Abstract:
Remotely controlling content receiver wherein a channel guide is displayed to a user. A channel selection control is activated when a channel selection activator is actuated by the user. The channel selection control comprises an overlay window that can be repositioned on a presentation screen. The channel guide is preserved under the overlay window when the overlay window is repositioned by the user.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention pertains to the remote control of content receivers; specifically, to a method and apparatus for remotely controlling a content receiver by facilitating channel selection through the use of a channel guide.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Not long ago, television and the Internet were separate entities. Television provided content that could be enjoyed on TV sets, while computers were used to access the Internet. With the evolution of both television and computer technology, TV and the Internet are beginning to converge. In fact, there are devices available today that allow a consumer to simultaneously watch TV and browse the Internet. These technologies have converged so much so, that watching TV and accessing the Internet are becoming joint, rather than separate activities. For example, many television programs now invite a viewer to visit a related Internet web site. One good example of this practice is used by television news casts. When a news story is presented on television, the television program encourages the viewer to visit a web site to learn more facts about that particular news story.  
           [0003]    Of course, if a user is to access two different media, it is desirable to be able to use two display devices or to have a convenient means for displaying information from two content sources on a single display device. One method for providing a user with two displays is to provide a small, hand-held device that can be used to access the Internet while the user simultaneously views television content on a TV set. One typical hand-held device comprises, for example, an Internet browser that a user can use to view an Internet site. Many of these hand-held devices are endowed with wireless connectivity to the Internet so that a user can move freely about a room. This is really useful when Internet access and television viewing are concurrently enjoyed by a user because the user can shift positions as personal comfort dictates. Yet another example hand-held device further comprises a built-in remote control function that can be used to remotely control a TV set, for example, to select a television channel or control audio volume. Hence, a wireless, hand-held Internet “appliance” enables a user to watch television programming and use the hand-held device as both a remote control for the TV set and as an Internet portal.  
           [0004]    Some of the usual problems with watching television continue to persist. One real problem is that of determining what content is available on the various television channels available to the user. Here is one way where the convergence of television and computer technology solves a real problem. Using a hand-held Internet appliance, a user can retrieve a web site that comprises a television program guide. By viewing this type of program guide web site, the user can obtain TV program information so as to determine what television programming is available.  
           [0005]    In those cases where the user wants to change TV channels by using the hand-held device as a remote control, the present art requires the user to switch from an Internet browsing mode to a remote control function. When the user selects the remote control function incorporated into the hand-held device, the user can no longer see the channel guide information presented by the Internet browser. This requires the user to remember the channel number associated with a particular program when switching to the remote control function incorporated into the hand-held device. Then, the user can command the television set to the selected channel number using the remote control function.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    One drawback with the prior art is the fact that a channel selection guide presented by a Web browser cannot be displayed when a hand-held device is used in the remote control mode. The present invention comprises a method for remotely controlling a content receiver wherein the presentation of the channel guide can be continued even when a user also calls upon a remote control function integrated into a hand-held device.  
           [0007]    According to one illustrative method of the present invention, a content receiver is controlled by receiving a channel guide, presenting a channel selection tool to a user, receiving a channel selection from the channel selection tool and then conveying the channel selection to the content receiver. According to one variation of the present method, the channel guide is received by first dispatching a request for a channel guide web page. A representation of a web page comprising a channel guide is then presented to a user. Although not limited in scope to wireless applications, the present invention comprises a method wherein the request for a channel guide web page is conveyed to a computer network, for example the Internet, by conveying a network protocol packet containing the request to a wireless access point. Likewise, when a data packet is received from the Internet, it is wirelessly conveyed from the wireless access point to the hand-held device. According to one variation of the present method, the request for a web page and subsequent receipt of a web page representation is accomplished using a network protocol. In one example variation of this invention, transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP) is used to accomplish both the request for and subsequent receipt of a web page.  
           [0008]    One alternative variation of the present method provides that presentation of the channel selection tool is effected by presenting a tool activation control on a presentation screen. A channel selection window is then presented on the presentation screen when a user actuates the tool activation control. Generally, the channel selection window is prepared by instantiating an unobscurable presentation window and populating the window with channel selection controls. Then, the instantiation of the channel selection window is enabled for display on the presentation screen. One feature of the present invention that facilitates concurrent presentation of a channel guide and the channel selection tool is that taught by one alternative method of the present invention. According to this alternative method, the unobscurable presentation window can be repositioned on the display screen according to repositioning commands received from a user. This alternative method further provides that a portion of the presentation screen formerly obscured by the presentation window is repainted. This, in effect, restores the presentation of the channel guide originally received as a web page.  
