated data signals (e.g., by being encoded in a carrier wave or
otherwise included as part of an analog or digital propagated
signal) on a variety of computer-readable transmission mediums,
including wireless-based and wired/cable-based mediums, and can
take a variety of forms (e.g., as part of a single or multiplexed
analog signal, or as multiple discrete digital packets or frames).
Such computer program products may also take other forms in other
embodiments. Accordingly, one or more embodiments may be practiced
with other computer system configurations.
[0030] FIGS. 2-28 illustrate examples of information and
capabilities provided by an embodiment of the CM system. More
particularly, features of an example GUI are shown and described,
including a variety of information and user-selectable controls,
and with the example GUI maintaining state to reflect current
selections in various ways. While specific layouts and formats are
shown, such specific details are not intended to be limiting or
exhaustive.
[0031] FIG. 2 illustrates a GUI 100 with a variety of displayed
information and user-selectable controls. In the current example,
the GUI is displaying program listing information for live TV in a
view area 140, with the displayed listings initially based on a
current time 195. The TV listings in the view area 140 are
initially shown in a grid format, with columns of the grid
corresponding to successive time segments of thirty minutes each
and with each row corresponding to a different TV channel that may
show one or more TV programs during the displayed time period. The
GUI also includes a variety of other areas, including a menu bar
105 with dropdown menus, primary content-type navigation tabs 110,
secondary content-type-specific navigation tabs 115, a view control
area 125 that includes view and filter controls 120 and time
controls 130, a detail area 150, a status bar 155, and a status
control sidebar area 170 that includes virtual remote control
functionality 160 and a user-focused content summary area 165.
[0032] As described in further detail below, the view control area
125 also includes a first timebar 128 that corresponds to a
relatively long first time period at a first time scale (which is
selected based in part using time controls 130) and that may in
certain situations display limited information about content, while
the view area 140 illustrates detailed information about content
for a relatively short second time period at a second time scale.
In this example, the first time scale corresponds to approximately
16 hours (with the current first time period being from 8 am to 12
am of the next day, as shown in the first timebar 128), and the
second time scale corresponds to approximately 31/2 hours (with the
current second time period being a first time period subset of 9:30
am to 12:30 pm, as shown in a second timebar 140a rendered at the
top of the view area 140). In addition, in this example details
about televisions programs shown in the view area 140 include, for
example, program title (e.g., "The Transporter"), year of release
(e.g., "2002"), and rating information (e.g., "PG-13" and a
three-star rating)--various other types of details could similarly
be shown, such as information about actors and/or other people
associated with the program (e.g., director, producer, etc.), a
textual summary of the plot, whether the program is closed
captioned and/or broadcast in stereo, whether the program is a
repeat, etc. In this example, the first timebar does not display
any limited information about any television programs or other
content.
[0033] FIG. 3 illustrates a similar view to that shown in FIG. 2,
but with other channels shown in the view area 140. For the sake of
simplicity and clarity, the labels for the various components of
the GUI 100 are not repeated in FIG. 3 and in the subsequent
figures, except where appropriate to provide additional
description. In the example of FIG. 3, a user has used a scroll bar
149 to scroll to additional channel listings, although in other
embodiments and/or situations the display could instead be changed
in other manners. As is illustrated, the primary content-type
navigation tab for "Television" 110a continues to be currently
selected, the secondary content-type-specific navigation tab for
"Live TV" 115a continues to be currently selected, and a "Grid"
view control 121 continues to be currently selected.
[0034] In a similar manner, FIG. 4 displays program listing
information similar to that of FIG. 3, but for a later second time
period. In particular, the second timebar rendered at the upper
portion of the view area 140 indicates that the second time scale
has remained at approximately 31/2 hours, but that the current
second time period has changed to correspond to times from
approximately 11 am to 2 pm--the first time scale and first time
period reflected in the first timebar in the view control area have
not changed, however. In this example, a user has used a timebar
scroll control 136 below the first timebar to change the currently
selected time for the second timebar to begin at 11 am (e.g., by
dragging the timebar scroll control to a point on the first timebar
that corresponds to a time of interest), resulting in the program
listing information shown in the view area 140 changing to reflect
the times for the second timebar--the actual current time 195,
however, remains unchanged with respect to FIG. 3. In this example
embodiment, the timebar scroll control 136 includes a textual
display of the currently selected time of "FRI 11:00",
corresponding to a change in this example to 11:00 AM later in the
same day, and the second time scale of the view area 140 renders a
breakdown of time segments in 1/2 hour increments after 11:00 AM,
with the remainder of the view area 140 rendering program listings
for each of the time segments so as to indicate programs whose
presentation times make them available for presentation during the
time segment (e.g., based on the programs having start times at the
beginning of the time segment). In other embodiments and/or
situations, a new time could instead be selected in other manners,
such as by manually selecting a specified point on the first
timebar (e.g., by clicking a left mouse button while the mouse
cursor is above the desired time), or instead by manipulating the
second timebar in various ways (e.g., by manually selecting a
displayed specified point on the second timebar, by dragging the
second timebar so as to select a time that was not previously
displayed on the second timebar, etc.).
[0035] In FIGS. 2-4, the first timebar in the view control area has
been displayed using a linear hour-based representation for a
multi-hour time first time scale, with the displayed units on the
first timebar corresponding to hours and fractions of hours. This
hour-based time scale and view corresponds to time control 132
shown in FIG. 5, which in this example embodiment has an icon that
includes a representation of a clock. However, the first timebar
display in FIG. 5 has been updated to reflect user selection of a
day-based time control 133, with the representation of the first
timebar now showing successive days and fractions of days as part
of a new multi-day first time scale. Nonetheless, the currently
selected time for the TV listing display of 11:00 AM on Friday has
not changed, and thus the second timebar of the view area 140
continues to show program listings for the same second time period
at the same second time scale. While not illustrated here, the GUI
could similarly include controls to display the first timebar using
other first time scales, such as weekly or monthly.
[0036] FIG. 6 next corresponds to a similar display after the "Now"
time control 131 was selected, causing the currently selected time
in the second timebar of the view area 140 to revert to a time
corresponding to the current time 195, with the newly selected
current time in this example being the beginning of the half-hour
segment of time to which the current time belongs (e.g., the
half-hour period beginning at 9:30 AM, as shown by the textual
display of the timebar scroll control 136, for the current time 195
of 9:57 AM). The second time period of the second time bar now
begins at 9:30 am, and the corresponding program listings in the
view area 140 now provide the 9:30 AM and onward program listings
corresponding to half-hour segments for the second time period.
[0037] As previously described above with reference to FIG. 4, in
the illustrated embodiment the user can select (such as by clicking
or mouse-over) any time indicated in the first timebar for a
specific day, with the second time period shown in the second
timebar and the corresponding program listings in the view area 140
then being updated to present the program listings for the selected
time and afterwards. Moreover, the scroll bar 149 can be used to
scroll up or down in the grid display in the view area 140 for the
selected time, so as to view the various television program
listings for each particular television channel. Also, the grid
display in the view area 140 can be modified in various other ways,
such as by arranging the channels in descending order (not shown)
by clicking on a "CH" channel number column heading control 141 in
FIG. 6. As is shown, a small triangle is currently displayed in the
column heading to indicate that the current display reflects an
ascending order that is sorted by channel number, but selection of
the control 141 would cause the small triangle to change to point
down and would cause the channels to be sorted in descending order
by channel number (e.g., by first displaying a largest available
channel 998, followed by a next available channel 945, etc.). The
same information can be sorted in ascending or descending
alphabetical order based on the displayed name of the channel, such
as by selecting a "NAME" column heading control 142 in FIG. 6
(e.g., as shown in FIG. 8). While not illustrated here, in other
embodiments additional similar types of controls and sorting could
be made available, such as by sorting channels alphabetically based
on the names of current programs being shown at a selected time
(e.g., by clicking on a time-segment column heading in the second
timebar for the grid that corresponds to that time).
[0038] In addition, different programs can be listed using
different colors, display patterns (e.g., shading) and/or amounts
of highlighting to provide various types of information about the
programs. In particular, such differing visual representations can
be used to illustrate different types of TV programs (and/or
differences in and/or between different types of content) in some
embodiments. FIG. 7 illustrates examples of differing types of
visual representations that may be mapped to different types of
programs (e.g., by default) via a dropdown menu that shows several
predefined types of filters, which in this example was displayed
based on user selection of a filter control button 126. For
example, the color red may be assigned to programs of the type
"movie," the color green may be assigned to programs of the type
"sports," and programs of type "news," "music," or "kids" may not
have colors assigned to them. Furthermore, each row may in some
embodiments be displayed using a different visual representation
than the preceding row to assist in readability.
[0039] In addition, FIG. 7 also illustrates that the second timebar
140a has been modified so that the second time scale now
corresponds to just over 4 hours (with a current second time period
of 12 pm to past 4 pm), such as automatically based on an amount of
space to display program detail information of interest for current
programs being smaller than an amount of space for programs
illustrated in prior figures. Similarly, the first timebar 128 has
also been modified so that the first time scale now is longer (with
a current first time period of 7 days), such as automatically based
on the change to the second time scale and/or for other reasons. In
addition, the first and/or second time scales may also be
automatically modified in other situations in at least some
embodiments, such as if the view area 140 decreases in size (e.g.,
due to GUI window 100 being resized to a smaller size or due to
another window area such as the status control sidebar area 170
being expanded, such as to cause the second time scale and second
timebar to be automatically changed so that programs beginning at
3:30 PM, 4:00 PM and 4:30 PM are no longer visible) or if the view
area 140 increases in size. Moreover, with changes to the second
time period displayed in the second timebar, the channels that are
displayed may again be updated to reflect only those channels that
include programs matching the current filter during the currently
displayed second time period.
[0040] Using the filter control button 126, the user can select the
"movies" filter, for example, which would limit the channels
displayed in the view area 140 to those that are showing at least
one movie during the currently displayed second period of time for
the second timebar, such as is shown with respect to FIG. 8. For
example, the status control sidebar area 170 of FIG. 8 reflects
that 92 channels (for example) match the "movies" filter when
selected for the current second period of time, as contrasted with
293 channels (for example) that were available when no filter was
selected in FIG. 7.
[0041] FIG. 8 further illustrates that a particular one of the
displayed program listings in the view area 140 has been selected,
which in this example is the "Dances With Wolves" program beginning
at 1:00 PM on channel 5 HBO--in the example embodiment, the
selection of and the status of the program as being the currently
selected program is shown by a suitably colored line (e.g., green)
around the outside of the program listing in the view area 140
(e.g., a selection rectangle 171 or other suitable navigation or
selection element). In addition, once the "Dances With Wolves"
program has been selected as the currently selected piece of
content, the detail area 150 is updated to display various
additional detail metadata information about the selected program,
such as a description of the program, information about cast and
crew, information about a genre (e.g., Western) of the program,
information about a rating of the program, etc. In addition, a
control 152 in the detail area 150 has been enabled to allow a
selection to be made to schedule the program to be recorded. While
not shown here, a variety of additional types of information and/or
functionality could also be shown in the detail area, such as data
obtained from third-party sources (e.g., a trailer for the movie,
or extra content such as deleted scenes) and/or the ability to
select additional services (e.g., providing additional content),
such as for a fee.
[0042] A different filter can similarly be selected to limit the
program listings in the view area 140, such as the "Sports" filter
or other available filters, although the results of such a
selection are not illustrated here. Such selection of a different
filter may cause a variety of changes, such as to cause the status
control sidebar area 170 to indicate a different number of channels
having programs that match the filter, and to update the view area
140 to display only channels having programs that match the filter
during the second time period and/or to display only the matching
program listings during the second time period. If a currently
selected program is no longer shown in the updated view area 140
(e.g., to not display the "Dances With Wolves" program when a
"Sports" filter is selected since the program is not content of
type "Sports"), the detail area will nonetheless continue to show
information pertaining to that currently selected program in at
least some embodiments. In addition, the various previously
discussed controls for altering the display continue to be
available when showing a filtered view of the TV program listings.
For example, filtered sports programs can be sorted in ascending
channel number order, such as by selecting the "CH" column heading
to sort the channels that offer sports programming.
