Apparatus, method, and system for representing a multimedia display

A system, an apparatus, and a method for representing a multimedia display are proposed in the present invention for displaying multimedia data and a menu. The system comprises an interface from which the user may input signals and the apparatus comprising screens for displaying. Three signals can be inputted from the interface, a first signal, a second signal, and a third signal. The apparatus comprises a first screen for displaying multimedia data, a second screen for displaying menu, and optionally a third screen for displaying information related to the multimedia data. The method comprises the steps of: providing a first screen to display multimedia data; providing a second screen to display a menu; and optionally providing a third screen to display information related to multimedia data.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to apparatuses, methods, and systems for representing a multimedia display. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatuses, methods, and systems for displaying a multimedia display which displays multimedia data, a menu, and optionally information related to the multimedia data.

2. Descriptions of the Related Art

Due to the rapid development of technology, multimedia data can be displayed on a variety of products, such as computers and televisions. Using a keyboard and a mouse to control display of multimedia data on a computer is not new for users nowadays. On the contrary, using devices such as a remote controller to control display of multimedia data on, for example, a television is still novel to many users. Consequently, many researches and developments have been conducted for providing convenient equipments and graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for users to control multimedia data.

One of the researches and developments is to display information of multimedia data in a better organization. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,621,509, information thumbnails are presented on a display area and details of multimedia data are retrieved based on the selected thumbnail. Moreover, a selected 3D object will be displayed in a foreground according to user selections. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,015, a user may select a number of workspaces to be displayed at the same time. Each selected workspace is then mapped to a polygonal surface in texture, and the polyhedron rotates under user's control. The two patents simply disclose the solutions to show the information of multimedia data, but do not introduce a friendly operation to control multimedia data.

In U.S. Pat. No. 6,636,246, a 3D spatial user interface is provided, on which content of portals is displayed within each rectangular spaces. Upon selecting an item of multimedia data, the application of the portals is invoked. Although it allows a user to intuitively locate and access resources from a computing device, the patent fails to provide a view of a plurality of multimedia data. Besides, it does not provide a particular structure to organize the multimedia data.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,898,435, an image display apparatus is provided. The image display apparatus displays multimedia data in a way of a cylinder. However, it only provides one-dimension display.

As a result, the GUI solutions of the prior art are still not friendly to users. How to display information of multimedia data and how to easily control the multimedia data remains an issue in the industrial field.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for representing a multimedia display. The multimedia display displays multimedia data and a menu. The apparatus comprises a first screen and a second screen. The first screen is controlled by one of a first signal and a second signal and is configured to display the multimedia data. The first signal triggers a first function and the second signal triggers a second function. The second screen is controlled by a third signal and is configured to display the menu. The third signal triggers a third function.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for representing a multimedia display. The multimedia display displays multimedia data, a menu, and information related to the multimedia data. The apparatus comprises a first screen, a second screen, and a third screen. The first screen is controlled by one of a first signal and a second signal, and is configured to display the multimedia data. The first signal triggers a first function and the second signal triggers a second function. The second screen is controlled by a third signal and is configured to display the menu. The third signal triggers a third function. The third screen is configured to display the information.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method for representing a multimedia display. The multimedia display displays multimedia data and a menu. The method comprises the steps of providing a first screen to display the multimedia data and providing a second screen to display the menu. The first screen is controlled by one of a first signal and a second signal. The first signal triggers a first function and the second signal triggers a second function. The second screen is controlled by a third signal which triggers a third function.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method for representing a multimedia display. The multimedia display displays multimedia data, a menu, and information related to the multimedia data. The method comprises the steps of providing a first screen to display the multimedia data; providing a second screen to display the menu; and providing a third screen to display the information. The first screen is controlled by one of a first signal and a second signal. The first signal triggers a first function and the second signal triggers a second function. The second screen is controlled by a third signal which triggers a third function.

A further object of this invention is to provide a system for representing a multimedia display. The multimedia display displays multimedia data and a menu. The system comprises an interface and a screen. The interface is configured for inputting a first signal, a second signal and a third signal. The screen comprises a first screen and a second screen. The first screen is controlled by one of the first signal and the second signal, and is configured to display the multimedia data. The first signal triggers a first function and the second signal triggers a second function. The second screen is controlled by the third signal and is configured to display the menu. The third signal triggers a third function.

A further object of this invention is to provide a system for representing a multimedia display. The multimedia display displays multimedia data, a menu, and information related to the multimedia data. The system comprises an interface and a screen. The interface is configured for inputting a first signal, a second signal, and a third signal. The screen comprises a first screen, a second screen, and a third screen. The first screen is controlled by one of the first signal and the second signal and is configured to display the multimedia data. The first signal triggers a first function and the second signal triggers a second function. The second screen is controlled by the third signal and is configured to display the menu. The third signal triggers a third function. The third screen is configured to display the information.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for representing a multimedia display. The multimedia display displays multimedia and a menu. The apparatus comprises means for displaying the multimedia data and means for displaying the menu. The means for displaying the multimedia data is controlled by one of a first signal and a second signal. The first signal triggers a first function and the second signal triggers a second function. The means for displaying the menu is controlled by a third signal. The third signal triggers a third function.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for representing a multimedia display. The multimedia display displays multimedia data, a menu, and information related to the multimedia data. The apparatus comprises means for displaying the multimedia data; means for displaying the menu; and means for displaying the information. The means for displaying the multimedia data is controlled by one of a first signal and a second signal. The first signal triggers a first function and the second signal triggers a second function. The means for displaying the menu is controlled by a third signal. The third signal triggers a third function.

The present invention has advantages of friendly displaying information of multimedia data and easily controlling the multimedia data.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A first embodiment of the present invention is a system for representing a multimedia display. The multimedia display at least displays multimedia data and a menu. The multimedia data displayed on the multimedia display can be viewed as a hierarchy of two dimensional planes as drawn inFIG. 1. InFIG. 1, each of the two dimensional planes is represented as a sphere.

The multimedia data displayed on the multimedia display begins from a most general data, i.e., from a root sphere10. The root sphere10comprises three sub-spheres11,12, and13, the sub-sphere11comprises one sub-sphere111, the sub-sphere12comprises two sub-spheres121and122, and the sub-sphere13comprises one sub-sphere131. More particularly, a user can use the two dimensional planes of the root sphere10to select which multimedia data to be displayed at a first layer. If the selected multimedia data corresponds to the sub-sphere12, the sub-sphere12is then displayed for the user to select further multimedia data to be displayed, i.e., select either sub-sphere121or122at a second layer. If the selected multimedia data at the second layer corresponds to the sub-sphere121, the sub-sphere121is then displayed. These spheres form a hierarchy of displaying the multimedia data.

FIG. 2Aillustrates the first embodiment which comprises an interface20and an apparatus21. The interface20is configured for inputting a first signal, a second signal, and a third signal. The apparatus21comprises a first screen211and a second screen212respectively corresponding to one of the two dimensional planes of each sphere shown inFIG. 1. The first screen211is controlled by one of the first signal and the second signal and is configured to display the multimedia data, such as multimedia data2111,2112, and2113. The second screen212is controlled by the third signal and is configured to display the menu which comprises a list of operations, such as operations2121and2122.

The first signal, the second signal, and the third signal inputted from the interface20trigger a first function, a second function, and a third function, respectively. Both the first function and the second function are directional functions. To be more specific, the first function is a shift of the multimedia data2111,2112,2113toward the left-hand side, and the second function is a shift of the multimedia data2111,2112, and2113toward the right-hand side. For example, if the first signal is inputted, the multimedia data2112and2113are shifted one slot to the left, the multimedia data2111disappears from the first screen211, a new multimedia data2114appears in the first screen211as shown inFIG. 2B. The third function is also a directional function moving the menu upward. Alternatively, the third function can trigger one of the operations2121and2122and the selected multimedia data is operated according to the triggered operation.

FIG. 3shows some practical examples in accordance with the first embodiment. InFIG. 3A, when the system is powered on, the first screen211first displays retrieval sources of the multimedia data, including a USB flash disk301, a memory stick card302, and a compact flash card303. The second screen212displays a setup menu304. If the memory stick card302is selected, the multimedia data stored in the memory stick card302and a generated menu are displayed on the first screen211and the second screen212.FIG. 3Billustrates the result of selecting the memory stick card302. InFIG. 3B, the first screen211displays types of the multimedia data stored in the memory stick card302, including a Movie311, a Music312, and a Picture313. It means that the memory stick card302comprises multimedia data which are related to movie, music, and picture. The second screen212displays a plurality of operations, including a Previous314and a Setup Menu315, wherein the Previous314is an operation making the multimedia display go back to the previous layer, i.e., the multimedia display shown inFIG. 3A. If the Music312is selected, the multimedia data and menu related to music are displayed on the first screen211and the second screen212in response to the selection.FIG. 3Cshows the result of selecting the Music312. InFIG. 3C, the first screen211displays catalogues of the multimedia data, including an Album321, an All Songs322, and a Playlist323. The second screen212displays a list of a plurality of operations, including an Edit324, a Previous325, a Play326, and a Select327. One may observe that the number of the operations in this layer is more than that in the previous layers. The present invention does not limit the number of operations shown on the first screen211and the second screen212.

