High density interactive media guide

The present invention relates to a high density media guide interface that effectively selects a channel or source and media content from a number of available possibilities to obtain further information about that channel or source. More specifically, the present invention allows an entry to be selected from a number of possibilities to dynamically expand the observation area associated with that entry and provide further information about the selected entry. Provides a graphic user interface.

Home entertainment systems, including television and media centers, focus on the Internet and provide many available sources. This expansion of many available sources requires a new way of navigating and making selections in the media interface.

Numerous possible sources pose unsolved interface challenges in the field of home media entertainment. This task involves successfully presenting a large number of items (programs, sources, items, etc.) to the user without the need to navigate redundantly through multiple display pages.

<p> Information failures in current media guide interfaces are primarily the result of user perception limitations. Opportunities can be lost if the user cannot see all of the possible options at once, or if the user is forced to spend a tremendous amount of time and effort to gain the same perception. high. Newer interactive methods, such as moving in three dimensions through virtual space, or using gestures to control and adjust settings and processing on a display or device, are on the one hand. Useful, but does not address the above issues with "cognitive impairment".</p>

<p> A preferred embodiment of the present invention has a graphical user display interface that systematically presents extremely dense information and related functions, options and a wide range of dialogue options. The information is represented in a systematic array of minimal elements. Such minimal elements are associated with the available program content and are associated with position, color, size, length, placement, grouping, behavior, or by lining up icons or representing symbols. Visually distinguished. The user selects the element of interest by simply moving the cursor over the element. The selected element is magnified and more information about the selected element is automatically provided on behalf of the user without further action. Elements adjacent to the selected element are partially magnified, and additional elements are also displayed with respect to them. An enlarged observation area for the selected element and its adjacent elements allows the user to easily read information related to such elements. Information related to the magnified element includes text, labels, advertisements, media, graphics, animations, and more information.</p>

<figref num="1">Represents an interactive overview interface.</figref><figref num="2">Represents a grid guide interface.</figref><figref num="3">Represents a mode and function icon.</figref><figref num="4">Represents a lineup guide interface.</figref><figref num="5">Represents a channel-guided overview interface.</figref><figref num="6">Represents a personal video recorder interface.</figref><figref num="7">Represents a music guide interface.</figref>

The following is a detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention. However, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments discussed below or shown in the drawings. Rather, the present specification and drawings merely represent the currently preferred embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 1 represents the interactive overview interface 100. Interface 100 allows for higher information densities than is possible with traditional program guide screens. Instead of a traditional page containing 5-10 lines of program, the display 100 presents hundreds, and even potentially thousands, of individual elements 110. Each element potentially has unique visual, spatial, and behavioral attributes that represent the available programs, channels, executables, music files, or combinations thereof.

The available channels are displayed in vertical column 105. The available time slots are indicated by the header information given in header 108. The contents of the program related to channels and time slots are displayed as individual elements 110 in a two-dimensional display. As represented, the channel information and individual element 110 in column 105 is simply displayed as a line or column of dots. This corresponds to the resolution limits of a typical monitor or television display. The individual entries in column 105 serve as visual tags or placeholders that represent channels or sources, while the individual element 110 represents specific content that corresponds to the associated channel and time slot.

Element 110 has the smallest size that a maximum number of elements 110 can exist on interface 100. In a preferred embodiment, the displayed element 110 may exceed the display limits of typical monitors and televisions, or may reduce the number of elements 110 that may be displayed on one screen, further information. Does not include. Therefore, simply making the individual elements look larger does not provide further information. In general, all elements 110 are similar in appearance. However, element 110 arranges icons by color, size, length, arrangement, grouping, or behavior, or by side-by-side, to help the user identify a particular channel or content of interest. It is visually distinguished by representing a thing or a symbol. Such a distinction can be made by the content provider or by the user.

