Menu entries for drop-down menus of graphic user interfaces

• US 20060161864A1
• Filed: 12/13/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Windl, Helmut
• Granted Patent: US 8,347,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for the input and display of information, data and/or input elements in drop-down menus of graphical user interfaces, the drop-down menus or layered menu levels having a number of menu items of any type, the number of menu items comprising at least a number of menu items which may be selected and deselected in any combination in the form of a check box list and/or mutually exclusive and thus merely switchable menu items in the form of a radio button list, the menu item in the form of a check box list and the menu item in the form of a radio button list respectively comprising its own significant status recognition describing the character of the menu item in the drop-down menu and in the layered menu.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A device for setting and displaying information, data and/or input elements on a graphical user interface, comprising:

a menu element selected from the group consisting of a first menu element comprising;

at least one menu bar comprising a plurality of menu items; and

at least one drop-down menu assigned to at least one of the menu items, the drop-down menu configured to include a plurality of layered first menu levels, and a second menu element comprising;

at least one context-sensitive drop-down menu, the context-sensitive drop-down menu configured to include a plurality of layered second menu levels,

wherein the first respectively second menu element comprises a plurality of first menu items included in the drop-down menu respectively the context-sensitive drop-down menu or a plurality of second menu items included in the layered first respectively second menu levels, wherein at least part of the first respectively second menu items included in the drop-down menu respectively the context-sensitive drop-down menu or in at least one of the layered first respectively second menu levels are configured to be selected and deselected by a user; and

a designating unit configured to assign to each first respectively second menu item individual status change and status description markers included in the respective drop-down menu respectively the context-sensitive drop-down menu and in the respective layered first respectively second menu level, the individual status change and status description markers representing a nature of the first respectively second menu items.

22. The device according to claim 21, wherein at least part of the first respectively second menu items configured to be selected and deselected by the user are mutually exclusive such that the user can only switch between such menu items.

23. The device according to claim 21, wherein the designating unit comprises a display for indicating the individual status change and status description markers as symbols.

24. The device according to claim 22, wherein the designating unit comprises a display for indicating the individual status change and status description markers as symbols.

25. The device according to claim 23, wherein first respectively second menu items configured to be selected and deselected are further configured to be selected and deselected in any combination, and the symbols representing such menu items include a square empty frame for indicating a deselected state and a square frame having a check mark for indicating a selected state.

26. The device according to claim 24, wherein the symbols representing the mutually exclusive menu items include radio buttons.

27. The device according to claim 21, wherein the designating unit is configured to assign the individual status change and status description markers immediately upon selecting or deselecting the respective menu items by the user.

33. A method for setting and displaying information, data and/or input elements via drop-down menus of graphical user interfaces, the drop-down menu or layered menu levels of the drop-down menu having a plurality of menu items, the menu items comprising at least one menu element selected from the group consisting of first menu items configured to be selected and deselected by a user in any combination and second menu items configured to be mutually exclusive such that the user can only switch between those menu items, the method comprising assigning to each first respectively second menu item individual status change and status description markers included in the drop-down menu respectively in the layered menu level, the individual status change and status description markers representing a nature of the first respectively second menu items.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein the individual status change and status description markers are symbols.

35. The method according to claim 34, wherein the symbols representing the menu items selectable and deselectable in any combination include a square empty frame for indicating a deselected state and a square frame having a check mark for indicating a selected state

36. The method according to claim 34, wherein the symbols representing the mutually exclusive menu items include radio buttons.

37. The method according to claim 33, wherein the drop-down menu is kept open upon selecting or deselecting the respective menu items by the user.

38. The method according to claim 33, further comprising closing the drop-down menu only upon an acknowledgement input by the user.

39. The method according to claim 33, further comprising closing the drop-down menu only after lapse of a delay time after selecting or deselecting the respective menu item by the user.

40. The method according to claim 39, wherein the drop-down menu is kept open if a selection indicator used for selecting and deselecting the respective menu item is positioned within the drop-down menu after the selecting respectively deselecting.