[0043] As with non-filtered views, the information about filtered
sports programs (or any other filtered view) may be modified by the
user in various ways. For example, a new current selected time may
be chosen by selection within the first timebar, such as by
changing the current selected time to 12:00 PM noon on Sunday, and
with the second time period displayed for the second timebar
changed to show sports program listings on 12:00 PM noon onward on
Sunday for the filtered channels that offer sports programming
during that second time period. As previously discussed, only the
channels that have programs matching the current filter during the
currently displayed second time period will be shown in the view
area 140 in at least some embodiments, and thus the set of channels
that are displayed in the view area 140 may be changed based on
changes to the second time period, since some channels may not
offer sports programming during a particular second time period.
Moreover, the current selected time may also be changed in at least
some embodiments and situations by user selection of a "Find In
View" control 158, such as when the currently selected program
"Dances With Wolves" is not currently visible in the current
program display of the view area 140, although in other embodiments
the currently selected program may nonetheless be visible in the
view area 140 even if the program does not match a current filter
or other specified criteria and/or even if the program is not
associated with the current second time period (or with a second
time period that would have been selected if not for the currently
selected program). Selection of the control 158 in the illustrated
embodiment causes the second time period and corresponding current
program display in the view area 140 to be adjusted so that the
currently selected program is displayed, including by changing the
currently selected time as needed, even though the program does not
match the current "Sports" filter. In addition, if a currently
selected predefined or custom filter does not have a distinct
associated color or other visual representation (e.g., for the
"News" filter), the programs displayed in the view area 140 may in
some embodiments be shown with their default colors but with the
programs that match the current filter being displayed using
highlighting so as to distinguish them from other programs
displayed.
[0044] In addition, in at least some embodiments users may each
create one or more custom filters that can then be applied to
restrict the TV programs that are displayed. For example, creation
of such custom filters may include selection of one or more
user-selectable filter criteria and specification of corresponding
matching values for the criteria, such as to select one or more
program genres, people in the cast or crew, specific words in the
title and/or description, specific ratings, programs that appear on
specific channels, programs that are not repeats, programs that are
in HDTV format, programs that have specified audio-visual options,
programs that are scheduled for recording, etc. As one specific
example, a user may create a custom filter for programs in the
"Science Fiction" genre and with the word "Star" in the title. For
the sake of brevity, these example filter customization features
are not shown or described in detail herein, although FIG. 9
illustrates information being displayed in the view area 140 to
correspond to that example custom filter. Instead, the reader is
requested to refer to the parent provisional patent application, if
desired, for additional information, such as with respect to FIGS.
1R-1Y and corresponding text. After one or more custom filters are
created, an updated dropdown menu (not shown) may be generated for
the filter control 126, with the new custom filter(s) then present
in the dropdown list as available filters that may be selected and
applied. The view area 140 would then, after a new custom filter is
selected, display results in a manner similar to that previously
discussed with respect to predefined filters--for example, if there
are no programs during the currently displayed second time period
that match the filter, the current view area 140 may in some
embodiments be displayed as blank, while in other embodiments the
user may be presented with a warning or other information so that
they understand why the view area is blank.
[0045] FIG. 9 illustrates one example of how additional information
may be provided to users in the first timebar 128 when a filter is
being applied, which in this example is a user-specified custom
filter, with the first timebar in this example embodiment including
small colored (e.g., red) graphical indications 137 to identify
times during which programs matching the current filter occur. This
allows a user to easily see times at which matching programs occur
that do not correspond to the current program display for the
second time period, as well as to select one of these times (such
as by directly clicking one of the indicators 137) to see details
about the matching programs at that time in the view area 140
and/or the detail area 150. Thus, FIG. 9 reflects a situation in
which a new current time has been selected, such as by selecting
the time of 6 am on Sunday based on the first timebar having an
indicator showing that one or more programs at that time match the
current filter. The resulting updated view area 140 display shows
that four channels have programs that match the applied custom
filter during a corresponding second time period beginning at 6 am
on Sunday.
[0046] FIG. 10 next illustrates results after the user has selected
the "Find A Program" search control 127b to initiate a search for
programs matching specified criteria. In particular, in this
example an additional collapsible search area 135 is displayed in
response that allows a user to specify various search criteria,
with a "Quick Search" capability being selected by default. The
Quick Search capability allows the user to specify one or more
terms to search for, one or more genres to search for, whether to
limit the search to programs that have been scheduled to be
recorded, whether to exclude or hide programs that are repeats of
previously shown programs, whether to limit the search to programs
that are in high-definition TV ("HDTV") format, etc. In this
example, the user has selected to look for programs that include
the term "Stargate" in the "Science Fiction" genre. FIG. 10 also
illustrates an additional "Manage Filters" control 127a, such as to
provide a pop-up filter management window.
[0047] After the user selects the "Apply" control in the search
area 135 to perform the search specified in FIG. 10, the results of
the search may be displayed in the view area 140 (not shown). For
example, the initial results may not include any programs at the
currently displayed time period, and thus the view area 140 may be
initially blank for the currently displayed time period. However,
the first timebar may similarly be used to provide graphical
indicators 137 at times at which any programs that satisfy the
search occur, and if a new time is selected from the first timebar
(such as by clicking one of the indicators 137 or by other using
other functionality of the time controls 130), the view area 140
may be updated to display channels having programs matching the
specified search at the selected new time. After the user next
selects the "Save" control in the search area 135, the user is
allowed to save the previously specified search as a new custom
filter. For instance, in this example a new pop-up window (not
shown) may be displayed to the user to allow specification of a
name for the new custom filter, which may subsequently be included
in an updated dropdown menu (not shown) for the filter control 126
as an available filter that can be selected and applied.
[0048] After saving the previously specified search as a new custom
filter, the user then selects the "Advanced Search" tab in the
search area 135, and FIG. 11 displays the results of that
selection. In particular, in the illustrated embodiment the search
area is modified to allow the user to select one or more of a
variety of search criteria in a manner similar to that previously
discussed with respect to filter creation. In this example, the
criteria selections in the search windows are initially set to
correspond to the previously specified search, although those
selections can be modified or removed by the user. The user can
also select the "Search History" tab to display information about
the previously applied searches (not shown), such as with a list of
entries that are user-selectable such that the user can select one
of the previous searches and then use the "Apply" control to again
apply that search for the currently selected time. For example, in
this illustrated embodiment the user has selected the previously
specified search from the search history list corresponding to
programs that include the term "Stargate" in the "Science Fiction"
genre, with the results of the specified search being displayed in
the view area 140 for the current second time period, and with the
first timebar providing limited information for programs that match
the current search during the first time period (e.g., graphical
indicators to indicate presence of such programs). When the user is
finished, he/she can next select the "Clear" control of FIG. 11 to
clear the currently specified filter/search parameters, and then
select the "Close" control to hide the search area 135.
[0049] If the user selects a new current piece of content, which in
the example of FIG. 12 is the "Seinfeld" program episode beginning
at 8:00 PM on channel 9 FOX after the custom filter is no longer
being applied, the detail area 150 is modified to reflect the newly
selected program. In addition, in the illustrated embodiment, the
user further selects the newly selected program in such a manner as
to display a pop-up menu 148 that provides additional functionality
with respect to the newly selected program (e.g., by right-clicking
on the displayed listing for the program). In this example
embodiment, the pop-up menu includes functionality to allow the
user to record this episode ("Record Once"), to record multiple
episodes of this program ("Record Series"), as well as to perform
various other functions.
[0050] In particular, one of the additional types of functionality
available via the pop-up menu 148 is to change the size at which
the information in the view area 140 is displayed, and as is shown
in FIG. 13, the user in this example is able to select to change
the current display size from "Small" to "Medium" or to "Large." If
the "Medium" or "Large" selections are made, the view area 140
would be modified to show additional details (e.g., an abbreviated
narrative or episode title) about each of programs that are
displayed (e.g., in larger "cells" containing the program
information), resulting in less programs being shown due to the
larger size of the display information. The resultant size of the
cells due to the resizing may further in some embodiments result in
the first and/or second time periods being automatically changed
and/or the first and/or second time scales being changed. For
example, FIG. 27 illustrates results after the view size has been
changed to "Large." In the illustrated embodiment, the "Seinfeld"
program continues to be the currently selected program, and the
second time period and smaller group of television programs
displayed in the view area have been selected in such a manner as
to maintain a state of the GUI that reflects that selection, such
as by continuing to show the "Seinfeld" program in the smaller
group of television programs.
[0051] FIG. 14 shows results after the user has selected the
user-selectable information of the name of the actor "Jerry
Seinfeld" in the detail area 150. In particular, performing that
selection in the example embodiment causes the search area 135 to
be displayed and to have the user-selected information added to the
portion of the search corresponding to search terms. After applying
the new search (e.g., by selecting the "Apply" control in the
search area), the results of the new search would be shown in the
view area 140, and limited information for any matching programs
would be added to the first timebar. Alternatively or additionally
in FIG. 14, the user can select the user-selectable genre
information of "Sitcom" in the detail area 150, causing the genre
portion of the search area 135 to be populated with the data
"Sitcom." The user in this example may further select the "Hide
Repeats" search criteria in the search area 135 and then apply the
new search, with results in the view area 140 (not shown) having
repeated listings hidden. The user can also display the current
search history after the prior search has been applied, such as
based on a user subsequently selecting the "Search History" control
tab of the search area 135. Regardless of the search or sorting
mechanism used, the GUI can display information using an
appropriate first time scale and appropriate second time scale that
are correlated to results of the searching and sorting.
[0052] FIG. 15 shows an embodiment after the user has closed the
search area 135 (e.g., by selecting the "Close" control in that
area), has closed the sidebar status control area 170 (e.g., by
using a vertical control bar 173 in the sidebar control area 170
that is just to the right of channels 8 and 9 in FIG. 15), and has
closed the detail area 150 by selecting the "Hide Details" control
in the detail area 150. Thus, after performing these closures, most
of the GUI 100 is devoted to displaying program listings in the
view area 140, with the first and second timebars rendered
accordingly (e.g., by automatically selecting appropriate first and
second time scales and first and second time periods).
[0053] FIG. 16 then shows the results of re-displaying the detail
area 150 and the sidebar status control area 170, with the lower
information area 165 of the sidebar status control area 170 shown
in expanded view (e.g., by selecting an expand/collapse control for
that area 165, which in this example embodiment is an up/down
triangle arrow icon 167 in the upper right corner of that area
165). In this example embodiment, the information area 165 includes
information about the current status of selected content, including
content being currently recorded (if any), recently recorded
programs, and upcoming scheduled recordings. In some embodiments,
some or all such content may be user-selectable from the area 165,
such as to allow the user to specify to play previously recorded
content. In addition, in some embodiments the area 165 may further
contain additional information and/or user-selectable controls,
such as controls to define and use one or more playlists that are
further described with respect to FIG. 28. The upper area 160
and/or the lower area 165 of the sidebar status control area 170
may also be expanded or collapsed as desired by the user in the
illustrated embodiment. In addition, in some embodiments the first
timebar may be further modified to reflect information in the
sidebar status control area 170 (not shown), such as to provide
visual indicators of upcoming times at which some (e.g., a selected
one) or all of scheduled recordings in the information area 165
will occur.
[0054] In FIG. 17, the currently selected piece of content is a
program that is currently on channel 24 TVLAND entitled "Gunsmoke,"
and it has been selected to be currently recorded. The newly
selected program has corresponding information displayed in the
detail area 150, and a status icon is shown in various places to
indicate the status of the program as being currently recorded,
such as in this example embodiment being illustrated with an icon
169 (e.g., a red circle). In particular, the recording icon is
shown in this example with the program listing information in the
view area 140, in the detail area 150, and in the information
section 165 of the sidebar status control area 170. In addition,
the available controls in the detail area 150 have been modified to
include a "Cancel Recording" control (since the selected program is
being recorded) and a "Watch Now" control (since the currently
selected program is currently available for presentation).
[0055] As previously discussed, FIGS. 2-17 have displayed various
information about television program listing information in a
variety of ways. However, while the program listing information
display has been modified in various ways, all of the displayed
information has corresponded to a single type of view for the
program listing information in the view area 140. In particular,
and as previously noted, the program listing information has been
displayed in a 2-D grid format, which corresponds to the prior
selection of the grid view control 121.