           [0009]    According to one alternative method of the present invention, a channel selection is received by sensing a sequence of position indications within the channel selection tool. These position indications are then converted to a sequence of numerals and interpreted as a channel indicator. According to one variation of this present method, the sequence of position indications is interpreted as either a channel up or a channel down command. In yet another variation of this method, the sequence of position indications are recognized as a handwritten character that is subsequently converted to a channel indicator. The position indications are recognized by means of a touch sensitive screen or other cursor positioning/selection device, for example a “mouse”. Once a channel selection is received from a user, one example method of the present invention provides for conveying the channel selection to a content receiver by converting the channel selection into a bitstream and wirelessly conveying the bitstream to content receiver.  
           [0010]    The invention further comprises an apparatus for remotely controlling a content receiver. According to one illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the remote control apparatus comprises a receiver for receiving a channel guide, a presentation device, a channel selection tool and a transmitter for conveying a channel selection to a content receiver. According to this example embodiment of the present invention, the presentation device is used for presenting the channel guide and the channel selection tool. Accordingly, the transmitter receives the channel selection from the channel selection tool when the tool is used by a user.  
           [0011]    According to one alternative embodiment of the present invention, the receiver comprises a web page presentation module and a network interface. The web page presentation module generates a request for a channel guide web page. This request is conveyed to the network interface, which propagates the request to a server attached to a computer network, for example, the Internet. When a web page script is received in response to the request, the web page presentation module renders an image according to a web page script, e.g. a hyper-text markup document. According to one alternative embodiment of the present invention, the network interface comprises a wireless network interface.  
           [0012]    According to yet another alternative embodiment of the present invention, the presentation device comprises a graphical presentation screen and a tool manager. The tool manager displays a tool activation control on the screen. When a user actuates the tool activation control, the tool manager displays a channel selection tool on the screen. According to one example of embodiment of the present invention, the presentation device further comprises a screen manager. The tool manager displays the channel selection tool on the screen by creating a window definition for an unobscurable presentation window and populating this window definition with channel selection controls. This window definition is then conveyed to the screen manager, which then displays the window on the presentation screen. According to yet another alternative embodiment of the present invention, the screen manager is capable of receiving movement commands from a user. These movement commands, which pertain to the unobscurable presentation window, are used as a basis for repositioning the presentation window on the presentation screen. The screen manager then repaints a portion of the presentation screen that was obscured by the presentation window prior to the move.  
           [0013]    According to one alternative embodiment of the present invention, the presentation device further comprises a cursor positioning/selection device (for example a “mouse”) or a touch screen sensor. The screen manager receives position indications from the cursor positioning/selection device or from the touch screen sensor. The presentation device further comprises a selection interpreter that receives position indications from the screen manager and converts these indications into one of either a channel up command or channel down command. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the selection interpreter converts position indications into a numeric channel indicator. In yet another alternative embodiment of the present invention, the selection interpreter correlates position indications received from the screen manager with a handwritten character, which is then converted to a channel indicator.  
           [0014]    According to one alternative embodiment of the present invention, the transmitter comprises a serializer and a transducer. Once a channel selection is received, the serializer converts the channel selection into a serial bitstream that is then conveyed to the transducer. The transducer converts the bitstream into electromagnetic radiation that can be conveyed to the content receiver in order to effect remote control thereof.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    The foregoing aspects are better understood from the following detailed description of one embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings, in which:  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 is a flow diagram that describes one illustrative method of transmitting a channel selection to a content receiver according to the present invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 is a flow diagram that illustrates one example method of receiving a channel guide according to the present invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 is a flow diagram that depicts one example method of dispatching a channel guide web page request and receiving a web page representation by wireless means according to the present invention;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 4 is a flow diagram that depicts one variation of the method of the present invention whereby a channel selection tool is presented;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 5 is a flow diagram that describes one example method of presenting a channel selection window according to the method of the present invention;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 6 is a flow diagram describing one variation of the present method that provides for receiving repositioning commands from a user;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 7 is a flow diagram that depicts one illustrative method of receiving a channel selection according to the method of the invention;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 8 is a flow diagram that describes one variation of the method of the present invention whereby a channel selection is conveyed to a content receiver;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 9 is a block diagram of one example embodiment of an apparatus capable of remotely controlling a content receiver according to the present invention;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 10 is a data flow diagram that further describes the interaction of functional modules constituting an apparatus for controlling a content receiver according to the present invention;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 11 is a pictorial diagram that illustrates one example placement of a tool activation control icon on a presentation device according to the present invention; and  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 12 is a pictorial diagram showing one example illustration of a channel selection tool image displayed on a presentation device. 
     
    
       [0028]    The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. In the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0029]    [0029]FIG. 1 is a flow diagram that describes one illustrative method of transmitting a channel selection to a content receiver according to the present invention. According to this illustrative method, a channel guide is received (step  5 ) and presented to a user. In one variation of the inventive method, the guide is a TV channel guide that resides in a server on the Internet and that can be viewed using a web browser. In yet another variation of this illustrative method, a specific channel guide is retrieved when a user enters a ZIP code and selects a particular television reception scheme, for example a particular cable television or satellite subscription service. In still another variation of this method, a web browser is presented on a hand-held device comprising a screen and a wireless connection to the Internet.  
         [0030]    Once a channel has been located, the user may wish to select that channel and to convey the selection to a content receiver so as to receive the programming associated with the channel selection. According to the present invention, a channel selection tool is presented (step  10 ) for this purpose. In one variation of the present method, the user selects a desired channel and the selection is received (step  15 ). The channel selection then is conveyed to the content receiver (step  20 ).  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 2 is a flow diagram that illustrates one example method of receiving a channel guide according to the present invention. According to this example method, a request is dispatched to the Internet for a channel guide web page (step  25 ). In one variation of this method, a browser is used to dispatch the request. In response to the request, a web page representation of the channel guide is received (step  30 ), and the web page representation is presented to the user (step  35 ). In yet another variation of the present method, the web page is received from the Internet by a web browser function incorporated into a hand-held Internet appliance.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 3 is a flow diagram that depicts one example method of dispatching a channel guide web page request and receiving a web page representation by wireless means according to the present invention. In this example method, a network protocol packet, the payload of which comprises the request, is created and conveyed to a wireless access point (step  40 ) that interfaces with the Internet. One or more web page packets, embodied as network protocol packets, are received (step  45 ) in response to the request packet. The received packet is received by the wireless access point from the Internet and propagated to a wireless, hand-held Internet appliance. The received web page packet, when decoded, comprises the requested web page representation. Generally, the data packets are formed as transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP) packets.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 4 is a flow diagram that depicts one variation of the method of the present invention whereby a channel selection tool is presented. According to this variation of the present method, a tool activation control is presented on a screen (step  50 ). In one illustrative example of this method, the tool activation control comprises an icon. When the tool activation control is actuated (step  55 ), a channel selection window is presented (step  60 ).  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 5 is a flow diagram that describes one example method of presenting a channel selection window according to the method of the present invention. According to this example, an unobscurable presentation window is instantiated (step  65 ). The window then is populated with channel selection controls (step  70 ), and the window is enabled for display (step  75 ). The unobscurable characteristic of the presentation window assures that the window appears to the user as an overlay over other information that previously occupied the display.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 6 is a flow diagram describing one variation of the present method that provides for receiving repositioning commands from a user. In this variation repositioning commands are received (step  80 ). In response to these repositioning commands, one variation of the method of the present invention provides that the unobscurable window is moved around on the presentation screen (step  85 ). When so moved, the information previously presented on the screen and obscured by the channel selection window is restored when the channel selection window is moved to a new location on the screen (step  90 ). In one variation of the present method, the selection controls comprise numerals 0-9, channel-up and channel-down indicators, and an enter button.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 7 is a flow diagram that depicts one illustrative method of receiving a channel selection according to the method of the present invention. This illustrative method calls for sensing a sequence of position indications (step  95 ) within a presentation window constituting a channel selection tool, converting the sequence of position indications to a sequence of numerals (step  100 ), and interpreting the resulting sequence of numerals as a channel indicator (step  105 ). In one variation of the method, the sequence of position indications is a sequence of “taps” imparted by a user on a touch-sensitive screen. In another variation of the method, the sequence of position indications is a sequence of “clicks” received from a cursor positioning/selection device (for example, a mouse) where the sequence of clicks is correlated with a sequence of cursor positions. In still another variation of the method, the sequence of position indications is decoded as a sequence of handwritten characters that are recognized as numerals that subsequently are converted into a channel selection. In yet another variation of the method, the sequence of position indications is decoded as a sequence of channel-up/channel-down commands that are interpreted as channel indications.