US6859937B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Context-sensitive options panel
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
•
Filing: 1999-12-15
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Granted: 2005-02-22
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Expires: 2019-12-15
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides a system and method for integrating convention television viewing with Internet-related activities. A viewer accesses both conventional television features and Internet-related features from a single, familiar options panel. The options panel provides the user with a set of buttons that invoke features of both the television mode and of Internet mode. The options panel is selectively accessible at any time while either accessing the Internet or while viewing conventional television programming, the providing the user with a unified viewing experience.
Inventors
- 👤 Murari Narayan
- 👤 Alan C. Yates
- 👤 Genessa L. Krasnow
- 👤 Adam Wolff
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 12:11
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/40; H04N21/45; H04N21/462; H04N21/4622; H04N21/43; H04N21/431; H04N21/4312; H04N21/4508; H04N21/4532; H04N21/47; H04N21/478; H04N21/4782; H04N21/4786
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
204 words
In a system operating in a mode and having a graphical user interface including a display and a selection device, a method of providing user interaction with the display, comprising: displaying an options panel having at least one context option, the context option having a first action associated with a first mode of operation of the system and a second action associated with a second mode of operation of the system; in response to the context option being triggered when the system is in the first mode of operation, executing the first associated action; in response to the context option being triggered when the system is in the second mode of operation, executing the second associated action, wherein the first action includes displaying another set of options while the options panel is displayed, such that the options panel and the other set of options are displayed concurrently; and wherein the appearance and contents of the context option remains unchanged throughout the first and second modes of operation, and wherein the context option causes actions similar to a back or forward button of an Internet browser when selected while in the first mode and causes television channel selection when selected while in the second mode.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
204 words
In a system operating in a mode and having a graphical user interface including a display and a selection device, a method of providing user interaction with the display, comprising: displaying an options panel having at least one context option, the context option having a first action associated with a first mode of operation of the system and a second action associated with a second mode of operation of the system; in response to the context option being triggered when the system is in the first mode of operation, executing the first associated action; in response to the context option being triggered when the system is in the second mode of operation, executing the second associated action, wherein the first action includes displaying another set of options while the options panel is displayed, such that the options panel and the other set of options are displayed concurrently; and wherein the appearance and contents of the context option remains unchanged throughout the first and second modes of operation, and wherein the context option causes actions similar to a back or forward button of an Internet browser when selected while in the first mode and causes television channel selection when selected while in the second mode.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the context option includes visiable content that remains the same throughout the first and second modes of operation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 2 , wherein the context option causes a set of favorite Internet links to be displayed when selected while in the first mode and causes a set of favorite television channels to be displayed when selected while in the second mode.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the first mode is a television mode having a plurality of channels associated therewith and a further comprising displaying a button bar that includes a plurality of buttons that allow selection of the channels by subject matter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 4 , wherein the options panel further includes a persistent button that causes an action to occur regardless of the mode in which the system is operating.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 5 , wherein the persistant button provides a prompt for entering a uniform resource locator (URL) while the system is operating in the television mode.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1 .
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
235 words
In a system operating in a mode and having a graphical user interface including a display and a selection device, a method of providing user interaction with the display, comprising: displaying an options panel having at least one context option, the context option having a first action associated with a first mode of operation of the system and a second action associated with a second mode of operation of the system; in response to the context option being triggered when the system is in the first mode of operation, executing the first associated action; in response to the context option being triggered when the system is in the second mode of operation, executing the second associated action, wherein the first action includes displaying another set of options while the options panel is displayed, such that the options panel and the other set of options are displayed concurrently; and wherein the first mode is a television mode having a plurality of channels associated therewith and a further comprising displaying a button bar that includes a plurality of buttons that allow selection of the channels by subject matter, wherein the options panel further includes a persistent button that causes an action to occur regardless of the mode in which the system is operating, and wherein the persistent button provides a prompt for entering a uniform resource location (URL) while the system is operating in the television mode.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
235 words
In a system operating in a mode and having a graphical user interface including a display and a selection device, a method of providing user interaction with the display, comprising: displaying an options panel having at least one context option, the context option having a first action associated with a first mode of operation of the system and a second action associated with a second mode of operation of the system; in response to the context option being triggered when the system is in the first mode of operation, executing the first associated action; in response to the context option being triggered when the system is in the second mode of operation, executing the second associated action, wherein the first action includes displaying another set of options while the options panel is displayed, such that the options panel and the other set of options are displayed concurrently; and wherein the first mode is a television mode having a plurality of channels associated therewith and a further comprising displaying a button bar that includes a plurality of buttons that allow selection of the channels by subject matter, wherein the options panel further includes a persistent button that causes an action to occur regardless of the mode in which the system is operating, and wherein the persistent button provides a prompt for entering a uniform resource location (URL) while the system is operating in the television mode.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein the context option includes visible content that remains the same throughout the first and second modes of operation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 9 , wherein the context option causes a set of favorite Internet links to be displayed when selected while in the first mode and causes a set of favorite television channels to be displayed when selected while in the second mode.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 8 , wherein the appearance and contents of the context option remains unchanged throughout the first and second modes of operation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 11 , wherein the context option causes actions similar to a back or forward button of an Internet browser when selected while in the first mode and causes television channel selection when selected while in the second mode.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 8 .
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2008-02-22 | 2008-08-23 | 2009-02-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-02-22 | 2012-08-23 | 2013-02-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2016-02-22 | 2016-08-23 | 2017-02-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |