United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 6,011,546 Bertram (45) Date of Patent: *Jan
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US00601-1546A United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 6,011,546 Bertram (45) Date of Patent: *Jan. 4, 2000 54 PROGRAMMING STRUCTURE FOR USER 58 Field of Search ..................................... 345/326, 327, INTERFACES 345/339, 352, 353, 354; 348/6, 10, 734, 725, 601,906, 473, 563-565, 589, 584, 75 Inventor: Randal Lee Bertram, Raleigh, N.C. 586, 588; 455/3.1, 4.1, 4.2, 6.1, 6.2 73 Assignee: International Business Machines 56) References Cited Corporation, Armonk, N.Y. U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS * Notice: This patent is Subject to a terminal dis- 5,422,674 6/1995 Hooper et al. .............................. 34.8/6 claimer. 5,539,479 7/1996 Bertram .................................. 34.8/564 5,548,340 8/1996 Bertram .................................. 34.8/559 5,657,091 8/1997 Bertram .................................. 34.8/559 21 Appl. No.: 08/937,056 5,801,941 9/1998 Bertram .................................. 364/188 22 Filed: Sep. 24, 1997 Primary Examiner-John W. Miller Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Daniel E. McConnell; Bernard Related U.S. Application Data D. Bogdon 63 Continuation-in-part of application No. 08/700,606, Aug. 57 ABSTRACT application12, 1996, Pat. No. No. 08/899,038, 5,801.941, andJul. a 23,continuation-in-part 1997, abandoned, of E. Stored E. t asSociated with irrn which is a continuation of application No. 08/551,620, Nov. COntrollerS contro Ing a display to a user are constructe 1, 1995, Pat. No. 5,657,091. a language which uses layered Statements, each of which can 7 have a description portion,s an action portion,s and a unique 51 Int. Cl. .............................. H04N 5/445; H04N 9/74 connecting character. 52 U.S. Cl. .......................... 345/327; 348/563; 348/584; 348/725; 34.5/352 13 Claims, 25 Drawing Sheets MENU1GCARD1 WEATHERGCARD2 SPORTSQCARD3 GCARD2 FLOW GCARD3 F1==1 GCARD9 G MENU2GCARD3 SELECTIONAGCARD11 SELECTION BGCARD12 SELECTION CGCARD13 - we or H H H was as or - are an MENU 1 LEVEL 1 LEVEL2 MENU 2 : LEVEL 3 1. SELECTIONA 2. SELECTION B 3. SELECTION C U.S. Patent Jan. 4, 2000 Sheet 1 of 25 6,011,546 FIG. U.S. Patent Jan. 4, 2000 Sheet 2 of 25 6,011,546 FIG. 2 U.S. Patent Jan. 4, 2000 Sheet 3 of 25 6,011,546 32 3O CABLE, ANT. AUX1 N ( CAMERA 42 AUX2 TUNER TUNER (GAME) 4O 1 2 44 VCR 36 CABLE INTERFACE ANALOGMUX FULL PIP 46 SCREEN ANALOG AUDIO CONTROL 39 48 MPEG PROCESSOR MCRO PROCESSOR 49 VIDEO FLASH PROCESSOR 5O /RO RECEIVER DRAM BLASTER IC CTRL 54 51 45 BUSS CD DRIVE 52 CABLE/PHONE MODEM U.S. Patent Jan. 4, 2000 Sheet 5 of 25 6,011,546 O FIG. 5 VIDEO PROCESSOR SYSTEM : 1. CPU KESD PROCESSOR INTERFACE MEMORY INTERFACE/ SYSTEM REFRESH MEMORY: VIDEO SCREEN 38 CONTROLLER RAM OTHER SYSTEM CIRCUITRY RAM BOOT NTERRUPT ROM CONTROLLER CONTROLLERCD - 72 INTERFACE s7 ( EXPANSION s: 1 CONNECTOR U.S. Patent Jan. 4, 2000 Sheet 6 of 25 6,011,546 FIG. 6 U.S. Patent Jan. 4, 2000 Sheet 7 of 25 6,011,546 30 U.S. Patent Jan. 4, 2000 