Apple Inc.

Spruce Technologies, Inc.

Rainer Brodersen

Rachel Clare Goldeen

Jeffrey L Robbin

Eric Taylor Seymour

Steve P Jobs

Augustin J Farrugia

Jeffrey Ma

Mihnea Calin Pacurariu

Thomas Michael Madden

Kevin M Arnold

Alan Cannistraro

Gregory Kent Wallace

Gregory Charles Lindley

Amandeep S Jawa

Justin Henzie

Fergal John Mohan

David Heller

Ian C Hendry

Jeff Robbin

Jeffrey S Miller

Michael R Margolis

Calin Pacurariu

David L Biderman

Christopher L Flick

Christopher R Wysocki

Daniel Davis

Gregory L Dudey

David Alan Pound

Stephanie Cinereski

Jack I-Chieh Fu

Rod Schultz

Christopher R Wysock

Rainer Keller

Mihnee Calin Pacurariu

A remotely controlled device receives touch input data from a remote controller that includes a touch screen. The remotely controller device interprets the touch input data in combination with a current context of the GUI to determine an appropriate command for the current context of the GUI, and updates the GUI in response to the appropriate command. Further, the remotely controlled device sends information via a bidirectional communication protocol to the remote controller informing the remote controller of a context displaying a keyboard, and the remote controller is configured to display a keyboard on its touch screen in response to the information sent via the bidirectional communication protocol.

Directional touch remote

The present system and method is particularly useful for remotely controlling a device having one or more menus via a remote touch interface having at least an unstructured primary input area. A user can provide inputs to a touch interface without needing to view the interface and yet still achieve the desired response from the remotely controlled device. The primary input area of the touch interface may or may not have a background display, such as on a touch screen, but the primary input area of the touch interface should be unstructured and should not have independently selectable items, buttons, icons or anything of the like. Since the touch interface is unstructured, the user does not have to identify any selectable buttons. Instead the user can input a gesture into the interface and watch the remotely controlled device respond. The system does not provide any other visual confirmation.

Methods, systems, and apparatus for identifying protocols. In one aspect, a method includes comparing characteristics of a wireless signal received from a remote control to characteristics associated with a set of protocols. The method also includes assigning a score, based upon the comparison, to each protocol included in the plurality of protocols. The method also includes identifying a protocol from the set of protocols based upon the assigned scores. The identified protocol is substantially similar to a protocol associated with the wireless signal.

System and method for capturing remote control device command signals

Media menu items are generated within a media interface environment. Media menu item abstractions are generated, one of the media menu item abstractions arranged in a foreground position, and one or more of the media menu item abstractions arranged in background positions in the media interface environment. Selection of a media menu items transitions to a corresponding content menu interface.

User interface with menu abstractions and content abstractions

A method of scanning content comprises receiving an input signal indicating that content being displayed is to be scanned, sensing a duration of the received input signal, and scanning the content at a rate based at least in part on the sensed duration of the received input.

Transport controls for a media device

A system, method, and computer-readable medium for method for syncing a user interface on a server device to a user interface on a client device are disclosed. The method includes broadcasting a signal from a server device to a client device when the server device presents an active user input interface on a display screen, wherein the active user input interface illustrates input from a user via a remote control that is separate from the client device, wherein the remote control requires multiple steps for inputting a character. The method next includes establishing a connection between the server device and the client device if certain pre-defined criteria are met. Next the method includes transmitting parameters for displaying a client user input interface on the connected client device that is associated with the active user input interface, including loading existing data in an input field of the active user input interface into a client input field on the client device. The method then includes receiving character input sent from the connected client device to the server device via the client user input interface, wherein the character is received via a single step. The method then includes updating the input field of the active user input interface with the received character input from the client user input interface, and removing the client user input interface on the client device upon the occurrence of an event.

System and method for syncing a user interface on a server device to a user interface on a client device

A video system generates a user interface by performing a perspective transition of a video from a first video environment to a second video environment that defines a space and generates a navigation menu in the space.

Perspective scale video with navigation menu

A system for use in presenting media content includes a media server configured to provide media content and a media client configured to obtain the media content from the media server and to present the media content on a device. The media client is configured to generate a first code and to transmit information to the media server. The information identifies the media client and the information indicates that the media client is available for pairing. The media server is configured to reply to the information with a second code that corresponds to the first code in order to enable pairing between the media server and the media client.

Pairing a media server and a media client

A display mode can be selected by identifying a plurality of display modes supported by a media client, wherein the plurality of display modes comprise safe modes; sequentially selecting a display mode from the plurality of display modes, wherein the plurality of display modes are ordered according to one or more of resolution, timing, and popularity; generating an output signal based on the selected display mode, wherein the generated output signal is provided to a display device; and selectively repeating the sequential selection of a display mode and generating an output signal based on the selected display mode until an input is received from a user indicating that the selected display mode is compatible with the display device. Further, the media client can be configured to utilize the selected display mode. Additionally, the plurality of display modes can be identified based on extended display identification data from the display device.

Monitor configuration for media device

A display mode can be selected by identifying a plurality of display modes supported by a media client, wherein the plurality of display modes comprise safe display modes; generating a user interface including a test image and a plurality of commands in accordance with a selected display mode of the plurality of display modes, wherein the user interface is output to a display device; receiving user input selecting one of the plurality of commands; and configuring an operating display mode of the media client in accordance with the received user input. Configuring an operating display mode further can comprise determining that the received user input confirms the selected display mode and configuring the media client to set the selected display mode as the operating display mode. Further, generating a user interface can comprise presenting a display timer indicating a time remaining until a display mode change.

A video device displays video in one of a plurality of contexts in an onscreen display area. In response to the menu command, the video device generates a menu overlay within the onscreen display area while maintaining the video within the menu overlay, and generates within the menu overlay a context icon based on the selected context.

Menu overlay including context dependent menu icon

A synchronous, multi-stream decoder provides synchronous playback of multiple streams of encoded digital data (e.g., MPEG streams) for use with, for example, a digital video streaming tool. The decoder includes a parser and decoder for each stream and a decoder engine for determining a target time for the decoders to complete their respective decoding processes. A next target time is preferably computed during a pause of the parsers after a current target time has been reached. In one embodiment, a next target time is computed by computing an average of the differences of stored playback times of the last N decoded frame sets.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Rainer Brodersen