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 8 is a flow diagram that describes one variation of the method of the present invention whereby a channel selection is conveyed to a content receiver. According to this example method, the channel selection is converted into a bit stream (step  10 ), and the bit stream is wirelessly conveyed to a content receiver (step  115 ). In yet another example variation of the present method, the bit stream is conveyed to a content receiver using infrared light that is modulated according to the bit stream. In another example method of the present invention, a radio-frequency signal is modulated according to the bit stream and conveyed to the content receiver.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 9 is a block diagram of one example embodiment of an apparatus capable of remotely controlling a content receiver according to the present invention. The apparatus comprises a special-purpose computer comprising a processor  120 , working memory  125 , and program memory  130 , all interconnected by a system bus  155 . Instruction sequences stored in the program memory  130  comprise a web page presentation instruction sequence  135 , a tool manager instruction sequence  140 , a screen manager instruction sequence  145 , and a selection interpreter instruction sequence  150 . One alternative embodiment of the present invention further comprises a wireless network interface  160  that connects to the system bus  155 . The wireless network interface  160  enables communication between the apparatus and a computer network  165 . The apparatus still further comprises a wireless transmitter comprising a serializer  170  in cascade with a transducer  175 , said serializer  170  acting to translate a channel selection into a bit stream and to present the bit stream to the transducer  175 . In one embodiment of the invention the transducer  175  comprises an infrared power intensity modulator and an infrared transmitter that accepts the output of the modulator and transmits the result as an infrared signal to a content receiver  180 . In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the transducer  175  comprises an RF modulator and an antenna. Accordingly, the RF modulator modulates a radio frequency signal according to the bit stream generated by the serializer  170  and conveys the signal to the antenna, from when it is emanates as a wireless conveyance to the content receiver.  
         [0039]    One example embodiment of the present invention even further comprises a graphics controller  185  and a presentation screen  190 . In yet another alternative embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus comprises a touch screen sensor  195 . The graphics controller  185 , which connects to the system bus  155  and to the screen  190 , converts signals on the system bus  155  to graphical images that can be presented on the screen  190 . The touch screen sensor  195 , which likewise connects to the system bus  155  and to the screen  190 , converts taps imparted by a user on the presentation screen  190  into signals on the system bus  155 .  
         [0040]    Each of the instruction sequences stored in program memory  130 , when loaded and executed by the processor  120 , causes the processor  120  to implement a functional module according to the instruction sequence. Generally, the description of a functional module constitutes a specification for a corresponding instruction sequence. Although many different instruction sequences could implement a given module, these instruction sequences are considered to be equivalent from the point of view of the present invention. Some aspects of the operation of this apparatus are best described in terms of these functional modules.  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 10 is a data flow diagram that describes the interaction of functional modules constituting an apparatus for controlling a content receiver according to the present invention. According to this view, one example embodiment of the invention comprises a receiver  200  that comprises a wireless network interface  160  and a web page presentation module  205 . According to one alternative embodiment of a receiver  200 , the web page presentation module  205  receives an indication from the screen manager  210  that a channel guide web page is required. Accordingly, the web page presentation module  205  generates a request for a channel guide web page and directs the request to the wireless network interface  160 . The wireless network interface  160  conveys the request to a server attached to a computer network  165 , for example the Internet. In response to the request, the wireless network interface  160  receives a web page script, and the script is passed to the web page presentation module  205 . The web page presentation module, that according to one alternative embodiment comprises a web browser, renders an image according to the received script and conveys the image to the screen manager  210 .  
