Systems and methods for a dimmable user interface

Abstract

Systems and methods for a dimmable user interface. A user interface is simultaneously displayed with video content or other data in the same window of a display device. The user interface has a level of transparency that is user adjustable. The user can thus make the user interface either more or less visible with respect to the video content. At the same time, the video content is correspondingly made less or more visible. Each item included in the user interface may also have a level of transparency that can be adjusted independently of the level of transparency of the user interface.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10 / 067,667, filed Feb. 4, 2002, and entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR A DIMMABLE USER INTERFACE” and which is incorporated here by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a dimmable user interface. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems, methods and computer program products for selectively dimming a user interface to allow for simultaneous display of the user interface with other content and more particularly to simultaneously displaying the user interface and a television program in the same window. Background and Relevant Art [0004] Today, people are able to access and surf the Internet using, for example, a television set and a set top box. These set top boxes typically require minimal computer knowledge yet they provide users with many of the same advantages that are attainable ove...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013] The ability to control the transparency or visibility of the user interface and / or the video stream ensures, for example, that the user is not distracted by the user interface when viewing the video stream. At the same time, the user interface is able to provide the user with content or data that would otherwise be unavailable to the user if the user interface were not present. At any time, the user can change the transparency of the user interface and / or the video stream for any reason. Another advantage of the present invention is the ability to control the transparency of selected items or content included in the user interface. This enables, for example, content along a certain portion of the display device, such as a border, to have no transparency, whereas items or content that are displayed more centrally on the display device can be configured to be more transparent. The transparency of the video stream / user interface is achieved by mixing the pixel data representing the video stream with the pixel data representing the user interface using an alpha value to control the relative strength or contribution of the respective pixel data.

Problems solved by technology

Users are often only restricted to the speed of their connection with the Internet.

In spite of all the advantages provided by of set top boxes, providing interactive television is not without problems.

This problem is significant because most people enjoy the advantages and functionality provided by set top boxes and do not want to turn those features off in order to watch a television program on a full screen.

Displaying data or other content associated with interactive television or with other set top box applications simultaneously with a television program limits the space that is available for displaying the television program.

At some threshold, the television window will still be visible, but watching television may not be enjoyable for the user.

In this case, the user's ability to view television is often distracted by the translucent overlay.

Alternatively, the user can turn the overlay off and thus lose the advantages of interactive television, for example.

If the user turns the overlay off, then the user will not be able to interact with the sporting event.

Alternatively, the overlay may interfere with the user's enjoyment and view of the current television program.

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