A user interface (abbreviated to U.I.) is the combination of at least a means of receiving commands and at least a means of display. A U.I. generally uses descriptive data for preparing menus capable of being displayed on a television screen. Amongst other things, these data can be used to prepare lists of items that the user may select. The MPEG-7 standard specifies descriptive data associated with audiovisual contents. The MPEG-7 standard can be accessed via the ISO under the reference ISO/IEC JTC1/SC29/WG11-N5525 published in March 2003. If these data originate from a transmission network, they can be stored in a local database and continuously updated according to the contents transmitted by the network. There are other descriptive data, also read from media such as CDs or DVDs. Generally speaking, the descriptive data are recorded in a receiver memory database and grouped together by lists according to certain criteria such as: the titles of the programs transmitted, the transmission channels, the program topics, the available languages, etc. Other lists may also be prepared by the receiver itself, lists of functions for example.
Some lists are accessible with the aid of an Electronic Program Guide (abbreviated to EPG) displayed on a screen. The EPG retrieves list items from a transmission network for example and is responsible for displaying an item identifier in a box. The boxes are arranged vertically or horizontally, or in a grid. The user navigates the displayed lists with the aid of navigation keys arranged on a remote control. If the boxes are arranged horizontally, then the user navigates the list using the “right arrow” or “left arrow” keys. When a box is highlighted graphically, the item associated with this box is selected. Other keys can be used to execute functions applied to this item, for example if the item is an audiovisual program, the functions that can be executed may be viewing it, recording it or associating it with a text for example, etc. In some EPGs, the boxes associated with selectable items are spread over the screen, either within a structured list, or in isolation. The user may have difficulties in quickly selecting the item that they want since starting from a given item, the choice of navigation key to use is not clearly apparent to them.
The document WO01/43424—UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES discloses the menu display forming lists arranged vertically. At the beginning and end of the list, icons accessible via navigation controls indicate that there are other items that would be displayed by continuing to navigate in this direction. For example, FIG. 28 and the corresponding text show the display of a favorite list, the display of a favorite list is triggered by selecting an icon in the icon field of FIG. 16. In FIG. 28, the icon that appears above an item list enables a sort function to be applied to the list below this icon. This document teaches access to a single set of functions from an additional icon.
The list displayed may comprise a large number of items. A well-known solution consists in using two page jumps forward and back keys. But this means having to increase the number of keys, which increases the cost of the remote control.
In addition to the functionalities that it provides, the remote control forms an important aesthetic element in an audiovisual system. According to fashion, they comprise more or less keys, and these keys take various forms. It may be useful to produce new forms of remote control with uncluttered lines and whose number or form of the keys arouses the user's interest.
The present invention discloses a new way of selecting an item within a list or a function, with limited and inexpensive means of receiving commands.