Abstract: There is provided a method for preloading the glyphs required to display the content of a system. In accordance with an embodiment of the present technique, only those glyphs which are present in the system upon startup or synchronization of an electronic device are preloaded. The glyphs present upon startup or synchronization of the electronic device may be determined by scanning the system. In an illustrated embodiment, scanning the system may include analyzing models and views to determine the glyphs present in the system.

Abstract: A graphical user interface (“GUI”) can be presented on a remote control accessory device that has user input and display devices. The GUI can be defined and managed by a portable media device that is controlled using the GUI. The portable media device can provide the accessory with a GUI image to be displayed. The accessory can send information to the portable media device indicative of a user operation of an input device in response to the displayed image. The portable media device can process this input to identify the action requested by the user and take the appropriate action, which can include updating the GUI image provided to the accessory.

Abstract: A graphical user interface (“GUI”) can be presented on a remote control accessory device that has user input and display devices. The GUI can be defined and managed by a portable media device that is controlled using the GUI. The portable media device can provide the accessory with a GUI image to be displayed. The accessory can send information to the portable media device indicative of a user operation of an input device in response to the displayed image. The portable media device can process this input to identify the action requested by the user and take the appropriate action, which can include updating the GUI image provided to the accessory.

Abstract: An electronic device is configured to receive a first request to display a user interface of a first third-party application on a respective display that is in communication with the device. The device is further configured to, in response to receiving the request, obtain a first user-interface template configured to be used by a plurality of third-party applications, and request, from the first application, one or more values for populating the first template. The device is also configured to receive, from the first application, while the first application is running on the device, a first set of values for populating the first template; populate the first template with the first set of values; generate a first user interface for the first application using the first template populated with the first set of values; and send information to the respective display that enables the first user interface to be displayed.

Abstract: A method of displaying a user interface in a portable electronic device is provided. The method includes displaying a user interface via a graphics layer attached to a software renderer, detaching the graphics layer from the software renderer, and attaching the graphics layer to one or more of a plurality of hardware layers, such that the display of the graphics layer is facilitated by one or more features of at least one of the hardware layers. An electronic device is provided that includes a display, a processor coupled to the display and configured to provide a plurality of hardware layers, and a user interface comprising a graphics layer, wherein the display of the graphics layer is facilitated by one or more features of at least one of the hardware layers, wherein the graphics layer dynamically attaches to or detaches from one or more of the plurality of hardware layers.

Abstract: The described embodiments comprise a system that adjusts pixel values to produce visual effects in a frame to be displayed. During operation, the system receives coordinates and pixel-adjustment values for one or more control points within the frame. Next, the system calculates pixel-adjustment values for pixels in the frame based on the coordinates and the pixel-adjustment values for the one or more control points. The system then applies the pixel-adjustment values to the pixels within the frame and displays the frame.

Abstract: Improved methods and systems that assist a user in searching media items on a portable electronic device are disclosed. According to one aspect of the invention, a portable electronic device is provided with a search function that enables a user to search for media items resident on the portable electronic device. The search function can search through different types of media items. Those of the media items that are deemed matching can be ranked in order of relevance and displayed in a list for the user. Thereafter, the user can navigate the list to select one of the listed media items for playback. According to another aspect of the invention, various graphical user interfaces can be presented on a portable electronic device to assist a user in interacting with the portable electronic device to utilize a search function.

Abstract: A system and method of rendering a graphical user interface for a media based device which employs techniques for layering graphical elements. The method includes providing a background layer for the graphical user interface and graphical layers over the background layer. The method also superimposing an opaque view over a portion of the translucent graphic layer and marking the opaque view as opaque so that the portion of the translucent layer is not redrawn when the content in the opaque view is altered.

Abstract: A graphical user interface (“GUI”) can be presented on a remote control accessory device that has user input and display devices. The portable media device can provide the accessory with a GUI image to be displayed. The accessory can specify the configuration of the remote GUI image and send that information to the portable media device. The portable media device can generate a GUI image based on the configuration and send the GUI image to the accessory. The accessory can display the GUI image on one part of its display and other information on another part of its display. The portable media device can define different GUI image types for use with different types of input controls of the accessory. Based on which input control is currently active, the portable media device can send the corresponding GUI image to the accessory for display on the accessory display.

Abstract: There is provided a method for altering a sequence in which programs and content are loaded upon startup of an electronic device. A user may change the loading sequence by selecting a program or content before the loading sequence has finished. In addition, the altered loading sequence may be saved and utilized when the electronic device is powered on again. There is also provided a tangible, machine-readable medium for performing the described method. Finally, there is provided an electronic device having a memory device for storing a loading program that defines a loading sequence, a processor for loading programs and content based on the loading sequence, and a user interface for delivering user input to the loading program to alter the loading sequence.

