Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-06
2001-03-20
dela Torre, Crescelle N. (Department: 2773)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C348S014160
Reexamination Certificate
active
06204842
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to electronic systems that access and use information obtained from the Internet, and relates more particularly to a system and method for a user interface to input URL address data obtained from captured video frames while simultaneously viewing a television broadcast.
2. Description of the Background Art
A variety of information is readily available from various types of electronic networks, such as the Internet, which are typically accessible through a compatible computer device or other similar electronic system. With the increase in the use of the Internet, television producers are including related references to the Internet in their television broadcasts to provide viewers with information to access the relevant Internet locations.
A contemporary method for accessing information available on the Internet consists of a basic television set for displaying Internet information and a “set-top box” for accessing selected information from the Internet. The set-top box provides the accessed information to the corresponding television set for display. A set-top box is typically a relatively small and economical device that is located near the television set to serve as an efficient interface with the Internet in consumer home-use applications.
Referring to
FIG. 1
, a block diagram of a set-top box system
112
is shown in which the user controls access to Internet data pages by the use of a remote control
124
and views the data pages on the television (TV)
122
. In the preferred embodiment, the data pages are hypertext pages (web pages) retrieved from the Internet
110
. Set-top box
114
connects to the Internet
110
via a communication line
118
. When the system user manipulates remote control
124
to access a particular Internet page on a particular server, set-top box
114
converts the user input into an address called a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). The URL causes the specified remote server to respond and transmit the specified Internet page (web page) via the Internet
110
to set-top box
114
. Set-top box
114
then converts this digital data into an analog format suitable for display on the attached TV screen. The selected Internet pages may contain a variety of textual and graphics information in various appropriate formats.
After accessing the selected Internet pages, set-top box
114
then provides the accessed pages to television
122
via line
120
for display to system viewers. Remote control
124
is preferably a wireless device that includes an infrared transmitter unit by which a system user may input various types of information via transmission path
126
to control the operation of set-top box
114
and television
122
. In the
FIG. 1
embodiment, remote control
124
is typically a relatively simple input device that features only a limited number of input keys to accommodate normal consumer home-use applications.
However, viewing and manipulating the stored pages of Internet information using system
112
of
FIG. 1
is a relatively laborious and cumbersome process. During the TV broadcast, if the system user wishes to retrieve some information concerning the TV broadcast (for example, the background of a particular actor or the statistics of an athlete), the system user must record the particular URL address displayed on the screen. When a URL address is displayed on the television viewing screen, the user must search for a means to record the URL address and accurately record the address. The user may inaccurately record the URL address or may not record the entire address before the television viewing screen changes and no longer displays the address. In either case, the user is unable to retrieve the desired information. In addition, the user must either interrupt his or her viewing of the TV broadcast to perform an Internet search or the system user must wait until a convenient break in the TV broadcast to perform the Internet search.
The ability to access the Internet while simultaneously watching a television program would provide a more efficient and effective method for utilizing Internet information. Thus, for the foregoing reasons, an improved system and method are needed for a user interface to enter the URL address data obtained from captured video frames without interrupting viewing of the television programming.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to electronic systems that access and use information obtained from the Internet and more particularly to a system and method for a user interface to input URL address data obtained from captured video frames while simultaneously viewing a television broadcast.
Initially the system waits for a user to input commands from a remote control during video-viewing mode and displays a video-viewing mode screen on the TV. A capture manager then acquires the current video-viewing mode screen and saves the captured video frame in a video frame buffer. The capture manager continues to acquire and save the video-viewing mode screens until the user presses the FREEZE button on the remote control.
Once the user presses the FREEZE button, the capture manager preferably displays a captured video frame window superimposed in the upper right-hand corner of the television viewing screen and displays a URL address input window on the TV, superimposed on the lower portion of the television screen.
The system then waits for the user to input commands from the remote control during an address-input mode. If the user presses a “Prior Image” button on the remote control, the system retrieves the most recent, prior video-viewing mode screen saved in the video frame buffer, displays the retrieved video-viewing mode screen, and waits for further user action.
If the user has not pressed the “Prior Image” button, the system determines if the user has entered text in an address data entry area. If text has been entered, the system displays the entered text in an address entry area and waits for further user action.
Once the user has finished entering text and presses a “Go To Page” button on the remote control, the system enters a web-results mode. During the web-results mode, a search manager manipulates the URL address data entered by the user in the URL address data entry area by first formatting the search text in a proper form for the specified task. In the preferred embodiment, the text is formatted in proper URL format to perform a search on the Internet. The system sends the request to the Internet and acquires an Internet data page.
The search manager then displays the acquired Internet data page as a web page window on a portion of the television viewing screen. In the preferred embodiment, the web page window is superimposed in the upper right-hand corner of the television viewing screen over the TV broadcast screen. The search manager also displays a page information window on the television viewing screen. In the preferred embodiment, the page information window is superimposed on the lower portion of the television viewing screen. Both windows are displayed during the simultaneous display of the TV broadcast signal.
Next, the search manager waits for the user to input commands from the remote control during a web-results mode. If the user presses a “Go To Web” button on the remote control, the search manager responsively displays the acquired Internet data page on the television viewing screen where the Internet data page occupies the entire television screen area. After displaying the Internet data page, the system waits for further user input. At this stage, the user may elect to retrieve other Internet data pages or return to video-viewing mode.
If the user presses “Return To Video” button on the remote control, the search manager displays the video-viewing mode screen on the television viewing screen and returns to video-viewing mode. Otherwise, the search manager waits for the user to input a command on the remote control.
The present invention thus provides an effective user interface to
dela Torre Crescelle N.
Koerner Gregory J.
Simon & Koerner
Sony Corporation
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