Method and apparatus for displaying prioritized icons in a mobile terminal

• US 20020160817A1
• Filed: 04/26/2001
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Hakala, Tero, Salmimaa, Marja, Lehikoinen, Juha
• Granted Patent: US 6,668,177 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72472 wherein the items are sorted according to specific criteria, e.g. frequency of use

Abstract

An apparatus and method for displaying a plurality of icons on the display of a mobile terminal are provided. One or more characteristics associated with each icon are compared to one or more context values, such as time of day, geographic area, or user profile characteristics. Icons that best match one or more context values are represented in a display format that is enlarged in relation to other icons on the display device. The context values may include dynamically changing information, such as a current location of the user, so that as the user moves to a different geographic area, different icons are enlarged on the display device. The icons can correspond to application programs; logos (such as a corporate logo); documents; Web sites; or other objects. The icons can be grouped into a context bar that is displayed along an edge of the display device, and can be arranged in a horizontal, vertical, or mixed fashion. A magnifying glass metaphor can be moved over icons to highlight and select an icon.

Claims

1. In a mobile terminal, a method of displaying a plurality of icons that can be selected by a user from a display on the mobile terminal, the method comprising the steps of:

(1) comparing one or more characteristics associated with each of the plurality of icons to one or more context values that are specific to the user of the mobile terminal;

(2) representing at least one of the plurality of icons having one or more characteristics that best match the one or more context values using a display format that is enlarged in relation to the remaining plurality of icons; and

(3) representing at least some of the remaining plurality of icons having characteristics that do not best match the one or more context values using a display format that is smaller than the enlarged format.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (1) comprises the step of comparing characteristics that relate to a current location of the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (1) comprises the step of comparing characteristics that relate to a time of day.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein step (1) comprises the step of comparing a service associated with one or more of the icons during the time of day, such that certain services will be preferred over other services during the particular time of day.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (1) comprises the step of comparing a price associated with a service corresponding to one or more of the plurality of icons.

6. The method of claim 1,

wherein step (1) comprises the step of comparing services of a user-specified type, and

wherein step (2) comprises the step of displaying icons corresponding to the user-specified type of services in the enlarged format.

7. The method of claim 1,

wherein step (1) comprises the step of comparing a user-specified grade of services, and

wherein step (2) comprises the step of displaying icons corresponding to the user-specified grade of services in the enlarged format.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving a plurality of messages at the mobile terminal and associating each message with one of the plurality of icons.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the icons is extracted from one of the messages received at the mobile terminal.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein step (1) comprises the step of comparing characteristics extracted from one or more of the messages received at the mobile terminal to the one or more context values.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein step (1) comprises the step of comparing a plurality of characteristics to a plurality of context values, wherein at least some of the plurality of context values are set by the user of the mobile terminal.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of, in response to the user selecting one of the icons, launching an application program associated with the selected icon.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (2) and (3) are performed by displaying each of the plurality of icons in a context bar that is positioned along an edge of the display.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the icons represent logos that, when selected by the user, retrieve a Web page from a Web site affiliated with the selected logo.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the logos identify a corporation.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the logos represent a symbolic link.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein step (3) comprises the step of representing the remaining icons using a reduced width format as compared to the at least one best match icon in step (2).

18. The method of claim 14, wherein one of the icons comprises a symbolic logo and a second of the icons comprises a corporate logo represented on a display of the mobile terminal.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying a magnifying glass display element that is movable by the user in relation to the plurality of icons, wherein moving the magnifying glass display element temporarily enlarges a user-selected one of the displayed icons.

20. In a mobile terminal, a method of displaying a plurality of icons that can be selected by a user from a display on the mobile terminal, the method comprising the steps of:

(1) receiving a plurality of messages at the mobile terminal, each message having an associated display icon and service information relating to a service that is potentially available to the user of the mobile terminal;

(2) comparing the service information extracted from each message received in step (1) to one or more context values that pertain to the user of the mobile terminal;

(3) displaying icons corresponding to messages having service information that best matches the one or more context values in an enlarged format on the display of the mobile terminal; and

(4) displaying other icons in a non-enlarged format on the display of the mobile terminal.

21. The method of claim 20,

wherein step (1) comprises the step of receiving proximity information for a plurality of different services;

and

wherein step (3) comprises the step of displaying in the enlarged format icons corresponding to messages relating to services that have the closest proximity to the mobile terminal.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein step (3) comprises the step of displaying in the enlarged format icons corresponding to hotels that have the closest proximity to the mobile terminal.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein step (3) comprises the step of displaying in the enlarged format icons corresponding to restaurants that have the closest proximity to the mobile terminal.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein step (3) comprises the step of displaying in the enlarged format icons corresponding to retail stores that have the closest proximity to the mobile terminal.

25. The method of claim 20,

wherein step (1) comprises the step of receiving price information for a plurality of services;

and

wherein step (3) comprises the step of displaying in the enlarged format icons corresponding to messages relating to services that have the best match price information.

