Method and data processing system for presenting items in a menu

• US 20020063738A1
• Filed: 11/29/2000
• Published: 05/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chung, Dae-Suk
• Granted Patent: US 6,753,892 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and computer implemented instructions for presenting a menu and a plurality of items associated with the menu. Displayed items are presented within the menu. The displayed items are part of the plurality of items associated with the menu. A graphical indicator is displayed in association with the menu. Items are displayed within the menu to show undisplayed items within the plurality of items in response to a selected user input to a pointing device.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system for presenting a menu and a plurality of items associated with the menu, the method comprising:

presenting displayed items within the menu, wherein the displayed items are part of the plurality of items associated with the menu;

displaying an graphical indicator in association with the menu; and

scrolling items within the menu to display undisplayed items within the plurality of items in response to a selected user input to a pointing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical indicator is a circle.

3. The method of claim 1, the graphical indicator identifies the displayed items relative to the undisplayed items.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a first portion of the circle identifies the displayed items and a second portion of the circle identifies the undisplayed items.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the pointing device is one of a mouse, keyboard, and trackball.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of items are scrolled circularly.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of items are scrolled linearly.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the menu is one of a pull-down menu and a pop-up menu.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the menu is a submenu.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

executing a process associated with an item within the plurality of items in response to selection of the item.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the scrolling step scrolls the items in a first direction if a pointer is located in a first portion of the menu and scrolls the items in a second direction is the pointer is located in a second portion of the menu.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical indicator is displayed in a first state when circular scrolling occurs and is displayed in a second state when linear scrolling occurs.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the scrolling of the plurality of items occurs using user defined parameters.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the user defined parameters include at least one of a scrolling speed, a number of displayed items, a selection of initially displayed items.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the scrolling step includes changing between linear scrolling and circular scrolling in response to a particular user input.

18. The data processing system of claim 17, wherein the bus system is a single bus.

19. The data processing system of claim 17, wherein the bus system includes a primary bus and a secondary bus.

20. The data processing system of claim 17, wherein the processing unit includes a plurality of processors.

21. The data processing system of claim 17, wherein the communications unit is one of a modem and Ethernet adapter.

22. The data processing system of claim 17, wherein the data processing system is one of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, and a personal digital assistant.

24. The data processing system of claim 23, wherein the data processing system is one of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, and a personal digital assistant.

26. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the graphical indicator is a circle.

27. The data processing system of claim 1, the graphical indicator identifies the displayed items relative to the undisplayed items.

28. The data processing system of claim 3, wherein a first portion of the circle identifies the displayed items and a second portion of the circle identifies the undisplayed items.

29. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the pointing device is one of a mouse, keyboard, and trackball.

30. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of items are scrolled circularly.

31. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of items are scrolled linearly.

32. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the menu is one of a pull-down menu and a pop-up menu.

33. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the menu is a submenu.

34. The data processing system of claim 1 further comprising:

executing means for executing a process associated with an item within the plurality of items in response to selection of the item.

35. The data processing system of claim 25, wherein the scrolling means scrolls the items in a first direction if a pointer is located in a first portion of the menu and scrolls the items in a second direction is the pointer is located in a second portion of the menu.

36. The data processing system of claim 25, wherein the graphical indicator is displayed in a first state when circular scrolling occurs and is displayed in a second state when linear scrolling occurs.

37. The data processing system of claim 25, wherein the scrolling of the plurality of items occurs using user defined parameters.

38. The data processing system of claim 25, wherein the user defined parameters include at least one of a scrolling speed, a number of displayed items, a selection of initially displayed items.

39. The data processing system of claim 37, wherein the scrolling means includes changing between linear scrolling and circular scrolling in response to a particular user input.

16. A method in a data processing system for displaying a menu, the method comprising:

displaying the menu, wherein a set of items are associated with the menu and wherein a first portion of the items are displayed in the menu and a second portion of items are undisplayed; and

responsive to a selected user input, rolling the items displayed in the menu, wherein items within the second portion of items become displayed and items within the first portion become undisplayed.

17. A data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a communications unit connected to the bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes as set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to present displayed items within the menu, wherein the displayed are part of a plurality of items associated with the menu;

display an graphical indicator in association with the menu; and

scroll items within the menu to display undisplayed items within the plurality of items in response to a selected user input to a pointing device without manipulating a graphical object.

23. A data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a communications unit connected to the bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes as set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to display to a menu, wherein a set of items are associated with the menu and wherein a first portion of the of items are displayed in the menu and a second portion of items are undisplayed; and

roll the items displayed in the menu, in response to a selected user input, wherein items within the second portion of items become displayed and items within the first portion become undisplayed.

25. A data processing system for presenting a menu and a plurality of items associated with the menu, the data processing system comprising:

presenting means for presenting displayed items within the menu, wherein the displayed items are part of the plurality of items associated with the menu;

displaying means for displaying an graphical indicator in association with the menu; and

scrolling means for scrolling items within the menu to display undisplayed items within the plurality of items in response to a selected user input to a pointing device without manipulating a graphical object.

40. A data processing system for displaying a menu, the data processing system comprising:

displaying means for displaying the menu, wherein a set of items are associated with the menu and wherein a first portion of the items are displayed in the menu and a second portion of items are undisplayed; and

responsive to a selected user input, rolling means for rolling the items displayed in the menu, wherein items within the second portion of items become displayed and items within the first portion become undisplayed.

41. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for use in presenting a menu and a plurality of items associated with the menu, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for presenting displayed items within the menu, wherein the displayed items are part of the plurality of items associated with the menu;

second instructions for displaying an graphical indicator in association with the menu; and

third instructions for scrolling items within the menu to display undisplayed items within the plurality of items in response to a selected user input to a pointing device without manipulating a graphical object.

42. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for use in displaying a menu, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for displaying the menu, wherein a set of items are associated with the menu and wherein a first portion of the items are displayed in the menu and a second portion of items are undisplayed; and

responsive to a selected user input, second instructions for rolling the items displayed in the menu, wherein items within the second portion of items become displayed and items within the first portion become undisplayed.