Updatable menu items

• US 20060242596A1
• Filed: 04/20/2005
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Armstrong, Kevin Neal
• Granted Patent: US 7,856,602 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/786
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

A menu is displayed within a graphical user interface. The menu of one exemplary embodiment includes a plurality of selectable menu items within the menu. One of the menu items includes a first region and a second region. The first region presents a static title for the menu item, and the second region includes text that is capable of scrolling. The text within the second region of the first menu item is scrolled in response to the first menu item being selected. For example, the selection may be made by hovering a pointer above the first menu item. The scrolling may then be paused when the pointer is moved away from above the first menu item.

Claims

1. A machine-implemented method comprising:

displaying a menu within a graphical user interface, the menu including a plurality of selectable menu items within the menu, wherein a first menu item includes a first region and a second region, the first region presenting a static title for the menu item, and the second region including text that is capable of scrolling; and

scrolling the text within the second region of the first menu item.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection of the first menu item, wherein the scrolling is in response to the receiving the selection of the first menu item.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the selection comprises a pointer hovering above the first menu item.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

pausing the scrolling of the text when the pointer is not positioned above the first menu item.

5. An apparatus comprising:

means for displaying a menu within a graphical user interface, the menu including a plurality of selectable menu items within the menu, wherein a first menu item includes a first region and a second region, the first region presenting a static title for the menu item, and the second region including text that is capable of scrolling; and

means for scrolling the text within the second region of the first menu item.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

means for receiving a selection of the first menu item, wherein the scrolling is in response to the receiving the selection of the first menu item.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the selection comprises a pointer hovering above the first menu item.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

means for pausing the scrolling of the text when the pointer is not positioned above the first menu item.

9. A machine-implemented method comprising:

presenting a menu within a graphical user interface;

receiving a selection of a menu item within the menu; and

in response to receiving the selection, scrolling text within the selected menu item.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the menu item includes a first line of text and a second line of text, the first line of text being static, and the second line of text capable of scrolling.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

generating the content of the second line of text in real-time, wherein the second line of text scrolls.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving the selection comprises positioning a pointer above the menu item.

13. An apparatus comprising:

means for presenting a menu within a graphical user interface;

means for receiving a selection of a menu item within the menu; and

means for scrolling text within the selected menu item in response to receiving the selection.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

means for generating the content of the second line of text in real-time, wherein the second line of text scrolls.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the means for receiving the selection comprises a pointer positioned above the menu item.

16. A machine-implemented method comprising:

displaying a menu within a graphical user interface, the menu including a plurality of selectable menu items, wherein a first menu item includes a first line of text and a second line of text; and

automatically animating the second line of text upon displaying the menu.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein automatically animating the second line of text includes scrolling the second line of text.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the second line of text scrolls horizontally.

19. An apparatus comprising:

means for displaying a menu within a graphical user interface, the menu including a plurality of selectable menu items, wherein a first menu item includes a first line of text and a second line of text; and

means for automatically animating the second line of text upon displaying the menu.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for automatically animating the second line of text includes scrolling the second line of text.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the second line of text scrolls vertically.

22. A machine-readable medium having instructions to cause a machine to perform a machine-implemented method comprising:

displaying a menu within a graphical user interface, the menu including a plurality of selectable menu items, wherein a first menu item includes a first line of text and a second line of text; and

automatically animating the second line of text upon displaying the menu.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 22, wherein automatically animating the second line of text includes scrolling the second line of text.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the second line of text scrolls horizontally.

25. A system comprising:

a processing unit coupled to a memory through a bus; and

a process executed from the memory by the processing unit to cause the processing unit to;

display a menu within a graphical user interface, the menu including a plurality of selectable menu items, wherein a first menu item includes a first line of text and a second line of text; and

automatically animate the second line of text upon displaying the menu.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein automatically animating the second line of text includes scrolling the second line of text.

