Video receiver display of menu overlaying video

Claim 2

A combination comprising: a television receiver having: a video display device having a predetermined screen area for displaying visual images to a human observer; and video reception circuitry coupled to said video display device for receiving signals transmitted at frequencies which are outside direct sensing by the human observer and for delivering to said video display device video signals which drive said video display device to display said visual images; a remote control device usable at some distance of separation from said television receiver and having: a housing sized to be held in the hand of the human observer; a manually engageable input device mounted in said housing for manipulation by the human observer; and control transmitter circuitry mounted in said housing and coupled to said input device for transmitting at a frequency which is outside direct sensing by the human observer command signals coordinated in a predetermined manner to manipulation of said input device by the human observer; and a display controller having: command receiver circuitry for receiving said command signals from said command transmitter circuitry and for deriving from said received command signals image directing signals directing modification of said visual images; and command processor circuitry coupled to said command receiver circuitry and to said video reception circuitry (a) for receiving said image directing signals, (b) for generating a cursor image signal for overlay of a cursor image onto said visual images, and (c) for displaying over a portion of said visual images a menu element display from which the human observer may select further modifications of said visual images as directed by manipulation of said remote control device by the human observer, said display Controller and Said remote control device cooperating for moving said cursor image across the area of said visual images and said menu display to position the cursor image onto a displayed element and for directing modification of said visual images in response to selection of a displayed element overlain by the cursor image, said display controller cooperating with the television video display device for displaying full motion video visual images occupying substantially the entirety of the screen area and a menu display occupying a minor portion of the screen area and overlying said full motion video visual images.

Claim 3

A combination according to claim 1 wherein said menu display mimics functional controls provided as remote control functions in prior television receivers.

Claim 4

A combination according to claim 1 wherein said menu display mimics functional controls provided as remote control functions in prior video cassette recorder/players.

Claim 5

A combination according to claim 1 wherein said menu display enables interactive modification of functions and functional controls by the human observer.

Claim 6

A combination according to claim 1 wherein said menu display embodies icons.

Claim 7

A combination according to claim 1 wherein said menu display embodies character strings.

Claim 8

A combination comprising: a remote control device usable at some distance of separation from a television receiver which has a video display device having a predetermined screen area, the remote control device having: a housing sized to be held in the hand of the human observer; a manually engageable input device mounted in said housing for manipulation by the human observer; and control transmitter circuitry mounted in said housing and coupled to said input device for transmitting at a frequency which is outside direct sensing by the human observer command signals coordinated in a predetermined manner to manipulation of said input device by the human observer; and a display controller for coupling to a television receiver video display device and for delivering to a coupled television receiver video display device image directing signals, said display controller having: command receiver circuitry for receiving said command signals from said command transmitter circuitry and for deriving from said received command signals image directing signals directing modification of visual images displayed to a human observer by the television receiver video display device; and command processor circuitry coupled to said command receiver circuitry and to the television receiver video display device (a) for receiving said image directing signals, (b) for generating a cursor image signal for overlay of a cursor image onto said visual images, and (c) for displaying over a portion of said visual images a menu element display from which the human observer may select further modifications of said visual images as directed by manipulation of said remote control device by the human observer, said display controller and said remote control device cooperating for moving said cursor image across the area of said visual images and said menu display to position the cursor image over a displayed element and for directing modification of said visual images in response to selection of a displayed element overlain by the cursor image, said display controller cooperating with the television video display device for displaying full motion video visual images occupying substantially the entirety of the screen area and a menu display occupying a minor portion of the screen area and overlying said full motion video visual images.

