Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung Information Systems America, Inc.

Donald Gillespie

Jack Chaney

Eric Wood

Steve Blonstein

Fai-To Leung

Kevin Harms

Kiet Khauv

Steven Blonstein

A TV graphical user interface provided on a TV screen includes a graphical channel changer for enabling a user to select a required TV channel among about 1000 channels carried by a satellite TV system. The graphical channel changer contains a vertical channel bar composed of channel boxes that display numbers and logos of selected TV channels. To switch the TV set to a required TV channel, the user directs the pointing device at the graphical channel box that indicates the required channel. Up and down scroll bars, that allow the user to scan through the entire list of TV channels, extend beyond a safe area on the screen provided to accomodate a picture to overscan conditions. A direct access bar is arranged so as to cause the channel boxes to display numbers and logos of a selected group of channels when the user directs the pointing device at the area of the direct access bar that represents the selected group of channels.

Television graphical user interface having variable channel control bars

A TV graphical user interface is provided with a graphical channel changer for enabling a user to select a required TV channel among about 1000 channels offered by a satellite TV system. The graphical channel changer contains a vertical channel bar composed of channel boxes that display numbers and logos of selected TV channels. To switch the TV set to a required TV channel, the user directs the pointing device at the graphical channel box that indicates the required channel. A program guide that contains a list of TV programs may be provided based on the channel changer. Vertical program bars that display TV programs are aligned with the channel boxes indicating TV channels that carry the corresponding TV programs. An arrange guide mode is provided to enable the user to arrange the program guide in order of TV channel numbers, or in alphabetical order according to names of TV channels or TV programs. The graphical configurations of the channel changer and icons associated with the channel changer remain unchanged in any arrangement of the program guide to present TV channels and programs in a common format.

Television graphical user interface having channel and program sorting capabilities

A TV graphical user interface includes a graphical channel changer for enabling a user to select a required TV channel among about 1000 channels provided by a satellite TV system. The graphical channel changer contains a vertical channel bar composed of channel boxes that display numbers and logos of selected TV channels. To switch the TV set to a required TV channel, the user directs the pointing device at the graphical channel box that indicates the required channel. A direct access channel bar is arranged on a screen so as to cause the channel boxes to display the number and logo of a selected TV channel when the user directs the pointing device at the point on the direct access bar that represents the selected channel. The direct access channel bar is provided with an absolute cursor position indicator that indicates to the user the numbers of TV channels represented by various points on the direct access channel bar, when the user moves the pointing device over these points. When TV channels in the channel changer are arranged in alphabetical order of channel or program names, the absolute cursor position indicator indicates the first letter in the name of a TV channel or program represented by a point on the direct access bar, at which the pointing device is directed.

TV graphical user interface having cursor position indicator

A TV graphical user interface (GUI) is provided to produce a multi-layered graphical presentation. The TV GUI operates in a channel changer mode to enable a user to tune to a required TV channel, and in a program guide mode to show TV program information. A memory for storing graphics data is capable of storing two graphics planes that represent upper and lower layers of graphics displayable on a TV screen. A graphics accelerator combines the graphics planes to produce various graphical effects on the screen. In the channel changer mode, the right hand side of the upper layer is made transparent to expose graphical buttons produced in the lower layer of graphics. In the program guide mode, the graphical buttons are partially covered by a program guide produced in the upper layer. When the user moves a cursor to the right hand side of the screen, the right hand portion of the program guide is made transparent to fully expose the graphical buttons in the lower layer.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Donald Gillespie