27. A machine-implemented method comprising:

displaying an object within a graphical user interface, the object including a plurality of selectable items, each item including a static region and an updatable region; and

receiving a selection of a first selectable item within the object, wherein upon receiving the selection, text within the selected first item scrolls.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of a menu and a table.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the selection is made by hovering a pointer above the first item for a predetermined period of time.

30. An apparatus comprising:

means for displaying an object within a graphical user interface, the object including a plurality of selectable items, each item including a static region and an updatable region; and

means for receiving a selection of a first selectable item within the object, wherein upon receiving the selection, text within the selected first item scrolls.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the object is a menu.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the selection is made by positioning a pointer above the first item for a predetermined period of time.

33. A machine-readable medium having instructions to cause a machine to perform a machine-implemented method comprising:

displaying an object within a graphical user interface, the object including a plurality of selectable items, each item including a static region and an updatable region; and

receiving a selection of a first selectable item within the object, wherein upon receiving the selection, text within the selected first item scrolls.

34. The machine-readable medium of claim 33, wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of a menu and a table.

35. The machine-readable medium of claim 33, wherein the selection is made by hovering a pointer above the first item for a predetermined period of time.

36. A machine-implemented method comprising:

displaying a menu within a graphical user interface, the menu including a plurality of selectable menu items within the menu, wherein a first operation associated with a first menu item is capable of being initiated in response to receiving a command from an input device while a graphical indicator is positioned within a first area associated with the first menu item;

in response to receiving a selection of the first menu item, updating content within the first area; and

in response to receiving a command from the input device while the graphical indicator is positioned within the first area, initiating the first operation.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the graphical indicator includes a pointer controlled by a mouse, and the command is an activation of a button of the mouse.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein updating content within the first area comprises displaying text within the selected first menu item, the text presenting information generated in real-time.

39. An apparatus comprising:

means for displaying a menu within a graphical user interface, the menu including a plurality of selectable menu items within the menu, wherein a first operation associated with a first menu item is capable of being initiated in response to receiving a command from an input device while a graphical indicator is positioned within a first area associated with the first menu item;

means for, in response to receiving a selection of the first menu item, updating content within the first area; and

means for, in response to receiving a command from the input device while the graphical indicator is positioned within the first area, initiating the first operation.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the graphical indicator includes a pointer controlled by a mouse, and the command is an activation of a button of the mouse.

41. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein updating content within the first area comprises generating text in real-time for display within the selected first menu item.

42. A machine-readable medium having instructions to cause a machine to perform a machine-implemented method comprising:

displaying a menu within a graphical user interface, the menu including a plurality of selectable menu items within the menu, wherein a first operation associated with a first menu item is capable of being initiated in response to receiving a command from an input device while a graphical indicator is positioned within a first area associated with the first menu item;

in response to receiving a selection of the first menu item, updating content within the first area; and

in response to receiving a command from the input device while the graphical indicator is positioned within the first area, initiating the first operation.

43. The machine-readable medium of claim 42, wherein the graphical indicator includes a pointer controlled by a mouse, and the command is an activation of a button of the mouse.

44. The machine-readable medium of claim 42, wherein updating content within the first area comprises presenting information generated in real-time.

45. A machine-implemented method comprising:

displaying an object within a graphical user interface, the object to initiate a first operation when the object is activated;

in response to a graphical indicator being positioned over the object, updating content within the object; and

in response to receiving a command through an input device controlling the graphical indicator positioned over the object, initiating the first operation.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the object is a button, the graphical indicator is a pointer, and the command is a click of a button on the input device.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein the updating comprises displaying text, the text describing real-time information associated with the object.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

if the pointer is continuously positioned over the object for a predetermined period of time, changing the content of the text.

49. An apparatus comprising:

means for displaying an object within a graphical user interface, the object to initiate a first operation when the object is activated;

means for, in response to a graphical indicator being positioned over the object, updating content within the object; and

means for, in response to receiving a command through an input device controlling the graphical indicator positioned over the object, initiating the first operation.

50. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the object is a button, the graphical indicator is a pointer, and the command is a click of a button on the input device.

51. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein the means for updating comprises means for displaying text, the text describing real-time information associated with the object.

52. The apparatus of claim 51, further comprising:

means for, if the pointer is continuously positioned over the object for a predetermined period of time, changing the content of the text.

53. A machine-readable medium having instructions to cause a machine to perform a machine-implemented method comprising:

displaying an object within a graphical user interface, the object to initiate a first operation when the object is activated;

in response to a graphical indicator being positioned over the object, updating content within the object; and

in response to receiving a command through an input device controlling the graphical indicator positioned over the object, initiating the first operation.

54. The machine-readable medium of claim 53, wherein the object is a button, the graphical indicator is a pointer, and the command is a click of a button on the input device.

55. The machine-readable medium of claim 53, wherein the updating comprises displaying text, the text describing real-time information associated with the object.

56. The machine-readable medium of claim 55, wherein the method further comprises:

if the pointer is continuously positioned over the object for a predetermined period of time, changing the content of the scrolling text.

57. A machine-implemented method comprising:

displaying a menu within a graphical user interface;

receiving a selection of a menu item within the menu; and

in response to receiving the selection, updating the selected menu item to display information associated with the menu item.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the menu item includes a first line of text and a second line of text, the first line of text being static, and the second line of text displaying the information.

59. The method of claim 57, wherein updating comprises generating the content of the second line of text in real-time, wherein the second line of text scrolls.

60. The method of claim 57, wherein receiving the selection comprises detecting a pointer positioned within a region associated with the menu item, and wherein the updating occurs within the region.

61. A machine-readable medium having instructions to cause a machine to perform a machine-implemented method comprising:

displaying a menu within a graphical user interface;

receiving a selection of a menu item within the menu; and

in response to receiving the selection, updating the selected menu item to display information associated with the menu item.

62. The machine-readable medium of claim 61, wherein the menu item includes a first line of text and a second line of text, the first line of text being static, and the second line of text displaying the information.

63. The machine-readable medium of claim 61, wherein updating comprises generating the content of the second line of text in real-time, wherein the second line of text scrolls.

64. The machine-readable medium of claim 61, wherein receiving the selection comprises detecting a pointer positioned within a region associated with the menu item, and wherein the updating occurs within the region.

65. A machine-implemented method comprising:

displaying a menu within a graphical user interface, the menu including a plurality of selectable menu items within the menu, wherein a first menu item includes a first region and a second region, the first region presenting a static title for the menu item, and the second region including content that is updatable; and

updating the content within the second region of the first menu item.

66. The method of claim 65, further comprising:

receiving a selection of the first menu item, wherein the updating is in response to the receiving the selection of the first menu item.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein the selection comprises a pointer hovering above the first menu item.

68. A machine-readable medium having instructions to cause a machine to perform a machine-implemented method comprising:

displaying a menu within a graphical user interface, the menu including a plurality of selectable menu items within the menu, wherein a first menu item includes a first region and a second region, the first region presenting a static title for the menu item, and the second region including content that is updatable; and

updating the content within the second region of the first menu item.

69. The machine-readable medium of claim 68, further comprising:

receiving a selection of the first menu item, wherein the updating is in response to the receiving the selection of the first menu item.

70. The machine-readable medium of claim 69, wherein the selection comprises a pointer hovering above the first menu item.

71. A system comprising:

a processing unit coupled to a memory through a bus; and

a process executed from the memory by the processing unit to cause the processing unit to;

display a menu within a graphical user interface, the menu including a plurality of selectable menu items within the menu, wherein a first menu item includes a first region and a second region, the first region presenting a static title for the menu item, and the second region including content that is updatable; and

update the content within the second region of the first menu item.

72. The system of claim 71, wherein the process further causes the processing unit to:

detect a selection of the first menu item, wherein the updating is in response to the detecting the selection of the first menu item.

73. The system of claim 72, wherein the selection comprises a pointer hovering above the first menu item.