Sheet 8 of 25 6,011,546 FIG. 8 U.S. Patent Jan. 4, 2000 Sheet 9 of 25 6,011,546 NIEINT1& LTIOENT1g ISOSC ESTOWN« TVIHES« EINOHdG]WEH! ENOHdOHO?WN& HEXVEdSa |CJIWNc ETTEVOC U.S. Patent Jan. 4, 2000 Sheet 10 of 25 6,011,546 FIG. 10 1. U HARDWARE 2. U. ENGINE 4. F ROUTINES 5. IF HARDWARE U.S. Patent Jan. 4, 2000 Sheet 11 of 25 6,011,546 MENU1GCARD1 WEATHERGCARD2 SPORTSQCARD3 O FIG. 11 QCARD2 FLOW GCARD3 IF 1 == 1 GCARD9 G) MENU2GCARD3 SELECTION AGCARD11 SELECTION BGCARD12 SELECTION CGDCARD13 - -o- m a- - -a as a am me is same a is a won m was as ame ses MENU 1 LEVEL 1 - - - - - a LEVEL2 MENU2 LEVEL 3 1. SELECTIONA 2. SELECTION B 3. SELECTION C U.S. Patent Jan. 4, 2000 Sheet 12 of 25 6,011,546 (O) U.S. Patent Jan. 4, 2000 Sheet 13 0f 25 6,011,546 xooaeuo,LsõSKJØodujo: [Guilleur??STOT– U.S. Patent Jan. 4, 2000 Sheet 14 of 25 6,011,546 NIHSIHSWNNOISMEGINDHIQERHIIVOS5 01QNWAISEWHITMOS‘S09ETC/C||W.EH1 INEO?EdOZN\/?]"HdWNO15 CINN/S?|EWOHST\/NOISVOOOIHSDINO] U.S. Patent Jan. 4, 2000 Sheet 15 of 25 6,011,546 coloo coole). U.S. Patent Jan. 4, 2000 Sheet 16 of 25 6,011,546 U.S. Patent Jan. 4, 2000 Sheet 17 of 25 6,011,546 s silesi seasisSt m : ; QSS U.S. Patent Jan. 4, 2000 Sheet 18 0f 25 6,011,546 U.S. Patent Jan. 4, 2000 Sheet 19 of 25 6,011,546 FG, 20 22 U.S. Patent Jan. 4, 2000 Sheet 20 0f 25 6,011,546 o CN U.S. Patent Jan. 4, 2000 Sheet 21 of 25 6,011,546 (AHELIWGLEVWS)o U.S. Patent Jan. 4, 2000 Sheet 22 of 25 6,011,546 FG, 23 27 VOLTAGE PC BATERY CARD BAERY POWER POWER 8. POWE R CONTROL PERPHERAL MPC82 MICRO- PC CARD CONTROLLER 2C 263 HOSTER PERPHERAL POWER CONROLLER POWER 26 HOSTER PERIPHERAL BAERY 262 EXERNA POMER 260 U.S. Patent Jan. 4, 2000 Sheet 23 of 25 6,011,546 278 FIG. 24 ACTME SOFTWARE HOSTER PERPH. LED IS OFF SOFTWARE SANDBY COMPUTER LED IS ON. SUSPEND LCD SACTME. SUSP/RES, BUTTON RING INDICATE USER FULL ACTME ALARM TIMEOUT EVENTS HOSTER PERIPH, LED IS ON, LOWBATERY COMPUTER LED IS ON, TIMER TIMEOUT LCD SACTME. 279 28 SUSPEND STANDBY HOSTER PERPH, LED IS OFF HOSTER PERPH, LED IS OFF COMPUTER LED IS OFF COMPUTER LED IS ON, LCD IS OFF LCDS OFF FULL SUSPEND FULL SANDBY HOLSTER PERIPH. LED IS ON, HOLSTER PERPH, LED IS ON. COMPUTER LED IS OFF COMPUTER LED IS OFF LCD IS OFF LCD S OFF ON/OFF SWITCH 280 BATERY REMOMED ON/OFF SWITCH 276 BATTERY DEPLETED OFF HOSTER PERIPH, LED IS OFF COMPUTER LED IS OFF LCD IS OFF ON/OFF SWITCH Eb BATTERY REMOMED BATTERY DEPLETED BATTERY DEPLETED HOLSTER PERIPH. HOSTER PERPH. LED IS ON, COMPUTER LED IS OFF LCD IS OFF U.S. Patent Jan. 4, 2000 Sheet 24 of 25 6,011,546 FG, 25 28 82 -4 SOFTWARE 2 ON DLE DLE APPS, AREACTME. APPS, ARE STATIC. CPUIS IN NORM, HIGH MODE, CPUSINDOZE, HIGH MODE. LCD BACKLIGHT IS ONOR OFF ANY EVENT LCD BACKLIGHT ON, PERIPHS, ARE POWER-MANAGED PERIPHS, ARE POWER-MANAGED SOFTWARE SUSP/RES.. BUTTON STANDBY RING INDICATE RTCALARM TMER TIME-OU 284 ANY ON/OFF SWITCH SOFTWARE OWBATERY WARM EMENT BATTERY REMOMED SUSPEND OWBATTERY SUSP SANDBY SUSPEND APPS, ARE STATIC. APPS, ARE STATIC 8 CHKPD, CPUIS IN SLEEP MODE. CPUSINDOZE LOW MODE. LCD BACKLIGHT OFF LCD BACKLIGHTS OFF PERIPHS. ARE POWER-MANAGED PERIPHERALS, ARE OFF. ON/OFF SWITCH ON/OFF SWITCH