MXPA06000012A - Method of selecting an element from a list by moving a graphics distinction and apparatus implementing the method - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention makes it possible to select an element from a list of elements represented by icons. A first element is selected by affixing a graphics distinction on its icon. When the user activates and holds a command, the said graphics distinction moves from the first icon to a second icon. A second element is selected when the graphics distinction occupies at least one determined area of the second icon representing this second element. According to a improvement, the graphics distinction moves from icon to icon, totally overlapping only a single icon at a time. The invention also relates to a device able to execute the method of selecting an element by moving a graphics distinction.

Description

METHOD OF SELECTION OF AN ELEMENT OF A LIST WHEN MOVING A DISTINCTION OF GRAPHICS AND APPLIANCE THAT IMPLEMENTS THE METHOD DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a method for selecting icons presented in a bar on a presentation screen and with an apparatus supplied with a user interconnection using the method. A user interface generally uses descriptive data to formulate suitable menus to be presented on a television screen. Among other things, this data allows the user to filter audiovisual content and select one that interests him. A graphic interconnection makes it possible to navigate between these contents and act on these contents. The MPEG-7 standard specifies descriptive data related to audiovisual content. The MPEG-7 standard is distributed by the ISO under the reference ISO / IEC JTC1 / SC29 / WG11-N5525 published in March 2003. If these contents are received from a transmission network, the descriptive data is stored in a database local and are constantly updated as a function of the content transmitted by the network. There are other descriptive data, which are also read from media such as CDs or DVDs.

In general, the descriptive data are recorded in a database of the memory of a receiver and are grouped together according to certain criteria such as: topic, language, classification of morality, and so on. The operations of interaction with a user are generally carried out with the help of an electronic program guide (EPG) that is presented on the screen. The EPG uses the recorded data and presents it on the screen. The user navigates through the presented data with the help of the navigation keys placed on a remote control. A particularly simple way to navigate is to present a bar graph of buttons placed horizontally and graphically highlight a button on the bar. Activating the "right arrow" or "left arrow" buttons moves the highlighted button; pressing the "ENTER" button initiates the activation of the selected element. If the bar represents instructions, the user can execute the instruction related to the highlighted button. The user can also select attributes of descriptive data in order to formulate lists of documents, then select a document from the presented list and download it so that it can be viewed. Such user interconnections must use numerous buttons for navigation and selection of the presented elements. Therefore, remote controls are expensive and not very aesthetic. It is known to use remote controls that are provided with a single button. The patent application WO02 / 091160 filed by the TELENOSTRA company describes a button capable of being installed in a remote control of an audiovisual device. This button has seven freedom movements (pressed, right, left, up, down, right rotated, left rotated) allowing the user to enter at least seven different instructions. The screen presents the symbol of each of the freedom movements when associating it with a function in such a way that the user knows which movement to activate in order to request the associated function. However, the mechanics of said button is complex and the cost of its integration in a remote control is significant. The document of E.U.A. 6 057 831 - SAMSUNG describes a menu that makes it possible to select a channel within a large list of channels. Part of the list is only presented while the names of the channels are explicitly indicated. A graphics bar that represents the entire channel list is presented as wallpaper. A cursor placed on the bar indicates in which part the presenting part is located. The user presents instructions for scrolling the channel list. The document of E.U.A. 5 436 637 - GAYRAUD describes a menu comprising icons that constitute horizontal bars. An arrow-shaped cursor makes it possible to select each icon. The user uses a mouse to move the cursor. The cursor is smaller than the icons, and the user can easily place the cursor over the desired icon in a way that selects it.

