User interface methodology for microprocessor device having limited user input

• US 20010000668A1
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Published: 05/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Eric O. Bodnar
• Inventors: Bodnar, Eric O.
• Granted Patent: US 6,417,874 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/963 Calendar or scheduling

Abstract

A portable computing device or “information appliance” having terse user input (e.g., limit set of keys) is provided with a user interface for navigating user data. Application programs, which are provided for user operation of the device, are implemented as separate modules controlled by a module selector. The module selector serves as a user interface or shell representing the top-level or “home” display presented to a user. The module selector presents the user with selection icons for navigating to different applications or modules of functionality. The user interface implements a “single-click” style of button operation, so that users can associate each button with a particular task for a given program context. In addition to the single-click style, “click consistency” is imposed for each button. Generally, the same buttons are used over and over again to perform their respective tasks, even though the user has navigated to different modules of an application, so that the user is presented with a consistent interface or metaphor which can be easily mastered. The user interface supports in a small form factor device the browser-style navigation that users have become accustomed to on desktop computers (e.g., using Web browsers). More particularly, the interface supports up, down, forward, and backward navigation for allowing a user to “drill down” to “drill across” his or her data. This allows the user to find a data item (link) of interest and then drill down into it. Once at the appropriate level, the user can then easily select the particular item of interest. Further, once the user has selected or entered an item, the system provides the ability for the user to return to “home” with a single button click. In this manner, the present invention provides an interface allowing browser-style navigation in a device having a terse set of input keys.

Claims

1. In a computing device having a limited set of input keys, a method for providing users with access to applications and user information, the method comprising:

displaying a user interface having a top level view for allowing a user to select among applications available for the computing device;

providing user interface navigation by;

moving a screen cursor in a forward relative direction among screen objects at a given level, in response to user selection of a forward key from said limited set of input keys,

moving the screen cursor in a reverse relative direction among screen objects at a given level, in response to user selection of a reverse key from said limited set of input keys,

selecting a particular screen object at which the screen cursor is currently located, in response to user selection of a select key from said limited set of input keys, whereupon the device displays a lower level view of the user interface which pertains to the particular screen object, and

returning to the top level view, in response to user selection of a home key from said limited set of input keys;

wherein access to the applications and user information is achieved for the computing device through use of said limited set of input keys.

2. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said set of limited input keys comprises at least four input keys.

3. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said step of providing user interface navigation further comprises:

displaying an alternative view of the user interface which pertains to the particular screen object, in response to user selection of a view switch key from said limited set of input keys.

4. The method of

claim 3

, wherein said set of limited input keys comprises about five input keys.

5. The method of claims 3, wherein the particular screen object comprises a calendar screen object and wherein said alternative view comprises a selected one of day, week, and month views.

6. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said top level view comprises a module selector view displaying an application icon for each of the applications.

7. The method of

claim 6

, wherein access to a particular application of interest is achieved by:

in response to user operation of the forward and reverse keys, moving the screen cursor in forward and reverse relative directions, respectively, among application icons in the module selector to select an application icon of a particular application of interest; and

in response to user operation of the select key once the screen cursor is positioned at the application icon of the particular application, invoking the particular application, whereupon the device displays a view of the user interface which pertains to the particular application.

8. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said forward key is associated with a key bearing a rightward arrow.

9. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said forward key is associated with a key bearing an upward arrow.

10. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said reverse key is associated with a key bearing a leftward arrow.

11. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said reverse key is associated with a key bearing a downward arrow.

12. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said screen cursor is provided by screen highlighting which indicates that a particular screen object has input focus.

13. The method of

claim 1

, wherein each key of said limited set of input keys operates in response to a single click of the key by the user.

14. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the home key of said limited set of input keys operates to return the user interface to the top level view in response to a single click of the key by the user, regardless of how many levels the user has selected into.

15. The method of

claim 1

, wherein initial access to the computing device is controlled by a graphical password comprising a particular sequence of key strokes of said limited set of input keys.

16. In a computing device having a set of input keys including non-alphanumeric keys, a method for controlling access to the computing device, the method comprising:

recording a user-provided sequence of key strokes from said non-alphanumeric keys;

storing the recorded sequence of key strokes as a graphical password;

upon request from a user for access to the computing device, prompting the user to enter the graphical password; and

providing access to the computing device only if the user enters a sequence of key strokes which matches that of the sequence of key strokes stored as the graphical password.

17. The method of

claim 16

, wherein said non-alphanumeric keys include at least one navigational keys displaying a directional arrow.

18. The method of

claim 17

, wherein include at least one navigational keys displaying a directional arrow includes a forward key displaying a rightward arrow.

19. The method of

claim 17

, wherein include at least one navigational keys displaying a directional arrow includes a back key displaying a leftward arrow.

20. The method of

claim 16

, wherein the device displays a password mask field for indicating entry of each key stroke, while hiding the actual identity of each such key stroke.

21. In a computing device having a limited set of input keys, a method for providing access to a data set, said data set storing information in data records having data to fields, the method comprising:

(a) establishing an order for displaying the data set based on values of a particular data field;

(b) displaying the data set according to the established order; and

(c) displaying category tabs for navigating among individual data records of the data set, said category tabs being created by;

(i) determining dynamically, based on actual values stored at the particular data field of the data records, categories of information available for the particular data field, and

(ii) displaying a tab identifier allowing navigation to a particular category if at least one data item exists for the particular category;

so that at least some tab identifiers are eliminated from display for categories of information which have no data items.

22. The method of

claim 21

, wherein said particular data field comprises alphabetic information and wherein said order comprises a sort order for the alphabetic information.

23. The method of

claim 22

, wherein each tab identifier displays at least one particular alphabetic character for navigating among individual data records of the data set which begin with said at least one particular alphabetic character.

24. The method of

claim 21

, further comprising:

receiving a request for a different order for displaying the data set based on values of another particular data field; and

repeating steps (b) and (c) for the different order, so that new category tabs are created based on actual values stored at said another particular data field of the data records.

25. The method of

claim 21

, further comprising:

in response to user selection of a particular tab identifier, displaying data items for the particular category associated with the tab identifier.

26. The method of

claim 25

, further comprising:

displaying subcategory tabs for navigating among individual data records of the particular category, said subcategory tabs being created by;

(i) determining dynamically for the particular category, based on actual values stored for the particular data field of the data records, subcategories of information available for the particular data field, and

(ii) displaying a tab identifier allowing navigation to a particular subcategory if at least one data item exists for the particular subcategory.

27. The method of

claim 26

, further comprising:

creating a subcategory boundary tab identifier for identifying a subcategory which follows the particular subcategory.

28. The method of

claim 27

, wherein said subcategory boundary tab identifier is created even if no data items exist for the subcategory represented by the subcategory boundary tab identifier.

29. The method of

claim 26

, wherein said particular data field comprises alphabetic information and wherein each tab identifier for a subcategory displays at least two particular alphabetic characters for navigating among individual data records of the data set which begin with said at least two particular alphabetic characters.

30. The method of 26, wherein said determination of subcategories of information available includes:

determining how many data items exist for each subcategory of information; and

creating a subcategory tab for a given subcategory if the number of data items existing for the given subcategory reaches a threshold value.