BATERY REMOMED BATERY REMOMED 286 ON/OFF SWITCH OFF BATTERY INSTALLED ON/OFF SWITCH AC CONNECTED APPS, ARE CHECKPOINTED, BATERY REMOMED CPUIS IN POWER DOWN MODE. CD BACKLIGHTS OFF PERIPHERALSARE OFF 6,011,546 1 2 PROGRAMMING STRUCTURE FOR USER remote from an enterprise Site, to enterprise data normally INTERFACES maintained on an enterprise System and accessed through a network of computer Systems. Such access has been RELATED APPLICATIONS achieved, in part, through the use of wireline connected personal computer Systems. Such as notebook or laptop This application is a continuation-in-part of copending computer Systems. Typically, Such a System may be application Ser. No. 08/700,606 filed Aug. 12, 1996 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,801,941 and of application Ser. No. 08/899, equipped with a modem and communications Software Such 038 filed Jul. 23, 1997 now abandoned, which is a continu that, when connected to a public Switched telephone net ation of application Ser. No. 08/551,620 filed Nov. 1, 1995 work (PSTN), the system may be connected with a support and now U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,091. The present subject ing Server or mainframe and a user may gain access to application claims priority from each and all of these prior desired data. applications. With the development of radio communications such as exemplified by the cellular telephone networks, the possi BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION bility arose of eliminating the wireline connection between 15 a personal computer System and a Supporting Server. Such This invention relates to a programming Structure for user Systems have been developed, particularly for Systems used interfaces. The user interfaces for which the programming in retail and warehousing businesses, which permit a user to structure here to be described is useful may be found in at move freely within an area which has radio transceiver least two different environments. Attention will be given to Service while remaining in intermittent or continuous con each in turn, as will become more clear hereinafter. tact with a data channel through which data may be A first environment of use for a user interface as here eXchanged with a Server or mainframe Supporting an enter described is a consumer use of what has been identified as prise activity. For purposes of discussion here, Such Systems the “television Space'. That is, the use of Video/audio signal in the hands of user will be referred to as “mobile client Streams Such as in the past have been distributed by broad Systems'. A mobile client System is distinguished by the cast over radio frequency bands or by cable distribution, or 25 mobility of the user, who is free of the restraints against made available from Video recorder/player devices Such as movement imposed by a wireline connection, and by the cassette recorders or Video disc players, or made available client nature of the System in that enterprise data accessed by from direct, live Sources Such as cameras, game Systems or the mobile client System is maintained on a Server or computers.