Method of sorting elements in a list of a graphical user interface

• US 20050251751A1
• Filed: 04/28/2005
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Feiler, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/116,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20050251751A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/721
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration

Abstract

The present invention provides a simplified and more user-friendly way for sorting entries in a list of a graphical user interface. This is achieved by a method which comprises the steps of displaying at least a part of the list (S11), selecting items out of the list and pasting the selected items into a second list in a defined order (S12), selecting a position in the first list, where the second list is to be inserted (S13), and inserting the items from the second list into the first list in their order in the second list, starting with the first item of the second list at the user-selected position of the first list (S14).

Claims

1. Method of rearranging items in a first list of a graphical user interface, comprising the steps of

a) displaying at least a part of said first list;

b) selecting items out of said first list and pasting said selected items into a second list in a defined order;

c) selecting a position in said first list, where said second list is to be inserted; and

d) inserting said items from said second list into said first list in their order in said second list, starting with a first item of said second list at said selected position of said first list.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein step d) comprises the following steps:

i. all items contained in said second list are deleted from their original position in said first list;

ii. all items contained in said first list starting from said selected position are moved onwards by n places, n being a number of items contained in said second list;

iii. all items contained in said second list are inserted into places in said first list made empty by step ii;

iv. places in said first list made empty by step i are filled subsequently by moving all items after each of said empty place one place back.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first list is stored in non-volatile memory, steps b) to d) are carried out in volatile memory and said first list is stored back to non-volatile memory when steps b) to d) have been completed.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein in step b) only items can be selected from said first list which have not been pasted into said second list before.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein when an item of said first list, which has already been pasted into said second list before, is selected in step b), said item is inserted again into a newly specified position of said second list, deleted from a position in said second list where it had been pasted before, and all items after said previous position in said second list are moved one place back.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein in step b) an item from said first list is selected by entering an order number of said item in said first list.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein in step b) an item from said first list is selected by moving a focus on said item.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said order in said second list is indicated by respective order numbers displayed in conjunction with said items in said first list.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said second list is displayed on said graphical user interface together with said first list.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein in step b) said defined order of said items in said second list is determined by moving a focus on a place in said second list after one of said items has been selected from said first list.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein in step b) said defined order of said items in said second list is determined by entering an order number in said second list for each of said items.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein in step b) said defined order of said items in said second list is determined by an order in which said items are selected.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein said items are TV channels.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein said items are audio titles or video titles.

15. An apparatus being configured to provide a graphical user interface comprising at least a first list containing a plurality of items, further comprising

means for displaying at least a part of said first list;

means for pasting items, selected by a user out of said first list, into a second list in a defined order, and for inserting said items from said second list into said first list in their order in said second list, starting with a first item of said second list at a position of said first list selected by said user.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a non-volatile memory for storing said fist list, wherein said processor performs said selecting, pasting and inserting without re-writing said first list to said non-volatile memory before said inserting has been completed.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said input means comprise a numerical keyboard, and said items from said first list are selected by entering order numbers of said items in said first list using said numerical keyboard.

18. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said input means comprises a pointing device and an item from said first list is selected by moving a focus on said item using said pointing device.

19. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said input mean comprises cursor buttons or a wheel, and an item from said first list is selected by moving a focus on said item using said cursor buttons or said wheel.

20. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said graphical user interface is an on-screen display.

21. The apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising television reception means and audio/video output means, wherein said apparatus is configured to serve as a television or set-top box, and said items are TV channels.

22. The apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising mass storage means, wherein said apparatus is configured to serve as audio or video player and said items are audio titles or video titles.

37. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said input means comprise a numerical keyboard, and said items from said first list are selected by entering order numbers of said items in said first list using said numerical keyboard.

23. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed on a processor, cause the processor to carry out a method of rearranging items in a first list of a graphical user interface, comprising the steps of

a) displaying at least a part of said first list;

b) selecting items out of said first list and pasting said selected items into a second list in a defined order;

c) selecting a position in said first list, where said second list is to be inserted; and

d) inserting said items from said second list into said first list in their order in said second list, starting with a first item of said second list at said selected position of said first list.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein step d) comprises the following steps:

i. all items contained in said second list are deleted from their original position in said first list;

ii. all items contained in said first list starting from said selected position are moved onwards by n places, n being a number of items contained in said second list;

iii. all items contained in said second list are inserted into places in said first list made empty by step ii;

iv. places in said first list made empty by step i are filled subsequently by moving all items after each of said empty place one place back.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the method stores said first list in non-volatile memory, carries out step b) to d) in volatile memory and stores said first list back to non-volatile memory when steps b) to d) have been completed.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein step b) only items can be selected from said first list which have not been pasted into said second list before.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein when an item of said first list, which has already been pasted into said second list before, is selected in step b), said item is inserted again into a newly specified position of said second list, deleted from a position in said second list where it had been pasted before, and all items after said previous position in said second list are moved one place back.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein in step b) an item from said first list is selected by entering an order number of said item in said first list.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein in step b) an item from said first list is selected by moving a focus on said item.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the method indicates said order in said second list by respective order numbers displayed in conjunction with said items in said first list.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the method displays said second list on said graphical user interface together with said first list.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein step b) said defined order of said items in said second list is determined by moving a focus on a place in said second list after one of said items has been selected from said first list.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein in step b) said defined order of said items in said second list is determined by entering an order number in said second list for each of said items.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein in step b) said defined order of said items in said second list is determined by an order in which said items are selected.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein said items within said method are TV channels.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein said items within said method are audio titles or video titles.