The document of E.U.A. 5 805 235 - BEDARD describes menus comprising icons presented in the form of horizontal bars. A graphic distinction surrounds the selected icon. The user can move the focus with the help of the direction buttons on his remote control. Document FR 2 805 698 - THOMSON published on August 31, 2001 describes a procedure for selecting a program from a list. The titles of the programs are moved through a fixed window of the screen. Pressing the buttons starts the activation of the highlighted program or stops the movement. The present invention presents a novel way of selecting an element of a graphics menu, which is easy to implement, with a limited and inexpensive navigation medium. The object of the invention is a method for selecting elements represented by icons that form an ordered series of icons that appear on a screen, comprising a step of selecting a first element by superimposing a graphic distinction applied to the first icon representing this first element; characterized in that it comprises: - a step of moving the distinction of graphics towards a second icon activated by the introduction and retention of an action entered by the user, - a step of selecting the second element represented by the second icon as soon as the distinction of graphic occupies at least a certain area of the second icon. In this way, the user can easily select various elements such as functions using only a single introduction means and instructions. The association between the presented menu and a multi-function button of a remote control provides an undeniable commercial benefit for users. A first improvement consists in the fact that the graphic distinction moves from icon to icon, completely overlapping only in a single icon at a time. In this way, the user perceives very quickly that the icon selected at a given time is one whose surface is covered mostly by the graphic distinction. Therefore, there is no ambiguity in the selection. An improvement consists in the fact that, when the graphic distinction reaches an intermediate position between two icons, its movement is accelerated so that this position, during which it is difficult for the user to determine the selected icon, lasts the minimum possible time . A variant consists in the fact that the first icon preserves the graphic distinction which extends in the course of the movement stage over the other icons. In this way, the user observes at once the direction in which the movement of the graphics distinction takes place and deduces here from the elements that will be selected soon and that he will be able to activate. An improvement consists in presenting an identifier of the second element when the graphics distinction occupies a certain area of the icon that represents this second element. In this way, at any time the user can see which element is selected. According to another improvement, the most commonly used elements are associated with the first icons in an ordered series. In this way, they will be selected more quickly during the movement stage of the graphics distinction. According to another improvement, the icons are rectangular buttons, the ordered series are represented by a bar that appears on the screen. According to another modality, the elements represented by icons are instructions that apply to the document presented as wallpaper. The method then comprises a step of executing the instruction whose icon has been highlighted by the graphic distinction, the execution is initiated by the introduction of a user action. In this way, the user can act quickly on the presentation of the document that performs the reproduction. According to another improvement, all the actions introduced by the users are carried out with one and the same button, built, for example, in a remote control associated with the device. The invention also relates to an electronic device comprising a means of presenting a series of icons representing elements, a means of generating a graphic distinction applied to a first icon representing a first element, a means for introducing an action of an user; characterized in that the means of generating the distinction of graphics move the distinction of graphics from the first icon to the second icon, the movement is activated upon the introduction of a first action in the introduction means and a means of selection of a second represented element by the second icon when the graphics distinction is applied in a certain area in at least the second icon. Other features and advantages of the invention will now become apparent in greater detail within the scope of the following description of the exemplary embodiments which are provided by way of illustration while reference is made to the accompanying figures, which represent: 1 is a block diagram of a multimedia receiver for the implementation of an exemplary embodiment of the invention, - Figure 2 presents an example of a video capture comprising a bar graph of buttons, each button represents an executable instruction when pressing the main button of a remote control, - figure 3 presents another example of a video jack comprising the bar graph of figure 2 after pressing the main button of the remote control, Figures 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f, 4g present seven details of the video recording showing the progress of the graphics bar according to a preferred exemplary embodiment, Figures 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d , 5e, 5f, 5g present seven video taking details that are shown in progress from the graphics bar according to another exemplary modality. The structure of a multimedia receiver 1 provided with a display device 2 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention will be described first. A decoder is described herein but other devices may also be usable for the present invention, for example a personal computer or a PVR, or any device capable of processing audioviscontent and having a means to create and present menus. The receiver comprises a