         [0042]    This example embodiment further comprises a presentation device  215  that comprises a tool manager  220 , a screen manager  210 , a graphical presentation screen  190 , a graphics controller  185 , and a selection interpreter  225 . In yet another alternative embodiment of the present invention, the presentation device further comprises a touch screen sensor  195 . The tool manager  220  creates a representation of a tool activation control image. The image is conveyed to the screen manager  210  and thence to the graphics controller  185  that presents the tool activation control image on the presentation screen  190  as an icon. When the user selects the icon as a request to activate a channel selection tool, the screen manager  210  generates a channel selection tool request and passes it to the tool manager  220 . The tool manager  220  initiates display of a channel selection tool image by instantiating a window definition for an unobscurable presentation window (i.e., a window that always overlays any other information on the display), and populates the window with channel selection controls. According to one alternative embodiment of the invention, the channel selection controls comprise numerals 0-9, channel-up and channel-down controls, and an enter button.  
         [0043]    The tool manager  220  then conveys a representation of the resulting image of the channel selection tool to the screen manager  210 . The screen manager  210  passes the channel selection tool image to the graphics controller  170  that presents the image on the presentation screen  190 . The user selects a desired channel by actuating the channel selection controls constituting the channel selection tool. According to one alternative embodiment of the invention, the screen manager  210  receives tap indications from the touch screen sensor  195  and interprets the sequence of taps as a sequence of position indications. The screen manager  210  passes the sequence of position indications to the selection interpreter  225  that converts the indications into a channel indicator. In one alternative embodiment of the present invention the sequence of position indications is interpreted by the selection interpreter  225  to represent handwritten characters. The selection interpreter  225  recognizes the characters, converts them to numerals, and interprets the result as a channel indication.  
         [0044]    In another alternative embodiment of the apparatus, position indications are received by the screen manager  210  from a cursor positioning/selection device  235  that replaces the touch screen sensor  195 . One example of a cursor positioning/selection device comprises a mouse.  
         [0045]    The channel selection tool image initially may overlay information that the user wishes to see on the display. When this happens, the user may reposition the channel selection tool to expose the desired information. In one embodiment of the present invention the user touches an area on the screen  190  that is occupied by the channel selection tool image. The user then drags the touched area to a new location on the screen, thereby producing repositioning commands that are received by the touch screen sensor  195 . The touch screen sensor  195  conveys the repositioning command to the screen manager  210  that creates an image definition according to the new position for the channel selection tool image. The screen manager  210  also creates an image definition for the screen area exposed by the repositioning of the channel selection tool image. The screen manager  210  then conveys the new image definitions to the graphics controller  185  that presents the revised image on the screen  190 .  
         [0046]    According to one alternative embodiment of the present invention, a cursor positioning/selection device  235  (mouse) is used to initiate the repositioning commands.  
         [0047]    This particular embodiment still further comprises a transmitter  230  comprising a serializer  170  and a transducer  175 . The serializer  170  receives a channel indicator from the selection interpreter  225 , converts the channel indicator into a serial bit stream and passes the bit stream to the transducer  175 . The transducer  175  converts the bit stream to a wireless signal that it transmits to a content receiver  180 .  
         [0048]    According to one alternative embodiment of the invention, the transducer comprises a light emitting diode that emits infrared light according to the bit stream. In yet another alterative embodiment of the present invention, the transducer comprises a radio frequency modulator and an antenna. Accordingly, the modulator generates a radio frequency signal that is modulated according to the bit stream and directs this signal to the antenna. The signal then emanates from the antenna so that it may be received by the content receiver.  
         [0049]    [0049]FIG. 11 is a pictorial diagram that illustrates one example placement of a tool activation control icon on a presentation device according to the present invention. According to this example embodiment of the present invention, a tool activation control icon  240  is presented in a corner of the presentation screen  190  constituting a presentation device  215 , for example a wireless Internet appliance.  
         [0050]    [0050]FIG. 12 is a pictorial diagram showing one example embodiment of a channel selection tool image displayed on a presentation device. The presentation device  215  typically comprises a display screen  190  that displays the channel selection tool image  245 . This image  245  comprises numerals 0-9 and other buttons labeled Up (for channel-up), Dn (for channel-down), and Enter in this illustrative example.  
         [0051]    The tool activation control image  240 , the channel selection tool image  245  and the associated button labels in FIGS. 11 and 12 are for illustration only and should not be interpreted to limit the intended scope of the present invention.  
       ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS  
       [0052]    While this invention has been described in terms of several preferred embodiments, it is contemplated that alternatives, modifications, permutations, and equivalents thereof will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the specification and study of the drawings. It is therefore intended that the true spirit and scope of the present invention include all such alternatives, modifications, permutations, and equivalents.