Systems and methods for a dimmable user interface

Abstract

Systems and methods for a dimmable user interface. A user interface is simultaneously displayed with video content or other data in the same window of a display device. The user interface has a level of transparency that is user adjustable. The user can thus make the user interface either more or less visible with respect to the video content. At the same time, the video content is correspondingly made less or more visible. Each item included in the user interface may also have a level of transparency that can be adjusted independently of the level of transparency of the user interface.

1 . In a system that includes a set-top box that is capable of displaying video content that is received from a video source or retrieved from a storage of the set top box, a method for displaying a user interface with the video content without having to resize the video content, the method comprising: 
 generating screen data by mixing a user interface with the video content according to a level of transparency that is associated with the user interface and a level of transparency that is associated with the video content;    displaying the screen data in a window of a display device, wherein a view of the video content is dependent on the level of transparency of the user interface and on the level of transparency of the video content; and    adjusting the level of transparency of the user interface and the level of transparency of the video content according to input received from a user the input comprising selection of one or more volume control buttons on a remote control device of the set-top box that have been programmed to adjust transparency, wherein the view of the video content changes as the level of transparency of the user interface and the level of transparency of the video content are adjusted.    
   
   
       2 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes one or more items, the method further comprising: 
 selecting an item that is included in the user interface; and    adjusting a level of transparency for the selected item without adjusting the level of transparency of the user interface.    
   
   
       3 . A method as defined in  claim 2 , wherein adjusting a level of transparency for the selected item further comprises adjusting the level of transparency for the item such that the item is either more transparent or less transparent.  
   
   
       4 . A method as defined in  claim 2 , wherein the selected item is an interactive item that is associated with the video.  
   
   
       5 . A method as defined in  claim 1 , wherein adjusting the level of transparency further comprises adjusting the level of transparency of the user interface such that the user interface is either more transparent or less transparent.  
   
   
       6 . In a system that includes a set-top box that is capable of displaying video content that is received from a video source or retrieved from a storage of the set top box, a computer program product for implementing a method for displaying a user interface with the video content without having to resize the video content, the computer program product comprising: 
 a computer readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing the method, the method comprising: 
 generating screen data by mixing a user interface with the video content according to a level of transparency that is associated with the user interface and a level of transparency that is associated with the video content;  
 displaying the screen data in a window of a display device, wherein a view of the video content is dependent on the level of transparency of the user interface and on the level of transparency of the video content; and  
 adjusting the level of transparency of the user interface and the level of transparency of the video content according to input received from a user, the input comprising selection of one or more volume control buttons on a remote control device of the set-top box that have been programmed to adjust transparency, wherein the view of the video content changes as the level of transparency of the user interface and the level of transparency of the video content are adjusted.  
   
   
   
       7 . A computer program product as defined in  claim 6 , wherein the user interface includes one or more items, the method further comprising: 
 selecting an item that is included in the user interface; and    adjusting a level of transparency for the selected item without adjusting the level of transparency of the user interface.    
   
   
       8 . A computer program product as defined in  claim 7 , wherein adjusting a level of transparency for the selected item further comprises adjusting the level of transparency for the item such that the item is either more transparent or less transparent.  
   
   
       9 . A computer program product as defined in  claim 7 , wherein the selected item is an interactive item that is associated with the video.  
   
   
       10 . A computer program product as defined in  claim 6 , wherein adjusting the level of transparency further comprises adjusting the level of transparency of the user interface such that the user interface is either more transparent or less transparent.  
   
   
       11 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the input comprises input from one or more volume control buttons on a remote control and wherein the method further includes programming the remote control such that selection of the one or more volume control buttons indicates to the set-top box that the transparency should be changed.  
   
   
       12 . A method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein programming the remote control includes programming the remote control such that selection of the one or more volume control buttons in combination with selection of at least one other remote control button indicates to the set-top box that the transparency should be changed.  
   
   
       13 . A method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the one or more buttons include a mute button.