IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,338,781
Granted Patent B2
US 10,338,781 · App. 15/811,388 · Granted Jul 2, 2019

Navigating a media menu using a touch-sensitive remote control device

Inventors: Imran A. Chaudhri (San Francisco, CA); Thomas Michael Madden (Plymouth, MI); Scott J. Forstall (Los Altos, CA); Duncan Robert Kerr (San Francisco, CA); Nicholas V. King (San Jose, CA); Stephen O. Lemay (Palo Alto, CA); Richard W. Fabrick, II (Campbell, CA); Bas Ording (San Francisco, CA); Eric Taylor Seymour (San Jose, CA); Marcel Van Os (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
G06F3/0482G06F3/0227G06F3/0485G06F3/04817G06F3/04842G06F19/00G11B27/34H04N5/44543H04N7/163H04N21/4104H04N21/42204H04N21/4312H04N21/4314H04N21/4316H04N21/43615H04N21/478H04N21/482H04N21/47
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,338,781
App. No.
15/811,388
Granted
Jul 2, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

Techniques and systems for centralized access to multimedia content stored on or available to a computing device are disclosed. The centralized access can be provided by a media control interface that receives user inputs and interacts with media programs resident on the computing device to produce graphical user interfaces that can be presented on a display device.

Claims (47)

1. A method, comprising:

displaying, on a display, an arrangement of media menu items in which a first media menu item is highlighted;

while displaying, on the display, the arrangement of media menu items, receiving an input that corresponds to a directional input on one or more touch-sensitive surfaces on a remote control device that is in communication with the display;

in response to receiving the input, transitioning from highlighting the first media menu item to highlighting a second media menu item in the arrangement of media menu items;

while the second media menu item is highlighted on the display, receiving a selection input that includes touch-sensitive surface actuation in a center of the one or more touch-sensitive surfaces on the remote control device; and

in response to receiving the selection input, ceasing to display the arrangement of media menu items and displaying a content menu relating to the second media menu item.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

displaying, on the display, a child indicator associated with a media menu item, the child indicator indicating that one or more submenus or sub-items will become available or will be accessed upon selection of the corresponding media menu item.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

displaying, on the display, one or more media menu item abstractions corresponding to one or more of the media menu items.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the one or more media menu item abstractions comprise graphical representations of content of the corresponding media menu items.

5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the media menu item abstractions are arranged such that one of the media menu item abstractions is displayed in a foreground position and a remaining of the media menu item abstractions are displayed in one or more background positions.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein a media menu item abstraction corresponding to the highlighted media menu item is displayed in the foreground position.

7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the media menu item abstractions are scaled in size.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the media menu item abstractions are scaled proportionally to a proximity of the media menu item abstraction to the foreground position.

9. A computer readable medium storing instructions that, on execution by an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform operations comprising:

displaying, on a display, an arrangement of media menu items in which a first media menu item is highlighted;

while displaying, on the display, the arrangement of media menu items, receiving an input that corresponds to a directional input on one or more touch-sensitive surfaces on a remote control device that is in communication with the display;

in response to receiving the input, transitioning from highlighting a representation of the first media menu item to highlighting a second media menu item in the arrangement of media menu items;

while the second media menu item is highlighted on the display, receiving a selection input that includes touch-sensitive surface actuation in a center of the one or more touch-sensitive surfaces on the remote control device; and

in response to receiving the selection input, ceasing to display the arrangement of media menu items and displaying a content menu relating to the second media menu item.

10. The computer readable medium according to claim 9 , further comprising instructions that, on execution by an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform further operations comprising:

displaying, on the display, a child indicator associated with a media menu item, the child indicator indicating that one or more submenus or sub-items will become available or will be accessed upon selection of the corresponding media menu item.

11. The computer readable medium according to claim 9 , further comprising instructions that, on execution by an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform further operations comprising:

displaying, on the display, one or more media menu item abstractions corresponding to one or more of the media menu items.

12. The computer readable medium according to claim 11 , wherein the one or more media menu item abstractions comprise graphical representations of content of the corresponding media menu items.

13. The computer readable medium according to claim 11 , wherein the media menu item abstractions are arranged such that one of the media menu item abstractions is displayed in a foreground position and a remaining of the media menu item abstractions are displayed in one or more background positions.

14. The computer readable medium according to claim 13 , wherein a media menu item abstraction corresponding to the highlighted media menu item is displayed in the foreground position.

15. The computer readable medium according to claim 13 , wherein the media menu item abstractions are scaled in size.

16. The computer readable medium according to claim 15 , wherein the media menu item abstractions are scaled proportionally to a proximity of the media menu item abstraction to the foreground position.

17. A system comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

displaying, on a display, an arrangement of media menu items in which a first media menu item is highlighted;

while displaying, on the display, the arrangement of media menu items, receiving an input that corresponds to a directional input on one or more touch-sensitive surface on a remote control device that is in communication with the display;

in response to receiving the input, transitioning from highlighting a representation of the first media menu item to highlighting a second media menu item in the arrangement of media menu items;

while the second media menu item is highlighted on the display, receiving a selection input that includes touch-sensitive surface actuation in a center of the one or more touch-sensitive surfaces on the remote control device; and

in response to receiving the selection input, ceasing to display the arrangement of media menu items and displaying a content menu relating to the second media menu item.

18. The system according to claim 17 , wherein the memory further stores instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to further perform operations comprising:

displaying, on the display, a child indicator associated with a media menu item, the child indicator indicating that one or more submenus or sub-items will become available or will be accessed upon selection of the corresponding media menu item.

19. The system according to claim 17 , wherein the memory further stores instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the processor to further perform operations comprising:

displaying, on the display, one or more media menu item abstractions corresponding to one or more of the media menu items.

20. The system according to claim 19 , wherein the one or more media menu item abstractions comprise graphical representations of content of the corresponding media menu items.

21. The system according to claim 19 , wherein the media menu item abstractions are arranged such that one of the media menu item abstractions is displayed in a foreground position and a remaining of the media menu item abstractions are displayed in one or more background positions.

22. The system according to claim 21 , wherein a media menu item abstraction corresponding to the highlighted media menu item is displayed in the foreground position.

23. The system according to claim 21 , wherein the media menu item abstractions are scaled in size.

24. The system according to claim 23 , wherein the media menu item abstractions are scaled proportionally to a proximity of the media menu item abstraction to the foreground position.

Continuity (8)
Continuation 15225147 · Aug 1, 2016
Continuation 14696912 · Apr 27, 2015
Continuation 14134674 · Dec 19, 2013
Continuation 13134245 · Jun 2, 2011
Division 11249139 · Oct 11, 2005
Provisional Application 60725544 · Oct 10, 2005
Provisional Application 60724622 · Oct 7, 2005
Related Publication 20180129381A1 · May 10, 2018
Cited By (1)
US 12,511,803