central unit 3 linked to a program memory 12 and an interconnection 5 for communicating with a common high speed digital link 6 bit which makes it possible to transmit audio / video data in real time. This network is preferably public and it becomes possible to have access to remote servers, the most common is the IP network. The receiver also receives audio / video data from a transmission network through a receiving antenna associated with a demodulator 4. The receiver further comprises an infrared signal receiver 7 for receiving signals from a remote control 8, a memory 9. for storing audioviscontents and a database, and an audio / video decoding logic circuit 10 for generating the audiovissignals transmitted to the television screen 2. The remote control is placed with a main button 13, the various associated functions of which will be established later, "SELECTION" and "ADDRESS" buttons and possibly a numeric keypad for entering values. The memory nine advantageously a hard disk of several hundred megabytes which makes it possible to record several hours of at least audioviscontent. These audioviscontents are identified by a title recorded in the database. The receiver also comprises a circuit 11 for displaying data on the screen, often referred to as an OSD circuit, initials for "Presentation in Screen "The OSD circuit 11 is a text and graphics generator which makes it possible to present menus, pictograms (for example, a number corresponding to the presented station) and which makes it possible to present the navigation menus according to the present invention, in particular one or more bar graphs 11. The OSD circuit 11 is controlled by the central unit 13 and the content manager 12. The content manager 12 advantageously is constituted in the form of a program module recorded in a memory only It may also be constituted in the form of a special-purpose circuit of the ASIC type, for example, the digital link 6 or the transmission network sends the receiver data comprising multimedia content and descriptive data of these contents. they originate either from a transmission network or from the digital network 6. The descriptive data comprise elements called "attributes" for c Lasify accessible multimedia content. Descriptive data is metadata defined according to the MPEG7 standard. These data are stored in the database of the memory 9 of the receiver and are continuously updated. The content manager 12 extracts the information from this database and processes the first ones in a way that produces navigation menus presented on the screen, in particular one or more bar graphs. According to a preferred exemplary embodiment, the content manager 12 presents a bar graph representing a list of the functions applicable to the audioviscontent and which is accessible by the receiver 1. This bar graph is presented superimposed on the selected video content previously by the user and which is presented as wallpaper, Figure 2 shows a video shot with a video content as wallpaper and a bar graph that represents instructions on the button on the screen. In the example of FIG. 2, the device 1 plays a content recorded in the memory 9. By pressing the main button 13 of the remote control for the first time, the bar graph is highlighted. This bar consists of buttons, each containing an identifier of the various instructions available. The first button indicates the state of the receiver, in this case they indicate "play" which means that the document is currently being read, the second button represents the instruction "SKIP 3Os" in which in a single step it becomes possible to advance 30 seconds towards forward in the reading, the third button represents the instruction that makes it possible to read the content at a speed multiplied by 3, the fourth button represents the instruction that makes it possible to read the content at a speed multiplied by 6, the fifth button represents the instruction that it becomes possible to read the content at a speed multiplied by 15 and the sixth and last button represents the instruction that makes it possible to read the content at a speed multiplied by 30. Advantageously, the most commonly used instructions are placed on the buttons at the beginning of the bar , On the left side. Advantageously, each button contains an identifier of the instruction associated with this button. According to a preferred exemplary embodiment, a button is highlighted graphically. In figures 2, 3, 4 and 5, highlighting is done by applying a graphic distinction to all or part of one or more buttons. According to a preferred embodiment, the distinction of graphics consists in changing the color of the application area or in accentuating the color. A variant consists of returning the transparent buttons, marking them only with the contours, and presenting opaque the application area of the graphics distinction. Another variant is to cause the graphics distinction application area to flash. When the bar is presented, the button that is farthest to the left is highlighted graphically. If the user presses the main button 13, then the graphics distinction moves slowly to the second button identified as "SKIP". Figure 3 presents a video capture of the screen at the end of the movement. In this way, the user observes that by keeping the button 13 pressed, the distinction of graphics moves to the other buttons, intuitively, he will realize that he will be able to select the other buttons in this way. Suppose now that the time to move the graphics distinction from "PLAY" to "SKIP" is 2 seconds. If the user keeps the button pressed for more than 2 seconds, this means that he has understood that by keeping the button pressed, he selects the other buttons. Therefore, here there is no need to show you the additional teaching, according to a preferred modality, the jump beyond the "SKIP" button is done from button to button in a sudden way. A variant consists of continuing to move the graphics distinction in a continuous manner, until the last button of the bar is reached.

