Patent Publication Number: US-2013242192-A1

Title: Television device and television control method

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to televisions device and television control methods, and particularly, to a television device capable of quickly entering into one application of the TV when one program is shown on a display unit and a television control method. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     The current television system designed by Google, Inc. integrates android operation system, and is programmed with a number of applications to provide a number of functions, such as gaming, email, and downloading, for example. The television system includes a television mode and an application mode. In the television mode, a television program is shown on the current television device. In the application mode, the television system provides an interface to display the icons corresponding to the applications of the television device for the user to select. When a television program is shown on the television device, and if the user wants to execute one application, the user must first switch from the television mode to the application mode, and further control a box to change up/down/left/right to select one current application, and then enter into the selected current application, which is inefficient. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The components of the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views. 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a television control system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a television device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view showing an interface of the television device of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is similar to  FIG. 3 , and showing another interface of the television device of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart of a television control method in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The embodiments of the present disclosure are now described in detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram illustrating a television device  1 . The television device  1  can be operated by several buttons  201  of a remote control  2  and/or several buttons  101  on the television device  1 . The television device  1  can run a number of applications that provide different functions, such as games, email processing, and downloading, for example. Shortcuts can be created to quickly launch the applications associated to shortcut icons  110  which allow a user to launch the applications. The shortcuts may be created in response to a user operation or automatically created for a preset number of most frequently used applications. In the embodiment, the television device  1  integrates Andriod® operating system. When a television program is shown on the television device  1 , the television device  1  displays shortcut icons  110  of applications in response to user operations by remote control  2  or buttons  101 . 
       FIG. 2 , illustrates the television device  1  including a processor  10 , a storage unit  20 , a display  30 , and a television control system  40 . In the embodiment, the television control system  40  includes a signal receiving module  410  and a display control module  420 . One or more programs of the above function modules may be stored in the storage unit  20  and executed by the processor  10 . In general, the word “module,” as used herein, refers to logic embodied in hardware or firmware, or to a collection of software instructions, written in a programming language. The software instructions in the modules may be embedded in firmware, such as in an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) device. The modules described herein may be implemented as either software and/or hardware modules and may be stored in any type of computer-readable medium or other storage device. 
     The signal receiving module  410  receives signals. The display control module  420  determines the applications of the television device  1  which are associated with which of the shortcut icons  110  when the signal receiving module  410  receives a first signal, obtains the shortcut icons  110  of the determined applications of the television device  1 , and further controls the display unit  30  to display an interface  100  showing a number of selectable shortcut icons  110  according to the obtained one or more shortcut icons  110  of the determined applications, and make the displayed one or more shortcut icons  110  selectable. In the embodiment, the display control module  420  further controls the display unit  30  to display a box  120  covering one selectable shortcut icon  110  to indicate that the one selectable shortcut icon  110  is a currently highlighted shortcut icon  110 , which is currently selected. 
     In the embodiment, the display control module  420  further controls the display unit  30  to display a name  130  of each of the applications associated with shortcut icons  110  when the display unit  30  displays the selectable shortcut icons  110 . 
     In the embodiment, the television control system  40  further includes an executing module  430 . The executing module  430  executes the application corresponding to the currently highlighted shortcut icon  110  when the signal receiving module  410  receives a second signal, and switches from the current displayed content to a previous displayed content when the signal receiving module  410  receives a third signal. 
     In a first embodiment, the signal receiving module  410  receives signal from a remote control  2  or switches  102  actuated by the buttons  101  of the television device  1 .  FIG. 3 , illustrates the interface  100  further shows a menu item  140 . The shortcut icons  110  are displayed in a preset order. In the embodiment, there are four shortcut icons  110  displayed on the display. For example, the email shortcut icon  110  is arranged above the menu item  140 , the movie shortcut icon  110  is arranged below the menu item  140 , the download shortcut icon  110  is located to the left of the menu item  140 , and the Youtube® shortcut icon  110  is located to the right of the menu item  140 . In other embodiments, there may be only one or there may be two or more shortcut icons  110 . The menu item  140  includes a number of virtual buttons  150 . In the embodiment, the virtual buttons  150  include an upper virtual button  150 , a lower virtual button  150 , a left virtual button  150 , and a right virtual button  150 . In other embodiments, there may be only one or there may be two or more virtual buttons  150  employed. Each virtual button  150  corresponds to one shortcut icon  110  and corresponds to one button  201  of the remote control  2  or one button  101  on the television device  1 . For example, the upper virtual button  150  corresponds to the email shortcut icon  110  and corresponds to the upper button  201  of the remote control  2  or the upper button  101  on the television device  1 . 
