Embedded audio/video playout program frequently requests keyboard focus

Abstract

Computer software allowing enhanced control of the playout of audio/video works on a computer system. In various embodiments, the software allows key events from dedicated audio/video keys, whether part of a full sized keyboard or on a hand held remote, to control the actions of an audio/video playout program without requiring the user to direct the key event focus of the operating system to the audio/video playout program. Also, the invention distinguishes between key presses from a local, full sized keyboard and key presses from a remote keyboard so that the audio/video playout program can enlarge its screen display when a key event is received from the remote keyboard. In one embodiment, the invention constantly instructs the operating system to move the focus to the audio/video playout program. In another embodiment, if the focus is received by any of various windows in a display, software associated with the window forwards to the audio/video playout program any key events received from audio/video keys. In a third embodiment, audio/video key event data is routed to the audio/video playout program by a method that does not use the key event features of the operating system, such as by using a key board wedge server program to serve key events to audio/video client programs. In a fourth embodiment, the operating system is modified so that it has two separate focuses, one for a text keyboard and a second focus for audio/video keys.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A method comprising:
 providing code for download to and execution by a processor-based system having an operating system;   via the code, and responsive to detection of information representing human selection of a key made via a user interface device causing the processor-based system to compare the received information with one or more event values associated with a media player program, each event value representing selection of a single audio or visual control command to be executed by the media player program; and   via the code, causing the processor-based system to detect when there is correspondence between the received information and the one or more event values, and to responsively direct a control command corresponding to the one or more event values to the media player program to execute the corresponding control command.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the processor-based system is to execute a browser program, and wherein:
 the causing of the processor-based system to detect when there is correspondence comprises providing code for execution in association with the browser program, the code when executed to cause the processor-based system to detect when there is correspondence between the received information and the one or more event values, and to responsively direct a control command corresponding to the one or more event values to the media player program to execute the corresponding control command; and   the method further comprises causing of the processor-based system to detect when there is no correspondence between the received information and the one or more event values, and to responsively direct the received information to at least one of the operating system or a non-media player program executing on the browser or the operating system.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein:
 the causing of the processor-based system to compare comprises causing the processor-based system to compare a value of the key corresponding to the human selection with a list representing one or more predetermined keys;   the causing of the processor-based system to responsively direct the control command corresponding to the one or more event values to the media player program comprises causing the processor-based system to convert the value of the key to a predetermined audio or visual control command associated with the value of the key, and to provide the predetermined audio or visual control command to the media player program; and   the causing of the processor-based system to responsively direct the received information to the at least one of the operating system or non-media player program executing on the operating system comprises withholding the received information from the media player program.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , the causing of the processor-based system to responsively direct the control command corresponding to the one or more event values to the media player program comprises withholding the control command from provision to the at least one of the operating system or non-media player program. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the causing of the processor-based system to responsively direct the received information to the at least one of the operating system or non-media player program comprises causing the processor-based system to provide an ASCII character to the browser program corresponding to the value of the key. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the browser program comprises two or more windows that are to be displayed by the processor-based system, and wherein the causing of the processor-based system to provide the ASCII character to the browser program comprises causing the processor-based system to:
 identify a first one of the two or more windows which is to have focus; and   provide the ASCII character to the first one, and withhold the ASCII character from at least one second window of the two or more windows.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the method further comprises causing the processor based system to convert the information representing the human selection of the key made into an ASCII character; and   the causing of the processor-based system to compare comprises causing the processor-based system to compare the ASCII character with the one or more event values.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the value of the key corresponds to a media control key of a handheld remote control. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the providing of the code comprises providing script which is executable by a browser program that is to be run on the operating system. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the media player program is a web-embedded media player program and wherein the causing of the processor-based system to responsively direct the control command corresponding to the one or more event values to the media player program to execute the corresponding control command comprises causing the processor-based system to call a function written according to the document object model (DOM), in order to invoke the corresponding control command. 
     
     
         29 . An apparatus comprising instructions stored on non-transitory machine-readable media, the instructions adapted for download to and execution by a processor-based system having an operating system, the instructions when executed to:
 cause, responsive to detection of information representing human selection of a key made via a user interface device, the processor-based system to compare the received information with one or more event values associated with the media player program, each event value representing selection of a single audio or visual control command to be executed by the media player program; and   cause the processor-based system to detect when there is correspondence between the received information and the one or more event values, and to responsively direct a control command corresponding to the one or more event values to the media player program to execute the corresponding control command.   
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the processor-based system is to execute a browser program, and wherein:
 the instructions further comprise code to be executed in association with the browser program, the code when executed to cause the processor-based system to detect when there is correspondence between the received information and the one or more event values, and to responsively direct a control command corresponding to the one or more event values to the media player program to execute the corresponding control command; and   the instructions, when executed, are further to cause of the processor-based system to detect when there is no correspondence between the received information and the one or more event values, and to responsively direct the received information to at least one of the operating system or a non-media player program executing on the browser or operating system.   
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the instructions, when executed, are further to cause the processor-based system to:
 compare a value of the key corresponding to the human selection with a list representing one or more predetermined keys;   responsive to detection of correspondence between the received information and the one or more event values, convert the value of the key to a predetermined audio or visual control command associated with the value of the key, and to provide the predetermined audio or visual control command to the media player program; and   responsive to detection of no correspondence between the received information and the one or more event values, withhold the received information from the media player program.   
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the instructions, when executed, are further to cause the processor-based system to, responsive to detection of correspondence between the received information and the one or more event values, withhold the control command from provision to the at least one of the operating system or non-media player program. 
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein the instructions, when executed, are further to cause the processor-based system to provide the received information to the browser program in the form of an ASCII character corresponding to the value of the key. 
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 33 , wherein the browser program comprises two or more windows that are to be displayed by the processor-based system, and wherein the instructions, when executed, are further to cause the processor-based system to:
 identify a first one of the one or more windows which is to have focus; and   provide the ASCII character to the first one, and withhold the ASCII character from at least one second window of the two or more windows.   
     
     
         35 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the instructions, when executed, are further to cause the processor-based system to:
 cause the processor-based system to convert the value of the key into an ASCII character; and   compare the ASCII character with the one or more event values.   
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the value of the key corresponds to a media control key of a handheld remote control. 
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the instructions comprise script which is executable by a browser program that is to be run on the operating system. 
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the media player program is a web-embedded media player program and wherein the instructions, when executed, are further to cause the processor-based system to call a function written according to the document object model (DOM), in order to invoke the corresponding control command.