[0056] FIG. 18 corresponds to a change in the type of view used for
the program listing information in the view area 140, and in
particular corresponds to a view of the program listing information
in iconic format after selection of an icon view control 122. In
this example, the program listing information in the view area 140
is shown in a small size, such as based on the prior grid-based
view being in the small size or instead based on the small size
being the initial default size for the icon view. In this example
icon view, information about the channel numbers, names, and
station names is displayed, but information about specific programs
available at the currently selected time is not shown. The iconic
view of program listing information can also be displayed at a
medium or large size (not shown) to show more detail information,
such as the name of the program at the currently selected time, the
time period during which the program is displayed, rating, genre,
and so forth. This change in size can be performed in a variety of
ways, such as via a selection from a pop-up menu (not shown) in the
view area similar to that previously discussed with respect to
FIGS. 12 and 13, selection of a dropdown menu (not shown) using the
triangle arrow control on the right side of the icon view control
122, etc. Since the displayed information in the view area 140 in
the illustrated embodiment corresponds only to the currently
selected time (or alternatively to no time in some embodiments), in
this embodiment the second timebar is not shown, although in other
embodiments the second timebar may be shown (e.g., if different
iconic information is shown for different time segments, such as to
reflect particular programs).
[0057] If a particular program listing is selected as the current
piece of content, the detail area 150 will be populated with
information about the newly selected current program in a manner
similar to that previously discussed. In addition, a pop-up menu
(not shown) corresponding to the selected program can be displayed,
such as based on the user performing a right-click action on the
selected program, with the pop-up menu allowing various actions to
be taken with respect to the selected program (e.g., to record the
program, to select the program to be watched on an associated
television or other video output device if the currently selected
program is currently being shown, etc.). In other embodiments,
other types of functionality could similarly be provided in such a
pop-up menu.
[0058] As with embodiments in which the program listings are shown
in grid format, the user can use the filter control 126 to filter
the information displayed in the view area 140 (whether for
predefined or custom filters), and the first timebar may display
visual indications corresponding to matching programs. For
instance, FIG. 19 shows results of applying a custom filter for
programs in the "Science Fiction" genre and with the word "Star" in
the title, and of selecting a current time from the first timebar
that has at least one matching program (e.g., based on selecting a
point along the timebar having an indicator 137 to indicate the
presence of matching programs). In this example, the newly selected
time is Wednesday at 5:00 PM, and six channels are shown in the
view area as having matching programs at that time. In addition, in
this example embodiment the size of the iconic view information has
been changed to "Large," whether automatically or based on a user
selection, and with the icons displayed in the view area further
including information about the individual programs to which the
icons correspond (e.g., the name of the program at the currently
selected time, the time period during which the program is
displayed, information about genre and rating, etc.).
[0059] FIG. 20 then illustrates a change in the current type of
view based on selection of the channel view control 123, as well as
based on clearing the previously selected filter, and with the
information displayed at a "Small" size (such as based on a prior
type of view being in the small size or instead based on the small
size being the initial default size for the channel view). In this
view, channel and program information for a variety of channels is
shown in the main left portion of the view area 140 under column
headings "CH", "NAME", "PROGRAM TITLE" and "AIRS," while an
additional right portion 146 of the view area 140 is displayed
containing additional channel-specific information for a currently
selected channel under an "UPCOMING" column heading. In particular,
in the current example channel number 5 for the currently selected
program "The Last Days" is selected as the current channel 144 in
the left portion of the view area 140, and the channel-specific
portion 146 contains information about a number of different
programs that are available on that currently selected channel over
a third period of time that in this example corresponds to
approximately the next day and a half. While the times along the
left side of the right portion 146 are not illustrated as a
distinct timebar in the illustrated embodiment, in other
embodiments a third timebar may be displayed along that left side.
In addition, while the second timebar is not displayed in the
illustrated embodiment, in other embodiments the second timebar may
additionally be displayed, such as to show program information for
multiple channels in a grid format in the left portion of the view
area while continuing to show the additional channel-specific
information for a single channel in the right portion 146 for the
current third time period. Therefore in this embodiment, the first
time scale corresponds to several days, a third time scale for the
third time period represented in the channel-specific portion 146
corresponds to hours over a period of approximately 11/2 days, and
a second time scale for a second timebar (not shown) may correspond
to a shorter second period of time (e.g., 1 hour or 4 hours, such
as in a manner similar to times displayed in the "AIRS" column
143b). The detail area 150 also displays information pertaining to
the currently selected piece of content that is the selected
program from the channel-specific portion 146, such as information
pertaining to an upcoming program listed that airs after the
program on the currently selected channel 144.
[0060] The user may also select "Find In View" functionality for a
currently selected program or other piece of content while using
the channel view, such as via the button 158 in the detail area 150
or instead based on a pop-up menu (not shown) for the currently
selected program listing in the channel-specific area 146. For
example, if a new program has been selected from the
channel-specific portion that is not displayed in the current
program listing information in the left portion of the view area
(e.g., to select the "Chris Rock Show" at 7:30 pm on Tuesday) and
the "Find In View" functionality is selected, the view area 140
information will be updated to show program information
corresponding to the time of that currently selected program. If a
different channel is selected in the view area 140 as the currently
selected channel 144, the program on that channel at the currently
selected time becomes the currently selected program in the
illustrated embodiment, and the detail area 150 is updated to
provide information about that program. Similarly, the
channel-specific area 146 of the view area will be updated in the
illustrated embodiment to include information about the newly
selected channel.
[0061] As with embodiments in which the program listings are shown
in grid and icon views, the filter control 126 can be used with the
channel view to filter the information to be displayed in the view
area 140 (whether for predefined or custom filters), and the first
timebar may display visual indications corresponding to matching
programs. Moreover, the size of the view can switched to a medium
size or a large size (or in some embodiments to any desired size
for this and/or the other views), such as based on selection of an
appropriate control on a pop-up menu in the view area (not shown)
or instead based on use of a dropdown menu via the triangle arrow
in the right portion of the channel view control 123. The program
listings at the medium size, for example, may contain additional
detail information relative to those listings at the small size,
and use of a large size can display further detail information
about the program listings being shown.
[0062] FIG. 21 displays example results of selecting a custom
filter for programs in the "Science Fiction" genre and with the
word "Star" in the title, and of selecting a new currently selected
time of 5:00 PM on Wednesday (such as by clicking a corresponding
indicator 137 in the first timebar) that has six program listings
matching the filter. Channel number 5 continues to be the currently
selected channel based on the currently selected program "The Last
Days," despite that currently selected program not being currently
displayed (e.g., based on the current filter and/or currently
selected time). Additionally, in some embodiments the channel
listings may be sorted in various ways, such as in ascending order
or descending order based on the channel numbers, based on channel
names, based on air times of currently displayed programs (e.g., by
default or instead based on selection of the "AIRS" column heading
143b), based on names of currently displayed programs, etc.
[0063] FIG. 22 then displays results of switching to a list view of
the program listings, such as based on selection of the list view
control 124. In the current example, the program listings are shown
sorted in ascending order based on the title of the programs, such
as by default or instead based on user selection of the "PROGRAM
TITLE" column heading 143a. In this example embodiment, at least
some of the program listings may have multiple showings at
different times, and some or all of the program titles can be
expanded to show details of each of the showings for that program
title. For example, with respect to the currently selected program
"The Last Days," that program listing is currently shown in an
expanded view 147 so as to provide information about each of the
five showings of that program that are currently available over an
upcoming period of time (e.g., the next 2 weeks).
[0064] In this example embodiment, a program title listing can be
expanded in various ways, such as by selecting a small icon to the
left of each of the program listings in order to expand or collapse
that program listing, or instead using a pop-up menu (not shown)
for that program listing, such as based on a right-click selection
of the program listing. In addition or in the alternative, a pop-up
menu (not shown) in the view area 140 can allow all program
listings to be collapsed or expanded, as well as to change the
sorting for program listings. If the user selects an "Expand All"
control functionality or other similar functionality from a pop-up
menu, the resulting listing will include all program information in
expanded form in the view area 140.
[0065] As with embodiments in which the program listings are shown
in other types of views, the filter control 126 may in at least
some embodiments be used with the program listing view to filter
the information to be displayed in the view area 140 (whether for
predefined or custom filters). Also, while the times in the "AIRS"
column for an expanded program listing are not illustrated as a
distinct timebar in the illustrated embodiment, in other
embodiments one or more fourth timebars may be displayed with
expanded program listing information (e.g., a distinct fourth
timebar for each expanded program listing) to correspond to such
times. In addition, while the first timebar is not displayed in the
illustrated embodiment, in other embodiments the first timebar may
additionally be displayed and may include visual indications
corresponding to appropriate programs (e.g., programs matching one
or more specified filters and/or searches, or to illustrate
upcoming showings of one or more programs, such as for a currently
selected program and/or for one or more programs shown with
expanded program listing information). Similarly, while the second
timebar is not displayed in the illustrated embodiment, in other
embodiments the second timebar may additionally be displayed, such
as to display information about upcoming showings for one or more
of the current programs in a grid format in the view area 140.
[0066] In addition, the program listings may be sorted in a variety
of manners, with FIGS. 1BT-1CC from the parent provisional patent
application showing examples of sorting and grouping the program
listing information in a variety of ways. For instance, all of the
program listing information may be shown in collapsed form and in a
manner grouped and sorted by channel number in an ascending or
descending manner, such as based on user selection of the "CH"
column heading. Examples of sorting and grouping of program listing
information may include non-exclusive examples as follows: in
ascending or descending order based on channel name; in a manner
grouped and sorted based on the recording status of the program
listings; in ascending or descending order based on the air time of
the program listings; in ascending or descending order based on
duration of the program listing; in ascending or descending order
based on the genre of the program listings; in ascending or
descending order based on the rating of the program listings; in
ascending or descending order based on whether the program listings
are repeat showings; in ascending or descending order based on
whether the program listing information is displayed in HDTV
format; in ascending or descending order based on the stars
assigned to the program listings; and so forth. Further details of
such grouping and sorting are provided in the parent provisional
patent application. Also, while not illustrated here, the sorting
of program listings in some embodiments may also in at least some
embodiments be performed using multiple sort specifications
(whether in a manner specific to a particular program listing or
instead for all program listings)--for example, some or all of the
program listings and/or program listing showings may be sorted
first based on program title, then secondarily based on air time,
and then tertiarily based on whether they are shown in HDTV
format.
[0067] Much of the previously discussed program listing information
has corresponded to content categorized as being available via live
television, such as based on a prior or default selection of a
"LIVE TV" control 115a. FIG. 23 corresponds to selection of an
alternative type of television-related content, which in this
example includes TV program listings that are scheduled to be
recorded, such as based on selection of the "SCHEDULED" control
115b. In this example, only a single program listing is scheduled
to be recorded, which is the "Judge Joe Brown" program on channel 9
FOX at 11:30 am on Thursday, as illustrated in the view area 140
and in the "UPCOMING RECORDINGS" section of the status control
sidebar area. In addition, the scheduled TV program listing
information may be manipulated in a manner similar to that of the
live TV program listing information, such as to select one or more
upcoming programs that are scheduled to be recorded as currently
selected pieces of content, to be sorted in various ways and to
have various filters applied, and to be displayed using other views
in at least some embodiments. For example, the scheduled recording
information can be sorted in an ascending manner based on the air
time of the programs, rating, genre, and so forth.
[0068] Programs may be scheduled for recording in various ways,
such as via a pop-up menu (not shown) or other control that is
provided regarding one or more upcoming programs (e.g., as
displayed using one or more of the views for LIVE TV content) to
give the user the option to record (or cancel recording of) a
selected program. Information about a currently selected program
may include a recording icon such as a small red circle status icon
or other icon (not shown), as previously described above, to
indicate that the program is to be recorded, with the icon shown in
information displayed for the program listing in the view area 140
and/or in the detail area 150. In addition, the information about
the upcoming recordings may be shown and updated in the sidebar
status control area 170 to reflect a newly scheduled recording, and
the view area 140 may similarly be updated to present information
about such a newly scheduled program to be recorded.
[0069] FIG. 24 displays results of selecting the type of
television-related content corresponding to previously recorded TV
program listings, such as based on selection of the "RECORDED TV"
control 115c. While not illustrated here, information for other
groups of television-related content may similarly be displayed in
other embodiments, such as information corresponding to
pay-per-view television (e.g., by selection of the control 115d),
on-demand television programs (e.g., by selection of the control
115e), or various other types of television-related programming via
appropriate controls (not shown), such as for interactive
television. A pop-up menu (not shown) or other control may also be
used to provide various functionality for one or more of the
previously recorded content listings, such as to delete the
recording, play the recording on an appropriate video output
presentation device (e.g., a TV), and to find the program
information for a currently selected program in the current view.
The detail area 150 in the illustrated embodiment also includes a
"PLAY" control button for the currently selected program, and the
status control sidebar 170 provides information about the program
being currently played.
