Methods and apparatus for three-dimensional graphical user interfaces

Abstract

A three-dimensional graphical user interface system comprises a media component configured to produce a signal comprising media content (e.g., a movie or television show being viewed by a user) and a three-dimensional graphical user interface (e.g., an interactive program guide). A display device communicatively coupled to the media component is configured to simultaneously display the three-dimensional graphical user interface and a media content image corresponding to the media content.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a media player configured to receive media content over a network; and   a display device coupled to the media player configured to display a media content image from the media content with a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display screen of the display device;   wherein the media content image is converted from a two-dimensional image to a three-dimensional image in the display screen to cause an element of the media content image to appear in a three-dimensional space defined by a plane of the GUI;   wherein the GUI and the element of the media content image are each configured with an apparent depth within the three-dimensional space defined by the plane of the GUI.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the GUI and the element of the media content image are each configured with the apparent depth within the three-dimensional space that is dynamically changing over time. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the GUI and the element of the media content image are each configured with the apparent depth within the three-dimensional space that is responsive to user input to the media player. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the GUI and the element of the media content image are each configured with the apparent depth within the three-dimensional space that is static. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the GUI has the apparent depth that is greater than the apparent depth of the media content image within the three-dimensional space. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein a planar image of the GUI is embedded with the element of the media content image based on an overlap of an apparent distance that exits between each image. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the planar image of the GUI appear closer than is the element of the media content image within the three-dimensional space to a user viewing directly of both images. 
     
     
         8 . A method comprising:
 configuring a media player to receive media content over a network; and   configuring a display device coupled to the media player for displaying a media content image from the media content with a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display screen of the display device;   wherein the media content image is converted from a two-dimensional image to a three-dimensional image in the display screen to cause an element of the media content image to appear in a three-dimensional space defined by a plane of the GUI;   wherein the GUI and the element of the media content image are each configured with an apparent depth within the three-dimensional space defined by the plane of the GUI.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the GUI and the element of the media content image are each configured with the apparent depth within the three-dimensional space that is dynamically changing over time. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the GUI and the element of the media content image are each configured with the apparent depth within the three-dimensional space that is response to user input to the media player. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the GUI and the element of the media content image are each configured with the apparent depth within the three-dimensional space that is static. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the GUI has the apparent depth that is greater than the apparent depth of the media content image within the three-dimensional space. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a planar image of the GUI is embedded with the element of the media content image based on an overlap of an apparent distance that exits between each image. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the GUI is an interactive program guide. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus comprising:
 a media player configured to:   receive a media stream and to decode the media stream; and   display a media content image decoded from the media stream with a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display screen,   wherein the media content image is converted from a two-dimensional image to a three-dimensional image in the display screen to cause an element of the media content image to appear in a three-dimensional space defined by a plane of the GUI;   wherein the GUI and the element of the media content image are each configured with an apparent depth within the three-dimensional space defined by the plane of the GUI.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the GUI and the element of the media content image are each configured with the apparent depth within the three-dimensional space that is dynamically changing over time. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the GUI and the element of the media content image are each configured with the apparent depth within the three-dimensional space that is response to user input. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the GUI and the element of the media content image are each configured with the apparent depth within the three-dimensional space that is static. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the GUI has the apparent depth that is greater than the apparent depth of the media content image within the three-dimensional space. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein a planar image of the GUI is embedded with the element of the media content image based on an overlap of an apparent distance that exits between each image.