On-Screen Keypad Control for TV Receiver Channel Input
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional television receiver interfaces are not intuitive for accessing numeric features, particularly channel numbers, requiring the use of a numeric keypad, which can be inconvenient for users.
Innovation Solution
A graphical user interface is implemented on the television receiver's display, allowing viewers to input numeric or alphanumeric data using a two-dimensional input device, such as a touchpad, to select channels or perform other tasks without a physical keypad, by presenting a keypad image and updating the display in response to viewer inputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a numeric keypad is used for channel selection, then channel input is precise, but the interface becomes less intuitive and more difficult to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a visual copy of a numeric keypad displayed on the television screen itself. This graphical keypad image replicates the familiar numeric layout, allowing users to see exactly what they are inputting. The cursor moves across the displayed keypad to select numbers, providing visual feedback that makes the interface intuitive while eliminating the need for a separate physical numeric keypad device.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a cursor as an intermediary element between the user and the channel selection process. The cursor acts as a visual pointer that moves across the displayed keypad, allowing users to select channels by directing the cursor to the desired number and confirming with a button press. This intermediary makes the interaction more intuitive compared to directly pressing numeric buttons.
2Ease of operation
If a physical numeric keypad is provided on the remote control, then numeric input is convenient, but the remote control design becomes more complex and space-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the numeric keypad functionality from the physical remote control device and relocates it to the television display. Instead of having physical buttons on the remote, the system displays a graphical keypad on the screen and uses cursor movement controlled by simpler directional buttons on the remote. This removes the need for complex physical keypad structures on the remote while preserving numeric input capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical physical keypad system with a graphical display system. Instead of physical buttons that require precise pressing, the system uses a displayed keypad image with a movable cursor controlled by directional inputs. This substitution reduces mechanical complexity on the remote control while maintaining or improving ease of numeric input through visual feedback.
3Productivity
If conventional interface methods are used for channel selection, then the system is simple to implement, but user interaction efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent displays a visual copy of the numeric keypad on the television screen, allowing users to see the numbers they are selecting. This visual representation speeds up the channel selection process by providing immediate feedback, making the interaction more efficient compared to conventional methods where users press buttons without visual confirmation on the screen.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements visual feedback by displaying the keypad image and showing cursor movement across it in real-time. As users navigate the cursor to select numbers, the display immediately reflects their actions, providing continuous feedback that speeds up the interaction process. This feedback mechanism makes channel selection more efficient by eliminating uncertainty about the current selection.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods provide for graphically controlling numeric, alphanumeric or other symbol-based features on a set top box (STB) or other television receiver. A keypad image is presented on the display that includes key images corresponding to the symbol-based features. A two-dimensional input is received from the remote control that indicates one of the key images, and imagery on the display is updated in response to the received two-dimensional input.