[0070] The recorded TV program listings and/or other content may
also be manipulated in a manner similar to that for the other
program listing information, such as to select one or more recorded
programs as currently selected pieces of content, to be sorted in
various ways and to have various filters applied, as well as to in
some embodiments be displayed using or more other views. For
example, the program listing information may be sorted based on the
record time of the program listings (e.g., based on user selection
of the "RECORDED ON" column heading 143j), or could similarly be
sorted based on a current status of the program listing, such as by
user selection of the "STATUS" column heading 143k. In the
illustrated embodiment, program listings may be given a status of
recorded, scheduled to be recorded, and not scheduled to be
recorded, although in other embodiments a variety of additional
types of status information could be similarly assigned and used
(e.g., currently recording, scheduled to record once, scheduled to
record the series or multiple episodes, live and not recording,
future and not scheduled, past shows that were not recorded,
scheduled to record but did not, scheduled to record but not going
to, recorded as a recommendation, locked to prevent deletion,
subject to deletion, imminent deletion, previously viewed (for
recorded and/or live programs), partially viewed, has additional
associated content, has additional associated functionality, has a
user-specified annotation, etc.).
[0071] In some embodiments, the content listings shown in the view
area 140 for one or more of the content-type-specific navigation
tabs 115 (e.g., "LIVE TV," "SCHEDULED," "RECORDED TV," "PAY PER
VIEW," and/or "ON DEMAND") may further be bifurcated or otherwise
organized (not shown) based on one or more devices connected to or
otherwise associated with the CM system, such as one or more media
centers 350, one or more computing systems 390, or other
input/output devices. For example, if there are multiple STBs,
DVRs, or other input/output devices (e.g., televisions) available
to the CM system, the view area 140 may present listing information
corresponding to multiple of the devices (e.g., for two devices or
for all devices), such as simultaneously in different portions of
the view area. Thus, for instance, if two DVRs are connected to the
CM system and each is able to record content and/or has recorded
content, then the view area 140 may separately or concurrently
present the information for each DVR. Program listings for multiple
STBs may similarly also be presented in the view area 140
separately or concurrently, such as if these STBs receive different
EPG metadata. Furthermore, information may be coordinated in
multiple display areas of the GUI to correspond to current
selections specific to one or more such devices, and such a focus
of the presented information may further be maintained as
information in the GUI changes.
[0072] Various types of functionality may also be provided in at
least some embodiments upon some form of user selection of
displayed indicator in the first timebar. For example, as
previously indicated, selection of a displayed indicator for a time
point may cause that time point to become the currently selected
time, with the second time period of the second timebar adjusted to
display that currently selected time. In some embodiments, other
types of functionality may be provided for selection of a displayed
indicator, whether in addition to (e.g., using a different type of
selection than for specifying the currently selected time) or
instead of specifying the currently selected time. For example,
selection of an indicator may cause one or more corresponding
pieces of content to become the currently selected content (e.g.,
the currently selected television program, such as to cause
information about that program to be displayed in the detail area
150), or may instead allow various types of capabilities to be
provided for one or more such corresponding pieces of content
(e.g., to schedule a recording, to initiate a current recording, to
watch or manipulate a previously recorded piece of content,
etc.).
[0073] FIGS. 25-26 illustrate examples of additional capabilities
available via the GUI 100 by using dropdown menus from the menu bar
105. In particular, FIG. 25 illustrates the dropdown menu available
by selecting the "File" menu control, which includes the ability to
connect or otherwise associate the GUI with one or more particular
STBs, DVRs or other devices with which to interact (e.g., from
which to receive program listing information and to which to send
content manipulation instructions). For example, choosing the
"Active Device" selection from the File dropdown menu may result in
a list of one or more available devices (not shown) from which to
select, while choosing the "Disconnect Device" selection from the
File dropdown menu may result in a pop-up window (not shown) asking
whether the user desires to connect to another device, although
such a pop-up window may also be provided in other embodiments and
situations (e.g., if a connected device or the connection to that
device becomes unavailable). Choosing the "Update Listings"
selection from the File dropdown menu may result in retrieving
updating program listing information (e.g., if needed), and may
further result in display of a pop-up window (not shown) indicating
that the updated program listing information has been retrieved.
Choosing the "Exit" selection from the File dropdown menu would
cause the CM application to end.
[0074] FIG. 26 illustrates the dropdown menu available by selecting
a "View" menu control, which includes the ability to select a
current view to apply, as well as to select particular groups of
the current content type for display. In addition, while not
illustrated here, various additional functionality may be available
from other dropdown menus. For example, an additional dropdown
submenu (not shown) may be available by selecting the "Timebar"
selection control from the View dropdown menu, such as to allow the
user to select various first time scales for the first timebar
(e.g., multi-hour or multi-day), as well as to make the current
time the currently selected time. In addition, a dropdown menu (not
shown) available by selecting the "Tools" menu control may include
the ability to search for a program, to define a custom filter, to
change a current color scheme, and to specify various options
(e.g., via a pop-up window, not shown). Options may include
controls, for example, to allow the user to select the style of the
time line in the guide view (such as to select a condensed style);
to show a visual vertical line or other indication in the view pane
through the channel listings to indicate a currently selected time;
to specify a default master font for use in the GUI (e.g., with the
user receiving an additional pop-up menu to allow specification of
the default master font); to limit the number of days of program
data to be displayed; to allow the status control sidebar to be
automatically hidden when not in use; to specify various
information about connections to other devices at startup and
periodically afterwards, and to specify various information about
software and program listing update functionality. In addition, a
dropdown menu (not shown) available by selecting the "Actions" menu
control may include the ability to control the recording and
viewing of content, as well as to select functionality to scan
channels, and a dropdown menu (not shown) available by selecting
the "Help" menu control may include the ability to check for
updates for the CM system and to receive additional information and
other help. Examples of at least some such additional functionality
are illustrated in the parent provisional patent application, such
as with respect to FIGS. 4G-4N.
[0075] FIGS. 29A and 29B are a flowchart of an embodiment of an
example routine 2900 for operating a GUI in such a manner as to
maintain a state of the GUI that is focused to reflect one or more
current selections, such as for GUI 100 discussed with respect to
FIGS. 2-28 and/or the GUI discussed with respect to FIGS. 30A-30S.
In some embodiments and situations, the content displayed in the
time-based GUI may correspond to television programming, such as to
use EPG data, while in other embodiments and situations various
other types of content may be displayed. In addition, the types of
current selections on which the GUI state may be focused may vary
in various embodiments, such as to include one or more selected
pieces of content, one or more selected types of content, and/or
one or more selected times.
[0076] The routine begins at step 2905, where multimedia content
metadata is received, such as if the computing system 300 receives
EPG metadata information (i.e., as part of television
programming-related content 360a) from a head-end and stores the
information as content metadata 322 in the storage unit 320. At
step 2910, the GUI is rendered on a suitable display device, such
as to render the GUI 100 on the display 311, and an initial set of
information about multiple programs is displayed in the GUI, such
as based on the received metadata. In at least some embodiments,
the initial set of information may reflect default or
user-specified information, such as content corresponding to an
initial second time period based on a current time.
[0077] In the illustrated embodiment, the content listings and
other information remain rendered in the GUI until an indication is
received to update the GUI, such as based on a timeout occurring
(e.g., to refresh the program contents, such as every few seconds
or when a 1/2 hour or other time segment of the second time period
has passed), on receiving updated metadata or other information
(not shown) to be displayed, or on the user selecting functionality
to cause a change. As previously discussed, a user may make or
modify a current selection in a variety of ways, such as by
selecting an indication of a program displayed in a view area or
other display area of the GUI, or by selecting a new current time
via a timebar or other mechanism. Thus, the routine waits at step
2915 until such a GUI change is initiated, and then continues to
step 2920 to determine whether a user has indicated a new current
selection. If not, the routine continues to step 2925 to determine
whether a user has indicated a modification to an existing current
selection, such as to deselect or otherwise modify the current
selection. If so, or if it was instead determined in step 2920 that
a user has indicated a new current selection, the routine continues
to step 2930 to update information about one or more current
selections for the GUI based on the user indication, and then
continues to step 2935 to identify content to be displayed in the
GUI to reflect the one or more current selections, such as to
maintain or initiate a state of the GUI that is focused on the one
or more current selections.
[0078] If it was instead determined in step 2925 that the user did
not indicate a modification to a prior current selection, the
routine continues to step 2940 to determine whether an indication
was received to modify the content that is displayed or to
otherwise update the GUI, such as an indication from a user to
perform sorting, searching, filtering, to display information about
a current selection (e.g., based on selecting a "Find In View"
control), etc., or instead an automated indication to update the
GUI (e.g., based on a timeout or receipt of new metadata or other
information to be displayed). If not, the routine continues to step
2960 to perform another indicated action as appropriate (e.g., to
specify user preference information for later use), but otherwise
continues to step 2945 to identify new content to be displayed
and/or other GUI updates based on the modification indication.
After step 2945, the routine continues to step 2950 to modify the
identified content and/or GUI updates from step 2945 in such a
manner as to maintain a state of the GUI that is focused to reflect
one or more current selections (if such a focused state currently
exists), such as to include information in the identified content
that corresponds to one or more current selections (e.g., for a
currently selected piece of content and/or for a currently selected
time). After steps 2950 or 2935, the routine continues to step 2955
to update the GUI based on the identified content and any other GUI
updates from steps 2950 or 2935. After steps 2955 or 2960, the
routine then continues to step 2995 to determine whether to
continue. If so, the routine returns to step 2915, and if not
continues to step 2999 and ends.
[0079] In some embodiments the functionality provided by the
routines discussed above may be provided in alternative ways, such
as being split among more routines or consolidated into fewer
routines. Similarly, in some embodiments illustrated routines may
provide more or less functionality than is described, such as when
other illustrated routines instead lack or include such
functionality respectively, or when the amount of functionality
that is provided is altered. In addition, while various operations
may be illustrated as being performed in a particular manner (e.g.,
in serial or in parallel) and/or in a particular order, in other
embodiments the operations may be performed in other orders and in
other manners. In addition, in some embodiments certain operations
may be embodied in software or other computer-readable instructions
stored on a computer-readable medium, such as software stored in
the memory 330 of the CM system 335 of FIG. 1. The data structures
discussed above may also be structured in different manners, such
as by having a single data structure split into multiple data
structures or by having multiple data structures consolidated into
a single data structure. Similarly, in some embodiments illustrated
data structures may store more or less information than is
described, such as when other illustrated data structures instead
lack or include such information respectively, or when the amount
or types of information that is stored is altered.
[0080] In some embodiments a variety of other types of content can
similarly be reviewed, manipulated, and controlled via a GUI, such
as via the example GUI 100, and a state of the GUI that is focused
to reflect one or more current selections for the other types of
content may be maintained in manners similar to those previously
discussed. For example, in one example embodiment, the primary
content-type navigation tabs 110 of FIG. 2 are available to allow
the user to select music content (via selection of the displayed
user-selectable "JUKEBOX" control), photos, images and/or video
content (via selection of the displayed user-selectable "PHOTOS"
control), and to obtain videophone functionality (via selection of
the displayed user-selectable "VIDEO" control), with selection of
one of the controls causing information about corresponding content
to be displayed in the GUI. If so, the view area 140 (or a similar
area of the GUI) may be updated to include content listings for the
corresponding content (e.g., to display various metadata about the
content), the detail area 150 may provide various additional
details about a selected piece of content, the first timebar 128
may include graphical indicators corresponding to selected pieces
of the content, and various other controls and areas of the GUI may
similarly be updated (e.g., the secondary content-type-specific
navigation tabs 115, the menu bar 105, the view control area 125,
the status bar 155, the status control sidebar area 170, etc.). A
variety of other types of content may similarly be available,
including advertisements, news clips, excerpts from articles,
Internet content, presentations, videogames, etc.
[0081] These other types of content may be manipulated in a manner
similar to that described above for television programming-related
content. In particular, various techniques have been described to
organize and manipulate content based on one or more times
associated with the content, such as based on the start time at
which a piece of television programming-related content may be
available for presentation. Other types of content may similarly
have one or more of various types of associated times with which
the content may be accordingly manipulated. For example, music
content may be associated with a record date and time-of-day, a
release date and time-of-day, a broadcast date and time-of-day, a
receipt/download date and time-of-day, and various other
time-related characteristic(s), and one or more of such associated
times may be used to select pieces of music content to display in
the view area 140 (e.g., based on those pieces of content each
having an associated time within a second time period associated
with the second timebar) and to select pieces of music content for
which graphical indicators will be displayed in the first timebar
(e.g., based at least in part on those pieces of content each
having an associated time within a first time period associated
with the first timebar). Photos and video can similarly have one or
more associated times, such as creation date and time-of-day,
revision date and time-of-day, download date and time-of-day, etc.,
and may similarly be displayed based on one or more of such
associated times. Other types of multimedia content may have
similar time-related characteristics.
