Method and arrangement for retrieving an entry from an indexed memory

• US 20020143741A1
• Filed: 03/25/2002
• Published: 10/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ironworks Patents LLC
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kinnunen, Jan, Laiho, Tero
• Granted Patent: US 6,971,069 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9024 Graphs; Linked lists G06F16/9027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

A method and arrangement are disclosed for scrolling between entries in an indexed list as a response to scrolling commands given through the activation of selectors. The indexed list is arranged into sections so that all entries of a section have at least one equally valued indexable property and each section has a first entry. Scrolling (202, 311, 408, 502, 614, 701, 702, 704, 705, 707, 708) to the first entry of a certain section takes place as a response to a first scrolling command, and scrolling (201, 308, 406, 501, 611) from an entry in the indexed list to the immediately adjacent entry in the indexed list takes place as a response to a second scrolling command. The step of scrolling to the first entry of a certain section is executed as a response to a first scrolling command (309, 313, 407, 612, 616) given through the activation of a scrolling selector. The step of scrolling from an entry in the indexed list into the immediately adjacent entry in the indexed list is executed as a response to a second scrolling command (305, 405, 609) given through the activation of the same scrolling selector.

Claims

1. A method for scrolling between entries in an indexed list as a response to scrolling commands given through the activation of selectors, comprising the steps of:

arranging the indexed list into sections so that all entries of a section have at least one equally valued indexable property and each section has a first entry,

scrolling to the first entry of a certain section as a response to a first scrolling command and

scrolling from an entry in the indexed list to the immediately adjacent entry in the indexed list as a response to a second scrolling command;

wherein;

the step of scrolling to the first entry of a certain section is executed as a response to a first scrolling command given through the activation of a scrolling selector and

the step of scrolling from an entry in the indexed list into the immediately adjacent entry in the indexed list is executed as a response to a second scrolling command given through the activation of the same scrolling selector.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the step of arranging the indexed list into sections comprises the step of arranging the indexed list into sections so that each section consists of all those entries of the indexed list that have, in a certain first field, a value that begins with a same character, and

as a consequence, the step of scrolling to the first entry of a certain section corresponds to

starting from within a first section where all entries of that section have, in said first field, a value that begins with a first character

switching to a second section where all entries of that section have, in said first field, a value that begins with a second character which in an indexing order of characters is adjacent to said first character and

scrolling to the first entry of said second section.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the step of arranging the indexed list into sections comprises the step of arranging the indexed list into sections so that each section consists of entries that have, in a certain first field, a value that begins with a same character, and each section additionally has at most a certain maximum number of entries, and

as a consequence, the step of scrolling to the first entry of a certain section corresponds to

starting from within a first section where all entries of that section have, in said first field, a value that begins with a first character,

switching to a second section where all entries of that section have, in said first field, a value that also begins with said first character, if

the indexed list contains more than said maximum number of entries that have, in said first field, a value that begins with said first character and

if the scrolling was towards the last entry of the indexed list, the last entry of said first section was not the last entry of the indexed list where said first field has a value that begins with said first character and

if the scrolling was towards the first entry of the indexed list, the first entry of said first section was not the first entry of the indexed list where said first field has a value that begins with said first character; and

switching to a second section where all entries of that section have, in said first field, a value that begins with a second character which is adjacent to said first character in an indexing order of characters, if

the indexed list contains less than said maximum number of entries that have, in said first field, a value that begins with said first character or

if the scrolling was towards the last entry of the indexed list, the last entry of said first section was the last entry of the indexed list where said first field has a value that begins with said first character or

if the scrolling was towards the first entry of the indexed list, the first entry of said first section was the first entry of the indexed list where said first field has a value that begins with said first character; and

scrolling to the first entry of said second section.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the step of arranging the indexed list into sections comprises the step of arranging the indexed list into sections so that each section consists of all those entries of the indexed list that have, in a certain first field, a value that begins with one of a number of characters that form a first continuous group of adjacent characters in an indexing order of characters, and

as a consequence, the step of scrolling to the first entry of a certain section corresponds to

starting from within a first section where the entries of that section have, in said first field, a value that begins with one of said number of characters that form a first continuous group,

switching to a second section where the entries of that section have, in said first field, a value that begins with one of a number of characters that form a second continuous group of adjacent characters in said indexing order of characters, which second group is adjacent to said first group in said indexing order of characters, and

scrolling to the first entry of said second section.

5. A method according to claim 1, additionally comprising the step of changing, as a response to a certain field changing command, the field the values in which determine the indexing order of entries in the indexed list.

6. A method according to claim 1, comprising the step of measuring an activation time of said scrolling selector in order to determine whether a first scrolling command or a second scrolling command is given.

7. A method according to claim 1, comprising the step of measuring an activation force of said scrolling selector in order to determine whether a first scrolling command or a second scrolling command is given.

8. An arrangement for scrolling between entries in an indexed list, comprising:

an activatable scrolling selector,

indication means for indicating selected entries,

a data memory for storing and retrieving entries of the indexed list and

a processor which is arranged to respond to scrolling commands given through the activation of the scrolling selector by selecting stored entries from the data memory and indicating selected entries through the indication means;

wherein the processor is arranged to;

respond to a first scrolling command given through the activation of the scrolling selector by scrolling to the first entry of a certain section of the indexed list and selecting that entry for indication through the indication means and

respond to a second scrolling command given through the activation of the same scrolling selector by scrolling from an entry in the indexed list into the immediately adjacent entry in the indexed list and selecting that entry for indication through the indication means.

9. An arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the activatable scrolling selector is a push-button key, and the arrangement comprises timer means for determining whether the push-button key was pressed for a short time or a long time.

10. An arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the activatable scrolling selector is a push-button key, and the arrangement comprises means for determining whether the push-button key was pressed lightly or heavily.

11. An arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the activatable scrolling selector is a scrolling wheel, and the arrangement comprises means for determining whether the scrolling wheel was rotated slowly or fast.

12. An arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the activatable scrolling selector, the indication means, the data memory and the processor are all located within a single device.

13. An arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the activatable scrolling selector is located within a first device and the processor is located within a second device which is physically different than said first device, and the arrangement further comprises means for setting up a communication link between the first device and the second device.

14. An arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the display is located within said first device together with the scrolling selector.