Abstract: A method of navigating, organizing, browsing, searching, and selecting information objects and/or content in a ring based structure is provided wherein the relation between rings are clear and easily grasped. The method is particularly well suited for navigating in media content. The method comprises locating a number of information objects, displaying one or more of the information objects on a display in a ring based structure comprising one or more rings, and changing the size of a specific ring by selecting the specific ring. By this enlargement, the visibility of information objects comprised in the specific ring is increased, and the individual information objects visually present in the ring, may readily be selected from the enlarged ring.

Abstract: In a collection(2) ofcontent items, each content item is represented by at least one signal for rendering in a perceptible form on a rendering system(5,6;25,26,27,28,29), and each content item is linked to data(8,10) specifying at least one geographical location for each content item. A method of providing access to the content items in the collection includes obtaining geographical data defining a route and assembling a signal for use by a 5 rendering system(5,6;25,26,27,28,29), the signal being representative of a succession of signals representing a sequence of content items, so as to progress along the route as the signals representing the sequence of content items are rendered. The content items in the sequence are selected by applying at locations along the route a selection criterion based on the location along the route and the data specifying at least one geographical location for 10 each content item.

Abstract: A method of presenting digital content, includes obtaining digital data representative of a succession of content items and presenting the succession of content items in a first presentation mode (22). In the first presentation mode (22), steps (24,25) of making a first selection of the data representing a content item and providing the selected data to a system (1,9,10,8) for rendering the data in perceptible form are carried out automatically for each content item in succession. The method further includes detecting an action by a user at the rendering system and, in response to detecting the action, causing a transition (26) to a second presentation mode (27), in which second presentation mode the rendering system (1,9,10,8) is caused to render a second selection, different from the first selection, of only the data representing the content item being presented when the action was detected.

Abstract: Training a consumer-oriented application device is based on a plurality of user-presented speech items. A progress measure is reported regarding a training status reached for a particular user person. In particular, the training status is visually represented by an animated character creature which has a plurality of training status representative maturity statuses that are each associated to a corresponding training level.

Abstract: An apparatus (1) for introducing dependencies between user-interfaces (120) of devices (100) and for example audio/video signals to be rendered via the devices (100) is provided with a circuit (2,3,4) for linking values of transfer parameters of the signals and values of quality parameters of the user-interfaces (120), to increase the user-friendliness. A given first (second) transfer of the audio/video signal results in a first (second) quality of the user-interface (120), and a chosen first (second) quality of the user-interface (120) results in a first (second) transfer of the audio/video signal. The quality may be a quality of a “skin” or a “look and feel” or an input property or an output property of the user-interface (120). The transfer may be expressed in bandwidth, resolution, number of colors or grey values, sample rate, frequency characteristic and costs.

Abstract: A playback device comprising playback means for playing content and wireless communication means for communicating with another device that is within communication range, further comprising content management means for identifying a content item available from the other device, for making the identified content item available for playback by the playback means for as long as the other device is in communication with the playback device and for retaining a ghost reference to the identified content item after detecting the other device is no longer in communication with the playback device.

Abstract: A method of allowing a user to select a menu option, which method comprises the steps of allowing the user to select a position (21) on a screen, displaying a plurality of menu option identifiers (23, 25) near the selected position (21) on the screen, defining a plurality of selection areas (27, 29), and allowing the user to select a specific one of the selection areas (27, 29) so as to select the menu option. Each selection area (27, 29) is located around a specific one of the menu option identifiers (23, 25) and has a size proportional to a distance between the specific one of the menu option identifiers (23, 25) and the selected position (21) on the screen. The method can be performed by an electronic device, possibly enabled by a computer program product.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of displaying a multi-level menu. A first menu level is displayed in a first display area, while, in response to selection of a menu item of the first menu level, a second menu level is displayed in a second display area having a fixed position relative to the first display area, irrespective of the position of the selected menu item of the first menu level. Further menu levels may be displayed in further display areas having a fixed position with respect to the other display areas. Selected items of different menu levels may be visually connected.

Abstract: Training a consumer-oriented application device is based on a plurality of user-presented speech items. A progress measure is reported regarding a training status reached for a particular user person. In particular, the training status is visually represented by an animated character creature which has a plurality of training status representative maturity statuses that are each associated to a respective minimum training level.

Abstract: Reliable and efficient activation and deactivation control of a number of electronic products (P1, P2, P3) is effected by activation of one of the products by emission of an activation command specific to the product and controlling performance and/or functionality of the product by speech commands. Emission of the activation command specific to the one product is accompanied by emission of a deactivation code causing deactivation of any other of the number of electronic products.

Abstract: An interactive system (130) is described that generates real-time sound feedback for interaction with a screen (100) with a touch and pressure sensitive panel. On the screen a finger or tools like pen shaped objects (112) can be used for drawing in the plane of the screen (100). A number of different tools can be used which have different sound feedback. During the actual drawing with a finger or a tool on the touch screen, a number of audio control parameters are used to control the sound playback in real-time. Each tool (112) has its own typical interaction sound which is designed to fit the physical, virtual and interaction result of this object on the touch screen.

Abstract: The invention relates to an interactive system, comprising a presentation device for presenting interactive content. The system comprises an input device for controlling a presentation parameter of a content object of the interactive content. The system further comprises at least one token representing a content object, the system further comprising association means for associating said token with said input device, and means for selecting the content object represented by the token as the content object to be controlled by the input device in response to said association.

Abstract: Method for outputting audio-visual signals on a client system (1), including: selecting (13) in an automated manner based on a predetermined criterion a selected input from a local input (12, 12′, 12″, 18) and a network input. If said network input (11) is selected as selected input: at said network input network signal data representing said audio-visual signals is received and the audio-visual signals are outputted at the output (15) in a for humans perceptible form. If the local input (12, 12′, 12″, 18) is selected as said selected input: local signal data representing said audio-visual signals is selected from a local signal database (12, 12′, 12″) and the audio-visual signals are outputted at the output (15) in a for humans perceptible form. The predetermined criterion can for example be based on a parameter relating to the amounts of local and network data or the costs of the network data.

Abstract: Reliable and efficient activation and deactivation control of a number of electronic products (P1, P2, P3) is effected by activation of one of said products by emission of an activation command specific to said product and controlling performance and/or functionality of said product by speech commands.

Abstract: An interactive user facility is operated through inputting voiced user commands, recognizing commands, executing recognized commands, and generating user feedback as regarding the progress of the operating. In particular, the recognizing asserts an associated confidence level and generates the user feedback through for a questionable command recognition presenting audio and/or video amending of the feedback with respect to both a correct recognition and with respect to a faulty recognition.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of displaying a multi-level menu. A first menu level is displayed in a first display area, while, in response to selection of a menu item of the first menu level, a second menu level is displayed in a second display area having a fixed position relative to the first display area, irrespective of the position of the selected menu item of the first menu level. Further menu levels may be displayed in further display areas having a fixed position with respect to the other display areas. Selected items of different menu levels may be visually connected.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of rating database objects, such as broadcast programs in an EPG database. The objects are categorized in accordance with a multi-level category scheme with a first level of categories and a second level of categories subordinate to a respective category of the first level. The rating of a category of the first level is computed as a function , for example the average, of ratings of subordinate categories of the second level. Ratings are visually represented as different colors or different degrees of saturation of the same color.