Method and user interface for accessing groups of media assets

Abstract

Improved systems and methods to navigate, browse, search and/or playback digital media assets (e.g., media items) hosted on a media server are disclosed. One embodiment of the invention pertains to a user interface arrangement, such as a hierarchical menu system, that facilitates navigation, browsing and playing of media items remotely stored on a media server. The user interface arrangement enables user scrolling or browsing with respect to a list or set of information pertaining to media items, where the list or set can be expanded to include information for additional media items that are subsequently acquired. The user interface arrangement can also present and permit navigation of categorized media items. The user interface arrangement can be presented on a display device associated with a client device. In one embodiment, the display device can be a television and the client device can be an electronic apparatus that can couple to the media server via a network.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hierarchical menu system for an electronic apparatus coupled to a television, said menu system comprising:
 a video access category screen that presents a menu of video access categories; and   a video review screen that presents a list of video items that pertain to a selected one of the video access categories, said video review screen further presents a user selectable control that enables a user of the electronic apparatus to request additional media items from a video server, wherein the list of video items in said video review screen is expanded to additionally include the additional media items.   
     
     
         2 . A hierarchical menu system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein one of the video items in the list of video items can be selected to be played by the electronic apparatus. 
     
     
         3 . A hierarchical menu system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein video content for the video items are remotely stored and accessed through a media server. 
     
     
         4 . A hierarchical menu system as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the electronic apparatus is coupled to a television, and
 wherein when one of the video items is selected from the video review screen to be played, the video content for the selected one of the video items is streamed from the media server to the electronic apparatus and presented on the television coupled to the electronic apparatus.   
     
     
         5 . A hierarchical menu system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the video access categories include one or more of a most viewed category, a most recent category, a top rated category, or a favorites category. 
     
     
         6 . A hierarchical menu system as recited in  claim 1 ,
 wherein said hierarchical menu system further comprises:
 a video playback screen that presents the selected video item, and 
   wherein the video playback screen is displayed when one of the video items is selected from the video review screen to be played.   
     
     
         7 . A hierarchical menu system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said video review screen is displayed on a display device coupled to an electronic apparatus. 
     
     
         8 . A hierarchical menu system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the display device is a television, and wherein the electronic apparatus is a set-top box. 
     
     
         9 . A hierarchical menu system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said video review screen further comprises:
 an indication of the number of the media items in the list of video items.   
     
     
         10 . A hierarchical menu system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said video review screen further comprises:
 an indication of a total number of media items available on the media server that that pertain to a selected one of the video access categories.   
     
     
         11 . An electronic apparatus for accessing and presenting media information available from a remote media server, said electronic apparatus comprising:
 a display device;   a processor;   a memory device for storing data and computer program instructions, the computer program instructions include at least computer program instructions for execution by the processor to present a menu system on the display device, the menu system including at least:
 a video access category screen that presents a menu of video access categories; and 
 a video review screen that presents a list of video items that pertain to a selected one of the video access categories, the video review screen further presents a user selectable control that enables a user of the electronic apparatus to request additional media items from a video server, wherein the list of video items in said video review screen is expanded to additionally include the additional media items. 
   
     
     
         12 . An electronic apparatus as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said electronic apparatus further comprises:
 a remote controller enabling a user to interact with said electronic apparatus;   
     
     
         13 . A non-transitory computer readable medium including at least computer program code tangibly stored thereon for facilitating access to media content via an electronic apparatus having a display device associated therewith, said computer readable medium comprising:
 computer program code for presenting, on the display device, a media access category screen that presents a menu of media access categories; and   computer program code for presenting, on the display device, a media review screen that presents a list of media items that pertain to a selected one of the media access categories, the media review screen further presents a user selectable control that enables a user of the electronic apparatus to request additional media items from a media server, wherein the list of media items in the media review screen is expanded to additionally include the additional media items.   
     
     
         14 . A non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in  claim 13 , wherein one of the media items in the list of video items can be selected to be played via the electronic apparatus. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in  claim 13 , wherein media content for the media items are remotely stored and accessed through a media server. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the media access categories include one or more of a most viewed category, a most recent category, a top rated category, or a favorites category. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in  claim 13 , wherein said computer readable medium comprises:
 computer program code for presenting, on the display device, a media playback screen that presents the selected media item, and   wherein the media playback screen is displayed when one of the media items is selected from the media review screen to be played.   
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the display device is a television, and wherein the electronic apparatus is a set-top box. 
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the computer program code for presenting the media review screen further comprises computer program code for displaying an indication of the number of the media items in the list of media items. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer readable medium as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the computer program code for presenting the media review screen further comprises computer program code for displaying an indication of a total number of media items available on the media server that that pertain to a selected one of the media access categories.