Method, program and device for displaying menu

• US 20060212828A1
• Filed: 03/16/2006
• Published: 09/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Original Assignee: Clarion Co., Ltd. (Faurecia SA)
• Inventors: Yahiro, Takao, Suwa, Manae
• Granted Patent: US 8,046,714 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04802 3D-info-object: information is displayed on the internal or external surface of a three dimensional manipulable object, e.g. on the faces of a cube that can be rotated by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A menu displaying method for displaying a menu containing a plurality of menu items on a display screen comprises a menu item arrangement step of arranging the menu items in a prescribed three-dimensional virtual body to squarely face the display screen so that each menu item will have at least a viewable part that is not screened by other menu items in front of the menu item and a menu item moving step of moving the menu items arranged in the menu item arrangement step according to a prescribed user operation while keeping the menu items squarely facing the display screen. By the menu displaying method, a large number of menu items can be displayed on a screen while minimizing deterioration of viewability of the menu items.

Claims

1. A menu displaying method for displaying a menu containing a plurality of menu items on a display screen, comprising:

a menu item arrangement step of arranging the menu items in a prescribed three-dimensional virtual body to squarely face the display screen so that each menu item will have at least a viewable part that is not screened by other menu items in front of the menu item; and

a menu item moving step of moving the menu items arranged in the menu item arrangement step according to a prescribed user operation while keeping the menu items squarely facing the display screen.

2. The menu displaying method according to claim 1, wherein the menu item moving step moves each menu item on a circular orbit around a prescribed axis in the three-dimensional virtual body.

3. The menu displaying method according to claim 1, wherein the menu item moving step moves each menu item along a prescribed virtual surface of the three-dimensional virtual body.

4. The menu displaying method according to claim 1, wherein the menu item moving step discretely moves each menu item to a position of an adjacent menu item substantially along a virtual surface of the three-dimensional virtual body.

5. The menu displaying method according to claim 1, further comprising a menu item selectability setting step of setting each menu item in a selectable state or a non-selectable state depending on the size of the menu item displayed on the display screen.

6. The menu displaying method according to claim 5, wherein the menu item selectability setting step sets each menu item in the selectable state or the non-selectable state depending on whether or not the menu item has a prescribed size enough for letting a user select the menu item easily and securely.

7. The menu displaying method according to claim 1, further comprising:

an icon displaying step of displaying an icon, as an input key to be operated by a user for specifying the movement of the menu items, on the display screen; and

an icon moving step of moving the icon displayed on the display screen according to the operation by the user to the icon, wherein;

the menu item moving step moves the menu items in sync with the movement of the icon by the icon moving step.

8. A menu displaying method for displaying a menu containing a plurality of menu items on a display screen, comprising:

a menu item arrangement step of arranging the menu items in a prescribed three-dimensional virtual body to squarely face the display screen so that each menu item will have at least a viewable part that is not screened by other menu items in front of the menu item; and

a menu item moving step of constantly moving the menu items arranged in the menu item arrangement step on prescribed orbits while keeping the menu items squarely facing the display screen.

9. A computer program product comprising computer-readable instructions that cause a computer to execute a menu displaying process for displaying a menu containing a plurality of menu items on a display screen, wherein the menu displaying process comprises:

a menu item arrangement step of arranging the menu items in a prescribed three-dimensional virtual body to squarely face the display screen so that each menu item will have at least a viewable part that is not screened by other menu items in front of the menu item; and

a menu item moving step of moving the menu items arranged in the menu item arrangement step according to a prescribed user operation while keeping the menu items squarely facing the display screen.

10. The computer program product according to claim 9, wherein the menu item moving step moves each menu item on a circular orbit around a prescribed axis in the three-dimensional virtual body.

11. The computer program product according to claim 9, wherein the menu item moving step moves each menu item along a prescribed virtual surface of the three-dimensional virtual body.

12. The computer program product according to claim 9, wherein the menu item moving step discretely moves each menu item to a position of an adjacent menu item substantially along a virtual surface of the three-dimensional virtual body.

13. The computer program product according to claim 9, wherein the menu displaying process further comprises a menu item selectability setting step of setting each menu item in a selectable state or a non-selectable state depending on the size of the menu item displayed on the display screen.

14. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the menu item selectability setting step sets each menu item in the selectable state or the non-selectable state depending on whether or not the menu item has a prescribed size enough for letting a user select the menu item easily and securely.

15. The computer program product according to claim 9, wherein the menu displaying process further comprises:

an icon displaying step of displaying an icon, as an input key to be operated by a user for specifying the movement of the menu items, on the display screen; and

an icon moving step of moving the icon displayed on the display screen according to the operation by the user to the icon, wherein;

the menu item moving step moves the menu items in sync with the movement of the icon by the icon moving step.

16. A computer program product comprising computer-readable instructions that cause a computer to execute a menu displaying process for displaying a menu containing a plurality of menu items on a display screen, wherein the menu displaying process comprises:

a menu item arrangement step of arranging the menu items in a prescribed three-dimensional virtual body to squarely face the display screen so that each menu item will have at least a viewable part that is not screened by other menu items in front of the menu item; and

a menu item moving step of constantly moving the menu items arranged in the menu item arrangement step on prescribed orbits while keeping the menu items squarely facing the display screen.

17. A menu displaying device which displays a menu containing a plurality of menu items on a display screen, comprising:

a display unit capable of displaying the menu on the display screen as a three-dimensional menu;

a menu item arrangement unit which arranges the menu items in a prescribed three-dimensional virtual body to squarely face the display screen so that each menu item will have at least a viewable part that is not screened by other menu items in front of the menu item; and

a menu item moving unit which moves the menu items arranged by the menu item arrangement unit according to a prescribed user operation while keeping the menu items squarely facing the display screen.

18. The menu displaying device according to claim 17, wherein the menu item moving unit moves each menu item on a circular orbit around a prescribed axis in the three-dimensional virtual body.

19. The menu displaying device according to claim 17, wherein the menu item moving unit moves each menu item along a prescribed virtual surface of the three-dimensional virtual body.

20. The menu displaying device according to claim 17, wherein the menu item moving unit discretely moves each menu item to a position of an adjacent menu item substantially along a virtual surface of the three-dimensional virtual body.

21. The menu displaying device according to claim 17, further comprising a menu item selectability setting unit which sets each menu item in a selectable state or a non-selectable state depending on the size of the menu item displayed on the display screen.

22. The menu displaying device according to claim 21, wherein the menu item selectability setting unit sets each menu item in the selectable state or the non-selectable state depending on whether or not the menu item has a prescribed size enough for letting a user select the menu item easily and securely.

23. The menu displaying device according to claim 17, further comprising:

an icon displaying unit which displays an icon, as an input key to be operated by a user for specifying the movement of the menu items, on the display screen; and

an icon moving unit which moves the icon displayed on the display screen according to the operation by the user to the icon, wherein;

the menu item moving unit moves the menu items in sync with the movement of the icon by the icon moving unit.

24. A menu displaying device which displays a menu containing a plurality of menu items on a display screen, comprising:

a display unit capable of displaying the menu on the display screen as a three-dimensional menu;

a menu item arrangement unit which arranges the menu items in a prescribed three-dimensional virtual body to squarely face the display screen so that each menu item will have at least a viewable part that is not screened by other menu items in front of the menu item; and

a menu item moving unit which constantly moves the menu items arranged by the menu item arrangement unit on prescribed orbits while keeping the menu items squarely facing the display screen.