Modal display, smooth scroll graphic user interface and remote command device suitable for efficient navigation and selection of dynamic data/options presented within an audio/visual system

Abstract

The efficient and intuitive presentation, navigation, and selection of available AV information in a graphical user interface (GUI) that is displayed on a display apparatus of an AV system and controlled through user manipulation of a scrolling mechanism of a navigation and selection device of the AV system. Related AV information is organized as items within lists that correspond to various navigable fields of a status bar of the GUI during the GUI interactive mode. A highlighted navigable field of the status bar displays its list of related AV information and the items of the list are scrolled through the navigable field by a user causing the scrolling mechanism to move in a scroll. A different field of the status bar may be selected by the user moving the scrolling mechanism in a lateral movement. Activation of the selection mechanism of the navigation and selection device will cause an AV device of the system to be controlled in accordance with the AV options displayed within the status bar fields at the time the selection mechanism is activated.

1 .- 40 . (canceled)  
   
   
       41 . In an audio/visual (AV) system, a method for navigation of menu options available to a user of the AV system, comprising: 
 entering a graphical user interface (GUI) in response to activation;    generating a signal for displaying a first navigable list of menu options on a display, the first navigable list of menu options having a plurality of fields arranged in a first linear configuration;    moving a cursor of the GUI to place the cursor over a field of the plurality of fields, and thus highlight a field;    generating a signal for displaying a second navigable list of menu options associated with the highlighted field, the second navigable list of menu options arranged in a second linearly configured set of fields which intersect the first linear configuration of fields of the first navigable list of menu options at the highlighted field;    moving a cursor of the GUI over a menu; and    selecting the menu option.    
   
   
       42 . The method according to  claim 41 , wherein the first linear configuration of the first menu is oriented substantially horizontally, and the second linear configuration of the second menu is oriented substantially vertically.  
   
   
       43 . The method according to  claim 41 , wherein the first linear configuration of the first menu is oriented substantially vertically, and the second linear configuration of the second menu is oriented substantially horizontally.  
   
   
       44 . The method according to  claim 41 , wherein the first linear configuration of the first menu is oriented substantially at a right angle to the second linear configuration of the second menu.  
   
   
       45 . A video display displaying first and second menus generated according to the process of  claim 41 .  
   
   
       46 . A computer readable medium storing instructions that, when carried out on a programmed processor, carry out a process according to  claim 41 .  
   
   
       47 . An Audio/Visual (AV) method for navigation of menu options available to a user of an AV device, comprising: 
 entering a graphical user interface (GUI);    generating a signal for displaying a first menu on a display, the first menu having a plurality of fields arranged in a first linear configuration;    generating a signal for displaying a cursor of the GUI over a field of the plurality of fields, thus producing a highlighted first menu field; and    generating a signal for displaying a second menu on a display, the second menu being arranged as a second linear configuration crossing the first menu, with the highlighted first menu field being a location of an intersection of the first menu and the second menu.    
   
   
       48 . The method according to  claim 47 , further comprising: 
 generating a signal for moving the cursor of the GUI to place the cursor over a field of the set of fields of the second menu, thus highlighting a second menu field.    
   
   
       49 . The method according to  claim 47 , further comprising: 
 selecting an action associated with the highlighted second menu field.    
   
   
       50 . The method according to  claim 47 , wherein the first linear configuration of the first menu is oriented substantially horizontally, and the second linear configuration of the second menu is oriented substantially vertically.  
   
   
       51 . The method according to  claim 47 , wherein the first linear configuration of the first menu is oriented substantially vertically, and the second linear configuration of the second menu is oriented substantially horizontally.  
   
   
       52 . The method according to  claim 47 , wherein the first linear configuration of the first menu is oriented substantially at a right angle to the second linear configuration of the second menu.  
   
   
       53 . The method according to  claim 47 , wherein the second menu comprises at least one of a menu of available media, a menu of available options, a menu of available actions, a menu of available devices associated with the highlighted first menu field.  
   
   
       54 . A video display displaying first and second menus generated using the device according to the method of  claim 47 .  
   
   
       55 . A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when carried out on a programmed processor, carry out a process according to  claim 47 .  
   
   
       56 . A method according to  claim 47 , for navigation of menu options available to a user of the AV device/system.  
   
   
       57 . In an audio/visual (AV) system, a method for navigation of menu options available to a user of the AV system, comprising: 
 entering a graphical user interface (GUI) in response to activation of a selection mechanism of a remote commander;    generating a signal for displaying a first menu on a display, the first menu having a plurality of fields arranged in a first linear configuration;    moving a cursor of the GUI to place the cursor over a field of the plurality of fields, and thus highlight the field;    generating a signal for displaying a navigable list of menu options associated with the highlighted field, the navigable list of menu options being arranged as in second linearly configured set of fields which cross the first linear configuration of fields of the first menu at the highlighted field;    moving a cursor of the GUI to place the cursor over a menu option on the navigable list of menu options; and    selecting the menu option in response to activation of a selection mechanism of the remote commander.    
   
   
       58 . The method according to  claim 57 , wherein the first linear configuration of the first menu is oriented substantially horizontally, and the second linear configuration of the second menu is oriented substantially vertically.  
   
   
       59 . The method according to  claim 57 , wherein the first linear configuration of the first menu is oriented substantially vertically, and the second linear configuration of the second menu is oriented substantially horizontally.  
   
   
       60 . The method according to  claim 57 , wherein the first linear configuration of the first menu is oriented substantially at a right angle to the second linear configuration of the second menu.  
   
   
       61 . A video display displaying first and second menus generated according to the process of  claim 57 .  
   
   
       62 . A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when carried out on a programmed processor, carry out a process according to  claim 57 .  
   
   
       63 . In an audio/visual (AV) system, a method for navigation of menu options available to a user of the AV system, comprising: 
 entering a graphical user interface (GUI) in response to receipt of a GUI selection signal from a remote commander;    generating a signal for displaying a first menu on a display, the first menu having a plurality of fields arranged in a first linear configuration;    generating a signal for displaying a cursor of the GUI over a field of the plurality of fields, thus producing a highlighted first menu field, in response to receipt of a navigation signal from the remote commander; and    generating a signal for displaying a second menu on the display, the second menu being arranged as linear set of fields crossing the first menu, with the highlighted first menu field being a location of intersection of the first menu and the second menu.    
   
   
       64 . The method according to  claim 63 , further comprising: 
 generating a signal for moving the cursor of the GUI to place the cursor over a field of the set of fields of the second menu, thus highlighting a second menu field.    
   
   
       65 . The method according to  claim 63 , further comprising: 
 selecting an action associated with the highlighted second menu field in response to receipt of a selection command from the remote commander.    
   
   
       66 . The method according to  claim 63 , wherein the first linear configuration of the first menu is oriented substantially horizontally, and the second linear configuration of the second menu is oriented substantially vertically.  
   
   
       67 . The method according to  claim 63 , wherein the first linear configuration of the first menu is oriented substantially vertically, and the second linear configuration of the second menu is oriented substantially horizontally.  
   
   
       68 . The method according to  claim 63 , wherein the first linear configuration of the first menu is oriented substantially at a right angle to the second linear configuration of the second menu.  
   
   
       69 . The method according to  claim 63 , wherein the second menu comprises a menu of functions associated with the highlighted first menu field,  
   
   
       70 . A video display displaying first and second menus generated according to the process of  claim 63 .  
   
   
       71 . A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when carried out on a programmed processor, carry out a process according to  claim 63 .  
   
   
       72 . In an audio/visual (AV) system, a method for navigation of menu options available to a user of the AV system, comprising: 
 entering a graphical user interface (GUI) in response to activation of a selection mechanism of a remote commander;    generating a signal for displaying a first menu on a display, the first menu having a plurality of fields arranged in a horizontal configuration;    laterally moving a cursor of the GUI to place the cursor over a field of the plurality of fields, and thus highlight the field;    generating a signal for displaying a list of menu options associated with the highlighted field, the navigable list of menu options being arranged as a vertical set of fields crossing the horizontal configuration of fields of the first menu at the highlighted field;    vertically moving a cursor of the GUI to place the cursor over a menu option on the navigable list of menu options; and    selecting the menu option in response to activation of a selection mechanism of the remote commander.    
   
   
       73 . The method according to  claim 72 , wherein the second menu comprises a menu of functions associated with the highlighted first menu field,  
   
   
       74 . A video display displaying first and second menus generated according to the process of  claim 72 .  
   
   
       75 . A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when carried out on a programmed processor, carry out a process according to  claim 72 .  
   
   
       76 . In an audio/visual (AV) system, a method for navigation of menu options available to a user of the AV system, comprising: 
 entering a graphical user interface (GUI) in response to activation of a selection mechanism of a remote commander;    generating a signal for displaying a first menu on a display, the first menu having a plurality of fields arranged in a vertical configuration;    vertically moving a cursor of the GUI to place the cursor over a field of the plurality of fields, and thus highlight the field;    generating a signal for displaying a list of menu options associated with the highlighted field, the navigable list of menu options being arranged as a horizontal set of fields crossing the horizontal configuration of fields of the first menu at the highlighted field;    horizontally moving a cursor of the GUI to place the cursor over a menu option on the navigable list of menu options; and    selecting the menu option in response to activation of a selection mechanism of the remote commander.    
   
   
       77 . The method according to  claim 76 , wherein the second menu comprises a menu of functions associated with the highlighted first menu field.  
   
   
       78 . A video display displaying first and second menus generated according to the process of  claim 76 .  
   
   
       79 . A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when carried out on a programmed processor, carry out a process according to  claim 76 .  
   
   
       80 . An Audio/Visual (AV) device, having a method for navigation of menu options available to a user of the AV device, comprising: 
 means for entering a graphical user interface (GUI);    means for generating a signal for displaying a first menu on a display, the first menu having a plurality of fields arranged in a first linear configuration;    means for generating a signal for displaying a cursor of the GUI over a field of the plurality of fields, thus producing a highlighted first menu field; and    means for generating a signal for displaying a second menu on a display, the second menu being arranged as a second linear configuration crossing the first menu, with the highlighted first menu field being a location of an intersection of the first menu and the second menu.    
   
   
       81 . The device according to  claim 80 , wherein the means for generating a signal displaying a cursor further comprises: 
 generating a signal for moving the cursor of the GUI to place the cursor over a field of the set of fields of the second menu, thus highlighting a second menu field.    
   
   
       82 . The device according to  claim 80 , further comprising: 
 means for selecting an action associated with the highlighted second menu field.    
   
   
       83 . The device according to  claim 80 , wherein the first linear configuration of the first menu is oriented substantially horizontally, and the second linear configuration of the second menu is oriented substantially vertically.  
   
   
       84 . The device according to  claim 80 , wherein the first linear configuration of the first menu is oriented substantially vertically, and the second linear configuration of the second menu is oriented substantially horizontally.  
   
   
       85 . The device according to  claim 80 , wherein the first linear configuration of the first menu is oriented substantially at a right angle to the second linear configuration of the second menu.  
   
   
       86 . The device according to  claim 80 , wherein the second menu comprises at least one of a menu of available media, a menu of available options, a menu of available actions, a menu of available devices associated with the highlighted first menu field.