[0082] Thus, in at least some embodiments the GUI 100 includes
first and second timebars that can be used to organize and
manipulate listings and other information for content of such other
content types based on associated time information. For example, if
a user downloads music on a regular basis and/or music is broadcast
according to a timed schedule (e.g., on one or more digital music
channels provided by a cable-based or satellite-based content
provider), the view area 140 can display song titles based on the
download times in a manner corresponding to the second timebar.
Moreover, the user can sort, group, filter, view, or otherwise
manipulate the listings and other information using similar
techniques as previously described above for television program
listings.
[0083] Moreover, while time-based organization and manipulation is
useful for many types of content, in some embodiments at least some
types of content may be organized and manipulated based on other
types of associated information, whether in addition to or instead
of based on time. For example, content with associated textual
information (e.g., a title or name, names of one or more associated
people, etc.) may be grouped in the GUI alphabetically or otherwise
based on that textual information, such as by modifying the first
and/or second timebars to correspond to portions of the alphabet
rather than periods of time (e.g., to display multiple segments in
the second timebar that each correspond to a distinct letter within
a subset of letters from the alphabet, such as letters "C" to "H",
the vowel letters, etc.). Various other types of metadata for
content may similarly be used to group the content in other manners
for organization and manipulation in the GUI, such as to group
content hierarchically or based on other relationships between
pieces of content if such relationships exist (e.g., based on a set
of related photos from a single event or shoot, which may be one of
many sets that are each associated with a higher-level organization
or event), to group content based on genre or other categorization
(e.g., for photos, images or video content, based on the device
used to create the content, on the person who created the content,
on a source from which the content was acquired, on subject matter
of the content, on file size, on black-and-white versus color, on
number of pixels or frames-per-second or other measure of
resolution, on display size of the content, on use restrictions on
the content, etc.), or to more generally group the content based on
any other parameter or combination of types of parameters.
[0084] In a similar manner, but while not illustrated here, in some
embodiments the GUI may be used to control a variety of devices,
such as one or more STBs, one or more DVRs, one or more TVs, one or
more of a variety of types of non-TV content presentation devices
(e.g., speakers), etc. Thus, in at least some such embodiments, the
GUI may be used to concurrently play a first specified program on a
first TV, play a second specified program on a second TV, play
first specified music content on a first set of one or more
speakers, play second specified music content on a second set of
one or more speakers, present photos or video on a computing system
display or other TV, etc. When multiple such devices are being
controlled, they may further be grouped and organized in a variety
of ways, such as by location and/or by type of device (or type of
content that can be presented on the device). In addition, the
virtual remote control buttons displayed in the GUI may change
based on a current context, such as on the device that is currently
being controlled and/or based on content that is currently
selected. In addition, extended controls of a variety of types
beyond those discussed in the example embodiment (e.g., channel up
and down, volume, a keyboard, device-specific controls, etc.) may
additionally be provided via the GUI in at least some embodiments.
Moreover, in at least some embodiments all of the controls of the
GUI may be selectable by one or more of a variety of input device
types, such as all being selectable by keyboard, by voice command,
by mouse, etc.
[0085] In addition, in some embodiments multiple pieces of content
may be simultaneously selected and acted on in various ways, such
as to schedule multiple selected TV programs to be recorded or
deleted, to group the pieces of content together for future
manipulation, etc., as is discussed in greater detail for one
specific example with respect to FIG. 28. Moreover, in some
embodiments multiple users may interact with the same copy of the
CM system, and if so various user-specific information (e.g.,
preferences, custom filters, prior searches, prior recordings or
viewings of programs, information for user-specific
recommendations, etc.) may be stored and used to personalize the
GUI and its information and functionality for specific users. In
addition, in embodiments in which the CM system is interacting with
an external program, such as via an STB or DVR that has its own
user GUI (e.g., one that is displayed to users on a television),
additional integration between the CM system and the STB or DVR may
be possible, such as to include user-selectable links or other
references in the GUI of one of the systems to the other system
(e.g., to allow a user to select the CM system from a menu or other
information displayed to a user by an STB or DVR). A variety of
other types of related functionality could similarly be added.
[0086] FIG. 28 illustrates an additional example of capabilities
provided in at least some embodiments, such as with additional
controls and capabilities in a status control sidebar area of an
example GUI to allow a user to define and use one or more
"playlists" that each may have one or more pieces of content to be
recorded and/or are available for playback or other presentation on
a specified presentation device. As with other example GUI
embodiments, a state of the G UI that is focused to reflect one or
more current selections may be maintained in various ways in at
least some embodiments. In this illustrated embodiment, the GUI
includes a current playlist selection section 550 that includes
various user-selectable music selections in a current playlist. The
illustrated embodiment of the playlist also includes various
user-selectable playlist type control tabs 560, with a "Music" type
control tab being currently selected--in other embodiments,
playlists may be organized in other manners, such as to have a
single playlist that includes content of various types, such as
video information (e.g., television programming), digital music,
photos and other images, etc. In addition, the illustrated
embodiment includes a variety of user-selectable controls that are
specific to playlists, such as controls 555 for controlling how
content within the currently selected playlist is presented (e.g.,
to move to a previous or next piece of content in the list, to
clear the list, to play a current selected piece of content, to
play the content in the currently selected playlist in shuffle
mode, to repeatedly loop through presentation of the content in the
currently selected playlist, etc.), and controls 565 for altering
the arrangement and contents in the currently selected playlist
(e.g., to move contents items up or down in the current playlist,
to remove content items from the current playlist, etc.), as well
as to cause presentation of a currently selected piece of content
to repeat.
[0087] In this illustrated embodiment, the GUI status control
sidebar area also includes multiple user-selectable device control
tabs 505, with each tab representing a device that can be
controlled (although in other embodiments other configurations may
be used, such as for some or all tabs to represent multiple devices
of a type, multiple devices in a location, or multiple devices that
are otherwise associated), such as with respect to presenting
content and/or recording or otherwise obtaining content for later
presentation. In this example, two device tabs are illustrated for
devices to which live or previously recorded content can be
directed, with a "Main Stereo" stereo device tab being currently
selected and a "Main TV" television device tab also available,
although in other embodiments multiple devices of a single type
(e.g., multiple stereos and/or speakers) may simultaneously be
available. In addition, the current content information section 520
indicates that "Reading Rainbow" programming audio is currently
being directed to the "Main Stereo" device for presentation, while
other content (not shown) may be being directed to the "Main TV"
television device. In some embodiments, control instructions may be
sent directly to the device being controlled (e.g., by directing
the "Main TV" television device to change channels), while in other
embodiments one or more intermediate devices may be involved in the
control instructions (e.g., by directing an STB, not shown, to
control live television content sent to a television device and/or
by directing a DVR, not shown, to direct recorded music or
television audio content to a currently selected stereo device).
Moreover, in some embodiments one or more such intermediate devices
may each be able to interact with and/or control multiple
presentation devices, such as to have a single STB and/or DVR
device control content being provided to two television devices
(e.g., by using a MOXI device that provides such functionality). In
addition, in some embodiments the device that is currently selected
for control may affect the information in the playlist section in
various ways, such as to select a current playlist based on a
current device being controlled (e.g., based on the type of device,
such as to select a playlist having video information when the
device being controlled is a television device) and/or to enable
content for current selection only if appropriate for the currently
selected device (e.g., to disable video or image information if the
currently selected device is a speaker, but to allow video, images
and music to be presented on at least some types of television
devices, such as based on capabilities of the device).
[0088] Content may be selected for inclusion in a playlist in
various ways, and playlists may be created and maintained in
various ways (e.g., maintained indefinitely until the user
otherwise modifies or removes the playlist, or instead in a
temporary manner, such as for a specified period of time and/or
until storage space is needed for other purposes). In the
illustrated embodiment, the view area includes a listing of various
music content that is scheduled to be presented at various current
and/or future times, such as based on the "Jukebox" primary
content-type navigation tab 575 being currently selected. In some
embodiments, a piece of content may be selected from the view area
and added to a current playlist and/or a user-specified playlist,
such as via a pop-up menu (not shown). For example, a currently
selected "She Needs Someone To Hold Her" song may have been just
added to the current playlist based on a user instruction, and in
other embodiments music may be presented and selectable in other
manners and/or other types of content (e.g., other types of audio
information, television programming and other video, photos and
other images, etc.) may similarly be presented and selectable in
various manners. In addition, while not illustrated in the current
example, in some embodiments one or more user-selectable controls
may be provided in the detail area, such as to allow a currently
selected item to be selected to a current playlist and/or a
user-selectable playlist (e.g., from a list of playlists).
[0089] In some embodiments, only currently presented content may be
available to be added to a playlist (e.g., to allow recording
concurrent with its presentation), while in other embodiments
content that is scheduled for later presentation may be added to a
playlist and automatically recorded at that time--in such latter
embodiments, content in a playlist that is not currently being
presented and is not yet recorded may be treated differently than
other content in the playlist, such as to prevent the content from
being selected for current presentation on a currently selected
device being controlled. In addition, content may be able to be
selected for playlists in other manners in other embodiments, such
as by downloading content from a remote computing shown (not shown)
via the Internet or other mechanism. Moreover, in some embodiments
an "auto-tune" playlist functionality may be provided that, rather
than playing recorded programs one after the other, instead tunes a
device (e.g., a television or stereo) at appointed times and/or
intervals. While not illustrated here, content may further be
organized in various manners, such as in manners selected by the
user (e.g., by allowing the user to specify names for playlists, to
organize the playlists in various ways, to associate playlists with
each other and/or with devices available to be controlled (e.g.,
specific devices and/or types of devices).
[0090] Content in a playlist may also be controlled in various ways
in various embodiments, including by selecting and manipulating
individual pieces of content within a playlist and/or by treating
some or all of the content in a playlist as a group. As previously
noted, the illustrated embodiment includes various
playlist-specific controls 555 and 565 that may be used to control
playlists and content in playlists. In addition, in at least some
embodiments some or all of various user-selectable controls in
section 570 may be used to control presentation of a current
playlist and/or of a currently selected piece of content in the
current playlist, or alternatively to control other types of
content (e.g., television programming). Such additional controls
may include the following: channel controls 540 for manipulating a
current channel, and in other embodiments other controls (e.g.,
user-selectable numeric buttons, not shown) may be available for
specifying a particular channel; various controls 535 for
controlling the presentation of content, such as to pause
presentation, skip backward, skip forward (when available, such as
with other than live content) and rewind or fast forward, as well
as to provide an instruction to record content that is currently
being presented; various user-selectable controls 525 for affecting
the type of content being presented from among various sources,
such as live television programming (e.g., from a cable company or
satellite provider), a menu or other functionality from a STB
and/or DVR (e.g., a MOXI device), and a ticker on at least a
portion of the display of the currently selected television device
(e.g., with headline news, such as from a cable company or from a
provider associated with the DVR); various interactivity controls
530 for further allowing the user to make various selections, such
as from a menu or from among multiple options; and one or more
specialized controls 545, such as to correspond to functionality
that may be available on only certain devices, such as on certain
types of STBs and/or DVRs.
[0091] While not illustrated here, in some embodiments the sidebar
may also include a user-focused content summary area related to
upcoming recordings and previously recorded programs, such as to
allow a displayed previously recorded program to be selected for
current presentation on a currently selected presentation device
(e.g., via instructions sent to a DVR or other storage device on
which that program is stored)--examples of such a display of
previously recorded programs are illustrated in various other
figures, such as in the user-focused content summary area 165 of
FIG. 2.