The user selects one of the elements 110 by using a pointing device, such as a mouse, or, in a preferred embodiment, a handheld inertial pointing device, such as a Gyration cordless optical mouse. When one of the elements 110 is selected, it is unfolded over the magnified observation area as represented by the selected element 120. More specifically, the display area associated with the selected element 120 is expanded and additional content associated with the selected element 120 is displayed to provide the user with more information about the selected source. Element 110 near the selected element 120 is a portion such that the size of the adjacent element 130 closest to the selected element 120 is smaller than but maximum of the element 120, as represented by the adjacent element 130. Is expanded. Further content associated with the adjacent element 130 is displayed in a smaller format than the selected element 120, providing less information or information in a smaller format than the selected element 120. Content associated with element 120 and element 130 may include text, labels, advertisements, media, graphics, animations, and further information. The gradual expansion of the available content and observation area for elements near the selected element 120 is referred to by the inventor as "hyperbolic expansion". In a preferred embodiment, the gradual expansion is vertical and horizontal, but in other embodiments it may be horizontal only or vertical only.

Element 110 may be selected in different ways. In the first selection method, element 110 is selected by moving the cursor up or down to select an element on a particular horizontal line. In this way, many elements in the horizontal line are displayed in the magnified observation area, as shown in FIG. In an alternative display mode, the individual element 110 may be selected by moving the cursor in both horizontal (x) and vertical (y) dimensions, and the selected element and adjacent elements are both horizontal and vertical dimensions. It can be seen in the observation area magnified by. Both of these display formats provide a gradual, or hyperbolic, expansion.

In the second selection method, the area where the element is expanded is in a fixed position, for example, in the center of interface 100 as shown in FIG. Moving the pointing device drives the display of the channel in column 105 and the display of element 110 below the magnified area. This is in vertical limiting mode, which selects one horizontal row at a time, as shown in Figure 1, or in mode, which selects individual elements in response to the x and y directions of the input device. Can be done. In either selection method, adjacent elements 130 near the selected element 120 are progressively (ie, hyperbolic) expanded. The content associated with the selected element 120 and the adjacent element 130 is recalled to a correspondingly increased degree.

Further element 110 is made available on interface 100 by scrolling. Specifically, the entire display can be scrolled vertically to show additional channels and related content. Similarly, the display can be scrolled horizontally to show content related to other time slots. In the case of horizontal scrolling, the channel sequence 105 remains fixed and the time slot header 108 and the displayed element 110 scroll horizontally.

A preferred embodiment is designed to be compatible with a handheld pointing device, such as a Gyration cordless optical mouse. A conventional mouse or a conventional 4-way controller having up / down / left / right buttons may be substituted. However, handheld pointing technology has a variety of features, such as (1) direct, smooth, and natural control, and (2) direct gesture signaling (ie,'page feed',' cancel', for example. It is preferable in that it provides an aspect and function activation via a unique directional gesture or action that calls and activates various functions and modes, home music, network search, and the like. This form of direct interaction allows for faster, more direct and fluid operation through interface 100.

FIG. 2 represents the grid guide interface 200. Interface 200 presents programs and media (or other available and / or scheduled data objects or opportunities) in much the same manner as Interface 100. However, the difference is that Interface 200 uses a clearer cell-based X / Y grid structure. Referring to FIG. 2, Y-axis channel column 210 lists channels / sources 260. The other Y-axis column 220 represents the programs available during the time slots in chronological order (eg, 8:00, 8:30, 9:00, etc., representing television programs every 30 minutes). Time slots are distinguished by header 225. The program 230 corresponding to various channels / sources 260 and the time slot displayed in the header 225 are such that the program 230 corresponding to a specific channel is presented on the same line and the program 230 corresponding to the specific time slot is displayed. Presented in a two-dimensional array as presented in the same column.

The array of program 230 may be scrolled vertically and horizontally to display additional content. Channel row 210 scrolls vertically when the array of program 230 scrolls vertically, but not horizontally when the array of program 230 scrolls horizontally.

The user can select a specific cell 240. This allows the particular cell 240 to be expanded on behalf of the user without any further action. Further information related to the selected cell 240 is then provided. Other user actions, such as clicks or gestures, provide additional information about the selected cell, including menus of possible relevant information, websites, addresses, and so on. Cell 270 close to the selected cell 240 is horizontal and vertical, progressively (hyperbolic) in the vicinity of the selected cell, with the cell closest to the selected cell 240 magnified to the maximum. It will be expanded. The channel cell 265 corresponding to the selected cell and the channel cell 275 close to the channel cell 260 are gradually expanded. The information associated with the expanded cell may include text and labels. Further information, such as advertisements, media, graphics, animations, and other information, may be recalled automatically or selectively when a cell is selected.