Claim 9

A combination comprising: a remote control device usable at some distance of separation from a television receiver which has a video display device having a predetermined screen area, the remote control device having: a housing sized to be held in the hand of the human observer; a manually engageable input device mounted in said housing for manipulation by the human observer; and control transmitter circuitry mounted in said housing and coupled to said input device for transmitting at a frequency which is outside direct sensing by the human observer command signals coordinated in a predetermined manner to manipulation of said input device by the human observer; and a display controller for coupling to a television receiver video display device and for delivering to a coupled television receiver video display device image directing signals, said display controller having: command receiver circuitry for receiving said command signals from said command transmitter circuitry and for deriving from said received command signals image directing signals directing modification of visual images displayed to a human observer by the television receiver video display device; and command processor circuitry coupled to said command receiver circuitry and to the television receiver video display device (a) for receiving said image directing signals, (b) for generating a cursor image signal for overlay of a cursor image onto said visual images, and (c) for displaying over a portion of said visual images a menu element display from which the human observer may select further modifications of said visual images as directed by manipulation of said remote control device by the human observer, said display controller and said remote control device cooperating for moving said cursor image across the area of said visual images and said menu display to position the cursor image over a displayed element and for directing modification of said visual images in response to selection of a displayed element overlain by the cursor image, said display controller cooperating with the television video display device for displaying full motion video visual images occupying substantially the entirety of the screen area and a menu display occupying a minor portion of the screen area and overlying said full motion video visual images.

Claim 10

A combination according to claim 7 wherein said menu display mimics functional controls provided as remote control functions in prior television receivers.

Claim 11

A combination according to claim 7 wherein said menu display mimics functional controls provided as remote control functions in prior video cassette recorder/players.

Claim 12

A combination according to claim 7 wherein said menu display enables interactive modification of functions and functional controls by the human observer.

Claim 13

A combination according to claim 7 wherein said menu display embodies icons.

Claim 14

A combination according to claim 7 wherein said menu display embodies character strings.

Claim 15

An intelligent television receiver comprising: a remote control device usable at some distance of separation from said television receiver and having: a housing sized to be held in the hand of the human observer; a manually engageable input device mounted in said housing for manipulation by the human observer; and control transmitter circuitry mounted in said housing and coupled to said input device for transmitting at a frequency which is outside direct sensing by the human observer command signals coordinated in a predetermined manner to manipulation of said input device by the human observer; a video display device having a predetermined screen area for displaying visual images to a human observer; video reception circuitry coupled to said video display device for receiving signals transmitted at frequencies which are outside direct sensing by the human observer and for delivering to said video display device video signals which drive said video display device to display said visual images; command receiver circuitry for receiving said command signals from said command transmitter circuitry and for deriving from said received command signals image directing signals directing modification of said visual images; and command processor circuitry coupled to said command receiver circuitry and to said video reception circuitry (a) for receiving said image directing signals, (b) for generating a cursor image signal for overlay of a cursor image onto said visual images, and (c) for displaying over a portion of said visual images a menu element display from which the human observer may select further modifications of said visual images as directed by manipulation of said remote control device by the human observer, said command processor circuitry and said command receiver circuitry and said remote control device cooperating for moving said cursor image across the area of said visual images and said menu element display to position the cursor image onto a displayed element and for directing modification of said visual images in response to selection of a displayed element overlain by the cursor image, said command processor circuitry and said video reception circuitry cooperating for displaying full motion video visual images occupying substantially the entirety of said screen area and a menu display occupying a minor portion of said screen area and overlying said full motion video visual images.

Claim 16

An intelligent television receiver comprising: a remote control device usable at some distance of separation from said television receiver and having: a housing sized to be held in the hand of the human observer; a manually engageable input device mounted in said housing for manipulation by the human observer; and control transmitter circuitry mounted in said housing and coupled to said input device for transmitting at a frequency which is outside direct sensing by the human observer command signals coordinated in a predetermined manner to manipulation of said input device by the human observer; a video display device having a predetermined screen area for displaying visual images to a human observer; video reception circuitry coupled to said video display device for receiving signals transmitted at frequencies which are outside direct sensing by the human observer and for delivering to said video display device video signals which drive said video display device to display said visual images; command receiver circuitry for receiving said command signals from said command transmitter circuitry and for deriving from said received command signals image directing signals directing modification of said visual images; and command processor circuitry coupled to said command receiver circuitry and to said video reception circuitry (a) for receiving said image directing signals, (b) for generating a cursor image signal for overlay of a cursor image onto said visual images, and (c) for displaying over a portion of said visual images a menu element display from which the human observer may select further modifications of said visual images as directed by manipulation of said remote control device by the human observer, said command processor circuitry and said command receiver circuitry and said remote control device cooperating for moving said cursor image across the area of said visual images and said menu element display to position the cursor image onto a displayed element and for directing modification of said visual images in response to selection of a displayed element overlain by the cursor image, said command processor circuitry and said video reception circuitry cooperating for displaying full motion video visual images occupying substantially the entirety of said screen area and a menu display occupying a minor portion of said screen area and overlying said full motion video visual images.

Claim 17

A television receiver according to claim 13 wherein said menu display mimics functional controls provided as remote control functions in prior television receivers.

Claim 18

A television receiver according to claim 13 wherein said menu display mimics functional controls provided as remote control functions in prior video cassette recorder/players.

Claim 19

A television receiver according to claim 13 wherein said menu display enables interactive modification of functions and functional controls by the human observer.

Claim 20

A television receiver according to claim 13 wherein said menu display embodies icons.

Claim 21

A television receiver according to claim 13 wherein said menu display embodies character strings.

Claim 24

A method according to claim 19 wherein said first mentioned signals carry analog information defining the visual images.

Claim 25

A method according to claim 19 wherein said first mentioned signals carry digitally coded information defining the visual images.

Claim 26

A method according to claim 19 wherein said first mentioned signals carry compressed digitally coded information defining the visual images.

Claim 27

A method according to claim 19 wherein said first mentioned signals are transmitted by broadcast transmission.

Claim 28

A method according to claim 19 wherein said first mentioned signals are transmitted by cable transmission.

Claim 29

A method according to claim 19 wherein said first mentioned signals are transmitted by satellite transmission.

Claim 30

A method according to claim 19 wherein said first mentioned signals are transmitted through a telecommunications network.

Claim 31

A method according to claim 19 wherein said first mentioned signals are derived as output from a video recording.

Claim 32

A method according to claim 27 wherein said first mentioned signals are derived as output from magnetic tape video recordings.

Claim 33

A method according to claim 27 wherein said first mentioned signals are derived as output from optical disk video recordings.

Claim 34

A method according to claim 19 further comprising the step of selecting between (a) delivering, as said received transmitted signals, signals received by transmission and (b) delivering, as said received transmitted signals, signals derived as output from a video recording and further comprising recording signals received as by transmission.

Claim 35

A method according to claim 19 wherein said step of generating command signals comprises manipulating a wiggle stick.

Claim 36

A method according to claim 19 wherein said step of generating command signals comprises manipulating a wobble plate.

Claim 37

A method according to claim 19 wherein said step of generating command signals comprises manipulating a track ball.

Claim 38

A method according to claim 19 wherein said step of generating command signals comprises manipulating an inertial mouse.

Claim 39

A method according to claim 19 wherein said step of transmitting command signals comprises transmitting command signals by infrared radiation.

Claim 40

A method according to claim 19 wherein said step of transmitting command signals comprises transmitting command signals by ultrasound.

Claim 41

A method according to claim 19 wherein said step of transmitting command signals comprises transmitting command signals by radio frequency.

Claim 42

A method according to claim 19 wherein said step of transmitting command signals comprises transmitting command signals through an elongate flexible conductor.

Claim 43

A method according to claim 19 further comprises the step of communicating to a remote location, through a back channel communication device, commands originating from manipulation of the remote control device by the human observer.

Claim 44

A method according to claim 39 wherein said step of communicating through a back channel communication device comprises communicating through a telecommunication modem.

Claim 45

A method according to claim 39 wherein said step of communicating through a back channel communication device comprises communicating through a cable modem.