Patent US4393848A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US2363893A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US7036083B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US7036083B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Multimode interactive television chat
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
•
Filing: 1999-12-14
•
Granted: 2006-04-25
•
Expires: 2019-12-14
Abstract
Abstract A user interface device has a graphical user interface that can simultaneously display a combination of television and Internet content in various display modes. The display modes may have different proportions, positioning or other features of the Internet and television content. A viewer of the user interface device may change display modes, such as by selecting a link available in each of the display modes. The television content being displayed may be a broadcast show and the Internet content may be chat from a chat room corresponding to the television show. Various display modes are provided for displaying the television show and corresponding chat, ranging from maximal television display and minimal chat display to minimal television display and maximal chat display. Changing television channels may initiate a corresponding change in the chat room being participated in and the content being displayed.
Inventors
- 👤 Steven Ericsson Zenith
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 13:49
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/40; H04N21/41; H04N21/414; H04N21/4143; H04N21/43; H04N21/438; H04N21/4383; H04N21/443; H04N21/4438; H04N21/45; H04N21/462; H04N21/4622; H04N21/47; H04N21/472; H04N21/47205; H04N21/478; H04N21/4782; H04N21/4786; H04N21/4788; H04N21/80; H04N21/85; H04N21/858; H04N21/8586; H04N7/00; H04N7/16; H04N7/173; H04N7/17309; H04N7/17318
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
303 words
In a device having a graphical user interface and a display capable of displaying video signals and chat communications in frames on the display in any of a plurality of selectable display modes, each of the display modes defining the relative positions and sizes of the display frames, a method comprising: receiving a video signal at the device; receiving at the device one or more chat communications corresponding to the video signal; displaying the video signal and the one or more chat communications on the display in a first display mode, such that the video signal is displayed in a first frame that has a corresponding size and position on the display, and such that the one or more chat communications are displayed in a second frame that has a corresponding size and position on the display; displaying in the second frame a link to a second display mode that is different than the first display mode, such that when the link to the second display mode is selected, the second frame displays the one or more chat communications with at least one of a different frame size or a different frame position than was used by the second frame in the first display mode, and while still displaying the video signal in the first frame; and displaying a link to a third display mode within the second frame when the second frame is displayed in the second display mode, and such that when the link to the third display mode is selected, the second frame displays the one or more chat communications with at least one of a different frame size or a different frame position than was used by the second frame in both the first and second display modes, and while still displaying the video signal in the first frame.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
303 words
In a device having a graphical user interface and a display capable of displaying video signals and chat communications in frames on the display in any of a plurality of selectable display modes, each of the display modes defining the relative positions and sizes of the display frames, a method comprising: receiving a video signal at the device; receiving at the device one or more chat communications corresponding to the video signal; displaying the video signal and the one or more chat communications on the display in a first display mode, such that the video signal is displayed in a first frame that has a corresponding size and position on the display, and such that the one or more chat communications are displayed in a second frame that has a corresponding size and position on the display; displaying in the second frame a link to a second display mode that is different than the first display mode, such that when the link to the second display mode is selected, the second frame displays the one or more chat communications with at least one of a different frame size or a different frame position than was used by the second frame in the first display mode, and while still displaying the video signal in the first frame; and displaying a link to a third display mode within the second frame when the second frame is displayed in the second display mode, and such that when the link to the third display mode is selected, the second frame displays the one or more chat communications with at least one of a different frame size or a different frame position than was used by the second frame in both the first and second display modes, and while still displaying the video signal in the first frame.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the video signal comprises a television show.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more chat communications comprise text.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more chat communications overlay a portion of the video signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: changing the video signal to receive a different channel, and in response to the different channel sending a request to a server for different chat communication corresponding to the different channel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying an area on the display for sending information relating to the video signal or the one or more chat communications.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying an area on the display for sending through the one or more chat communications.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: selecting the link to the second display mode, wherein the link identifies a television markup language document that represents the second display mode, and rendering the document to display the video signal and one or more chat communications in accordance with the second display mode.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein selection of another link also causes the first frame to display the video signal with at least one of a different first frame size and a different first frame position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the link to the second display mode comprises a selectable object displayed within the second frame.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
81 words
A method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising: displaying with the video signal and the one or more chat communications at least one additional link corresponding to at least one additional display mode that is different than the first and second display modes and that when selected causes at least one of the size and position of at least one of the first and second frames to change, and while still displaying the video signal and the chat communications.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
283 words
A device having a graphical user interface and a display capable of displaying video content and chat in a plurality of selectable display formats, each display format controlling the relative positions and sizes of the display frames for the video content and the chat, comprising: means for displaying video and chat corresponding to the video in a first display mode, such that the video content is displayed in a first frame that has a corresponding size and position on the display, and such that the chat is displayed in a second frame that has a corresponding size and position on the display; means for switching to a second display mode upon receiving a selection from a first link displayed in the second frame at the display, the second display mode being different than the first display mode, such that when the first link is selected, the means for switching to a second display mode includes means for switching at least one of the size or position of the second frame, and while still displaying the chat and video signal in the first and second frames respectively; and means for switching to a third display mode upon receiving a selection from a second link that is displayed in the second frame when the second frame is displayed in the second display mode, the third display mode being different than the first and second display modes, such that when the second link is selected, the means for switching to a third display mode includes means for switching at least one of the size or position of the second frame, and while still displaying the chat and video signal in the first and second frames respectively.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
283 words
A device having a graphical user interface and a display capable of displaying video content and chat in a plurality of selectable display formats, each display format controlling the relative positions and sizes of the display frames for the video content and the chat, comprising: means for displaying video and chat corresponding to the video in a first display mode, such that the video content is displayed in a first frame that has a corresponding size and position on the display, and such that the chat is displayed in a second frame that has a corresponding size and position on the display; means for switching to a second display mode upon receiving a selection from a first link displayed in the second frame at the display, the second display mode being different than the first display mode, such that when the first link is selected, the means for switching to a second display mode includes means for switching at least one of the size or position of the second frame, and while still displaying the chat and video signal in the first and second frames respectively; and means for switching to a third display mode upon receiving a selection from a second link that is displayed in the second frame when the second frame is displayed in the second display mode, the third display mode being different than the first and second display modes, such that when the second link is selected, the means for switching to a third display mode includes means for switching at least one of the size or position of the second frame, and while still displaying the chat and video signal in the first and second frames respectively.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The device of claim 12 , wherein the means for switching to the second display mode includes actuating a hypertext link displayed in the first display mode.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
58 words
A device as recited in claim 12 , wherein the means for switching to a second display mode includes means for switching at least one of the size and position of the second frame, while still displaying the video signal in the first frame with at least one of the first frame size and the first frame position.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
49 words
A device as recited in claim 12 , wherein the means for switching to a second display mode includes means for switching at least one of the size and position for both the first frame and the second frame, while still displaying the video signal and the chat communications.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5737011A
Cited
US5694163A
Cited
US6323911B1
Cited
US5774666A
Cited
US6785708B1
Cited
US5828839A
Cited
US6061716A
Cited
US5889950A
Cited
US6081830A
Cited
US6219042B1
Cited
US6195094B1
Cited
US6425012B1
Cited
US6400381B1
Cited
US6326935B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2009-04-24 | 2009-10-24 | 2010-04-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2013-04-24 | 2013-10-24 | 2014-04-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2017-04-24 | 2017-10-24 | 2018-04-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |