Patent ID: 6981227

Claim:
In a system that includes a set-top box that is capable of receiving and displaying a video stream and a user interface on a display device, a method for displaying and controlling the transparency of the user interface and the video stream, the method comprising: generating screen data by mixing a user interface and a video stream; displaying the screen data in a display window on the display device, wherein a view of the video in the display window is dependent on a level of transparency of the user interface; wherein the system includes both: means for adjusting the level of transparency of the user interface and a level of transparency of the video simultaneously, such that adjusting the level of transparency of the user interface necessarily adjusts the level of the video, and means for adjusting the level of transparency of the user interface independently of the level of transparency of the video and such that adjusting the level of transparency does not affect the level of transparency of the video; receiving input from a user, wherein the input controls the level of transparency of the user interface; and adjusting the level of transparency of the user interface on the display device according to the input received from the user, wherein adjusting the level of transparency of the user interface includes selectively adjusting the level of transparency of the user interface independently or simultaneously with the level of transparency of the video.