Apparatus and method for providing user interface service in a multimedia system

Abstract

An apparatus and method for providing a User Interface (UI) service in a multimedia system are provided. The method includes receiving, from a UI server, a widget composed of a main part for handling display and a sub part for handling input; displaying information output from the main part of the widget; transmitting the sub part of the widget to a UI client device; receiving, from the UI client device, data input in the sub part of the widget; and controlling the main part of the widget according to the input data.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for providing a User Interface (UI) service by a multimedia device in a multimedia system, the method comprising:
 receiving, from a UI server, a widget composed of a main part for handling display and a sub part for handling input;   displaying information output from the main part of the widget;   transmitting the sub part of the widget to a UI client device;   receiving, from the UI client device, data input in the sub part of the widget; and   controlling the main part of the widget according to the input data.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the sub part of the widget comprises transmitting, to the UI client device, the sub part of the widget according to an MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) format. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein controlling the main part of the widget according to the input data comprises displaying a search result output from the main part of the widget according to the input data, when the widget is a search widget. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the widget is a widget selected by the UI client device. 
     
     
         5 . A method for providing a User Interface (UI) service by a UI client device in a multimedia system, the method comprising:
 receiving, from a multimedia device, a sub part of a widget, the widget being composed of a main part for handling display and the sub part for handling input;   activating the sub part of the widget; and   transmitting, to the multimedia device, data input in the sub part of the widget by a user of the UI client device,   wherein the input data is used to control the main part of the widget.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein receiving the sub part of the widget comprises receiving, from the multimedia device, the sub part of the widget according to an Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) format. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the main part of the widget outputs a search result to be display according to the input data, when the widget is a search widget. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the widget is a widget selected by the UI client device. 
     
     
         9 . A multimedia device for providing a User Interface (UI) service in a multimedia system, the multimedia device comprising:
 a receiver for receiving, from a UI server, a widget composed of a main part for handling display and a sub part for handling input;   a display unit for displaying information output from the main part of the widget;   a transmitter for transmitting the sub part of the widget to a UI client device; and   a controller for controlling the main part of the widget according to the input data, when data input in the sub part of the widget is received from the UI client device.   
     
     
         10 . The multimedia device of  claim 9 , wherein transmitting the sub part of the widget comprises transmitting, to the UI client device, the sub part of the widget according to an Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) format. 
     
     
         11 . The multimedia device of  claim 9 , wherein the controller controls the display unit for displaying a search result output from the main part of the widget according to the input data, when the widget is a search widget. 
     
     
         12 . The multimedia device of  claim 9 , wherein the widget is a widget selected by the UI client device. 
     
     
         13 . A User Interface (UI) client device for providing a UI service in a multimedia system, the UI client device comprising:
 a receiver for receiving, from a multimedia device, a sub part of a widget, the widget being composed of a main part for handling display and the sub part for handling input;   a widget manager for activating the sub part of the widget; and   a transmitter for transmitting, to the multimedia device, data input in the sub part of the widget by a user of the UI client device,   wherein the input data is used to control the main part of the widget.   
     
     
         14 . The UI client device of  claim 13 , wherein receiving the sub part of the widget comprises receiving, from the multimedia device, the sub part of the widget according to an Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) format. 
     
     
         15 . The UI client device of  claim 13 , wherein the main part of the widget outputs a search result to be display according to the input data, when the widget is a search widget. 
     
     
         16 . The UI client device of  claim 13 , wherein the widget is a widget selected by the UI client device.