26. The method of claim 20,

wherein step (2) comprises the step of comparing the service information to a plurality of context values arranged in a user-specified priority order, such that services that match a first context value are assigned a first priority and services that match a second context value are assigned a second priority;

and

wherein step (3) comprises the step of displaying icons in an ordered arrangement according first to the first priority and second to the second priority.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein step (3) comprises the step of displaying the icons in a context bar along an edge of the display of the mobile terminal.

28. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of displaying a magnifying glass display element that is movable by the user in relation to the plurality of icons, wherein moving the magnifying glass display element temporarily enlarges a user-selected one of the displayed icons.

29. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of, in response to receiving an additional message at the mobile terminal having service information that provides a better match to the one or more context values, displaying an icon corresponding to the additional message in an enlarged display format compared to icons previously displayed in step (3).

30. A mobile terminal comprising:

a display capable of displaying graphical icons;

a user input device that permits a user of the mobile terminal to select one or more of the graphical icons displayed on the display; and

a processor programmed with computer-executable instructions that, when executed, perform the steps of;

(1) comparing one or more characteristics associated with each of the plurality of graphical icons to one or more context values that are specific to the user of the mobile terminal;

(2) representing at least one of the plurality of icons having one or more characteristics that best match the one or more context values using a display format that is enlarged in relation to the remaining plurality of icons; and

(3) representing at least some of the remaining plurality of icons having characteristics that do not best match the one or more context values using a display format that is smaller than the enlarged format.

31. The mobile terminal of claim 30, wherein the processor further performs the step of comparing characteristics that relate to a current location of the user.

32. The mobile terminal of claim 30, wherein the processor further performs the step of comparing characteristics that relate to a time of day.

33. The mobile terminal of claim 32, wherein the processor further performs the step of comparing a service associated with one or more of the icons during the time of day, such that certain services will be preferred over other services during the particular time of day.

34. The mobile terminal of claim 30, wherein the processor compares a price associated with a service corresponding to one or more of the plurality of icons.

35. The mobile terminal of claim 30, wherein the processor compares services of a user-specified type and displays icons corresponding to the user-specified type of services in the enlarged format.

36. The mobile terminal of claim 30, wherein the processor compares a user-specified grade of services and displays icons corresponding to the user-specified grade of services in the enlarged format.

37. The mobile terminal of claim 30, wherein the processor receives a plurality of messages at the mobile terminal and associates each message with one of the plurality of icons.

38. The mobile terminal of claim 37, wherein at least one of the icons is extracted from one of the messages received at the mobile terminal.

39. The mobile terminal of claim 37, wherein the processor compares characteristics extracted from one or more of the messages received at the mobile terminal to the one or more context values.

40. The mobile terminal of claim 30, wherein the processor compares a plurality of characteristics to a plurality of context values, wherein at least some of the plurality of context values are set by the user of the mobile terminal.

41. The mobile terminal of claim 30, wherein the processor, in response to the user selecting one of the icons, launches an application program associated with the selected icon.

42. The mobile terminal of claim 30, wherein the processor displays each of the plurality of icons in a context bar that is positioned along an edge of the display.

43. The mobile terminal of claim 30, wherein at least some of the icons represent logos that, when selected by the user, retrieve a Web page from a Web site affiliated with the selected logo.

44. The mobile terminal of claim 43, wherein the logos identify a corporation.

45. The mobile terminal of claim 43, wherein the logos represent a symbolic link.

46. The mobile terminal of claim 30, wherein the processor represents the remaining icons using a reduced width format as compared to the at least one best match icon in step (2).

47. The mobile terminal of claim 43, wherein one of the icons comprises a symbolic logo and a second of the icons comprises a corporate logo represented on a display of the mobile terminal.

48. The mobile terminal of claim 30, wherein the processor displays a magnifying glass display element that is movable by the user in relation to the plurality of icons, wherein moving the magnifying glass display element temporarily enlarges one of the displayed icons.

49. The mobile terminal of claim 48, wherein the processor, in response to moving the magnifying glass display element over one of the displayed icons, displays a text box containing further information regarding the icon.

50. A mobile terminal comprising:

a display capable of displaying graphical icons;

a user input device that permits a user of the mobile terminal to select one or more of the graphical icons displayed on the display; and

means for displaying on the display device certain icons in an enlarged display format in response to determining that information associated with the certain icons matches a user-specified context value.

51. The mobile terminal of claim 50, wherein the icons correspond to messages received by the mobile terminal, the mobile terminal further comprising means for extracting from the messages the information and associating the information with the certain icons.

52. A mobile terminal comprising:

a receiving circuit that receives a plurality of messages containing information relating to a particular service that is potentially available to a user of the mobile terminal;

a memory storage area that stores the plurality of messages;

a context value storage area that stores one or more context values that pertain to the user of the mobile terminal;

a display unit capable of displaying graphical icons; and

a context matching function that compares information extracted from each of the plurality of messages to the one or more context values and, in response to detecting a match, causes graphical icons corresponding to the information resulting in the match to be displayed in an enlarged format on the display unit.

53. The mobile terminal of claim 52, further comprising a user input device configured to permit the user to change the one or more context values.

54. The mobile terminal of claim 52, wherein the context matching function causes graphical icons corresponding to services that are within a matched proximity of the mobile terminal to be displayed in the enlarged format on the display unit.