The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 11, 1997
Filed:
Aug. 03, 1995
Patrick M Volk, Kirkland, WA (US);
Michael Breed Robin, Redmond, WA (US);
Edwin Thorne, III, Seattle, WA (US);
JoGene Kapell, Bellevue, WA (US);
Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA (US);
Abstract
A viewer interface is disclosed for use in an interactive television network operative for providing an animated focus item in association with a control item to indicate that the control item is in a state responsive to commands from a user input device. An 'animation' is any form of highlighting that is non-static, including but not limited to flashing, varying illumination, varying size, varying shape, varying position, varying color, varying display components, a moving and/or changing cartoon type image, a video image, a sound track, or a combination of these elements. Selection of the control item to receive focus and selection of options presented by control items having focus are accomplished by viewer interaction with the remote control unit, and such selections do not require a keyboard or mouse to indicate the viewer's desire to change the focus from one control item to another or to select an option. The user interface is also suitable for use in a general computing environment as well as in an interactive television environment.