Abstract:
A processor-based system for controlling the play of audio/visual information can be set to automatically respond to an interruption command. An interruption command may include either mute, pause or a combination of the two. The user may be provided with a graphical user interfaces which enable the user to select different audio/visual information to play after an interruption command. In addition, in some embodiments, the user may define the duration of the interruption. Also, the system may adaptively respond to the way the user uses interruption features to automatically modify those features or to prompt the user to modify them.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This invention relates generally to processor-based systems and particularly to processor-based systems for controlling video and audio play. 
     A number of conventional consumer electronic devices control the play of video and/or audio information. As used herein, the term “audio/visual information” refers to data associated with video, audio, the combination of video and audio or the combination of video, audio and other information such as control information or text, as examples. Examples of consumer electronic equipment responsible for play of audio/visual information include digital video disks (DVD) players, compact disk (CD) players, hard disk drives, and video cassette recorders (VCRs). Examples of audio/video information formats include VCR cassette, audio tape, CD, DVD playback or real time play of television or Internet information. In addition, processor-based systems may be used to control the play of any of the above identified devices. 
     A processor-based system called a set top computer may be used to control the play of audio/visual information, for example on a conventional television receiver. Set top computers commonly sit on top of a television receiver and tune to an audio/visual transport medium. 
     In addition, processor-based technology may be incorporated into conventional appliances, including a variety of audio/visual information playback devices. The combination of the audio/visual information playback equipment with processor-based control enables the user to have greater influence over the way information is played. While the user may incur some additional costs for processor-based technology, the user can conceivably reap advantages in terms of better control. 
     Thus, there is a continuing need to provide better control of the play of audio/visual information using processor-based systems. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with one aspect, a method for interrupting the play of audio/visual information includes detecting a request to interrupt audio/visual information play. The play of the audio/visual information is interrupted in response to such a command. A timer is initiated and after a timeout of the timer, the interrupted audio/visual information play is restored. 
     Other aspects are described in the accompanying detailed description and claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one processor-based system in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 shows a dialog box of a graphical user interface in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 shows a dialog box for a graphical user interface in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a flow chart for software for implementing one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a flow chart for software for implementing another embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a flow chart for software for implementing still another embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 7 is a schematic depiction of hardware for implementing the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A processor-based system  10 , shown in FIG. 1, may include a television receiver  12 , a processor-based unit  14 , which is illustrated as a set top computer, and a remote control unit  16  which may interact with the processor-based unit  14  and the television receiver  12 . In particular, in one embodiment of the present invention, the remote control unit (RCU)  16  may include an infrared transceiver  20  which communicates with an infrared transceivers  18  and  22  on the television receiver  12  and the processor-based unit  14 . The RCU  16  enables the user to input commands to control the display of audio/visual information on the receiver  12  including its display screen  24 . 
     The processor-based system may be coupled to audio/visual information players such as CD/DVD player  162 , a VCR  164 , and a hard disk drive  148 . In addition, a connection to the Internet may be afforded through a modem  160 . 
     While the present is illustrated in connection with an embodiment using a set top computer system, other embodiments may include a variety of other arrangements including any of a variety of processor-based systems. Examples of processor-based systems that may control audio/visual information play include desktop computers, laptop computers, and appliances including consumer electronic equipment responsible for the playback of audio/visual information. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, the RCU  16  includes a mouse control  26  which includes left, right and up and down cursor controls  28  and a left mouse select button  30 . In addition, the RCU  16  may include a mute button  32 , a pause button  34  and a combined mute/pause button  36 . In addition, conventional numerical controls may be provided as indicated at  38 . In some embodiments of the present invention, the RCU  16  may also function as a remote telephone receiving handset. In general, the RCU  16  allows the user to provide commands to the processor-based unit  14  for controlling the play of audio/visual information. 
     A graphical user interface  40  illustrated in FIG. 2 in the form of a configuration dialog box, enables the user to select a variety of user selectable audio/visual information play interruption options. As used herein an audio/visual information play interruption may include an audio play interruption of the type accomplished through a mute feature or a video play interruption of the type accomplished through a pause feature. Each case involves a temporary cessation of audio/visual information presentation. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, separate mute  42  and pause  46  graphical user interfaces are provided together with a global interface  44 . Thus, in some embodiments, the user may set global configuration commands that are the same for both mute and pause interruptions. In other cases, the user may selectively determine configurations for mute and pause independently. A graphical user interface that is essentially the same as the mute interface  42  may be used for the global, mute and pause options. The only difference may be that instead of indicating “muting”, as does the interface  42 , the pause screen  46  may indicate “pausing”, and the global screen  44  may indicate “muting or pausing”. 
     The first set of configuration selections are audio/visual information content based as indicated at  48 . This allows the user to provide alternate audio/visual content depending on the content that is playing when the interruption command is received. For example, if the user were watching TV content, and the user decided to answer a phone call, the user can input a selection at  50  which causes other audio/visual information to be automatically played during the interruption. As indicated at  50 , other possibilities include playing a CD, playing PC audio, playing PC video, display a screen saver or a simple interruption which simply stops audio and video. 
     The user can select the file or track which will be played back during the interruption period by selecting the icon  52  labeled “select file or track”. Upon operating the select file or track icon  52 , for example by “pressing” the button  30  when a cursor is positioned on the icon, a graphical user interface appears which allows the user to give the file or track name for the information to be played during the interruption period. Since in this example the selection  50  is based on television content, generally the alternative or interruption content is a medium other than television. 
     A timer  58  may be selected to set a user definable time period for any interruption operation. That is, when the user selects an interruption, its time period is defined in accordance with the configuration setting entered through the icon  58 . The time input icon  58  may include a scale which may cycle through a series of selectable times. The times increase when operating the right arrow or decrease when operating the left arrow, using the cursor and the button  30 . When the selected time period is up, the interruption is automatically terminated and the TV content automatically resumes. 
     A configuration setting section  54  provides a number of additional user selections including linked mute/pause. Mute and pause may be linked through this particular feature. In such case, selecting mute or pause results in the same operation for the corresponding content type such as television. In this way, the user need not separately program the same function for both mute and pause operations. Although different definitions of mute and pause may abound, as used herein, “mute” refers to temporarily ceasing audio play and “pause” refers to temporarily ceasing both audio and visual play. 
     Next, the user may select the adaptive mute setting icon  56 . Selecting the icon  56  causes the system to automatically adapt to a variety of different user behaviors. Referring to FIG. 3, a graphical user interface  76 , illustrated in the form of a configuration dialog box, allows the user to preset the type of adaptations automatically implemented by the processor-based system. 
     For example, referring to icon  78 , a recurring pause time may be set. The system may be configured to watch for recurring interruptions and to extend the pause or mute persistence time when such interruptions occur repeatedly. Alternatively, it may automatically switch to a simple pause or mute after a number of consecutive uses of the mute or pause feature. The idea is that if the user is repeatedly interrupting play it may be disconcerting to continuing to insert other media for repeated short time intervals. Thus, it may be desirable to either increase the time of the interruptions or to simply terminate the play of other audio/visual information during the interruptions. The user can set the amount of time between sequential interruptions, which is deemed recurring, by inputting a time period, or a high or low indication, using the graphical user interface  80 . The interface  80  includes left and right arrows to increase or decrease the time interval. 
     Referring next to icon  82 , the user can also program the response to a recurring interruption such as a pause. As indicated at the icon  84 , illustrated as a drop down menu, the response can vary from no response at all to extending the time of the pause or mute, selecting a static mute/pause, or modifying the programming on the fly. If modifying the programming on the fly is selected, the user may be prompted, after recurring pauses, to indicate whether the user wishes to automatically change the pre-programmed response to an interruption command. Alternatively, the user may set a global setting for his or her own user programmable response. 
     Next, the user can set an auto resume configuration as indicated at  86 . The graphical user interface  88  allows the user to make the responses automatic or to provide a system prompt to the user to provide modifications at the time of the interrupt command. In the case of automatic response, when repeated interruptions occur, the interruption period may be linearly, progressively increased for interruptions which occur within a specified time period of a previous interruption. In some cases, a blinking message light with a short audible tone may alert the user to the activation of this feature. 
     Returning now to FIG. 2, the interface  60  allows the user to select the interrupt operation when CD content is being played. The user is offered essentially the same type of configurations  62  which were described previously. However, of course, when CD content is the main content, and that content is interrupted, television content may be substituted. Similarly, when DVD is the main content as indicated at  64 , the user may be provided alternative play as indicated at  66  which may include muted television. 
     When the user mutes VCR content as indicated at  68 , the user programmable selection  70  may include showing muted television, playing a CD, playing PC audio, playing PC video, display a screen saver or a simple mute. Similarly, when muting PC operations including Internet content as indicated at  72 , a variety of other playback media, indicated at  74 , may be offered. For example, the user can mute or pause a video game and substitute television or other audio/visual information in its place. 