As with interface 100, grid guide interface 200 has two alternative methods of selection. First, cells can be selected by simply dragging the cursor over the cell. The cursor may be visible, or it may be implicit or virtual. That is, the position of the virtual cursor can only be revealed by a visual change of the selected item. In the second method, the user may drag the array of cells 230 under the expansion area. In a preferred embodiment, this magnified area is located in the center of the display 200. (This is visualized by imagining the spreadsheet-style grid itself being physically dragged under the position magnifier.) Column 210 also has a magnified area for the corresponding channel. Exists.

Scrolling of program cell 230 may be performed in either the vertical or horizontal direction to display additional program cells. Scrolling may also be constrained. In a preferred embodiment, the scroll may be constrained to a single axis by pressing an option key on a handheld controller. Alternatively, the interface detects the first detected directional motion (eg, up and down a channel in a single time slot, or left and right along a single channel across multiple time slots) and its axis. You may constrain the scroll to. In this way, scrolling continues in the first direction of travel along either the X or Y axis. The scroll is then constrained to only this one axis as long as the operation of the input device is continuous. This avoids problems related to movement in cumbersome diagonal steps across pages and improves the convenience and efficiency of the user experience. In another alternative, scrolling is constrained by requiring additional horizontal movement before crossing the threshold between one time slot sequence and the next time slot sequence at a scheduled time back or forward. May be done.

Program cell 250 may be graphically distinguished, symbolized, or left unmarked. Such a distinction is a favorite program (intentionally placed or discoverably identified from past bidirectional viewing and bidirectional movements and collected by the system for similar criteria matching, etc.) or It may be given by the content provider or by the user to display and mark media files and sources. In addition, the selection of certain elements may expand secondary graphics, information, animations, or elements. This allows the operator or content provider to embed an offer or other relevant information along with the particular content.

FIG. 3 represents mode and function icons. As represented, a function is represented by the mode icon 310 in the top row and the function icon 320 in the bottom row. Icons 310 and 320 are usually hidden. However, the icons 310 and 320 can be called by the user via a control button on the pointing device. For example, if a mouse-type pointing device is used while navigating any of the various overviews, the user calls icons 310 and 320 by left-clicking on the pointing device.

Icon 310 in the top row includes various formats of program guides, feature services, and various guide overview configurations, PVR features, a list of recorded items, web browsers, music, photos, and more. Represents a high level style of the system. Further details of this aspect will be described below. The icon 320 in the bottom row represents an access or function to a functional sequence that is called and available or contextually relevant with respect to focus cell 330. The icon 320 in the bottom row may include, for example, play, record, remind, favorites, degree of favorites, blocks, more information, and so on. Such functionality may vary according to the current mode of operation and current attention. Icons 310 and 320 can be enabled by selecting the desired mode or function and left-clicking on the pointing device.

The icon 320 in the bottom row may also be enabled by a shortcut method, including any combination of pressing a dedicated button or left-clicking. Icons 310 and 320 may be canceled or withdrawn by similar shortcut schemes, including any combination of left clicks or gestures on the pointing device. Gestures may include "wagging", i.e., swinging the pointing device in the horizontal movement of the input device back and forth.

When a function such as'playback'or'tune in' is called, the action is immediate in connection with the current expanded attention 330. Subsequent user actions are required for more complex or multi-step functions such as recording, reminding, degree of this, and blocking / limiting. Such subsequent user actions are facilitated by menu or step-through interactive sequences. Such menus or step-through interactive sequences may appear as active elements representing pop-ups or floating panels with various text commands, questions or choices, and selectable options.

The mode icon 310 in the top row is interactive in the same way as the function icon 320 in the bottom row, except for two points. When both rows are in the overview and are called through a left click, the icon 310 in the top row is highlighted / blinked to indicate the currently selected / viewed mode. Alternatively, it can be graphically distinguished behaviorally (340). The name / label of the currently selected mode is also prominently displayed (350).

As the user moves back and forth between the various mode icons 310, those icons can display their mode name / label and can be highlighted and magnified (and, in some cases, dynamic animated behavior). Shows). While highlighted, the user can use his pointing device to select that particular mode.