In all cases, when the last button is reached the movement stops even if the button is held down. The bar must make the disappearance in order that, when it reappears, the first button is selected again. Figure 4 shows the progress of the graphics bar as a function of keeping the action pressed for a long time on the main button. By observing the seven figures 4a to 4f, the user observes the progress of the graphics distinction applied to the buttons of the bar when the button 13 is held down. At the start (time TO - figure 4a), the first button of the bar graphics is highlighted. The user presses the 13 button and keeps it pressed. At the TI moment, a second, for example, the bar presents an appearance similar to Figure 4b, the graphics distinction is small and it is located on the part of the "SKIP" button. In this way the user observes that keeping the button depressed is carried out a movement to the right of the graphics distinction represented by the cursor. In this way, he deduces from this that when prolonging the pressure of the button, the distinction of graphics will continue to the right and therefore he will be able to select the buttons which are located in this direction. At a time T2 corresponding to Figure 4c, the graphics distinction increases in size and occupies half the area of the button of the second instruction "SKIP". At time T3, the bar presents an appearance similar to that of figure 4d, the graphic distinction occupies the entire area of the button identified as "SKIP". At this time, the user releases button 13, the content manager then reverses the movement direction of the graphics distinction. If at this moment the user wishes to activate the execution of the instruction related to the selected button, press the "select" button. According to the previous example, the instruction "SKIP" is executed. A variant consists of not using other buttons, in this case the user activates the execution by releasing the button and pressing on it immediately. Assume that the user simply releases the button 13, this would be the instant T4, the bar has an appearance similar to that of figure 4e, the size of the graphics distinction decreases to the right and therefore shows the user the new address of movement. At the time T5 corresponding to FIG. 4f, the graphics distinction again is of reduced size and is partly on the first and second buttons identified as "PLAY" and "SKIP". At the time T6 corresponding to Figure 4g, the graphics distinction again occupies the entire area of the "PLAY" button and thus shows the user the state of the receiver. The movement then stops and, after three seconds, the bar graph disappears. According to an improvement, when, in its movement to the right, the graphics distinction is close to the position in the middle part between the two buttons, the movement is accelerated so that the moment in which the graphics distinction is applies equally to the two buttons as briefly as possible. In this way, the passage from one button to the other is clearer to the user. Figure 4 shows an exemplary mode in which the graphics distinction is a window of invariable dimension that slides from one button to another button, from the left to the right. This slide appears as soon as the button is pressed and shows the user its effect. As a variant, figure 5 presents another way of showing the effect of keeping the button pressed, according to this variant, the distinction of graphics has a variable dimension. Advantageously, here the distinction of graphics has a similar appearance to a colored sheet which extends over the various buttons. At the beginning (figure 5a) the first button of the graphics bar is highlighted graphically, taking the color of the colored sheet. As soon as the user presses the button and holds it down, the colored sheet extends to the right and begins to occupy the second button (figure 5b). At the beginning, the identifiers of the first button and the second button remain presented. As shown in Figure 5c, when the color of the first button occupies more than about half of the second button, the identifier of the first button disappears and the identifier of the second button is placed in the middle part of the distinction of highlighted graphics. In this way, at any time the user observes the instruction that can be selected and executed. If the user prolongs the pressed, the graphics distinction is gradually set to all the buttons. Suppose that the user wishes to return to a previous instruction, releases button 13 of the remote control. The motion direction of the graphics distinction is reversed immediately. Figures 5e, 5f and 5g show the return to the starting situation. In the end, the graphics distinction is fixed only on the button identified as "PLAY". After a few seconds and without any button being pressed again, the bar graph disappears. According to another improvement when, in its extension to the right or its reduction to the left, the graph distinction reaches the middle position between the two buttons, the movement is accelerated so that the moment in the course in which it overlaps The distinction of graphics in the two elements equally is as brief as possible. In the course of this moment, the identifier of the element selected by the graphics distinction disappears. In this way the ambiguity in the selected instruction for a minimum possible time. In the first two variants, the graphics distinction is in motion. A third variant is to provide the supply to freeze its movement. According to this variant, the release of the button 13 freezes the movement of the bar graph. If the user does nothing, the bar remains presented for a certain time, 10 seconds for example and then disappears. If the user presses once more and releases immediately, then the instruction highlighted graphically at that moment is the one carried out. If the user presses once, immediately releases and presses a second time while holding down the 13 button, then the movement direction of the graphics distinction is reversed.

