US6678891B1 — Navigational user interface for interactive telev…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 157 words

A navigational user interface system for interactive television, comprising: (a) means for displaying pages, the pages being displayed individually and in consecutive order, and the pages having cells from which a selection can be made; (b) first stationary means for focusing on a selected page and displaying related cells containing a series of choices; and (c) second stationary means for focusing on a selected cell and displaying a drawable containing information about the cell, wherein the cells rotate into and out of the second stationary focus means, and wherein the cells are contained within a grid of cells having rows and columns, each row of,cells being scrollable to the left and to the right, and each scroll giving focus to a different cell in the row until the last cell in the row in the direction of scrolling receives focus, at which point further scrolling in the same direction causing focus to remain with the last cell.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 157 words

A navigational user interface system for interactive television, comprising: (a) means for displaying pages, the pages being displayed individually and in consecutive order, and the pages having cells from which a selection can be made; (b) first stationary means for focusing on a selected page and displaying related cells containing a series of choices; and (c) second stationary means for focusing on a selected cell and displaying a drawable containing information about the cell, wherein the cells rotate into and out of the second stationary focus means, and wherein the cells are contained within a grid of cells having rows and columns, each row of,cells being scrollable to the left and to the right, and each scroll giving focus to a different cell in the row until the last cell in the row in the direction of scrolling receives focus, at which point further scrolling in the same direction causing focus to remain with the last cell.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 21 words

The navigational user interface system of claim 1 , further comprising a user input means for movement control and choice selection.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 49 words

The navigational user interface system of claim 2 , wherein the pages contain cells representing various retailers and items of merchandise for purchase, the user input means focusing on a desired cell for selection and selecting the desired cell, and the item of merchandise being displayed for viewer purchasing.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 75 words

The navigational user interface system of claim 1 , wherein the cells are contained within a grid of cells having rows and columns, each column of cells being scrollable up and down, and each scroll giving focus to a different cell in the column until the last cell in the column in the direction of scrolling receives focus, at which point further scrolling in the same direction causing focus to remain with the last cell.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 266 words

A navigational user interface system for interactive television, comprising: (a) a display; (b) an interface generation means coupled to the display for displaying a first axis and a second axis, the interface generation means also displaying a drawable, (c) a category item contained and displayed within the first axis; (d) a menu item contained and displayed within the second axis; (e) a user input means coupled to the interface generation means, the user input means including movement control for focusing on a desired display element for selection, the user input means focusing on selected ones of the category item and the interface generation means displaying related menu items corresponding to the selected category item, and the user input means focusing on selected ones of the menu items and the interface generation means displaying related drawables corresponding to the selected menu item; and (f) a pruning means for eliminating options from a list for presenting a choice of options having user defined characteristics, wherein the pruning means presents a choice of restaurants having user defined first and second characteristics, wherein focusing on the category item is accomplished by rotating category item nodes into and out of focus on the first axis, and wherein focusing on the menu item is accomplished by rotating the menu item nodes into and out of focus on the second axis, and wherein the category items are category icons representing various first level characteristics of a restaurant, and the menu items are menu icons representing various second level characteristics of a restaurant corresponding to the various first level characteristics of the category icons.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 266 words

A navigational user interface system for interactive television, comprising: (a) a display; (b) an interface generation means coupled to the display for displaying a first axis and a second axis, the interface generation means also displaying a drawable, (c) a category item contained and displayed within the first axis; (d) a menu item contained and displayed within the second axis; (e) a user input means coupled to the interface generation means, the user input means including movement control for focusing on a desired display element for selection, the user input means focusing on selected ones of the category item and the interface generation means displaying related menu items corresponding to the selected category item, and the user input means focusing on selected ones of the menu items and the interface generation means displaying related drawables corresponding to the selected menu item; and (f) a pruning means for eliminating options from a list for presenting a choice of options having user defined characteristics, wherein the pruning means presents a choice of restaurants having user defined first and second characteristics, wherein focusing on the category item is accomplished by rotating category item nodes into and out of focus on the first axis, and wherein focusing on the menu item is accomplished by rotating the menu item nodes into and out of focus on the second axis, and wherein the category items are category icons representing various first level characteristics of a restaurant, and the menu items are menu icons representing various second level characteristics of a restaurant corresponding to the various first level characteristics of the category icons.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 24 words

The navigational user interface system of claim 5 , wherein the input generation means also displaying related drawables corresponding to the selected category item.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 22 words

The navigational user interface system of claim 5 , wherein the user input means having a selecting means for selecting an option.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 39 words

The navigational user interface system of claim 5 , wherein the category items are category icons representing various show genres, and the menu items are menu icons representing shows corresponding to the various show genres of the category icons.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 67 words

