Mobile communications terminal and method therefore

• US 20060271867A1
• Filed: 05/27/2005
• Published: 11/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Tao, Rong, Wang, Kong Qiao, Hamalainen, Seppo
• Application Number:
  US11/140,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20060271867A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages

Abstract

A graphical user interface for an electronic apparatus such as a mobile terminal is presented. The graphical user interface gives a user access to a multi-level structure of selectable user interface items. The graphical user interface involves, on a display of the electronic apparatus, a focused region, an unfocused region and a descriptor region. The focused region presents a first plurality of user interface items belonging to a current level in said multi-level structure. The focused region has a focus area for focusing on a desired user interface item in response to user input on an input device of the electronic apparatus. The unfocused region presents a second plurality of user interface items belonging to at least one level superior to the current level in the multi-level structure. The descriptor region presents descriptive information about a currently focused user interface item in the focus area.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface for providing access for a user of an electronic apparatus to a multi-level structure of selectable user interface items, the electronic apparatus having a display and an input device, the graphical user interface involving:

a focused region on said display;

an unfocused region on said display; and

a descriptor region on said display, wherein

the focused region is adapted for presentment of a first plurality of user interface items belonging to a current level in said multi-level structure, the focused region having a focus area for focusing on any desired one of said first plurality of user interface items in response to user input on said input device,

the unfocused region is adapted for presentment of a second plurality of user interface items belonging to at least one level superior to said current level in said multi-level structure, and

the descriptor region is adapted for presentment of descriptive information about a currently focused user interface item in said focus area.

2. A graphical user interface as defined in claim 1, wherein the user interface items are presented as image objects on said display.

3. A graphical user interface as defined in claim 2, wherein the currently focused user interface item is presented in front view inside said focus area, whereas user interface items other than the focused one among said first plurality of user interface items are presented in perspective views outside of said focus area and inside said focused region.

4. A graphical user interface as defined in claim 1, wherein the user interface items of said first plurality of user interface items are presented inside said focused region along a predefined path which follows a non-linear geometrical curve.

5. A graphical user interface as defined in claim 2, wherein the user interface items of said second plurality of user interface items are presented in a visually reduced form in said unfocused region compared to said first plurality of user interface items in said focused region.

6. A graphical user interface as defined in claim 1, wherein the unfocused region is adapted for presentment of said second plurality of user interface items belonging to at least two successive levels superior to said current level in said multi-level structure.

7. A graphical user interface as defined in claim 6, wherein user interface items belonging to a first one of said at least two successive levels are presented along a first rectilinear path and wherein user interface items belonging to a second one of said at least two successive levels are presented along a second rectilinear path, parallel to said first rectilinear path.

8. A graphical user interface as defined in claim 1, wherein the descriptive information presented in the descriptor region includes first information serving to explain a functionality of the focused user interface item to be performed upon selection.

9. A graphical user interface as defined in claim 8, wherein the descriptive information presented in the descriptor region further includes second information serving to indicate an hierarchical position of the focused user interface item in the multi-level structure.

10. A graphical user interface as defined in claim 1, wherein the unfocused region occupies an upper part of a display area of the display, the focused region occupies a center part of the display area, below said upper part, and the descriptor region occupies a lower part of the display, below said center part.

11. A graphical user interface as defined in claim 1, wherein the user interface items of said first plurality of user interface items are scrollable in either a first or a second direction along a predefined path inside said focused region in response to user input on said input device which indicates one of said first and second directions as a desired scrolling direction.

12. A graphical user interface as defined in claim 11, wherein said focus area in said focused region is fixed, i.e. has a static position on said display, a currently focused user interface item being moved out from said focus area and a neighboring user interface item being moved into said focus area as the user interface items of said first plurality of user interface items are scrolled one step in said desired scrolling direction along said predefined path.

13. A graphical user interface as defined in claim 12, wherein said predefined path is symmetrical around at least one symmetry axis and said static position of said focus area on said display is located at an intersection of said path and said symmetry axis.

14. A graphical user interface as defined in claim 1, capable of shifting from a formerly current level to a new level, immediately subordinate to said formerly current level, in said multi-level structure in response to user input on said input device, wherein

the focused region is adapted to replace said first plurality of user interface items belonging to said formerly current level with a third plurality of user interface items belonging to said new level for presentment, and

the unfocused region is adapted to include said first plurality of user interface items in said second plurality of user interface items for presentment.

15. A graphical user interface as defined in claim 14, the unfocused region being adapted for presentment of user interface items belonging to at least two successive levels in said multi-level structure, wherein the unfocused region is furthermore adapted to remove user interface items from an uppermost one of said at least two successive levels in said multi-level structure when including said first plurality of user interface items in said second plurality of user interface items for presentment.

16. A graphical user interface as defined in claim 1, capable of shifting from a formerly current level to a new level, immediately superior to said formerly current level, in said multi-level structure in response to user input on said input device, wherein

the focused region is adapted to replace said first plurality of user interface items belonging to said formerly current level with a fourth plurality of user interface items belonging to said new level for presentment and formerly presented in the unfocused region, and

the unfocused region is adapted to remove said fourth plurality of user interface items from presentation therein.

