Patents by Inventor Kazuto Mugura

Kazuto Mugura has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20020054106
    Abstract: An instrument includes a display screen which includes a bitmap graphical user interface including an on-screen menu, and a control element which enables movement of the on-screen menu corresponding to movement of the control element, enables the user to manipulate and select graphic images for executing selected instrument functions. The instrument is adapted to enable the user to focus on and select a selectable graphic image from a plurality of graphic images in the on-screen menu. The instrument is further adapted to enable display of an array of graphic images on the display screen, such that the user is able to view the array and focus on and select a selectable graphic image from the array. The instrument is further adapted to enable manipulation of a plurality of graphic elements in an on-screen menu such that the user is able to form a graphic image on the display screen. The instrument is still further adapted to enable automatic performance of instrument functions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2001
    Publication date: May 9, 2002
    Inventors: Kazuto Mugura, Eduardo Sciammarella, Scott Kravitz
  • Publication number: 20020047860
    Abstract: An MHP television device including a user input and a GUI application for use in such a device wherein the GUI application maintains at least one notional wheel to which activities and strings for representing the activities may be assigned and generates an image for display, the image including an edge of the notional wheel on which a predetermined number of the strings are arranged for display, the GUI application being responsive to the user input both to rotate the notional wheel so as to display different strings and to select any activity represented by a string on the notional wheel at a predetermined position of the image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Inventors: Luc De Ceulaer, Kazuto Mugura, Andre Heugebaert, Laurent Vaboquestal, Gert Copejans
  • Patent number: 6374121
    Abstract: An instrument includes a display screen which includes a bitmap graphical user interface including an on-screen menu, and a control element which enables movement of the on-screen menu corresponding to movement of the control element, enables the user to manipulate and select graphic images for executing selected instrument functions. The instrument is adapted to enable automatic performance of instrument functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2002
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuto Mugura, Eduardo Sciammarella, Scott Kravitz
  • Patent number: 6351270
    Abstract: An integrated DSS/WebTV receiver is communicatively connected to an Internet service provider, a DSS service provider, and (optionally) a local broadcast station to provide a display of DSS programs, Internet web sites, and local broadcast channels in a seamless fashion. The DSS/WebTV receiver generates a graphical user interface (GUI), displayed on a television screen, for facilitating a user's navigation through the DSS, Internet, and local broadcast data. The GUI includes a user-selectable icon for causing the DSS processing circuitry to present on the television a decimated video region for simultaneously displaying, in reduced form, programs that are currently being broadcast as well as a program guides logo in which there is displayed a miniature video of the current tuned channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuko S. Nishikawa, Jenny S. Chow, Kazuto Mugura
  • Patent number: 6348932
    Abstract: An integrated DSS/WebTV receiver is communicatively connected to an Internet service provider, a DSS service provider, and (optionally) a local broadcast station to provide a display of DSS programs, Internet web sites, and local broadcast channels in a seamless fashion. The DSS/WebTV receiver generates a graphical user interface (GUI), displayed on a television screen, for facilitating a user's navigation through the DSS, Internet, and local broadcast data. The GUI includes user-selectable icons for filtering and/or selecting the received data, a scrolling ticker region for displaying information about upcoming DSS events and providing access to related Internet web sites, and a decimated video region for displaying, in reduced form, DSS programs that are currently being broadcast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2002
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuko S. Nishikawa, Jenny S. Chow, Kim Mingo, Kazuto Mugura
  • Publication number: 20010016947
    Abstract: An integrated DSS/WebTV receiver is communicatively connected to an Internet service provider, a DSS service provider, and (optionally) a local broadcast station to provide a display of DSS programs, Internet web sites, and local broadcast channels in a seamless fashion. The DSS/WebTV receiver generates a graphical user interface (GUI), displayed on a television screen, for facilitating a user's navigation through the DSS, Internet, and local broadcast data. The GUI includes a TV Planner icon which, if selected by the user, causes the televison to display a monthly calender (or recording/reminder list) that indicates which programs are purchased and/or selected for recording by a VCR. A “Purchase” icon appears adjacent purchased programs and a “Record” icon appears adjacent programs to be recorded. If the user selects “Purchase” icon, the user is visually presented (e.g., via a pull-down screen) with the cost, date, and time of the program purchased or to be purchased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 1999
    Publication date: August 23, 2001
    Inventors: YUKO S. NISHIKAWA, JENNY S. CHOW, KIM MINGO, KAZUTO MUGURA
  • Patent number: 6243142
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying graphic images to indicate a status of programs in an electronic program guide are provided. A multiple channel broadcasting system generates an electronic program guide including graphic images to indicate a status of the programs in the electronic program guide. The status includes whether a user has selected pay-per-view broadcasts for purchase, whether a broadcast system timer has been set to tune to a particular channel program at a designated time, whether a channel program has been set for recording, and whether a program is designated as a favorite program. The broadcast system displays the graphic images or icons within an electronic program guide in areas delineating particular programs that a user has selected for purchase so that the user can view the status of the programs while viewing the electronic program guide. A method and apparatus for displaying a graphical representation of time in relation to programming times are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuto Mugura, Yuko Nishikawa, Joseph Saib
  • Patent number: 6208342
    Abstract: An instrument includes a display screen which includes a bitmap graphical user interface including an on-screen menu, and a control element which enables movement of the on-screen menu corresponding to movement of the control element, enables the user to manipulate and select graphic images for executing selected instrument functions. The instrument is adapted to enable the user to focus on and select a selectable graphic image from a plurality of graphic images in the on-screen menu.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuto Mugura, Eduardo Sciammarella, Scott Kravitz
  • Patent number: 6188406
