Patent ID: 8434006

Claim:
A method for controlling volume of audio channels of a combined audio channel, the method comprising: receiving a first program stream with a first audio channel and a first video channel associated with a first program of interest; receiving a second program stream with a second audio channel and a second video channel associated with a second program of interest, wherein the second program of interest is different from the first program of interest; communicating the first video channel and the second video channel to a display, wherein the first video channel is presented on a first field area of the display, and wherein the second video channel on a second field area of the display, wherein the first video channel and the second video channel are concurrently displayed on the display; combining the first audio channel and the second audio channel into the combined audio channel, wherein at least one speaker presents as sound the combined audio channel corresponding to both of the first audio channel and the second audio channel, wherein the first audio channel is presented at a first volume level, and wherein the second audio channel is presented at a second volume level; adjusting at least one of the first volume level of the first audio channel and the second volume level of the second audio channel, the adjusting comprising: displaying an audio channel control graphical user interface (GUI) on the display as a virtual fader bar, wherein the virtual fader bar concurrently indicates a first value associated with the first volume level for the first audio channel and the second value associated with a second volume level for the second audio channel, wherein the first value and the second value are indicated relative to each other, and wherein the first value and the second value together equals a value of the combined audio channel; displaying on the audio channel control GUI the first value associated with the first volume level of the first audio channel of the combined audio channel; displaying on the audio channel control GUI the second value associated with the second volume level of the second audio channel of the combined audio channel; and receiving commands from a remote control that causes adjustment of the first value to an adjusted first value of the combined audio channel by presenting a change to the virtual fader bar, wherein the change to the virtual fader bar concurrently changes the first value associated with the first volume level for the first audio channel and the second value associated with the second volume level for the second audio channel; and adjusting volume of the combined audio channel in accordance with the change to the virtual fader bar, wherein the adjustment of the first value of the combined audio channel is graphically depicted on the virtual fader bar of the audio channel control GUI; and wherein the at least one speaker presents as sound at the adjusted first volume level and the second volume level.