The navigational user interface system of claim 8 , wherein the user input means focusing on selected category icons and the interface generation means displaying related menu icons representing shows corresponding to the selected category icon representing a desired show genre, and the user input means focusing on the selected menu icon and the interface generation means displaying a related drawable corresponding to the selected menu icon.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 23 words

The navigational user interface system of claim 9 , wherein the drawable contains previews of the show corresponding to the selected menu icon.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 26 words

The navigational user interface system of claim 9 , wherein the interface generation means displaying a select icon when a selected menu icon is in focus.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 34 words

The navigational user interface system of claim 9 , wherein the user input means selects a show corresponding to the focused menu icon for viewing, and the selected show is delivered to the display.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 14 words

The navigational user interface system of claim 5 , further comprising cells containing choices.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 27 words

The navigational user interface system of claim 13 , wherein the user input means focusing on a desired cell, the selecting means for selecting the focused cell.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 23 words

The navigational user interface system of claim 13 , wherein the interface generation means displaying a page corresponding to the selected focused cell.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 23 words

The navigational user interface system of claim 5 , further comprising pages, the pages are generated and displayed by the interface generation means.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 31 words

The navigational user interface system of claim 16 , wherein the pages are displayed individually and in consecutive order, and the pages having cells from which a selection can be made.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 189 words

A navigational user interface method for interactive television, comprising: (a) displaying a first axis and a second axis; (b) displaying a drawable; (c) displaying a category item contained and displayed within the first axis; (d) displaying a menu item contained and displayed within the second axis; (e) focusing on selected ones of the category item and displaying related menu items corresponding to the selected category item; (f) focusing on selected ones of the menu items displaying related drawables corresponding to the selected menu item; and (g) eliminating options from a list and presenting a choice of options having user defined characteristics, wherein the category items are category icons representing various first level characteristics of a restaurant, and the menu items are menu icons representing various second level characteristics of a restaurant corresponding to the various first level characteristics of the category icons, and wherein focusing on the category item is accomplished by rotating category item nodes into and out of focus on the first axis, and wherein focusing on the menu item is accomplished by rotating the menu item nodes into and out of focus on the second axis.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 189 words

A navigational user interface method for interactive television, comprising: (a) displaying a first axis and a second axis; (b) displaying a drawable; (c) displaying a category item contained and displayed within the first axis; (d) displaying a menu item contained and displayed within the second axis; (e) focusing on selected ones of the category item and displaying related menu items corresponding to the selected category item; (f) focusing on selected ones of the menu items displaying related drawables corresponding to the selected menu item; and (g) eliminating options from a list and presenting a choice of options having user defined characteristics, wherein the category items are category icons representing various first level characteristics of a restaurant, and the menu items are menu icons representing various second level characteristics of a restaurant corresponding to the various first level characteristics of the category icons, and wherein focusing on the category item is accomplished by rotating category item nodes into and out of focus on the first axis, and wherein focusing on the menu item is accomplished by rotating the menu item nodes into and out of focus on the second axis.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 28 words

The navigational user interface method of claim 18 , wherein focusing on selected ones of the category item also displays related drawables corresponding to the selected category item.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 15 words

The navigational user interface method of claim 18 , further comprising selecting a presented option.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 34 words

The navigational user interface method of claim 18 , wherein focusing on the category item indicates a particular choice of show genre, and focusing on the menu item indicates a particular choice of show.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 45 words

The navigational user interface method of claim 21 , wherein focusing on selected category item generates menu items having shows corresponding to the selected category item's show genre, and focusing on the selected menu item and generating the drawable corresponding to the selected menu item.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 23 words

The navigational user interface method of claim 22 , further comprising previewing the show corresponding to the selected menu icon in the drawable.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 25 words

The navigational user interface method of claim 22 , further comprising generating and displaying a select icon when a selected menu icon is in focus.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 30 words

The navigational user interface method of claim 22 , further comprising selecting a show corresponding to the focused menu icon for viewing, and delivering the selected show to a display.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 23 words

The navigational user interface method of claim 18 , further comprising presenting a choice of restaurants having user defined first and second characteristics.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 15 words

The navigational user interface method of claim 18 , further comprising displaying cells containing choices.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 21 words

The navigational user interface method of claim 27 , further comprising focusing on a desired cell, and selecting the focused cell.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 20 words

The navigational user interface method of claim 27 , further comprising displaying a page corresponding to the selected focused cell.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 13 words

The navigational user interface method of claim 18 , further comprising displaying pages.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 31 words

The navigational user interface method of claim 30 , wherein the pages are displayed individually and in consecutive order, and the pages having cells from which a selection can be made.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2007-01-12	2007-07-14	2008-01-13	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2011-01-12	2011-07-14	2012-01-13	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2015-01-12	2015-07-14	2016-01-13	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Navigational user interface for interactive television

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