Method and apparatus for providing context menus on a hand-held device

• US 20040075695A1
• Filed: 10/14/2003
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lui, Charlton E., Sharpe, Timothy D., Chew, Chee H., Blum, Jeffrey R., Parker, Kathryn L., Zuberec, Sarah E., Keyser, Greg A., Bastiaanse, Elizabeth A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,533,352 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04807 Pen manipulated menu
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

The present invention provides a user interface for a hand-held device that allows users to activate the full “card” for an entry using one gesture on a button while also giving the user the ability to reach a menu of context dependent commands using a second gesture on a button. In particular, the present invention recognizes certain button inputs as context menu gestures. When these gestures are made, a context menu appears. The user is then able to select a command in the context menu that is to be performed. The present invention also allows a user to open context menus while only using one hand to operate and hold the device.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium for a hand-held device, the device capable of being held with one hand and having a button that is capable of being actuated by the hand holding the device, the computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

receiving an indication that a user has depressed the button;

determining that the button has been depressed long enough to constitute a context menu gesture; and

displaying a context menu on the device in response to the context menu gesture.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein displaying a context menu comprises:

determining what object is highlighted on the display; and

displaying a context menu appropriate for the highlighted object.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 2 wherein the highlighted object is an entire window on the display and the context menu provides at least one command that operates on the entire window.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein displaying a context menu comprises:

determining that no object is highlighted on the display; and

displaying a context menu that is appropriate for an entire window on the display.

5. A method of producing a context menu on a display of a hand-held device, the method comprising:

determining whether a user has manipulated a button on the hand-held device to satisfy a context menu gesture requirement; and

displaying a context menu if the context menu gesture requirement has been satisfied.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the context menu gesture requirement comprises pressing the button for more than a required period of time.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the context menu gesture requirement is not satisfied if the user presses and releases the button before the required period of time.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising determining that a user has made a selection gesture instead of the context menu gesture.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein displaying a context menu comprises:

determining if there is a portion of the display that is highlighted; and

displaying a context menu that is appropriate for the highlighted portion.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

determining that no portion of the display is highlighted; and

displaying a context menu for an entire window on the display.