Abstract: A graphical user interface (“GUI”) can be presented on a remote control accessory device that has user input and display devices. The GUI can be defined and managed by a portable media device that is controlled using the GUI. The portable media device can provide the accessory with a GUI image to be displayed. The accessory can send information to the portable media device indicative of a user operation of an input device in response to the displayed image. The portable media device can process this input to identify the action requested by the user and take the appropriate action, which can include updating the GUI image provided to the accessory.

Abstract: A method of displaying list items is provided that includes defining a plurality of list items, defining a plurality of layouts, and linking each list item to a layout such that each layout can be linked to one or more list items. An electronic device is provided that includes a display and a user interface configured to display lists on the display, wherein the items of the lists are formatted based on a limited number of layout types such that the items having similar components share a common layout type. A user interface for an electronic device is also provided that includes a plurality of list items having properties defined by a layout, wherein each layout defines the properties for one or more list items and is stored in an object.

Abstract: A method of displaying list items is provided that includes defining a plurality of list items, defining a plurality of layouts, and linking each list item to a layout such that each layout can be linked to one or more list items. An electronic device is provided that includes a display and a user interface configured to display lists on the display, wherein the items of the lists are formatted based on a limited number of layout types such that the items having similar components share a common layout type. A user interface for an electronic device is also provided that includes a plurality of list items having properties defined by a layout, wherein each layout defines the properties for one or more list items and is stored in an object.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed in which correspondences with content or other media assets can be established such that a media player or portable media device can automatically modify or adjust an equalizer setting based on information associated with the content or other media assets. The media player may automatically adjust one or more equalizer settings based on genre, artist, album, or the like. In some embodiments, metadata associated with content or other media assets can be analyzed to determine normalized data thereby potentially grouping content into supersets. Based on the normalized data, the media player may automatically adjust equalizer settings for each superset or grouping of content. Correspondences with one or more accessories may be established such that the media player can automatically modify or adjust an equalizer setting based on the one or more accessories.

Abstract: A system and method of rendering a graphical user interface for a media based device which employs techniques for layering graphical elements. The method includes providing a background layer for the graphical user interface and graphical layers over the background layer. The method also superimposing an opaque view over a portion of the translucent graphic layer and marking the opaque view as opaque so that the portion of the translucent layer is not redrawn when the content in the opaque view is altered.

Abstract: There is provided a method for preloading the glyphs required to display the content of a system. In accordance with an embodiment of the present technique, only those glyphs which are present in the system upon startup or synchronization of an electronic device are preloaded. The glyphs present upon startup or synchronization of the electronic device may be determined by scanning the system. In an illustrated embodiment, scanning the system may include analyzing models and views to determine the glyphs present in the system.

Abstract: A method of displaying list items is provided that includes defining a plurality of list items, defining a plurality of layouts, and linking each list item to a layout such that each layout can be linked to one or more list items. An electronic device is provided that includes a display and a user interface configured to display lists on the display, wherein the items of the lists are formatted based on a limited number of layout types such that the items having similar components share a common layout type. A user interface for an electronic device is also provided that includes a plurality of list items having properties defined by a layout, wherein each layout defines the properties for one or more list items and is stored in an object.

Abstract: There is provided a method for altering a sequence in which programs and content are loaded upon startup of an electronic device. A user may change the loading sequence by selecting a program or content before the loading sequence has finished. In addition, the altered loading sequence may be saved and utilized when the electronic device is powered on again. There is also provided a tangible, machine-readable medium for performing the described method. Finally, there is provided an electronic device having a memory device for storing a loading program that defines a loading sequence, a processor for loading programs and content based on the loading sequence, and a user interface for delivering user input to the loading program to alter the loading sequence.

Abstract: A method of displaying a user interface in a portable electronic device is provided. The method includes displaying a user interface via a graphics layer attached to a software renderer, detaching the graphics layer from the software renderer, and attaching the graphics layer to one or more of a plurality of hardware layers, such that the display of the graphics layer is facilitated by one or more features of at least one of the hardware layers. An electronic device is provided that includes a display, a processor coupled to the display and configured to provide a plurality of hardware layers, and a user interface comprising a graphics layer, wherein the display of the graphics layer is facilitated by one or more features of at least one of the hardware layers, wherein the graphics layer dynamically attaches to or detaches from one or more of the plurality of hardware layers.

Abstract: A technique is provided for animating an image or a portion of an image. In accordance with this technique, intermediary or transitional images, referred to as offset images, are displayed as part of an animation step to lessen abrupt changes in pixel values. In one embodiment, the offset images are generated using a weighted average of proximate pixels. In such an embodiment, the weight factor may take into account the distance of the offset from the proximate pixels such that closer pixels are more heavily weighted. Based on the direction of movement for the animation, the offset images are ordered and displayed as part of the animation steps of an animation sequence.