When left-clicking on another mode icon, a move to that mode icon occurs, and the mode icon remains distinct for a moment and can be emphasized as long as the movement remains horizontal. The mode icon disappears when the user removes the cursor from the top mode icon area. This approach allows the user to browse and search for various modes and recall them, as well as easily others as needed while their virtual cursor is in the mode icon area at the top of the screen. You can select the icon.

FIG. 4 shows the lineup guide interface 400. Each single page listing 410 represents approximately 500 separate channels or sources in a particular time slot 420 (eg, 8:30 pm). The lineup guide interface 400 presents programs and media (or other available data objects or opportunities) in a series of vertical columns 430. Column 430 consists of small graphic elements 440 and is shown as a small horizontal line. Each element 440 represents a program or media planned or available for a channel or source. The vertically stacked elements 440 are separated by a spacer 450 in 10 rows. The spacer 450 is variable and is included to allow the user to easily navigate a large number of elements 440 with minimal guide content.

When the pointing device is activated and moved, the hyperbolic magnified region of interest 460 moves within element 440 within interface 400. The element that is always hyperbolic expanded is the attention element 465, so there is always the current attention element 465 in which the action can be performed in context. The movement of the virtual cursor is adjusted to move a sequential element 440 up and down in column 430 so that it is preferably distinguished from traversing the column. Program elements 440 above and below the current expanded feature element 465 are progressively expanded (130) and may also have visible labels, titles, or other additional information. An extra virtual horizontal space 470 is added between columns 430 to ask the user to move the cursor of their pointing device further to the left or right before straddling the space 470 that divides column 430. When space 470 is traversed by a cursor, the vertical element 440 closest to that column is hyperbolic (460) and can be the current element of interest 465. Such a difference between vertical and horizontal movement makes it easier for the user to browse the sequential element 440 in a particular column 430 without inadvertently pulling sideways to jump to the adjacent column 430. Allows you to.

Element 440 may also be graphically distinguished or attached with an adjacent symbol 480. The feature element 465 may call, display, or deploy secondary graphics, information, animation, or commercial advertisement 490 when magnified (465). This allows users or content providers to embed offers or promotions that people at home can easily see, navigate, and automatically extend rollovers. This approach is also a favorite program (intentionally placed or discoverably identified from past bi-directional viewing and bi-directional movements and taken by the system for similar criteria collation, etc.) or It can also be used to represent and mark media files / sources.

During the operation, the user can move the scheduled time slot 420 back and forth by left-clicking on the pointing device with the time paging bar 495 placed along either side of the overview 400. The extra horizontal space 470, with the rightmost column 485 and the corresponding right time paging bar 495, to ask the user to move the cursor of their pointing device further to the left or right before crossing the space 470, Added between the leftmost column 475 and the corresponding left time paging bar 495. This space may be real or virtual (ie, not displayed for the purpose of moving the virtual cursor, but detected). In another embodiment listing more than 500 elements 440, additional paging bars are inadvertently placed above or below interface 400 with similar virtual space and near the top or bottom of column 430. Avoid emphasizing them on. By left-clicking on the top paging bar and the bottom paging bar, you can move the overview up or down one page view 410 at a time. In this way, thousands of elements 440 can be effectively displayed, graphically distinguished or with adjacent symbols 480.

FIG. 5 represents the channel guide overview interface 500. Each single page view 510 represents a program or media element 520 for a single channel 530. Element 520 is displayed as a small horizontal line. Each element 520 corresponds to a time slot 540 in a particular time order (for example, representing a television program every 30 minutes, such as 8:00, 8:30, 9:00). The channel guide overview interface 500 presents element 520 in a series of vertical columns 560. Column 560 lists element 520 for a particular day (eg Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc.). The time slot display 545 distinguishes between groups 525 of elements. (In other embodiments, the Y-axis column on the left side of the interface 500 lists the time slots 540 in chronological order, as in FIGS. 1 and 2.) The extra virtual vertical space 570 is the interface. Added between groups 535 to improve the separation of group 525 in. Space 570 also requires the user to move the cursor of its pointing device further up or down before entering a different group 525. When the pointing device is activated and moved, the hyperbolic magnified region of interest 580 traverses element 520 within interface 500. Elements are hyperbolic magnified by moving the cursor or by moving the entire display as described above. There is always a current attention factor 585 in which the action can be performed contextually.

