Computing device with user interface for navigating a contacts list

• US 20040113952A1
• Filed: 11/19/2003
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crystal Mountain Communications, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Symbian Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Randall, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 7,293,244 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/830
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/30 Control of display attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/34 for rolling or scrolling
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2747 Scrolling on a display

Abstract

A computing device comprises a display screen, the computing device is able to display on the screen a contact list automatically causes the relative prominence of one or more letters in one or more names to alter. For example, only the first letter of each name may be displayed; this facilitates fast scrolling through the contact list to the desired target.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising a display screen, the computing device being able to display on the screen a contact list of several names or words, in which the step of scrolling through the contact list automatically causes the relative prominence of one or more letters in one or more names or words to alter, wherein scrolling through the list of names automatically causes the relative prominence of one or more letters in one or more names in the contacts list to alter only where the scrolling speed exceeds a pre-defined threshold.

2. The computing device of claim 1 in which the relative prominence alters by one or more of the following occurring:

(i) the colour or grey scale level changing, with letters or numerals at or towards the front of a name or word being displayed in a more prominent colour or grey scale;

(ii) the relative size changing, with letters or numerals at or towards the front of a name or word being displayed in a more prominent size;

(iii) letters or numerals, excluding at least the first letter or numeral of a name or word, not being displayed in full;

(iv) names or words, excluding at least the whole or part of the first name or word in a functional grouping of names or words, not being displayed in full.

3. The computing device of claim 2 in which the scrolling speed and/or scrolling duration determines which of options (i) to (iv), or combinations of options (i) to (iv) occur.

4. The computing device of claim 1-3 in which scrolling through the list of names automatically causes the relative prominence of one or more letters in one or more names to alter only where the list is greater than a predefined length.

5. The computing device as claimed in any preceding claim, being a mobile computing device.

6. A computer program which, when running on a computing device, causes the computing device to display on a screen a contact list of several names or words, and further automatically causes, when a user scrolls through the contact list, the relative prominence of one or more letters in one or more names or words to alter;

wherein the program automatically causes, when the user scrolls through the list of names, the relative prominence of one or more letters in one or more names in the contacts list to alter only where the scrolling speed exceeds a pre-defined threshold.

7. The computer program of claim 6 which results in the relative prominence altering by causing one or more of the following to occur:

(i) the colour or grey scale level changing, with letters or numerals at or towards the front of a name or word being displayed in a more prominent colour or grey scale;

(ii) the relative size changing, with letters or numerals at or towards the front of a name or word being displayed in a more prominent size;

(iii) letters or numerals, excluding at least the first letter or numeral of a name or word, not being displayed in fill;

(iv) names or words, excluding at least the whole or part of the first name or word in a functional grouping of names or words, not being displayed in full.

8. The computer program of claim 7 which enables the scrolling speed and/or scrolling duration to determine which of options (i) to (iv), or combinations of options (i) to (iv) occur.

9. The computer program of claim 7 which enables scrolling through the list of names to automatically cause the relative prominence of one or more letters in one or more names to alter only where the list is greater than a predefined length.