17. A mobile terminal having a controller, a display and an input device, the controller being coupled to said display and said input device and being adapted to provide a graphical user interface for giving a user access to a multi-level structure of selectable user interface items, the graphical user interface involving:

a focused region on said display;

an unfocused region on said display; and

a descriptor region on said display, wherein

the focused region is adapted for presentment of a first plurality of user interface items belonging to a current level in said multi-level structure, the focused region having a focus area for focusing on any desired one of said first plurality of user interface items in response to user input on said input device,

the unfocused region is adapted for presentment of a second plurality of user interface items belonging to at least one level superior to said current level in said multi-level structure, and

the descriptor region is adapted for presentment of descriptive information about a currently focused user interface item in said focus area.

18. A mobile terminal as defined in claim 17, wherein the user interface items are presented as image objects on said display.

19. A mobile terminal as defined in claim 18, wherein the currently focused user interface item is presented in front view inside said focus area, whereas user interface items other than the focused one among said first plurality of user interface items are presented in perspective views outside of said focus area and inside said focused region.

20. A mobile terminal as defined in claim 17, wherein the user interface items of said first plurality of user interface items are presented inside said focused region along a predefined path which follows a non-linear geometrical curve.

21. A mobile terminal as defined in claim 18, wherein the user interface items of said second plurality of user interface items are presented in a visually reduced form in said unfocused region compared to said first plurality of user interface items in said focused region.

22. A mobile terminal as defined in claim 17, wherein the unfocused region is adapted for presentment of said second plurality of user interface items belonging to at least two successive levels superior to said current level in said multi-level structure.

23. A mobile terminal as defined in claim 22, wherein user interface items belonging to a first one of said at least two successive levels are presented along a first rectilinear path and wherein user interface items belonging to a second one of said at least two successive levels are presented along a second rectilinear path, parallel to said first rectilinear path.

24. A mobile terminal as defined in claim 17, wherein the descriptive information presented in the descriptor region includes first information serving to explain a functionality of the focused user interface item to be performed upon selection.

25. A mobile terminal as defined in claim 24, wherein the descriptive information presented in the descriptor region further includes second information serving to indicate an hierarchical position of the focused user interface item in the multi-level structure.

26. A mobile terminal as defined in claim 17, wherein the unfocused region occupies an upper part of a display area of the display, the focused region occupies a center part of the display area, below said upper part, and the descriptor region occupies a lower part of the display, below said center part.

27. A mobile terminal as defined in claim 17, the input device comprising a multi-way input device such as a 4/5-way navigation key or a joystick, wherein the controller is adapted, upon receiving user input indicative of a first-way actuation of said input device, to cause scrolling of said first plurality of user interface items in a first direction along a predefined path, and the controller is adapted, upon receiving user input indicative of a second-way actuation of said input device, to cause scrolling of said first plurality of user interface items in a second direction along said path, said second direction being opposite to said first direction.

28. A mobile terminal as defined in claim 27, wherein said focus area in said focused region is fixed, i.e. has a static position on said display, a currently focused user interface item being moved out from said focus area and a neighboring user interface item being moved into said focus area as the user interface items of said first plurality of user interface items are scrolled one step along said predefined path.

29. A mobile terminal as defined in claim 28, wherein said predefined path is symmetrical around at least one symmetry axis and said static position of said focus area on said display is located at an intersection of said path and said symmetry axis.

30. A mobile terminal as defined in claim 17, the controller being capable of shifting from a formerly current level to a new level, immediately subordinate to said formerly current level, in said multi-level structure in response to user input on said input device, wherein

the focused region is adapted to replace said first plurality of user interface items belonging to said formerly current level with a third plurality of user interface items belonging to said new level for presentment, and

the unfocused region is adapted to include said first plurality of user interface items in said second plurality of user interface items for presentment.

31. A mobile terminal as defined in claim 30, the unfocused region being adapted for presentment of user interface items belonging to at least two successive levels in said multi-level structure, wherein the unfocused region is furthermore adapted to remove user interface items from an uppermost one of said at least two successive levels in said multi-level structure when including said first plurality of user interface items in said second plurality of user interface items for presentment.

32. A mobile terminal as defined in claim 17, the controller being capable of shifting from a formerly current level to a new level, immediately superior to said formerly current level, in said multi-level structure in response to user input on said input device, wherein

the focused region is adapted to replace said first plurality of user interface items belonging to said formerly current level with a fourth plurality of user interface items belonging to said new level for presentment and formerly presented in the unfocused region, and

the unfocused region is adapted to remove said fourth plurality of user interface items from presentation therein.

33. A mobile terminal as defined in claim 17, in the form of a mobile phone adapted for use in a mobile telecommunications network.

34. A mobile terminal as defined in claim 17, in the form of a device selected from the group consisting of a digital notepad, a personal digital assistant and a hand-held computer.

35. A method of providing a graphical user interface for giving a user of an electronic apparatus access to a multi-level structure of selectable user interface items, the electronic apparatus having a display and an input device, the method involving the steps of:

presenting, in a focused region on said display, a first plurality of user interface items belonging to a current level in said multi-level structure, the focused region having a focus area for focusing on any desired one of said first plurality of user interface items in response to user input on said input device;

presenting, in an unfocused region on said display, a second plurality of user interface items belonging to at least one level superior to said current level in said multi-level structure; and

presenting, in a descriptor region on said display, descriptive information about a currently focused user interface item in said focus area.

36. A computer program product directly loadable into a memory of a processor, the computer program product comprising program code for performing the method according to claim 35.