[0092] As previously noted, FIGS. 30A-30S provide examples of a GUI
and related capabilities that may be used in some embodiments with
a cellphone or other device with a limited display screen and/or
limited input device capabilities (e.g., a device without an
alphanumeric keyboard). As discussed in greater detail below, in
some embodiments all of the various GUI capabilities discussed
previously (e.g., with respect to FIGS. 2-28) may be provided as
part of the GUI on the cellphone or other device (whether in the
same or different manners from those capabilities as previously
discussed, such as by using pop-up menus), while in other
embodiments only a subset of the capabilities may be available
(e.g., to limit at least some displays of information to only a
single size or level of detail, such as due to limited available
display area). In addition, the cellphone or other device may
include one or more of various capabilities to enable local and/or
remote communication, including wireless communications (e.g., via
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, direct infrared, etc.) one or more ports to allow
a wired or cabled connection (e.g., a docking station port), GPRS
or other data communication services (e.g., to allow exchange of
packet-based information via HTTP or WAP), a standard
telecommunications link for exchanging voice and other audio
information, etc. Also, as with other example GUI embodiments, a
state of the GUI that is focused to reflect one or more current
selections may be maintained in various ways in at least some
embodiments.
[0093] In particular, FIG. 30A illustrates an embodiment of a
smartphone cellphone device 600 that includes a display area 605
and various controls, although in other embodiments a corresponding
device may have other controls and/or a different form factor. In
the illustrated embodiment, the cellphone includes various
user-selectable numeric controls 610, various controls 615 to
control voice-based communications and to allow selection and other
movement through a displayed list of items or other menu (not
shown), various controls 617 to alter content presentation (e.g.,
to control volume), various controls 616 to correspond to
dynamically modifiable controls displayed to the user (not shown),
and an area 619 to indicate when recording is to occur and/or is
occurring and to optionally in some embodiments allow user control
of such recording.
[0094] FIG. 30B illustrates various information in the display area
of the cellphone, which in this example includes a current status
area 630, a current selection area 625, and one or more
user-selectable controls 620--in the illustrated embodiment, each
of the user-selectable controls 620 may be selected by activation
of a corresponding hardware control on the cellphone immediately
below the control 620, although in other embodiments such controls
may be activated in other manners (e.g., by direct selection if the
display area is touch-sensitive). In the illustrated embodiment,
the current selection area illustrates a menu of 9 options that are
selectable by the user to obtain various types of functionality and
content, and the current status area includes a title for software
that is executing on the cellphone to provide the illustrated
capabilities (which in this example is "Mobile Ambient") and
information about a current status of the cellphone's battery and
connection signal strength. In this example embodiment, the
functionality and content correspond to television programming,
although in other embodiments various other types of content may be
controlled in a manner previously discussed.
[0095] After selection by the user of the first "Search for Shows"
option in the current selection area 625 (such as via controls 615
and/or 610), the display area of the cellphone changes to show
search information 632, as shown in FIG. 30C. The current status
area is also modified to indicate that "Search for Shows"
functionality is being provided, and the battery status indication
may be replaced with various other information (e.g., an indication
of a currently selected channel). In the illustrated embodiment,
the search information includes a user-specifiable text input field
632a in which the user can specify one or more keywords to use in
the search (e.g., using the numeric controls 610, or using a
virtual keyboard displayed in the display area, not shown), as well
as a list of genre from which the user can select. Various other
types of search options can additionally be specified in other
embodiments. In addition, the controls 620 are modified so that the
user can initiate a search by using the "Search" control, or can
use the "Menu" control to return to the options menu displayed in
FIG. 30B (whether due to the "Menu" control always returning to
that options menu regardless of the menu level, or due to the
control causing the next-higher display level to be shown). FIG.
30D shows additional information in the search information 632
area, such as due to the visual display being scrolled down by the
user (e.g., via controls 615 and/or 617), which in this example
includes a list of sorting options that the user can select for the
search results. Various additional details related to searching and
sorting are described previously, and in some embodiments some or
all of those capabilities may similarly be provided here. After the
user performs a search, the results of the search will be displayed
to the user (not shown), such as in a user-selectable list format
from which the user can select a television show to be manipulated,
such as to be recorded and/or to be presented on the cellphone or
on a television device being controlled. Moreover, in at least some
embodiments a user may further select one or more search results
for other purposes, such as to cause additional information about
the to be displayed. Furthermore, metadata values and/or other
attributes of a program may be directly selected, such as to cause
search criteria to be populated with those values or other
attributes to enable searching for programs with similar or
matching information to that selected.
[0096] If the user instead selects the second option "Browse
Channels" in the current selection area 625 of FIG. 30B, the
display area of the cellphone changes to show channel-related
information 635, as shown in FIGS. 30E and 30F. The current status
area is also modified to indicate that "Channel View" functionality
is being provided in FIG. 30E, and the controls 620 are modified in
FIG. 30E to allow the user to specify a television program to be
presented via the "Watch" control (e.g., a television program from
a currently selected channel, although in the current example no
television programs are currently illustrated). In this example,
the user can select a displayed option to list the available
channels, and the information 635 of FIG. 30F illustrates an
example of a listing of channels that may result from such a
selection (or instead by default after selection of the "Browse
Channels" option from FIG. 30B). As is shown, the user has
currently selected the "KONG (6)" option 635a from the list of
channels, and subsequent selection of the "Done" control 620 may
cause information to be listed for that channel (e.g., to show
programs to be shown on that channel at various times, such as in a
list) or may cause the current program on that channel to be
selected for current presentation. FIG. 30G illustrates example
information 635 that corresponds to a list of programs on the
currently selected "KONG (6)" channel, with the first television
program "Judge Hatchett" 635b currently selected (e.g., due to that
program being the current program being displayed and/or the next
program to be displayed). In this example, the user is also
provided with a control 620 to "Record" the currently selected
program. After the user scrolls down, FIG. 30H illustrates
additional programs, as well as option 9 to see more programs for
the channel (e.g., such as based on selection of the "More" control
620 and/or the "9" numeric control 610). Various additional details
related to displaying information about channels and television
programs are described previously, and in some embodiments some or
all of those capabilities may similarly be provided here.
[0097] If the user instead selects the third option "Browse
Date/Time" in the current selection area 625 of FIG. 30B, the
display area of the cellphone changes to show information 640 to
allow a date and time to be specified by the user, as shown in FIG.
301. The current status area is also modified to indicate that
"Select Date/Time" functionality is being provided, and the
controls 620 are modified to allow the user to indicate that they
are "Done" or to cancel the date/time selection. In this example,
the user can select a displayed option 640a to list and select a
day, and may similarly list and select a time on that day. FIG. 30J
shows the results for a selected date and time (in this example
"Thursday March 24" at "8:30 pm"), with a list 645 displayed of
programs that are being presented at that day and time. The current
status area is also modified to indicate that the "Date/Time View"
view is being provided, and the controls 620 are modified to allow
the user to indicate to "Record" a currently selected program such
as the "Northwest News Today" program 645a on channel 2. Various
additional details related to displaying information about
television programs at selected times are described previously, and
in some embodiments some or all of those capabilities may similarly
be provided here.
[0098] As previously noted, a particular television program may be
selected in various ways, such as by searching for shows, browsing
channels, and browsing at a specified date and time. FIG. 30K
illustrates example program information 650 that may be displayed
for a particular program that is selected by the user, with the
current status area modified to indicate that "Program Info"
functionality is being provided, and the controls 620 are modified
to allow the user to indicate that they are "Done" or to indicate
that one or one or more additional actions may be taken with regard
to the current program (e.g., to record the program, cause the
program to be currently presented on the cellphone or a specified
other output device, etc.). In addition, in this example the
program information includes additional user-selectable controls,
such as for the user to select control "Sinbad" 650a to in some
embodiments cause search criteria to be populated with that value
(e.g., to find other programs with which Sinbad is affiliated), or
to instead in other embodiments obtain additional information about
the actor "Sinbad" (e.g., biographical information, information
about other programs with which Sinbad is associated, etc.). FIG.
30L then displays a control menu 655 that may be displayed to the
user to allow the user to take additional action with respect to
the currently selected program 655a (e.g., in response to selection
of the "Actions" control 620 in FIG. 30K), such as to record this
showing, record multiple programs from this series, cancel a
previously scheduled recording, play an existing recording, erase
an existing recording, etc. Various additional details related to
obtaining and manipulating information about programs are described
previously, and in some embodiments some or all of those
capabilities may similarly be provided here.
[0099] If the user instead selects the fourth option "Scheduled
Recording" in the current selection area 625 of FIG. 30B, the
display area of the cellphone changes to show information 660
regarding scheduled programs, as shown in FIG. 30M. The current
status area is also modified to indicate that "Scheduled
Recordings" functionality is being provided, and the controls 620
are modified to allow the user to indicate to "Remove" a scheduled
recording, such as currently selected scheduled recording 660a.
Alternatively, if the user instead selects the fifth option
"Recorded Programs" in the current selection area 625 of FIG. 30B,
the display area of the cellphone changes to show information 665
regarding previously recorded programs, as shown in FIG. 30N. The
current status area is also modified to indicate that "Recorded
Programs" functionality is being provided, and the controls 620 are
modified to allow the user to indicate to "Play" a program, such as
currently selected recorded program 665a. Various additional
details related to recording programs and manipulating recorded
programs are described previously, and in some embodiments some or
all of those capabilities may similarly be provided here.
[0100] If the user instead selects the sixth option "DVR Remote
Control" or the seventh option "TV Remote Control" in the current
selection area 625 of FIG. 30B, the display area of the cellphone
changes to show information 670 of FIG. 30O or information 675 of
FIG. 30P, respectively, and the current status areas and controls
620 are modified accordingly. The information 670 of FIG. 30O
allows the user to specify various controls 672 to control an
indicated DVR 673 (e.g., that is presenting content on an
associated television device), and further provides information 674
regarding current content being presented by the DVR. Similarly,
the information 675 of FIG. 30P allows the user to specify various
controls to control a television device in a manner akin to a
remote control, such as based on instructions 677 displayed to the
user to use corresponding phone controls. Various additional
details related to providing remote control functionality are
described previously, and in some embodiments some or all of those
capabilities may similarly be provided here.
[0101] If the user instead selects the eighth option "Control
Options" in the current selection area 625 of FIG. 30B, the display
area of the cellphone changes to show information 680 of FIG. 30Q
to show a list of options. If the user selects the first option
"Active Devices", corresponding functionality is provided to the
user to select one or more active devices being controlled or for
which information is presented when using other options, as
illustrated in FIG. 30R. If the user selects the second option
"Options", corresponding functionality is provided to the user to
select one or more of various other types of options, as
illustrated in information 685 of FIG. 30S. Various additional
details related to other types of configuration options are
described previously, and in some embodiments some or all of those
capabilities may similarly be provided here.
[0102] In addition, while some capabilities have been illustrated
via the GUI and associated controls for the cellphone, a variety of
other types of functionality have been previously discussed and may
be provided via such a GUI in a similar manner.
[0103] Thus, as discussed below, the previously described example
GUI of an embodiment of the CM system provides a variety of types
of content information and content manipulation functionality. The
following is a summary of the capabilities of an example embodiment
of the GUI, which in this example embodiment provides various types
of information and functionality for television-related
content.
A. The View Control Area
[0104] a. Available Views For TV Programming Content
[0105] Guide (provides a guide-based experience with the channels
listed at left and time on the horizontal axis)
[0106] Icon (provides an icon-based view that displays as many
Channel Icons as possible for quick visual recognition and
selection)
[0107] Channel (provides a look ahead for a selected channel, and
maintains the "time ahead" state while moving across channels)
[0108] List (as a grouped, ordered list, and does not use the
Navigation/Timebar as it displays information from the entire 2
week period, and not just at a specific point in time)
[0109] When switching between views, typically maintain any filter
or search criteria.
[0110] b. Filters
[0111] May allow a filter to be applied to any view of TV
Programming
[0112] May provide some default filters, such as to associate a
first color with Sports and another with Movies [0113] May allow a
user to associate or disassociate a highlight color with a default
filter
[0114] Create, edit or delete a number (e.g., up to 20) of custom
filters, such as based on the following attributes
[0115] Example metadata attributes for use as types of criteria:
[0116] Keyword [0117] Title [0118] Cast/Crew [0119] Genre [0120]
Channel (Name or Number) [0121] Star Rating [0122] MPAA or TV
Rating [0123] First run [0124] HDTV [0125] Audio [0126] CC [0127]
DVS [0128] SAP/ESP [0129] Surround sound [0130] Previously recorded
(On disk, Watched, deleted)
[0131] Pay Per View
[0132] On Demand
[0133] c. Quick Search
[0134] May provide a Quick Search capability that allows searches
on basic criteria [0135] Example criteria: [0136] Keyword [0137]
Cast/Crew [0138] Genre [0139] Hide Repeats [0140] HDTV
[0141] Pay Per View
[0142] On Demand
[0143] If a filter or previous search is applied when the user
invokes the Quick Search interface, may auto-populate the fields
with any attributes from the filter that match the fields available
in the Quick Search.
