Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-16
2001-04-03
Bayerl, Raymond J. (Department: 2773)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C345S215000, C345S215000, C345S169000, C707S793000, C348S734000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06211878
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for interacting and selecting information on a video device. The method and apparatus employ a remote control unit which has a plurality of user interface devices disposed thereon which controls information on the video device in a predetermined manner. The method and apparatus for interacting with information on the video device directly interacts with Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) tags without a mouse pointer.
2. Description of the Background Art
Mouse devices exist for selecting information such as hypertext markup language (HTML) tags that are present on the World Wide Web (WWW) or internet. Such mouse devices of the conventional art require a graphical pointer displayed on the video device or screen in order to select the HTML tags. Such mouse devices make controlling of the pointer on the video device very difficult and in many instances, when the user is located at a significant distance from the video device, control of the graphical pointer becomes significantly more difficult. Furthermore, rapid advancing or regressing of information on the video screen of the conventional art is also very difficult due to the large amount of movement across the video device required by the mouse pointer.
While some mouse devices of the conventional art have attempted to increase the rate at which information moves across a video device by employing a scrolling mechanism disposed on the mouse device, the user of the mouse device is still required to accurately position a graphical mouse pointer in regions of the screen which are substantially small. A further drawback of the prior art is that many of the mouse devices require a substantially planar rolling surface in which the graphical pointer can be controlled by the user. In other prior art devices which include “track ball” type mouse devices, positioning of the mouse pointer becomes very tedious due to the sensitivity of the “track ball” relative to the movement of the user's finger or thumb.
With the internet age fast approaching society, web browsers have become useful tools for searching and acquiring information. “Web Surfing” is not only an important way to get knowledge and exchange information but it is now a way to relax and a provides a means of enjoyment for users. With the mouse devices of the prior art, the advantages of the internet and world wide web cannot be fully appreciated by the users.
As seen in
FIG. 19
, a mouse device
10
of the conventional art is shown. The mouse device
10
includes buttons
12
which activate functions of a mouse pointer
20
(shown in FIG.
20
). The mouse device
10
further includes scrolling wheels
14
as well as cable or wire
16
that directly connects to a CPU (not shown). The prior art mouse device
10
is required to be operated upon a planar surface
18
so that movement of the mouse device
10
across the planar surface
18
will cause a ball mechanism
22
to rotate. The mouse device
10
is designed for computer based applications where a user will typically be located adjacent to a video device such as a cathode-ray tube device (not shown). Typically a user will be separated away from the video device by a distance which is substantially less than three feet. Such a short distance permits the user to easily track the mouse pointer
20
which moves in accordance with the relative movement of the ball
22
.
As seen in
FIG. 20
, the mouse pointer
20
in a windows based web browser is used to interact with information on a computer screen
24
. Significant hand movement is required by the user to move the mouse pointer
20
to various points on the computer screen
24
. Furthermore, at distances greater than three feet from the computer screen
24
, tracking or viewing movement of the mouse pointer
20
becomes very difficult due to the limited vision capabilities of the user. Furthermore, at distances greater than three feet from the computer screen
24
, a significant amount of cabling or wiring
26
(see
FIG. 19
) will be required to permit the user to be spaced at such a distance from the computer screen
24
.
Accordingly, a need in the art exists for a method and apparatus for interacting with information on a video device that can advance and regress through information without the need to control a graphical mouse pointer. A further need exists in the art for a method and apparatus for interacting with information on a video device which employs a remote control unit that has a plurality of unit user interface devices which manipulate information on a video device without a graphical mouse pointer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for interacting with information on a video device that does not require the use of a graphical mouse pointer which is present on the video device.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for interacting with information on a video device that can select information, scroll through information, advance through information in a page format, advance through information incrementally, and regress through information incrementally without the use of a graphical mouse pointer.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for interacting with information on a video device which includes a remote control unit which includes a plurality of interface devices that select HTML tags on a web page.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for interacting with information on a video device where the apparatus can mark or manipulate information such as hyperlinks, frames, pages, forms, and image maps located on the video device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for interacting with information on a video device where once information is selected, the appearance of the information will be changed and emphasized automatically, such as being enlarged, changed, colored or outlined by a graphical box.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for interacting with information on a video device where several functions on a web browser can be activated each at one time by pressing a button. Such functions can include, but are not limited to, linking, scrolling, back, stop, initiating a hyperlink, marking or selecting a frame, or advancing or regressing in a page format.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for interacting with information on a video device which includes a driver program for a remote control unit which can interact with information without having to utilize a graphical interface such as a mouse pointer or cursor.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for interacting with information on a video device which includes a remote control unit that interacts with the web browser where a television screen is used as a video device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for interacting with information on a video device that substantially increases web browser efficiency, while eliminating the difficulty caused by mouse clicking and remote operation relative to the video device.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for interacting with information on a video device that includes a remote controller that is suitable for use in the home and which uses a TV screen which in turn substantially increases the efficiency between a user and a web browser.
These and other objects of the present invention are fulfilled by providing a method for interacting with information on a video device without a mouse pointer, the method comprising the steps of: a remote control unit; a video device; a computer, the computer being operatively linked to the remote control unit via an interface; a first user interface d
Cheng Po-Wen
Ferng Jyhhwa
Liao Wen-Chiuan
Lin Jeng-Weei
Wang Tai-Yuan
Bayerl Raymond J.
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Industrial Technology Research Institute
LandOfFree
Method and apparatus for interacting and selecting... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and apparatus for interacting and selecting..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and apparatus for interacting and selecting... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2510522