     The executing module  430  determines which of the buttons  201  of the remote control  2  or buttons  101  on the television device  1  is depressed when the signal receiving module  410  receives a fourth signal, and determines the virtual buttons  150  corresponding to the depressed buttons  201 / 101 , and further changes the box  120  to a shortcut icon  110  corresponding to the determined virtual button  150 . For example, when the fourth signal includes a upper button information, the executing module  430  changes the box  120  to the email shortcut icon  110 . 
     In a second embodiment, the signal receiving module  410  receives signals from a remote control  2 .  FIG. 4 , illustrates the interface  100  further includes numerals displayed adjacent to the short icons. In the embodiment, there are nine shortcut icons  110 . For example, the shortcut icons  110  are arranged in three rows and three columns. In a first row, the email shortcut icon  110 , the download shortcut icon  110 , and the Digg® shortcut icon  110  are displayed from left to right. In a second row, the movie shortcut icon  110 , the search shortcut icon  110 , and the weather shortcut icon  110  are displayed from left to right. In a third row, the inform shortcut icon  110 , the Youtube® shortcut icon  110 , and the calculator shortcut icon  110  are displayed from left to right. In other embodiments, the number and arrangement of the shortcut icons  110  can be varied according to need. Each virtual numeral corresponds to one shortcut icon  110 , and corresponds to one button  201  of the remote control  2 , for example, numeral “1” corresponds to email shortcut icon  110 , and corresponds to the button “ 1 ” of the remote control  2 . 
     The executing module  430  determines which of the buttons  201  of the remote control  2  is depressed when the signal receiving module  410  receives a fifth signal, determines the numeral corresponding to the depressed buttons  201 , and further changes the box  120  to a selectable shortcut icon  110  corresponding to the determined numeral. For example, when determining that the button “ 4 ” of the remote  2  is depressed, the executing module  430  changes the box  120  to the movie shortcut icon  110  that corresponds to the numeral 4 corresponding to the button “ 4 ” of the remote  2 . 
       FIG. 5  shows a flowchart of a television control method. 
     In step S 501 , the signal receiving module  410  receives a signal. 
     In step S 502 , the display control module  420  determines that the one or more applications of the television device  1  are associated with shortcut icons  110  when the signal receiving module  410  receives the signal, obtains the shortcut icons  110  of the determined applications of the television device  1 , and controls the display unit  30  to display an interface  100  showing a number of selectable shortcut icons  110  according to the obtained shortcut icons  110  of the determined applications, and make the displayed one or more shortcut icons  110  selectable. 
     In the embodiment, the display control module  420  further controls the display unit  30  to display a box  120  covering one selectable shortcut icon  110  to indicate that the one selectable shortcut icon  110  is a currently highlighted shortcut icon  110 . 
     In the embodiment, the display control module  420  controls the display unit  30  to display a name  130  of each of the applications associated with shortcut icons  110  when the display unit  30  displays the selectable shortcut icons  110 . 
     In the embodiment, the executing module  430  executes the application corresponding to the currently highlighted shortcut icon  110  when the signal receiving module  410  receives a second signal 
     In the embodiment, the executing module  430  switches from the current displayed content to a previous displayed content when the signal receiving module  410  receives a third signal. 
     In a first embodiment, the executing module  430  determines which of the buttons  201  of the remote control  2  or buttons  101  on the television device  1  is depressed when the signal receiving module  410  receives a fourth signal, and determines the virtual buttons  150  corresponding to the depressed button  201 / 101 , and further changes the box  120  to a selectable shortcut icon  110  corresponding to the determined virtual button  150 . 
     In a second embodiment, the executing module  430  determines which of the buttons  201  of the remote control  2  is depressed when the signal receiving module  410  receives the fifth signal, determines the numeral corresponding to the depressed buttons  201 , and further changes the box  120  to a selectable shortcut icon  110  corresponding to the determined numeral. 
     Although the present disclosure has been specifically described on the basis of the exemplary embodiment thereof, the disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to the embodiment without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure.