Apple was granted a patented titled – Menu overlay including context dependent menu icon by the USPTO today. Apple has been rumoured to be working a full fledge TV set. This patent shows that Apple is getting ever closer to revolutionising the way we watch TV.
Patent Background:
Media devices, such as digital video receivers and recorders, can include multiple functions and capabilities, such as recording and replaying stored content, and the like. Often content, browsing and selecting from recorded content and broadcast context, and the like. Often the large number of options and menus available to a user are not presented to the user in an intuitive manner. Additionally, the associated control devices, such as remote controls, often have many single-function and multi-function input keys. Such remotes often have many unintuitive key combinations and sequences that can be difficult for a user to invoke or remember. The lack of an intuitive user interface and a similarly uncomplicated control device are often a source of user frustration.
The Invention:
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for generating a menu in a video environment for video that can be display in one or more contexts. In one example, the menu includes a menu overlay and a video is maintained within the menu overlay. For example, the video may be shown through a translucent menu overlay. One or more context dependent icons may be generated within the menu overlay.
In one example implementation, video can be displayed in one of a plurality of contexts in an onscreen display area. In response to the menu command, a menu overlay is generated within the onscreen display area while maintaining the video within the onscreen display, and one or more context icons based on the one of the plurality of contexts is generated within the menu overlay. In one example, the video is maintained within the onscreen display by maintaining the video within the menu overlay. For example, the menu overlay can be a translucent menu overlay.
In another example implementation, a video system includes a video input device, a data store, a handheld remote, and a processing device. The video input device receives video data, and the data store stores the video data. The handheld remote includes a rotational input to generate remote control signals. The processing device is in communication with the video input device, the data store and the handheld remote, and is configured to process and display video in one of a plurality of contexts in a video environment. In response to a first remote control signal received from the handheld remote, the processing device generates a menu overlay within the video environment while maintaining the video within the video environment and generates within the menu overlay a context icon based on the one of the plurality of contexts.
Image Credit: Patently Apple