If the All Songs322is selected, it is shifted to the center of the first screen211by inputting the first signal or the second signal and then selected by inputting the third signal to execute the Select327. Right after the All Songs322is selected, the first screen211comprises multimedia data, including a first song331, a second song332, and a third song333, and the second screen212comprises other operations that can operate the multimedia data by inputting the third signal asFIG. 3Dshows.

When the second screen212is currently under control and a user inputs the first signal, the first signal triggers a function other than the first function. Similarly, when the second screen212is currently under control and a user inputs the second signal, the second signal triggers a function other than the second function. For example, when the second screen212is currently under control and the user inputs the first signal or the second signal, the first signal or the second signal triggers an exit of the third function so that the second screen212is disabled and the first screen211is now enabled to be controlled.

In this embodiment, the user can order the list of the second screen212according to his or her preference. More particularly, the user is able to reorder the operations in the list manually by inputting instructions through the interface20of the Setup Menu304. The reordering of the list can be done automatically as well. For example, an operation being selected more often should be placed closer to the center of the multimedia display, wherein the selection frequency may be determined by a selection rate of one operation counted by a trigger counter. A larger selection rate is treated as that the user wants to use the corresponding operation more. When the trigger counter exceeds a predetermined threshold, the list of the operations is reordered based on the current numbers of the counters.

In this embodiment, the multimedia data may be an audio, an image, a texture, a video file, or the like, or even a combination of these files. The type of the multimedia data is not a limitation of the present invention.

FIG. 4illustrates a second embodiment of this invention, which is a method for representing a multimedia display. The second embodiment corresponds to the first embodiment. In particular, the second embodiment may be applied to the system recited in the first embodiment. First, in step41, a first screen is provided to display the multimedia data, wherein the first screen is controlled by one of a first signal and a second signal. In addition, the first signal triggers a first function and the second signal triggers a second function. Next, in step42, a second screen is provided to display a menu is provided, wherein the second screen is controlled by a third signal and the third signal triggers a third function.

In addition to the steps shown inFIG. 4, the second embodiment is capable of executing all operations or functions recited in the first embodiment.

A third embodiment of this invention is illustrated inFIG. 5, which is a system for representing a multimedia display. The system comprises an interface50and a screen51. The interface50is similar to the interface20of the first embodiment. In contrast with the screen21of the first embodiment, the screen51further comprises a third screen513. The third screen513, comprising sub-screens513A,513B,513C and513D, is configured to display information related to the currently played or selected multimedia data and to display another list of operations to control the currently played or selected multimedia data. For example, if a second song shown inFIG. 5is currently played, the sub-screen513A displays the information of time for playing the whole second song and time having played, and the sub-screen513B displays a list of executing a “Repeat” operation on the second song. The “Repeat” operation may be controlled in response to a fourth signal which is inputted through the interface50.

In addition to the descriptions above, the third embodiment comprises all of the elements recited in the first embodiment. That is, the third embodiment is able to execute all operations or function recited in the first embodiment.

A fourth embodiment of this invention is illustrated inFIG. 6, which is a method for representing a multimedia display. The fourth embodiment corresponds to the third embodiment. In particular, the fourth embodiment may be applied to the system recited in the third embodiment. In step61, a first screen is provided to display multimedia data, wherein the first screen is controlled by one of a first signal and a second signal. In addition, the first signal triggers a first function and the second signal triggers a second function. Next, in step62, a second screen is provided to display a menu, wherein the second screen is controlled by a third signal which triggers a third function. Then step63is executed in which a third screen is provided to display information related to the currently played multimedia data and to display another list of operations to control the currently played multimedia data.

In addition to the steps shown inFIG. 6, the fourth embodiment is capable of executing all operations or functions recited in the third embodiment.

As a result, the present invention has advantages of friendly displaying information of multimedia data and easily controlling the multimedia data.