According to another variant of this last variant, the address inversion is carried out by another button called "ADDRESS". Advantageously, an "?" Icon is shown or "< -" at the tip of the bar so that it shows the direction of the movement that is taking place. According to the previous examples, the graphics bar is made up of buttons of rectangular shape. These examples in no way exclude the possibility that the graphic elements of which the bar is composed can reproduce other shapes such as circles, pentagons, cylinders, and so on. Likewise, the graphics bar described above in a linear manner can be represented curved or in addition in the form of a broken line. Graphic elements associated with instructions can also be associated with elements of a set such as audiovisual documents, presentation options, user names, and so on. Preferably, these elements are arranged according to their importance, the most important is highlighted graphically in the first place. In the same way, the movement of the graphics distinction can be done in any direction whatsoever. Although the present invention has been described with reference to the particular embodiments illustrated, it is in no way limited by these modalities but only by the appended claims. It will be noted that other changes or modifications may be made by a person skilled in the art to the modalities described in the foregoing without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (17)

1. Method of selecting elements represented by icons that form an ordered series of icons that appear on a screen, comprising a step of selecting a first element by superimposing a distinction of graphics applied to the first icon representing this first element; characterized by comprises: a step of moving the distinction of graphics towards a second icon activated by the introduction and maintaining an action entered by the user, a step of selecting the second element represented by the second icon as soon as the graphics distinction takes at least one area of the second icon.

2. Element selection method as described in claim 1, characterized in that the distinction of graphics moves from icon to icon, totally overlapping only one single icon at a time.

3. Method of selecting elements as described in claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a step of accelerating the movement of the graphics distinction when the latter reaches an intermediate position between 2 icons.

4. Element selection method as described in claim 1, characterized in that the first icon retains the graphics distinction which extends over the other icons in the course of the movement stage.

5. Element selection method as described in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a step of presenting an identifier of the second element when the graphics distinction occupies a certain area of the icon representing the second element.

6. Element selection method as described in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the elements most commonly used are associated with the first icons of the ordered series. Method of selecting elements as described in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the direction of movement of the graphics distinction is reversed after the introduction of a user action. 8. Element selection method as described in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the elements are instructions applied to the document presented as wallpaper, and wherein it comprises a step of executing the instruction whose icon is highlighted by the distinction of graphics subsequent to the introduction of a user action. 9. Element selection method as described in any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the actions introduced by the user are performed in one and the same button. 10. Electronic device comprising a means of presenting a series of icons representing elements, a means of generating a distinction of graphics applied to a first icon representing a first element, a means of introducing an action by a user characterized because the means of generating a graphics distinction moves to graphics distinction from the first icon to the second icon, the movement is activated upon the introduction of a first action in the introduction means and a means of selecting a second element represented by the second icon when the graphics distinction is applied to a certain area of at least the second icon. 11. Electronic device as described in claim 10, characterized in that the generation means moves the distinction of graphics from one icon to another icon, while only one icon is superimposed at a time. Electronic device as described in claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the generating means accelerates the movement of the graphics distinction when the latter reaches an intermediate position between two icons. An electronic device as described in claim 10, characterized in that the generation means maintains the distinction of graphics in the first icon and extends the distinction of graphics over the other icons in the course of the movement stage. 14. Electronic device as described in any of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that the generation means presents an identifier of the second element when the graphics distinction occupies a certain area of the icon representing the second element. 15. Electronic device as described in any of claims 10 to 14, characterized in that the generating means inverts the direction of movement of the graphics distinction subsequent to the introduction of an action in the input means. 16. Electronic device as described in any of claims 10 to 15, characterized in that the elements are instructions applied to the document presented as wallpaper, and wherein it comprises a means of executing the instruction whose icon is highlighted by the distinction of graphics subsequent to the introduction of an action in the middle of introduction. 1

7. Electronic device as described in any of claims 10 to 16, characterized in that the actions introduced by a user in the introduction means are performed on one and the same button.