Element 520 may be graphically distinguished or may be labeled with the adjacent symbol 590. The feature element 585, when magnified (580), calls, displays, or expands secondary graphics, information, animations, or commercial advertisements, substantially as described above for the lineup guide overview. Provides the same functionality in the same way.

During the operation, the user can move the time back and forth by left-clicking on the pointing device at the paging bar 495. The paging bar operates in substantially the same way as described above with respect to the lineup guide overview and provides the same functionality. The top mode icon 310 and the bottom function icon 320 can also be called and used as described above.

Another embodiment, ie, the Lookahead overview, is similar to the channel-guided overview of FIG. Each vertical column (including up to 70 or more program / media elements) represents one scheduled time slot. A paging bar on either side of the display can move one row incrementally at a time, or manipulate the entire display of a time slot row. The paging bar above or below the overview display makes it easy to move up or down one screen of the channel / source at a time. Program / media elements that span more than one column are spread horizontally on a column-by-column basis, visually connecting both columns.

The look-ahead overview moves the hyperbolic magnified focus around the display and utilizes the paging bar in a manner similar to the lineup guide 400 described above. The hyperbolic magnified focus state gradually magnifies the vertical and horizontal elements as described above in the grid guide interface 200.

As described in the description of the other overview embodiments, the movement of the cursor on the pointing device is constrained so that the user can easily move horizontally without changing the time.

During the operation, the user can move the time back and forth by left-clicking on the pointing device in the paging bar. The paging bar operates in substantially the same way as described above with respect to the lineup guide overview and provides the same functionality. The top mode icon and the bottom function icon can also be called and used as described above.

In other embodiments, a guided overview of on-demand films and special events categorically systematizes programs, films, special events, media elements, or items that are available on an irregular, on-demand principle. To display. The paging bar is constrained to one axis, allowing the user to see one screen after the other.

In other embodiments, a second set of paging bars can be utilized to manipulate / circulate between on-demand program classifications. In this way, the use of the paging bar can circulate between the classifications assigned to that axis (eg, all classifications, all movies, all dramas, all comedies, etc.).

In other embodiments, program guide overviews on themes are by theme (eg, drama, comedy, action / adventure, love / romance, independent, foreign, sports, children's, youth, adults, etc.). Filtered and ordered to indicate program / media. Such themes can be structured as libraries, grid guide overviews, lineup guide overviews, single time slots, channel guide overviews or sources. Each overview page lists 500 or more program / media elements. The left and right paging bars move the scheduled time slot back and forth. The top and bottom paging bars repeat the thematic classification. Each theme screen is numbered based on the total number of themes (eg, Drama-117, Comedy-217, etc.). In other embodiments, some icons and graphic displays of the available themes are displayed, highlighting the currently displayed theme.

In other embodiments, all children's program guide overviews are screened / filtered to include only program and media elements and items that are suitable for the child. All children's program guide overviews can be displayed in all the various embodiments described above.

In other embodiments, the premium channel guide overview is a premium channel program / media (eg, all total) filtered and screened by theme (eg, drama, comedy, action, mystery / suspense, etc.). Filtered and ordered to show comedy programs, movies, shows, specials, etc.). The premium channel guide overview can be displayed in all the various structural and thematic embodiments described above.

In other embodiments, the Sports Guide Overview provides a sports program / media by all or specific sports (eg, all sports, football, baseball, basketball, hockey, soccer, tennis, Formula I, NASCAR, etc.). Filtered and ordered as shown. The sports guide overview can be displayed in all the various structural embodiments described above.

In other embodiments, all movie guide overviews filter movie-only programs (eg, drama, comedy, action, mystery / suspense, etc.). All movie guide overviews can be displayed in all the various structural and thematic embodiments described above.

In other embodiments, the favorite program overview is filtered and ordered to indicate the program / media marked / selected as a user's favorite or determined by some discovery means, such as a viewing pattern. The favorite program overview can be displayed in all the various structural and thematic embodiments described above.

In other embodiments, the recording program guide overview is filtered and ordered to indicate the programs / media that have been recorded and archived. The recording program guide is organized as a list. The recording program guide overview is further filtered and ordered by the available classification and differentiation means as described above in all various structural and thematic embodiments.

In another embodiment, the recording queue (Queue) overview is filtered and ordered to indicate programs / media that have been marked / selected to be recorded during broadcast. The recording queue overview also acts as a download queue from online sources. The recording queue overview can be structured as a list. The recording queue overview is further filtered and ordered by the available classification and differentiation means as described above in all various structural and thematic embodiments.

In other embodiments, the parental access restriction overview guide is blocked and marked / selected to be restricted by users who do not have a special unlock code, and is further selected by the user (generally the master user). And / or are filtered and ordered to indicate programs / media determined by some discovery means, such as previous block / lock criteria (identified by some means and then blocked / locked). The overview guide on parental access restrictions is further filtered and ordered by the available classification and differentiation means as described above.

In other embodiments, the Special Offer Overview provides all free, commercial, and other forms of offers offered by the service provider or content provider and their partners within the Program / Media section. Filtered and ordered to indicate promotions. Such offers are scattered throughout the system and are available at different times or under different circumstances, but are put together in this list for easier and more direct recognition to the user for review and access. .. The special offer overview is further filtered and ordered by the available classification and differentiation means as described above in all various structural and thematic embodiments.

In other embodiments, video, radio, audio, and streaming media program overviews are filtered and ordered to indicate commercially available catalogs / sources or personally owned videos. Personally owned video is a stored file, an online accessible file, or a combination thereof. Video, Radio, Audio, and Streaming Media Program Overview is useful for broadcast radio, on-demand radio programs, audio content, audio and / or video / multimedia, and other formats of streaming / on-demand media. Media classification. Podcasting refers to a program that is recorded, digitally coded, and available for download and playback on a regular or semi-regular schedule. Video, radio, audio, and streaming media program overviews are further filtered and ordered by the available classification and differentiation means as described above in all various structural and thematic embodiments.

FIG. 6 represents the Personal Video Recorder (PVR) Interface 600. Interface 600 is invoked by the user via a control button on the pointing device. For example, when a mouse-type pointing device is used to navigate various overviews, the user calls the overview 600 by left-clicking on the pointing device. When interface 600 is called, the upper PVR control 610 and the lower PVR control 620 appear on the screen. By default, when the user calls PVR interface 600, the program or media element can be played and made visible (605).

Control 610 is invoked when the user navigates the pointing device cursor towards the top of interface 600. Similarly, control 620 is invoked when navigating the pointing device cursor towards the bottom of the interface. When the user navigates the cursor towards control 610 or 620, each control is highlighted in some holistic way, which is currently a working PVR control, and the pointing device's horizontal drag movement. And show that it can be controlled interactively via left click.

The control 610 consists of a playback length display 630, which is shown as a gauge-style graphic. The playback position 660 in the playback length display 630 represents the current playback position. Playback position 660 also represents the percentage of finished programs / media. The leftmost 630 of the control 610 represents the start of the program / media element. The rightmost 640 of the control 610 represents the end of the program / media element. In other embodiments, secondary graphic elements when the program or media has been downloaded, or for other reasons the program or media is not fully accessible and navigable. Can be visible to represent the rest as a percentage of the total length (eg, extending from the left edge of the gauge to the right, such as mercury in a thermometer).

A marker 650 is placed along the playback length display 630. Marker 650 represents a particular location / point or region / segment of special interest. The user activates a drag function associated with the pointing device to move the playback position 660 back and forth on the playback length display 630. The left click may be used to signal "play from this point" and to end the drag on the play length display 630. "Gravity" or programming means to more easily anchor the play position 660 to a particular marker 650 along the play length display 630, and even easier and more efficient means to stop at a significant location. May be used to provide the user.

As with any other overview, already past programs or appointments may be graphically identified.

Graphical or textual information may be displayed when the playback position 660 exceeds the marker 650. The marker 650 may also be highlighted. When the marker 650 is highlighted, the user left-clicks and holds to call a pop-up menu or other graphic panel or element containing options, links, information, or to cause an action or start a sequence. To do.