[0144] If an applied filter contains attributes that are not
covered by the Quick Search, such as MPAA rating, then when the
Quick Search is populated, they are not included. Likewise, if the
user changes the criteria (by adding, editing, or removing
attributes in the Quick Search interface) and then saves this group
of criteria as a new Filter, it will only include Quick Search
fields.
[0145] Save search criteria as a custom filter
[0146] d. Advanced Search
[0147] May provide an Advanced search that allows searches on any
Criteria
[0148] Example criteria: [0149] Keyword [0150] Title [0151]
Cast/Crew [0152] Genre [0153] Channel (Name or Number) [0154] Star
Rating [0155] MPAA or TV Rating [0156] Hide repeats [0157] HDTV
[0158] Audio
[0159] CC
[0160] DVS
[0161] SAP/ESP
[0162] Surround sound [0163] Previously recorded (On disk, Watched,
deleted)
[0164] Pay Per View
[0165] On Demand
[0166] Allow search criteria to be saved as a custom filter
[0167] If a filter or previous search is applied when the user
invokes the Advanced Search interface, may auto-populate the fields
with any attributes from the filter that match the fields available
in the Quick Search.
[0168] e. Search History
[0169] May provide a way to view past searches.
[0170] May provide a way to select a past search and to search
using those search criteria. [0171] May allow only one search to be
selectable at a time. [0172] Double click on a past search to run
the selected search. [0173] Press the "Apply Button" to run the
selected search. [0174] Press the "Save Button" to save the
selected search as a custom filter [0175] Press the "Clear Button"
to display the complete dataset [0176] Press the "Close" button to
close the search interface and return to the complete dataset
[0177] f. First Timebar
[0178] May provide a way to navigate through time (For Guide, Icon,
and Channel Views), such as to: [0179] Jump to a day [0180] Jump to
a time [0181] Jump to the current date and time [0182] Change the
displayed time scale between hours and days [0183] Visually present
filter or search results over time (e.g., for highlighting
recordings in the Scheduled Recordings area, or for photos) [0184]
Visually present two weeks of program data. [0185] Enable
navigation between a 1/2 hour block of programming that is "on now"
and the end of two weeks of program data. [0186] Visually indicate
where "on now" is in the context of two weeks of program data.
[0187] Timebar UI Element behavior: [0188] Keep the date/time
indicator (thumb) on the same date and time (i.e. the thumb moves
with the selected date) [0189] The date/time indicator (thumb)
actually disappears out of the visible bounds of the timebar--to
preserve the selected date and time--since the selected date time
is out of the visible bounds.
[0190] g. Other: [0191] if adding "on now" when the user is viewing
the Guide, Channel, or Icon view, snapping back to "On Now" is
appropriate and desirable.
[0192] 2. The Scheduled Recordings Tab
[0193] The Scheduled Recordings Tab offers functionality similar to
other tabs, except that it is filtered to only show those programs
that are scheduled to record.
[0194] 3. The Recorded Content Tab
[0195] The Recorded Content Tab is different in that it may only
have a modified List view, although filtering and searching may
remain the same.
B. The Detail Area
[0196] 1. Capabilities
[0197] Display detailed information about a selected show,
including (but not limited to) the title, description, rating
information, and channel information.
[0198] Display and enable actions that are appropriate for the
state of a selected show.
[0199] Use criteria of the selected show to find other shows with
the same criteria [0200] Indicate which fields can be used [0201]
Optionally allow only fields and values that are available in the
Quick Search to be used [0202] Populate the Quick Search with the
new criteria [0203] Display the Quick Search (if it is not already
displayed) [0204] Replace all previous criteria with the new
criteria [0205] Give focus to the Apply action but do not apply the
search yet
[0206] a. Data Elements
[0207] Below are examples of data fields. TABLE-US-00001 Channel
Station Icon/Logo Number Callsign Affiliate (if no affiliate, then
Channel/Network name Title: SubTitle StarRating (ReleaseYear)
[action] EpisodeTitle: Description (IsRepeat) [action] Actors (4
max), Director, CastCrew (1) AirTime - EndTime (Duration) Genre(s),
SubGenre(s) MPAARating/ParentalRating/ExpandedParentalRating/
ExpandedRating CountryOrigin IsStereo, IsJoinedInProgress,
IsCableInTheClassroom, IsSap, IsEnhanced, IsThreeD, IsLetterbox,
IsHdtv, IsDolby, IsDvs, IsClosedCaptioned, IsSubtitled
IsRecorded/IsToBeRecorded
[0208] b. Buttons & Actions
[0209] Below are examples of states of a program and buttons that
are applicable for each state. TABLE-US-00002 On Now, Future,
Future, Previously Not On Now, Future, Scheduled Scheduled Action
Recording Recording Recording Unscheduled Program as Series Watch
Play Record Once Record Series Cancel Recording Delete
C. The View Area
[0210] 1. Capabilities
[0211] Can List Programs [0212] Over Time [0213] At a given
date/time [0214] In a date/time range [0215] In a specific state
[0216] With specific criteria [0217] That match search or filter
criteria
[0218] Can Differentiate between programs [0219] Highlight based on
criteria (filter) [0220] Indicate state [0221] Recorded [0222] On
Now (not recording) [0223] Currently recording [0224] In the future
[0225] Scheduled to record (single/series) [0226] Denote selection
[0227] Focus [0228] Selection
[0229] Can Act on program [0230] Get more information (e.g., from a
third-party) [0231] Watch/Play [0232] Schedule to Record
[0233] Can Provide different views of programs [0234]
Guide--programs on channels over time [0235] Icon--scan icons
visually [0236] Channel--looking forward on a channel [0237]
List--list/sort/group
[0238] Can Change between Views
[0239] Can Adjust the granularity of information [0240]
Small--channel and title [0241] Medium--more info [0242]
Large--detailed
[0243] Can Associate a level of granularity on a per view basis
[0244] 2. Views
[0245] There are four views. The first three, Guide, Icon, and
Channel, are dependant on a specific point in time and use that as
a starting point. The List view is a list of programs that can be
sorted and grouped, and is not dependant on a specific time--rather
it lists all the live and upcoming programs. As a user transitions
from one view to the next, the time in the first timebar remains
constant (even when the user goes to and from the List View), as
does the program in the detail area.
[0246] a. Guide View
[0247] The guide view presents programs in the context of channel
and time.
[0248] If a filter or search is applied, only channels with
programs that match the criteria in the viewable time range should
display.
[0249] Programs that are on a channel but do not meet the filter or
search criteria should be de-saturated.
[0250] If there are no programs in the viewable time range that
match the criteria on any channel when a filter or search is
applied, a message could be displayed to communicate this to
prevent a blank screen from being shown.
[0251] b. Icon View
[0252] The Icon view presents programs that are on at a specific
(e.g., 1/2 hour) point in time. It allows users to recognize
channels visually by their logos, and then to determine what
program is associated with that channel.
[0253] If a channel has more than one program on in the selected
1/2 hour, both programs may display.
[0254] Only programs (and therefore channels) with a program on in
the specific point of time will display.
[0255] If there are no programs in the viewable time range that
match the criteria when a filter or search is applied, a message
could be displayed that communicates this.
[0256] c. Channel View
[0257] The Channel view shows not only what programs are on at a
specific time, but also what is coming up on a specific
channel.
[0258] The right hand column displays shows on the same channel as
the selected program/channel in the left-hand column.
[0259] The first show in the right hand column can be, by default,
the show that's on right after the highlighted show in the
left-hand column.
[0260] When a filter or search is applied, only those channels for
which there are results somewhere in the 2 weeks of program data
may be listed.
[0261] If, when a filter or search is applied, a channel with a
result in the future doesn't have a program that matches the
current date/time indicated in the time-bar, then it should still
display the title of the program on at the indicated date/time, but
it could be de-saturated.
[0262] When a filter or search is applied, the subset of channels
could display even if the only programs that fit the criteria are
chronologically before the place where the date/time indicator in
the time-bar is.
[0263] d. List View
[0264] The List View allows users to quickly sort and group by a
variety of criteria. It is not dependant on a specific time, and
the First Timebar is not shown.
[0265] Default grouping can be by Title (ascending), and default
sort can be chronological. If the user re-groups or re-sorts, the
new sort/grouping may be maintained.
[0266] Users can ungroup the list, and regroup it.
[0267] User can select any column heading to group by that field.
Each criteria has a default sort. The headings and default sorts
are: [0268] Channel Number--Program Name, Air Time [0269] Channel
Affiliate/Logo--Program Name, Air Time [0270] Program Name--Air
Time [0271] Record Status (recording, scheduled, not
scheduled)--Program Name, Air Time [0272] Repeat--Program Name, Air
Time [0273] HDTV--Program Name, Air Time [0274] Genre
(ascending)--Program Name, Air Time [0275] MPAA Rating--Program
Name, Air Time [0276] Star Rating--Program Name, Air Time [0277]
Air Time (ascending)--Program Name [0278] Duration
(ascending)--Program Name, Air Time
[0279] User can change the secondary and subsequent sorts by
Shift-clicking a column. Shift-clicking the column again will
reverse the sort.
[0280] e. Changes to the List view for the Recordings Tab:
[0281] The "AIRS" column is replaced with "RECORDED ON"
[0282] The "REC" column is renamed "STATUS" so that it can show the
icon for "scheduled to be deleted", but it will show a similar type
of data
[0283] The default sort is by "RECORDED ON", and the increment will
be the Day (e.g., Tues 3/20, Mon 3/19, etc.) in reverse
chronological order, with the secondary sort (on the programs
within a day group) of time (reverse chronological). Thus, the last
thing recorded will be at the top of the first group.
[0284] A "VIEWED" column may also be provided.
[0285] 3. Levels of Granularity
[0286] The Guide, Icon, and Channel views can be set to one of
three size "resolutions". Small displays more individual listings,
but the least amount of information about each. Large displays the
most information about each, but displays fewer individual
listings. It is preferable to show Episode Title for sports events
in all resolutions. TABLE-US-00003 Channel Channel Data Element
(included in Detail Guide Icon (L Column) (R Column) Area) S M L S
M L S M L S M L Channel Number Callsign Station Icon/Logo Affiliate
(if no affiliate, then Channel/Network name)
IsRecorded/IsToBeRecorded Title SubTitle StarRating ReleaseYear
EpisodeTitle Description IsRepeat Actors (4 max) Director Crew (1)
AirTime EndTime Duration Genre (s) MPAARating/ParentalRating
ExpandedParentalRating/ ExpandedRating CountryOrigin IsStereo
IsJoinedInProgress IsCableInTheClassroom IsSap IsEnhanced IsThreeD
IsLetterbox IsHdtv IsDolby IsDvs IsClosedCaptioned IsSubtitled
D. Sidebar Control Area
[0287] 1. Capabilities
[0288] Display Program Info
[0289] Program on TV now
[0290] (Tuned or Playback of a recorded program)
[0291] (may be the program that corresponds to the current point in
the buffer, as the live buffer can contain multiple programs)
[0292] Title [0293] Channel [0294] Start time (or "presentation
time") & Duration
[0295] Display the Buffer/Recording
[0296] Buffer/Recording length
[0297] Place in Buffer/Recording [0298] Time marker
[0299] Current Transport Control
[0300] Beginning/End of Buffer
[0301] Provide Remote Control Buttons
[0302] Transport Controls
[0303] D-pad
[0304] Status--List the following in chronological order
[0305] (Channel, Title, Record Status & Start Time)
[0306] Next three programs to be recorded
[0307] Any programs that are currently recording
[0308] Last three programs that were recorded
E. Input Devices
[0309] Left-click should select a program such that it would both
have focus and be selected. Using the arrow keys would move the
focus around (maintaining the previously made selection) and Enter
would select it.
F. Table of Functions
[0310] The following table of functions takes a top-down approach
to the GUI. Starting at the top and working toward the bottom, this
table lists the location on the GUI of various controls, names of
the GUI element, and how they function. TABLE-US-00004 Name of GUI
Location on GUI element Function Primary User interface When the
GUI first appears, the default Navigation tabs appears for screen
is Live TV, Guide View. first time Primary TELEVISION When the user
clicks the TELEVISION tab, Navigation tabs tab the default screen
is Live TV, Guide View. Secondary LIVE TV tab When the user clicks
the LIVE TV tab, the Navigation tabs Guide View screen appears.
