Television graphical user interface having variable channel control bars
US6411308B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 12, 1996 |
| Grant date | Jun 25, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 12, 2016 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N21/482
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A TV graphical user interface provided on a TV screen includes a graphical channel changer for enabling a user to select a required TV channel among about 1000 channels carried by a satellite TV system. The graphical channel changer contains a vertical channel bar composed of channel boxes that display numbers and logos of selected TV channels. To switch the TV set to a required TV channel, the user directs the pointing device at the graphical channel box that indicates the required channel. Up and down scroll bars, that allow the user to scan through the entire list of TV channels, extend beyond a safe area on the screen provided to accomodate a picture to overscan conditions. A direct access bar is arranged so as to cause the channel boxes to display numbers and logos of a selected group of channels when the user directs the pointing device at the area of the direct access bar that represents the selected group of channels.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.