There is no absolute limit on the number of markers 650 that can be coded, symbolized, and / or graphically displayed along the playback length display 630. In an embodiment where there are a large number of markers 650 along the playback length display 630, the markers 650 are hyperbolic when the user moves over them with the cursor of the pointing device. In other embodiments where a large number of marker 650s are present, the marker 650 is disclosed to a third party providing the metadata, depending on more than one source.

The lower PVR control 620 allows the user to control the playback speed and direction. Control 620 has four areas. Two of them, the normal playback speed 680 and the pause / stop 690, are in only one position. When the user calls PVR interface 600, the program or media element may be playing and still visible (605). The normal playback speed 680 of the control 620 can be highlighted or graphically distinguished to indicate that it is the currently valid setting.

When the user activates the pointing device and navigates the cursor to the left, the pause / stop 690 position is highlighted and the program or media element is stopped. Dragging the cursor past the two positions 680 and 690 to the left can highlight and activate the derailleur rewind control 685. Dragging the cursor past the two positions 680,690 to the right can highlight and activate the shift fast forward control 695. Unlike traditional fast-forward and rewind, these can be a continuous range of rewind and fast-forward speeds, not constant speeds or a few speeds. The user can easily control the speed at which program 605 is playing by dragging back and forth in these parts of control 620.

At interface 600, "slow motion" or forward motion slower than normal playback speed 680 is represented and positioned by the left edge of shift fast forward portion 695 of control 620. Part 695 is shift control from the stop position 690 to the fastest possible fast forward speed 675.

When either the upper control 610 or the lower control 629 is activated, the inactive PVR control is (possibly dimmed or not displayed as highlighted / active). It is still visible and may be configured to reflect accurate information such as the current playback position 660.

Various types of data can be presented according to the preferred invention. For example, different indexes may be used other than the represented channel / source, time slot, or day of the week, and other data may be entered as content. For example, music can be used as content and the index can be the performer or type of music.

FIG. 7 represents a music guide interface 700 where a large database of music is indexed according to the present invention. In this example, interface 700 represents a compression element 710 systematized in vertical columns 720. Each element 710 is shown as a horizontal line and represents an album. During operation, the user can move column 720 of album 710 back and forth by left-clicking on the pointing device on the time paging bars 730 and 740 placed on either side of the overview 700. The vertical spaces 740 and 745, with the rightmost column 720 and the corresponding right paging bar 730, and the leftmost to ask the user to move the cursor of their pointing device further to the left or right before moving the column 720. Is added between column 720 and the corresponding left paging bar 740.

As discussed earlier, the user can use a pointing device to focus on the element of interest 750 within the overview 700. Element 750 is hyperbolic expanded and the elements above and below element 750 are progressively decompressed with respect to the neighborhood of element 750. The album or grouping label 770 is displayed with respect to the feature element 750. If the user pauses at element 750 of interest, a secondary pop-up scrollable menu 760 of that element's track will appear near element 750. The user can then navigate his cursor to menu 760. Vertical navigation moves menu 760 up and down to highlight / select tracks for element 750. A left click on the track can call the mode icon in the top row and the function icon in the bottom row described above.

The icon 320 in the bottom row may also be enabled by a shortcut method, including any combination of dedicated button presses, left clicks, or gestures. Gestures may include "wagging", i.e., swinging the pointing device in the horizontal movement of the input device back and forth.

In another embodiment, a personal memory overview is a photo / image, audio / video, and multimedia management, as well as a personal media review. The personal memory overview is filtered and ordered to allow users to manage, sort, access and observe / play their personal media. Personal memory overview allows navigation between media modes and other subcategories. Subcategories of personal memory overview include (1) personal digital photo overview, (2) personal digital audio / video overview, and (3) personal multimedia overview. The configurations and arrangements of such overview embodiments are with display previews, thumbnails, and / or other described overviews, except for other identification labels or information that the user navigates through the overview display. It can work in a similar way. When a particular media element is a focus that is currently magnified / highlighted, left-clicking also opens, plays, previews, or otherwise interacts with the selected media, or its function. Function icons, secondary dialogs, panels, menus or means can be called to perform. The personal memory overview is further filtered and ordered by the available classification and differentiation means as described above in all various structural and thematic embodiments.

