Abstract:
The present invention relates to a video program menu system and menu control device thereof. The main structure comprises a video converting device, a display screen, and a menu control device. The video converting device can be used to receive at least one video on demand program data and comprises a plurality of program class name fields, a plurality of program data display sections, and a program preview section therein. A main menu and a sub-menu can be arranged on the display screen. At least one program class name fields will be displayed on the main menu, and a plurality of program data display sections and a program preview display section are displayed on the sub-menu. The program data display section is used to show a name or description of one of the programs. When a consumer chooses to highlight one of the program data display sections, program preview content of the highlighted program data display section can be displayed in the program preview display section. Further, direction controls of the menu control device will be redefined to increase convenience in using the control device. Thereby, not only it is convenient for consumers to search, preview, or order programs or movies to be watched, but best performance of the program advertisements can be made.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention is related to a video program menu system and menu control device thereof, more particularly to a menu control device is not only convenient for consumers to search, preview, or order programs or movies to be watched, but best performance of the program advertisements can be made.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Accordingly, by the improvement of video industry, a large amount of video programs, such as movies, dramas, news, sports, cartoons, karaoke, teaching, financial analysis, shopping, etc., are provided to public consumers to understand and choose to watch any time by channel vendors, system vendors, network vendors, or hotel vendors.  
         [0003]     However, how to let consumers easy to choose programs or movies to be watches or bought from a variety of programs but not to waste time and effort to pick up programs without destination is an object chased and expected by vendors or consumers.  
         [0004]     Therefore, vendors nowadays provide a video on demand (VOD) system or an interactive program guides (IPG) system which mainly classifies various programs are depending on their properties and show the classified program classes and corresponding program names by paper or directly by a display screen to provide consumers to view and choose program content to be watched conveniently any time. All program content or movie content are mainly stored in a video server and sent to the display screen or a data storage device of consumers through a transferring line at correct time after obtaining a notification of watching or ordering from consumers to ensure to provide to consumers to watch.  
         [0005]     Please refer to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2A  to  FIG. 2E , which are operating flow chart of a prior art video program menu system and diagrams of screen display in each operating step, respectively. As shown in the figures, when a consumer wants to process the VOD or IPG system in a state which a display screen  20  is on, the display screen  20  will appear a main menu  21 . Various program class menus  210  are shown in the main menu  21 , such as romance  211 , comedy  213 , drama  215 , action  217 , crime  219 , etc., as shown in  FIG. 2A .  
         [0006]     In step  101 , the consumer can operate the cursor to click a position by a menu control device (e.g. a remote controlling device), for example, using the cursor to choose a program class, action  217 , in  FIG. 2A  to enter a next menu interface, as shown in  FIG. 2B .  
         [0007]     In step  102  and  FIG. 2B , the display screen  20  appears a program name list  23  automatically. The program name list  23  includes a plurality of program name fields  230 , such as Speed  231 , Air Force One  233 , Taxi,  235 , The One  237 , and Brave Heart  239  shown in the figure. Every program name field  230  can be used to show a name of the program.  
         [0008]     In step  103  and  FIG. 2C , the display screen  20  appears a program preview picture  251  and program text description  253  automatically. The program preview picture  251  and the program text description  253  show and highlight a program picture and associated description related to the program name field, such as content introduction, director, actor/actress in a leading role, length of movie, playing time, or movie rate, etc.  
         [0009]     In step  104  and  FIG. 2D , the display screen  20  appears a program preview short  27  automatically. The content shown in the program preview short  27  is a program pilot film associated with the highlighted program name field.  
         [0010]     In step  105  and  FIG. 2E , if the chosen program or movie to be watched is a pay system, the display screen  20  will appear an order menu  29  automatically. It can include various ordering conditions or confirmation, such as a program name, order price, length of movie, playing time, parental control code, payment choice, etc. Further, choosing an ordering function key  291  to confirm whether agree to order this program or movie or not. If yes, continue to step  106 . If not, proceed step  115 .  
         [0011]     In step  115 , the consumer chooses whether to continue the VOD or IPG system. If no, exit and end the previous mentioned system. If yes, continue to step  116 .  
         [0012]     In step  116 , the consumer decides whether to continue to choose programs or movies to be watched in the same program class, such as action  217 . If yes, return to step  102 , and re-choose the program name list  23  to be viewed in the same program class. If not, return to step  101 , and re-choose in the main menu  21 .  
         [0013]     In step  106 , the consumer finishes an ordering process of the content of the program or movie through the ordering menu  29 .  
         [0014]     In step  107 , the consumer can watch the content of the chosen or ordered program or movie through the display screen  20  right away or later on at a specified time.  
         [0015]     Of course, if VOD and IPG are not pay systems, after completing step  104  to device the program to be watched, proceed step  107  directly to watch the chosen program.  
         [0016]     Although in the previous mentioned video program menu system, the consumer can pick out the program or movie which he/she is interested in watching, there still existed the following shortcomings: 
        1. When the consumer chooses the program or movie, he/she has to repeatedly proceed the program class menu or program menu process, then after a highlighting program name field process, corresponding program preview short is shown. It is not only inconvenient in use but also loses time in operating.     2. The program preview short only can be shown after highlighting the program name field, and choosing is only based on the program name, the effect of the program advertisement is neither real-time nor outstanding, the best advertisement effect cannot be done.     3. All of the related description of the program cannot be shown on the screen display at the same time. For example, a program preview short is shown, meanwhile other program name fields cannot be viewed. A back process must be done, and then they are shown. It is inconvenient in use.     4. Up, down, left, and right direction keys of the menu controller can only control choosing up, down, left, and right moving positions of the cursor. If a wrong direction key is pressed at the border position, the cursor will not move. It is inconvenient in use and not human-friendly.        
 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]     Accordingly, how to design a video program menu system and menu control device thereof for effectively resolving the shortcomings of the previous mentioned not only for consumers to preview or buy programs or movies to be watched but only for program advertisements to have the best performance is the key point of the present invention.  
         [0022]     It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a video program menu system which the program class name fields of the main menu of and the program data display section and program preview display section of the sub-menu of can be shown on the same screen display. Therefore, all related information of the programs can be viewed on a screen display at the same time. Thereby it is convenient for consumers to choose the class, program, or movie to be watched quickly and easily.  
         [0023]     It is a secondary object of the present invention to provide a video program menu system of which shown content of the sub-menu is decided by the choice of the program class name fields in the main menu. A plurality of program data display sections in the sub-menu can be arranged the peripheral positions around the sub-menu. By choosing or traversing one of the program data display sections, related program preview short will be shown in the program preview display section at the same time. Therefore, it is fast to view the program preview short. It is not only convenient for consumers to choose programs or movies to be watched, but also the best performance of the program advertisements can be achieved.  
         [0024]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a video program menu system wherein the content of the program class name fields of the main menu can be adjusted according to their preferences by consumers to achieve an object of fast searching and managing.  
         [0025]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a menu control device of the video program menu system. The direction operating setup of its cursor position is set based on logical thoughts of normal people such that consumers can feel freer to use such a manipulating interface in operating to fully achieve an object of human-friendly interface. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0026]      FIG. 1  is a operating flow chart of a prior art video program menu system;  
         [0027]      FIG. 2A  to  FIG. 2E  are respectively diagrams of the screen display of the prior art video program menu system in each operating step;  
         [0028]      FIG. 3A  is a diagram of the screen display of a preferred embodiment of the present invention video program menu system;  
         [0029]      FIG. 3B  is a diagram of the screen display of the present invention video program menu system in operating process;  
         [0030]      FIG. 4  is a diagram of the screen display of another embodiment of the present invention video program menu system;  
         [0031]      FIG. 5  is a diagram of the screen display of another embodiment of the present invention video program menu system;  
         [0032]      FIG. 6  is diagram of the screen display of the homepage of the present invention video program menu system;  
         [0033]      FIG. 7  is diagram of a menu control device of the present invention video program menu system; and  
         [0034]      FIG. 8  is an operating flow chart of the menu control device of the present invention video program menu system. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0035]     The structural features and the effects to be achieved may further be understood and appreciated by reference to the presently preferred embodiments together with the detailed description.  
         [0036]     Firstly, referring to  FIG. 3A , shows a diagram of the screen display of a preferred embodiment of the present invention video program menu system. As illustrated in this figure, when a consumer wants to proceed VOD or IPG system in a state of a display screen  30  being on, a pre-stored content of a memory  417  of a video converting device  41  will appear on the display screen  30  at the same time. It can include a main menu  31  and a sub-menu  33  wherein the main menu  31  includes a plurality of program class name fields  310 , for example, as shown in  FIG. 3A , romance  311 , comedy  313 , drama  315 , popular  317 , crime  319 , etc. The sub-menu  33  includes a plurality of program data display sections  330 , such as Taxi  331 , Air Force One  332 , Speed  333 , The One  334 , Brave Heart  335 , MIB  336 , Titanic  337 , Hitler  338 , and a program preview display section wherein the plurality of program data display sections  330  are arranged at peripheral positions around the sub-menu  33 , and central position of the sub-menu  33  surrounded by the program data display sections  330 , Taxi  331 , Air Force One  332 , Speed  333 , The One  334 , Brave Heart  335 , MIB  336 , Titanic  337 , Hitler  338 , is a program preview display section  35 .  
         [0037]     Further, the main menu  31  is part content of a video on demand program data  535 . The video on demand program data  535  is stored in a program database  53  of a video server  50 , then processed and stored in a memory  417  by a video controller  51 , a transferring line, a video receiver  411  of a video converting device  41 , and an internal signal processor  415 , and shown on the screen display  30 .  
         [0038]     Of course, the previous mentioned video converting device  41  can be built-in the screen display  30  during the manufacturing process of the screen display  30  to further reduce the entire volume.  
         [0039]     The content shown in each sub-menu  33  is decide by the program class name fields  310  ( 311 ,  313 ,  315 ,  317 , and  319 ) chosen in the main menu  31 , as shown in the main menu  31  in the figure wherein the chosen program class name field  310  is popular  317 , so the sub-menu  33  shows the content pre-stored and set in the popular  317 . The content can include one of the corresponding text description, picture display, movie preview, and a combination thereof of the programs Taxi  331 , Air Force One  332 , Speed  333 , The One  334 , Brave Heart  335 , MIB  336 , Titanic  337 , and Hitler  338 . The content of the program preview display section  35  is decided by the program chosen in the program data display section ( 331 ,  332 ,  333 ,  334 ,  335 ,  336 ,  337 , and  338 ). In the figure, the chosen program data display section is Speed  333 , so the program preview display section  35  has the corresponding text description section  351  and short preview section  355  of the program Speed. The text description section  351  will show program data  353 , e.g. content introduction, director, actor/actress in a leading role, length of movie, playing time, or movie rate, etc., and the short preview section  355  will show a program preview short  357 .  
         [0040]     Further, referring to  FIG. 3B , shows a diagram of the screen display of the present invention video program menu system in operating process. As shown in the figure, when the cursor is moved to Air Force One  332  from Speed  333 , the content shown in the program preview display section  35  will change accordingly. However, in operation, the corresponding program description in other program data display sections ( 331 ,  332 ,  333 ,  334 ,  335 ,  336 ,  337 , and  338 ) still exist. Therefore, it is not only convenient for the consumer to choose and view, but force the consumer to notice other programs, movies, or program preview shorts to achieve an object of the program or movie advertisements having the best performance.  
         [0041]     Of course, in another embodiment of the present invention, the short preview section  355  can be designed as a picture preview section  355  to show the pictures of the program, such as advertising post, etc.  
         [0042]     Furthermore, referring to  FIG. 4 , shows a diagram of the screen display of another embodiment of the present video program menu system. As shown in the figure, the program preview display section  37  at the central of the sub-menu  33  can also be designed to only play a program preview short  377 . The consumer can preview the short film of the program and decide whether to watch or buy the program.  
         [0043]     Further, if the amount can be shown in the program data display sections ( 331 ,  332 ,  333 ,  334 ,  335 ,  336 ,  337 , and  338 ) is not enough to show all programs preset in the program class name field  317 , page change keys  341  and  343  can be shown in the program data display sections. By the page change keys  341  and  343 , the page number of the sub-menu  33  can be overwritten to show all preset program data in the program class name field  317   
         [0044]     Next, referring to  FIG. 5 , shows a diagram of the screen display of another embodiment of the present invention video program menu system. As shown in the figure, the program preview display section  39  can be increased by the size of the screen display  30 , and program data  393 , e.g. the content introduction, director, actor/actress in a leading role, length of movie, playing time, or movie rate, etc., picture  395 , and program preview short  397  of the program Speed are all shown in the program preview display section  39  at the same time to achieve the best efficacy of the data display.  
         [0045]     In the previous embodiment, the program class name fields  310  ( 311 ,  313 ,  315 ,  317 , and  319 ) of the main menu  31  and the program data display sections  330  ( 331 ,  332 ,  333 ,  334 ,  335 ,  336 ,  337 , and  338 ) and the program preview display section  39  of the sub-menu  33  are all shown in the screen display  30  at the same time, so the consumer can know all information and content of the program in the same screen. Also, the size program preview display section  39  can be adjusted in use, for example, previewing the picture or movie by the way of full-screen, to provide the consumer better enjoyment in visual.  
         [0046]     Also, in another embodiment of the present invention, the main menu  31  at the side of the display screen  30  can be moved to the previous page so that the main menu  31  and the sub-menu  33  are in two different interfaces, not shown in the display screen  30  at the same time.  
         [0047]     Also, in this embodiment, if the program or movie to be watched is a pay system, the consumer can know the program content directly from the program preview display section  39 , not only simplifying the viewing and choosing process of the consumer, but also ordering through the order confirmation frame (not shown) appearing in the display screen  30  to make an order in order to operate or choose ordered program or movie content more conveniently.  
         [0048]     Of course, in the previous mentioned embodiment, the design is the main menu  31  is an upper layer menu and the sub-menu  33  is a lower layer menu. However, in another embodiment of the present invention, above the main menu  33  can be added a homepage menu  61 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . The homepage menu  61  can be not shown in the screen display  30  at the same time as the main menu  31  and sub-menu  33 . The content of the homepage menu  61  includes at least one program group name fields  610 . The program group name fields  610  are integrity of various types of information and entertainment devices, such as cable channel  611 , pay per disk  613 , video game  615 , network connection  617 , etc., for consumers to use. Also, the homepage menu  61  is arranged at an upper layer (page) of the main menu  31 , so a specified button of the control device or a back option key  318  in the main menu  31  can be chosen to return to the homepage menu  61 .  
         [0049]     Finally, referring  FIG. 3A ,  FIG. 7 , and  FIG. 8 , a diagram of the screen display, a diagram of the menu control device, and its operating flow chart of a preferred embodiment of the present invention video program menu system. As shown, if the cursor is in action  317  of the main menu  31 , as shown in step  81 , after pressing a first direction key (such as a up key)  711  of the control device (such as a remote controlling device), the cursor in the main menu  31  will move upward to the drama  315 , just as a backward key, as shown in step  831 . If pressing a second direction key (such as a down key)  713  of the control device  70 , the cursor in the main menu  31  will move downward to the crime  319 , just as a forward key, as shown in step  833 . If pressing a third direction key (such as a left key)  715  of the control device  70 , just as pressing the first direction key (such as the up key)  711 , the cursor will move upward as a backward key, as shown in step  835 . If pressing a fourth direction key (such as a right key)  717  of the control device  70 , the cursor in the main menu  31  will enter into the sub-menu  33  and go into Taxi  331  of the program data display section  330 , just as a next page key, as shown in step  837 .  
         [0050]     After the cursor enters into the sub-menu  33 , if pressing the first direction key  711  of the control device, the cursor will move backward in the sub-menu  33 , as shown in step  851 . At this time, there exist four conditions because of the position of the cursor: if the cursor is at the uppermost layer of the sub-menu  33 , the cursor will move leftward; if the cursor is at the lowermost layer of the sub-menu  33 , the cursor will move rightward; if the cursor is at the rightmost side of the sub-menu  33 , the cursor will move upward; if the cursor is at the leftmost position of the uppermost layer (Taxi  331 ), the cursor will move to the leftmost position of the lowermost layer (Hitler  355 ). For example, if the cursor is in the sub-menu  33 , and the first direction key  711  of the control device  70  is pressed, if the cursor is at the position of Speed  333 , the cursor will move to Air Force One  332 ; if the cursor is at the position of Hitler  338 , the cursor will move to Titanic  337 ; if the cursor is at the position of MIB  336 , the cursor will move the Brave Heart  335 ; otherwise, if the cursor is at the position of Taxi  331 , the cursor will move to Hitler  338 .  
         [0051]     Similarly, when the cursor is in the sub-menu  33  and the second direction key  713  of the control device  70  is pressed, the cursor will move forward in the sub-menu  33 , as shown in step  857 . At this time, there exist four conditions because of the position of the cursor: if the cursor is at the uppermost layer of the sub-menu  33 , the cursor will move rightward; if the cursor is at the lowermost layer of the sub-menu  33 , the cursor will move leftward; if the cursor is at the rightmost side of the sub-menu  33 , the cursor will move downward; if the cursor is at the leftmost position of the lowermost layer (Hitler  355 ), the cursor will move to the leftmost position of the uppermost layer (Taxi  331 ). For example, if the cursor is in the sub-menu  33 , and the second direction key  713  of the control device  70  is pressed, if the cursor is at the position of Hitler  338 , the cursor will move to Taxi  331 ; if the cursor is at the position of MIB  336 , the cursor will move to Titanic  337 ; if the cursor is at the position of Taxi  331 , the cursor will move the Air Force One  332 ; otherwise, if the cursor is at the position of Speed  333 , the cursor will move to The One  334 .  
         [0052]     When the cursor is in the sub-menu  33  and the third direction key  715  of the control device  70  is pressed, the cursor will go back to the main menu  31  of the previous page.  
         [0053]     When the cursor is in the sub-menu  33  and the fourth direction key  717  of the control device  70  is pressed, since the sub-menu  33  is the last page, therefore the cursor is like the situation of pressing the second direction key  713  of the control device  70 , the cursor will move forward in the sub-menu  33 , as shown in step  857 .  
         [0054]     In the embodiment of the present invention, the functions of the first direction key  711 , the second direction key  713 , the third direction key  715 , and the fourth direction key  717  of the menu control device  70  depend on the position of the cursor. Beside, in use, the same problem in prior art will not be caused in which when the cursor was at the position of the border, after pressing some direction keys, the cursor did not react. Besides, the cursor in the program data menu  330  of the sub-menu  33  moves by the way of a round loop, thus the user can only use any one direction key  71  to control the cursor to any position of the program data display sections ( 331 ,  332 ,  333 ,  334 ,  335 ,  336 ,  337 , and  338 ).  
         [0055]     Also, in the previous mentioned embodiment, the user also can classify or edit cable TV channel, pay per view, and pay channel, etc. according to user&#39;s habits by a reset key  791 , store key  793 , and numeral keys  73  of the menu control device  70 . This way, the program content need can be faster to handle and search.  
         [0056]     In the previous embodiment, the menu control device  70  can also add a page switch key  75  in order to switch the pages directly by the menu control device  70 . Also, a video program menu switch button  77  in the menu control device  70  can be pressed depending on the need of the users to shut off the video program menu system and return to original program manipulating interface and method. Also, the menu control device  70  can be a remote controlling device or a wired controlling device, mouse, and keyboard, etc. to proceed the windows operating.  
         [0057]     Also, in the previous mentioned embodiment, the design of the direction keys  71  of the menu control device  70  mainly takes an example for the present invention video program menu system. However, it can be suitable using in menu system interfaces in market.  
         [0058]     Of course, in the previous mentioned embodiment, it is mainly written for pay programs or pay movies, such general hotels. However, it can be used in general channel vendors of cable TV or TV program vendors. The program class name fields ( 311 ,  313 ,  315 ,  317 , and  319 ) of the main menu  31  can be classified by the content of each channel. In the program data display sections ( 331 ,  332 ,  333 ,  334 ,  335 ,  336 ,  337 , and  338 ) of the sub-menu  33 , the representative picture, text, or content display, etc. of each program can be shown. Besides, the classification can choose preset content according to different arrangement of the cable TV system channels in each area, can modify the class content according to the habit of the users for consumers to find out the programs to be watched quickly, and can switch and choose the channels according to the memorized channel numbers to press the numeral keys  73  directly.  
         [0059]     The transferring line  57  of the previous mentioned embodiment can be chosen as a satellite line, telephone line, cable or optic-fiber network, coaxial network, microwave network, or infrared transferring line. Also, the video converting device  41  connecting to the display screen  30  can also be a set top box or video recorders, etc.  
         [0060]     Further, the present invention is not limited to be used in a VOD or IPG system. It can be used in the video systems, such as movies on demand (MOD), karaoke on demand (KOD), information on demand (IOD), distance learning, videoconference, interactive games, or multimedia on demand (MOD).  
         [0061]     The foregoing description is merely one embodiment of present invention and not considered as restrictive. All equivalent variations and modifications in process, method, feature, and spirit in accordance with the appended claims may be made without in any way from the scope of the invention.