     Referring now to FIG. 4, software  90  for implementing one embodiment of the present invention, begins by determining whether an interruption has been selected, as indicated at diamond  92 . If so, a check at diamond  94  determines whether mute and pause have been slaved together. If so, as indicated in block  96 , the slave function is implemented wherein mute and pause are linked together. Thereafter, a check at diamond  98  indicates whether adaptive mute or pause has been selected. If not, the flow proceeds, as indicated in block  100 , to the variable content flow illustrated in FIG.  5 . 
     If adaptive mute or pause has been selected, an inquiry at diamond  102  determines whether a recurring mute or pause has occurred. If so, the user configuration settings (which may have been entered using the graphical user interface  76 ) are implemented and the flow proceeds to FIG.  5 . 
     As shown in FIG. 5, variable content configuration settings may be implemented by the software  106 . Initially, an inquiry at diamond  108  determines whether variable content selections have been made for the various types of media which may be played. If the user has selected variable content, the system  10  must identify the medium currently playing (block  109 ). One way to do this is to identify and store the RCU  26  command to activate a player such as the VCR  164 , hard disk drive  148  or CD/DVD player  162 . The alternate content is played according to the primary audio/visual content active at the time mute or pause are selected, as indicated at block  110 . Thus, as indicated in FIG. 2, depending on the content that was interrupted, a variety of different contents may be pre-selected by the user for play during the interruption period. Thereafter, as indicated in block  112 , the flow proceeds to the timed mute or pause configuration section, shown in FIG.  6 . 
     Referring next to FIG. 6, the software  114  for timed mute or pause is illustrated. Initially a check at diamond  116  determines whether the timed mute or pause option has been selected. If not, the flow is over. Otherwise, a timer is initialized as indicated in block  118 . Conventionally, the timer is a software timer. At diamond  120  a check determines whether or not the timer has timed out. The amount of time to a time out may be selected by the user through the graphical user interface  58 . If the timer has not timed out, the time is incremented as indicated in block  122  and the loop proceeds until a time out is detected. 
     After a time out is detected, a check at diamond  124  determines whether or not the user has selected the modify feature. The modify feature may be selected using the graphical user interface  88  in FIG.  3 . If so, the user may be prompted to select modifications after recurring interruptions as indicated in block  126 . At block  128 , the system accepts and implements the modifications. 
     Turning now to FIG. 7, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a system which implements a set top computer includes a processor  130 . In one embodiment, the processor may be coupled to an accelerated graphics port (AGP) (See Accelerated Graphics Port Interface Specification, Revision 1.0, published on Jul. 31, 1996 by Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, Calif.) chipset  132  for implementing an accelerated graphics port embodiment. The chipset  132  communicates with the AGP port  134  and the graphics accelerator  136 . The television  12  may be coupled to the video output of the graphics accelerator  136 . The chipset  132  accommodates the system memory  138 . The chipset  132  is also coupled to a bus  140 . The bus  140  couples a TV tuner/capture card  142  which is coupled to an antenna  144  or other video input port, such as a cable input port, a satellite receiver/antenna or the like. The TV tuner and capture card  142  selects a desired television channel and also performs the video capture function. One exemplary video capture card is the ISVR-III video capture card available from Intel Corporation. 
     The bus  140  is also coupled to a bridge  146  which couples a hard disk drive  148 , a CD/DVD player  162 , and a VCR  164 . The software  90  may be stored on the hard disk  148 . The bridge  146  is also coupled to another bus  150 . The bus  150  may be coupled to a serial input/output (SIO) device  152 . The device  152  is in turn coupled to conventional components such as a mouse  154 , a keyboard  156 , an infrared interface  158  for communicating with the remote control unit  16 , and a modem  160 . Also connected to the bus  150  is a basic input/output system (BIOS)  168 . 
     Through embodiments of the present invention, the user can select the response of the system to either muting, pausing or otherwise interrupting the play of audio/visual information. In some embodiments, the user can set up a timer which controls when to resume the play of the selected audio/visual information. The time out period may be configured by the user. In addition, in other embodiments of the present invention, the user can select a variety of different media to play during an interruption. Moreover, the user can provide different interruption media depending on the media playing when pause or mute was selected. Thus, the system can play musical selections or TV content automatically when transport based content is paused or muted. 
     A variety of graphical user interfaces have been described in connection with the present invention. Generally, these graphical user interfaces may be implemented by the processor  130 . In particular, graphical user interfaces amount to data, files or other information which may be stored in various storage media on the system for execution and display by the processor-based system  10 . 
     While the present invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate numerous modifications and variations therefrom. It is intended that the appended claims cover all such modifications and variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of this present invention.