In other embodiments, the weather overview provides the user with an easy way to view, view and access weather and travel condition information in many regions or around the world. In one embodiment, the weather overview can be configured as a small list format arrangement of representative elements. Elements represent locations and associated weather information. In other embodiments, the weather overview may be displayed contextually as a map that can contain a dense set of interactive rollover elements / locations / regions similar to the rollover elements described above.

In other embodiments, the regional activity overview makes it possible to view, review and access information on events and activities in many regions or around the world. Local and global events and activities include movies, theaters, restaurants, clubs, concerts, and events. In one embodiment, the community activity overview can be configured as a small list-style arrangement of representative elements. Elements represent location and associated event / activity information. In other embodiments, the regional activity overview is systematized and contextually displayed as a map that can contain a dense set of interactive rollover elements, locations, and regions similar to the rollover elements described above. Can be done.

In other embodiments, shopping and consignment and online bidding overviews monitor a collective list of many individual online auctions or auctions in which the user participates as either a seller or a buyer. To enable. Shopping and consignment and online bidding overview focuses on shopping, stores, catalogs, free sources, item auctions and bidding systems, travel services, and other online services. Shopping and consignment and online bidding overviews are further filtered and ordered by the available classification and differentiation means as described above in all various structural and thematic embodiments.

In other embodiments, personal, classified ads, dates and interview overviews allow users to view and view information from a large database of profiles, categories, event schedules, etc. A dense set of interactive rollover elements representing profiles, categories, event schedules, etc. can be contextually systematized in all the various structural and thematic embodiments described above. The automatic rollover pop-up may contain a photo or other additional information.

In another embodiment, the search engine result overview allows the user to view and view the results of a search performed on the gTV system. The search engine result overview is further filtered and ordered by the available classification and differentiation means as described above in all various structural and thematic embodiments.

In other embodiments, the message overview allows the user to view and view a larger set of stored and received messages. Message overviews are particularly useful with large email archives, and are further filtered and ordered by the available classification and differentiation means as described above in all various structural and thematic embodiments. .. In one embodiment, the message overview may be configured to collaborate and synchronize with other email and / or messaging systems via an online connection or by synchronization with a mobile device.

In other embodiments, the Address Book / Companion List Overview and Communication / Videophone / Videoconferencing Overview allows the user to see the status of the constituent roster registrants and contact / chat, conferencing, etc. Allows you to browse a large address book and companion list to open. In one embodiment, the address book / peer list overview may be configured to collaborate and synchronize with other address books and / or peer lists via an online connection or by synchronization with a mobile device.

In other embodiments, the calendar / schedule overview allows the user to view and view a large collection of chronological data and reminders. As discussed earlier, the page bar on either side of the display allows the user to scroll back and forth in time between a list of years, months, weeks and days. In one embodiment, the calendar / schedule overview may be configured to collaborate and synchronize with other calendars and schedules via an online connection or by synchronization with a mobile device.

Although the present invention has been described with respect to the preferred embodiments described above, numerous configurations, modifications, substitutions and additions are made to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. That is clear to those skilled in the art. For example, an interactive overview visualization model display interface has been described earlier for use with a computer, but the display interface can be used in any similar electronic device, and the present invention is entirely limited to the mechanisms described above. It is clear to those skilled in the art that it will not be done. Index formatting can be achieved in a variety of ways, such as the use of vertical columns represented by FIG. 1 or the embedding of indexes as shown in FIG. All such modifications, substitutions and additions are intended to be within the scope of the invention best defined by the claims.

100 Interactive overview interface 105 columns 108 hour slot header 110,120,130 elements 200 grid guide interface 210,220 Y axis column 225 header 230,250 program cell 240,260,265,270 cells 310 mode icon 320 function icon 330 Featured cell 400 lineup guide interface 410 Single page list 420 hour slot 430 columns 440 elements 450 spacer 460 Area of interest 465 Attention factor 470 horizontal space 480 symbols 490 Commercial advertising 495 paging bar 500 channel guide overview interface 510 single page view 520 elements 530 channels 540 hour slot 560 columns 570 vertical space 580 Area of interest 585 Attention factor 600 Personal Video Recorder (PVR) Interface 610,620 PVR control 630 Playback length display 650 marker 660 Playback position 700 Music Guide Interface 710,750 elements 720 vertical columns 730,740 hours paging bar 760 menu 770 label