View Control Guide View Click the Guide View button to display a TV
area, on the button Guide-like grid of program bubbles. Toolbar
View Control Guide View Click the arrow next to the Guide View
area, on the button drop- button to display the menu. Menu
selections Toolbar down menu are small, medium, or large. If you
select Small, the program bubbles in the TV grid will show only the
program title. By selecting Medium, the program bubbles expand to
display information about the programs. By selecting Large, the
program bubbles expand to display the maximum amount of information
about the programs. View Control Icon View Click the Icon View
button to display a grid area, on the button of channels by channel
icon. Toolbar View Control Icon View Click the arrow next to the
Icon View area, on the button drop- button to display the menu.
Menu selections Toolbar down menu are small, medium, or large. If
you select Small, the maximum number of channel icons will appear.
By selecting Medium, fewer channel icons appear. However, the
expanded channel icons display the name of the programs per
channel. By selecting Large, the program bubbles expand to a size
greater than medium. View Control Channel View Click the Channel
View button to display a area, on the button list of programs by
channel. On the right Toolbar side is the Channel Paddle area which
lists upcoming programs based on which channel is selected. Use the
Channel Paddle buttons to scroll forward and backward in time. View
Control Channel View Click the arrow next to the Channel View area,
on the button drop- button to display the menu. Menu selections
Toolbar down menu are small, medium, or large. View Control Browse
button Click the Browse button to display a list of area, on the
channels. Each channel has an Expand Toolbar button next to it
that, when clicked, displays a list of upcoming programs. The First
Timebar does not display when this view is active. View Control
Filters drop- All is the default selection. area, on the down menu
See below for the other filters. Toolbar (see below) Filters
drop-down All (No Filter) Click All to display all of the programs.
menu Filters drop-down Movies Click Movies to display programs that
are menu categorized as movies. Filters drop-down Sports Click
Sports to display programs that are menu categorized as sports.
Filters drop-down News Click News to display programs that are menu
categorized as news. Filters drop-down Music Click Music to display
programs that are menu categorized as music. Filters drop-down Kids
Click Kids to display programs that are menu categorized as
child-oriented. Filters drop-down Custom Click Custom Filters . . .
to open the Filter menu Filters . . . Wizard. View Control Manage
Click Manage Filters to open the Filter area, on the Filters
Wizard. Toolbar View Control Find a Click Find a Program to open
the Search area, on the Program Control area. Toolbar, in the
button Search Control area Search Control Quick Search The Quick
Search tab appears by default. area tab To use Quick Search: In the
Look for text box, type what you are looking for, for example,
actor Tom Cruise. In the Genre text box, type a genre or select one
from the drop-down menu. Click Apply. If any programs featuring Tom
Cruise are on or upcoming, the listing will appear in the main
content area of the UI. List of Genres: Action Adults Only
Adventure Animals Animated Anime Anthology Auto racing Basketball
Biography Bus./financial Children Comedy Comedy-drama Computers
Cooking Crime Crime drama Docudrama Documentary Drama Educational
Entertainment Event . . . Search Control Quick Search area tab area
buttons and boxes: Quick Search tab Hide Repeats Click the box next
to Hide Repeats to block area buttons and box repeated programs
from being displayed in boxes: the main content area. Quick Search
tab HDTV box Click the box next to HDTV to include area buttons and
programs offered in HDTV. boxes: Quick Search tab Apply button
Click Apply to display results in the main area buttons and content
area. boxes: Quick Search tab Clear button Click Clear to clear
search criteria. area buttons and boxes: Quick Search tab Save
button Click Save to save search criteria. You will area buttons
and be prompted to name this as a new filter. boxes: Quick Search
tab Close button Click Close to close the Search Control area
buttons and area. boxes: Advanced Find all Click one or many check
boxes in the Find Search boxes programs box, all programs: box. The
selected search and buttons which rule(s) will be added to the
Search rules contains description: box. multiple check boxes of
search criteria rules. Find all programs That belong to Click the
That belong to the <specific box in the the <specific
genres> genre check box. The rule appears Advanced genres> in
the Search rules description box. Search tab genre Click
<specific genres> in the Search rules description box to open
the Genre Filter box. In the Genre Filter box, select one or many
genres. Click the > arrow. Click OK. The genre(s) you selected
become part of the search criteria. You can change the search
criteria at any time by clicking the blue underlined text in the
rule you want to change, then modifying the filter that opens. Find
all programs That feature Click the That feature <people> in
the cast box in the <people> in and crew check box. The rule
appears in Advanced the cast and the Search rules description box.
Search tab crew Click <people> in the Search rules
description box to open the Cast and Crew Filter box. In the Add
new text box, type the name of the cast or crew member you want to
search for. Click Add. Repeat steps three and four if you searching
for more than one person. Click OK. Any names you add become part
of the search criteria. You can change the search criteria at any
time by clicking the blue underlined text in the rule you want to
change, then modifying the filter that opens. Find all programs
That are rated Click the That are rated <rating> check box in
the <rating> box. The rule appears in the Search rules
Advanced description box. Search tab Click <rating> in the
Search Rules description box to open the Parental Rating Filter
box. In the Select all programs with a parental rating drop-down
menu, select no higher than or no lower than. In the Movies
drop-down menu, select G, PG, PG-13, R, or NC-17. In the Television
drop-down menu, select TVY, TVY7, TVY7FV, TVG, TVPG, TV14, or TVMA.
Click the check box next to Exclude unrated programs to prevent
unrated programs from appearing in the guide. Click OK. The ratings
you add become part of the search criteria. You can change the
search criteria at any time by clicking the blue underlined text in
the rule you want to change, then modifying the filter that opens.
That have a Click the That have a <stars> star rating
<stars> star check box. The rule appears in the Search rating
rules description box. Click <at least a 0.0> in the Search
Rules description box to open the Star Rating Filter box. In the
first All programs with a star rating drop-down menu, select equal
to or at least. In the second All programs with a star rating
drop-down menu, select 0 through 4. Click OK. The star rating you
add becomes part of the search criteria. You can change the search
criteria at any time by clicking the blue underlined text in the
rule you want to change, then modifying the filter that opens.
Appearing on Click the Appearing on <channel> check
<channel> box. The rule appears in the Search rules
description box. Click <channel> in the Search rules
description box to open the Channel Filter box. In the Available
Channels list, select one or more channels. Use Shift + click or
CTRL + shift to select multiple channels. Click the > arrow to
add channels to the Selected Channels list. Click OK. The channels
you add become part of the search criteria. You can change the
search criteria at any time by clicking the blue underlined text in
the appropriate rule, then modifying the filter that opens. With
<specific Click the With <specific words> in the title
words> in the check box. The rule appears in the Search title
rules description box. Click <specific words> in the Search
rules description box to open the Title Filter box. In the Add new
text box, type the words or phrases you want to search for. Click
Add. Repeat steps three and four if you searching for more than one
term. Click OK. Any terms you add become part of the search
criteria.
You can change the search criteria at any time by clicking the blue
underlined text in the rule you want to change, then modifying the
filter that opens. With <specific Click the With <specific
words> in the words> in the description check box. The rule
appears in description the Search rules description box. Click
<specific words> in the Search rules description box to open
the Description Filter box. In the Add new text box, type the words
or phrases you want to search for. Click Add. Repeat steps three
and four if you searching for more than one term. Click OK. Any
terms you add become part of the search criteria. You can change
the search criteria at any time by clicking the blue underlined
text in the rule you want to change, then modifying the filter that
opens. That are not Click the That are not repeats check box.
repeats The rule appears in the Search rules description box and
becomes part of the search criteria. That are Click the That are
HDTV check box. The HDTV rule appears in the Search rules
description box and becomes part of the search criteria. That have
Click the That have <audio-visual options> <audio-visual
check box. The rule appears in the Search options> rules
description box. Click <audio-visual options> in the Search
rules description box to open the Audio- Video Filter box. Select
Closed Captioned, DVS, SAP/ESP, Stereo, or Subtitled. Click OK. Any
of the audio-visual options you add become part of the search
criteria. You can change the search criteria at any time. Click the
blue underlined text in the rule you want to change, then modify
the filter that opens. Advanced Apply button Click Apply to display
results in the main Search buttons content area. Advanced Clear
button Click Clear to clear search criteria. Search buttons
Advanced Save button Click Save to save search criteria. You will
Search buttons be prompted to name this as a new filter. Advanced
Close button Click Close to close the Search Control Search buttons
area. Search History Select a This box displays all of the prior
search tab boxes and search and criteria. buttons click Apply box
Search History Apply button Clicking Apply performs the selected
tab boxes and search. buttons Search History Clear button Clears
search criteria. tab boxes and buttons Search History Save button
Clicking Save opens Save as Filter box. tab boxes and buttons
Search History Close button Click Close to close the Search Control
tab boxes and area. buttons First Timebar Now button Click the Now
button to display programs playing now. First Timebar Hour View
Click the Hour View button to display the button timebar in hour
increments. First Timebar Day View Click the Day View button to
display the button timebar in day increments. First Timebar Scroll
left Click the left scroll arrow to scroll back in arrow time. The
stopping point is the current time in this example embodiment.
First Timebar Thumb Click and hold the thumb to move back and
forward in time. First Timebar Time span Viewed either in hour or
day increments. First Timebar Scroll right Click the right scroll
arrow to move forward arrow in time. The stopping point is two
weeks from the current time in this example embodiment. Details
area Default is for this area to be expanded Details area Watch Now
button Details area Record One Time button Details area Record
Series button Details area Hide Details arrow Main content Program
info Left-click to select, right-click to open drop- area bubble
down menu that displays "Watch Now," "Record Once," "Record
Series," "Alert," and "View Size" shortcuts. Sidebar On Now window
Sidebar Buffer Sidebar/ Live button Transport Controls TKR button
device- specific button Navigation buttons Replay button Skip
button Rewind button Play button Forward button Rec button Pause
button Stop button Channel up/down Star * Menu button
Sidebar/Recorder Currently Status area Recording Upcoming Recording
Recent Shows the last three programs that were Recordings recorded,
date of recording and length of program. Sidebar Display Program
Info Program on TV now (Tuned or Playback of a recorded program)
(typically is the program that corresponds to the current point in
the buffer, as the live buffer can contain multiple programs) Title
Channel Start time & Duration Display the Buffer/Recording
Buffer/Recording length Place in Buffer/Recording Time marker
Current Transport Control Beginning/End of Buffer Provide Remote
Control Buttons Transport Controls D-pad Status - List the
following in chronological order (Channel, Title, Record Status
& Start Time) Next three programs to be recorded Any programs
that are currently recording Last three programs that were
recorded
[0311] G. Table of Functions for Mouse/Touchpad/Eraserhead
TABLE-US-00005 Mouse/Touchpad/ Eraserhead Function Notes
Mouse-overs Display tool tips and/or shortcut key combos Left-Click
Left-click should select the program, so it would both have focus
and be selected. Using the arrow keys would move the focus around
(maintaining the previously made selection) and Enter would select
it.
[0312] H. Table of Functions for Keyboard TABLE-US-00006 Key
Function Notes Tabbing Arrow Keys Navigates from program bubble to
program bubble. Using the arrow keys moves the focus around
(maintaining the previously made selection). Enter Enter selects
the program that has the focus. Ctrl+ . . . Used in shortcut key
combos for view control buttons and to open find a program box.
[0313] Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment"
or "an embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or
characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is
included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearances of the
phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places
throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to
the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features,
structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable
manner in one or more embodiments.
[0314] In addition, the described techniques are applicable to
architectures other than a set-top box architecture or
architectures based upon the MOXI.TM. system. For example, an
equivalent system and applications can be developed for other DVRs
and STBs. The methods and systems discussed herein are applicable
to differing protocols, communication media (optical, wireless,
cable, etc.) and devices (such as wireless handsets, electronic
organizers, personal digital assistants, portable email machines,
game machines, pagers, navigation devices such as GPS receivers,
etc.) able to receive and record such content.
[0315] In the description, numerous specific details have been
given to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments. The
embodiments can be practiced without one or more of the specific
details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In
other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations
are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of
the embodiments. Thus, it will be appreciated that, although
specific embodiments have been described herein for purposes of
illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating
from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the
invention is not limited except as by the appended claims and the
elements recited therein. In addition, while certain aspects of the
invention are presented below in certain claim forms, the inventors
contemplate the various aspects of the invention in any available
claim form. For example, while only some aspects of the invention
may currently be recited as being embodied in a computer-readable
medium, other aspects may likewise be so embodied.
* * * * *