    Abstract: A typical conventional Graphical User Interface (GUI) displays multiple menu items, together with their respective icons (or symbols), on a display region. However, when a display region has a relatively small area, displaying icons (or symbols) together with their respective menu items makes the display region clustered, thus increasing the difficulty for a user to locate and select a desired menu item. To overcome this shortcoming, an improved GUI displays multiple menu items of a menu on a display region that contains a column window and row window. Each of the menu items contains a content field and a symbol field. The GUI only displays the symbol fields of the menu items that are scrolled into the column window and the content field of a menu item that is scrolled into the row window. In doing so, the improved GUI facilitates a user to select a desired menu item from the menu.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Bryan Lew Fong, Chris Shi-Chai Liu, Kazuto Mugura
  • Patent number: 6111614
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying an electronic menu having components with differing levels of transparency are provided. A multiple channel broadcasting system generates an on-screen menu display for enabling a user to operate different functions of the system. The broadcasting system generates an electronic menu display that comprises a number of components, alphanumeric characters, and icons displayed on a background. The components, alphanumeric characters, and icons identify different functions of the system. The broadcast system applies different levels of transparency to the different components such that the number of opaque components is minimized. The broadcast system then superimposes the electronic menu display over a program broadcast on a screen. As the opaque components are minimized, the obstruction of the broadcast by the electronic menu display is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuto Mugura, Yuko Nishikawa, Joseph Saib, Ludovic Legrand
  • Patent number: 6049336
    Abstract: Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) are routinely used to provide visual interfaces between applications and users. Typically, a GUI displays on a screen a menu containing a plurality of menu items. A new menu may be invoked by selecting one of the menu items from the screen. Unfortunately, available GUIs do not provide satisfactory continuity in the transition from a current menu to a subsequent menu. To overcome the shortcomings of the available art, an improved GUI provides an animation in the transition from a current menu to a subsequent menu. Specifically, after a menu item has been selected from a display screen, the selected menu item is continuously moved to the top position of the display screen, while the menu selection is being processed. In the meantime, the subsequent menu items resulting from the menu selection are continuously moved into the display screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2000
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Chris Shi-Chai Liu, Bryan Lew Fong, Kazuto Mugura
  • Patent number: 6034677
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for displaying programming information by translating the display of a broadcast of a program are provided. Programming information is displayed along with the program broadcast on the screen such that no portion of the broadcast is covered by the programming information. A multiple channel broadcasting system is tuned to a channel to provide a display of a broadcast of a program on a screen. Programming information is displayed that identifies channels in the broadcasting system. When displaying the programming information, the display of the program broadcast is translated to a smaller broadcast window on the screen by superimposing at least one of a series of successively smaller broadcast window outlines over the display of the broadcast on the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2000
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Fujio Noguchi, Kazuto Mugura, Takaaki Ota
  • Patent number: 5977975
    Abstract: An instrument includes a display screen which includes a bitmap graphical user interface including an on-screen menu, and a control element which enables movement of the on-screen menu corresponding to movement of the control element, enables the user to manipulate and select graphic images for executing selected instrument functions. The instrument is adapted to enable display of an array of graphic images on the display screen, such that the user is able to view the array and focus on and select a selectable graphic image from the array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics
    Inventors: Kazuto Mugura, Eduardo Sciammarella, Scott Kravitz
  • Patent number: 5973682
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for indicating functional areas of a graphical user interface are provided. A graphical interface in the form of an electronic program guide is generated. A non-textured portion of the electronic program guide is generated wherein the user can interact with functions of the electronic program guide. A textured background for the electronic program guide is generated wherein the user cannot interact with functions of the electronic program guide. The textured background of the electronic program guide is generated using a noise-pattern generator. The noise-pattern generator provides a tiled color pattern on the textured background. The tiled color pattern is randomly generated from a selectable number of colors using a selectable tile size and selectable colors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Saib, Kazuto Mugura
  • Patent number: 5961608
    Abstract: A simple, flexible and easy-to-use user interface and control mechanism for remote communication supports multiple modems or phone lines being connected and disconnected from a computing or "info-tainment" apparatus. This facilitates remote communications on different types of communications lines and from different locations. The user selects among modems, phone lines or other communication devices by simply physically connecting or disconnecting them from the computer, which is automatically detected. The default response is to select the newly connected modem or line as the currently active communication device, or to activate any other currently connected communication device when the active device is disconnected. A modem and location selection menu pops up giving the user a chance either to confirm or alter this selection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 5, 1999
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazunobu Onosaka, Clayton R. Karmel, Masafumi Kuboyama, Kazuto Mugura
  • Patent number: 5796394
    Abstract: A user interface provides a uniform control scheme among different devices in a personal communications routing system. The system allows devices such as a personal computer, personal information communicator, pager, fax machine and base station to be operated with a standard twelve key telephone keypad controller for the purpose of accessing electronic messages such as e-mail, voice-mail, fax transmissions, etc. Handheld communicators are docked with the devices to provide wireless transmission between a base station and numerous devices in a multi-user environment. The base station receives electronic messages for the users in, e.g., an office and routes the messages to a device as the user instructs. The user is able to perform operations on the messages such as reading, responding, deleting, etc., by using the keypad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Corp. of America
    Inventors: James E. Wicks, Kazuto Mugura, Toshiya Fujii
  • Patent number: D441762
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuto Mugura
  • Patent number: D424541
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuto Mugura