Playlist creation tools for television user interfaces

Abstract

Systems and methods according to the present invention provide a user interface for playlist creation functionality.

1 . A playlist generation system comprising: 
 a television;    a storage device for storing media items and selectively replaying said media items;    a user interface for creating a playlist displayed on said television using images which correspond to said stored media items; and    a 3D pointing device for providing pointing and selection inputs to said user interface to add said images corresponding to said media items to said displayed playlist.    
   
   
       2 . The playlist generation system of  claim 1 , wherein said user interface further comprises: 
 a playlist region bar wherein said images corresponding to media items to be played are arranged in an order in which they are to be played.    
   
   
       3 . The playlist generation of  claim 2 , wherein said user interface further comprises: 
 a play button for instructing said user interface to play said media items in said playlist;    a shuffle button for shuffling said order of said media items;    a clear button for clearing said images from said playlist region; and    a close button for closing said playlist on said television,    each of said buttons displayed on said television and actuable by pointing to a respective button and pressing a button on said 3D pointing device.    
   
   
       4 . The playlist generation system of  claim 1 , wherein said playlist can be alternately displayed on said television along with user interface control elements associated therewith, or reduced to an icon representation of said playlist.  
   
   
       5 . The playlist generation system of  claim 4 , wherein pointing to and clicking on said icon representation of said playlist results in said playlist and user interface control elements associated therewith being displayed on said television  
   
   
       6 . The playlist generation system of  claim 1 , wherein in a first user interface view, said images are displayed as bookshelves of images categorized by genre.  
   
   
       7 . The playlist generation system of  claim 6 , wherein said playlist can be selectively displayed to overlay some of said images in some of said bookshelves.  
   
   
       8 . The playlist generation system of  claim 6 , further comprising: 
 a second user interface view associated with one of said images and corresponding media items,    wherein at least one user interface control element is displayed on said television which permits said user to add all of a plurality of media subitems to said playlist or individual ones of said plurality of media subitems to said playlist.    
   
   
       9 . A playlist generation method comprising: 
 displaying a user interface for creating a playlist using images which correspond to stored media items;    providing input to said user interface by pointing at said images displayed on said user interface using a 3D pointing device; and    selectively adding media items to said playlist based on said input.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said user interface further comprises: 
 a playlist region bar wherein said images corresponding to media items to be played are arranged in an order in which they are to be played.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said user interface further comprises: 
 a play button for instructing said user interface to play said media items in said playlist;    a shuffle button for shuffling said order of said media items;    a clear button for clearing said images from said playlist region; and    a close button for closing said playlist on said television,    each of said buttons displayed on said television and actuable by pointing to a respective button and pressing a button on said 3D pointing device.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said playlist can be alternately displayed on said television along with user interface control elements associated therewith, or reduced to an icon representation of said playlist.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein pointing to and clicking on said icon representation of said playlist results in said playlist and user interface control elements associated therewith being displayed on said television  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein in a first user interface view, said images are displayed as bookshelves of images categorized by genre.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said playlist can be selectively displayed to overlay some of said images in some of said bookshelves.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 a second user interface view associated with one of said images and corresponding media items,    wherein at least one user interface control element is displayed on said television which permits said user to add all of a plurality of media subitems to said playlist or individual ones of said plurality of media subitems to said playlist.    
   
   
       17 . A computer-readable medium containing instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform the steps of: 
 displaying a user interface for creating a playlist using images which correspond to stored media items;    receiving input to said user interface associated with pointing at said images displayed on said user interface using a 3D pointing device; and    selectively adding media items to said playlist based on said input.    
   
   
       18 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein said user interface further comprises: 
 a playlist region bar wherein said images corresponding to media items to be played are arranged in an order in which they are to be played.    
   
   
       19 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein said user interface further comprises: 
 a play button for instructing said user interface to play said media items in said playlist;    a shuffle button for shuffling said order of said media items;    a clear button for clearing said images from said playlist region; and    a close button for closing said playlist on said television,    each of said buttons displayed on said television and actuable by pointing to a respective button and pressing a button on said 3D pointing device.    
   
   
       20 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein said playlist can be alternately displayed on said television along with user interface control elements associated therewith, or reduced to an icon representation of said playlist.  
   
   
       21 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein pointing to and clicking on said icon representation of said playlist results in said playlist and user interface control elements associated therewith being displayed on said television  
   
   
       22 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein in a first user interface view, said images are displayed as bookshelves of images categorized by genre.  
   
   
       23 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 22 , wherein said playlist can be selectively displayed to overlay some of said images in some of said bookshelves.  
   
   
       24 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 a second user interface view associated with one of said images and corresponding media items,    wherein at least one user interface control element is displayed on said television which permits said user to add all of a plurality of media subitems to said playlist or individual ones of said plurality of media subitems to said playlist.