METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR USE OF ROTATIONAL USER INPUTS

• US 20070080938A1
• Filed: 12/13/2006
• Published: 04/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Jobs, Steve, Robbin, Jeffrey, Schiller, Philip
• Granted Patent: US 7,710,394 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

Improved approaches for users of computing devices to interact with graphical user interfaces are described. According to one aspect, a rotational user action supplied by a user at a user input device is transformed into linear action with respect to a graphical user interface. According to another aspect, a portion of an extended list of items is displayed by a graphical user interface and, through rotational user actions at a user input device, the portion of the list being displayed can be varied with welcomed ease of use. Although the type of computing device can vary, the improved approaches are particularly well-suited for use with a portable media player.

Claims

1. A media device comprising:

an input surface configured to respond to curvilinear motion of a digit relative to the surface and in continuous contact with the surface, and

a display operably associated with the input surface, the display configured to display items and to enable linear scrolling through the displayed items.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the input surface comprises a surface configured to respond to continuous movement of the digit through 360 degrees of curvilinear motion.

3. A method comprising:

curvilinearly moving a digit relative to an input surface and in continuous contact with the input surface,

operably associating the input surface and a display configured to display items, and

linearly scrolling through the displayed items.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of curvilinearly moving the digit relative to the surface comprises continuously moving the digit through 360 degrees of curvilinear motion.

4. A method comprising:

curvilinearly moving a digit relative to an input surface and in continuous contact with the input surface,

operably associating the input surface and a display configured to display items, and

identifying and selecting the displayed items.

5. A method comprising:

curvilinearly moving a digit relative to an input surface and in continuous contact with the input surface,

operably associating the input surface and a display configured to display items, and

identifying and selecting stored media associated with a media device.

7. A portable media device comprising:

an input surface configured to respond to rotational motion of a finger or stylus relative to the surface and in continuous contact with the surface, and

a display operably associated with the input surface, the display configured to display items and to enable linear scrolling through the displayed items.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the input surface comprises a surface configured to respond to continuous movement of the finger or stylus through 360 degrees of rotational motion.

9. A method comprising:

rotationally moving a finger or stylus relative to an input surface and in continuous contact with the input surface,

operably associating the input surface and a display configured to display items, and

linearly scrolling through the displayed items.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of rotationally moving the finger or stylus relative to the surface comprises continuously moving the finger or stylus through 360 degrees of rotational motion.

10. A method comprising:

rotationally moving a finger or stylus relative to an input surface and in continuous contact with the input surface,

operably associating the input surface and a display configured to display items, and

identifying and selecting the displayed items.

11. A method comprising:

rotationally moving a finger or stylus relative to an input surface and in continuous contact with the input surface,

operably associating the input surface and a display configured to display items, and

identifying and selecting stored media associated with a media device.

13. A method comprising:

rotationally moving a finger or stylus relative to an input surface and in continuous contact with the input surface,

operably associating the input surface and a display configured to display items, and

moving displayed items across a viewing area of the display so that at least a new item is brought into the viewing area.

14. A method comprising:

rotationally moving a finger or stylus relative to an input surface and in continuous contact with the input surface,

operably associating the input surface and a display configured to display items, and

changing displayed items in a viewing area of the display so that different items are displayed in the viewing area.

15. A portable media device comprising:

an input surface configured to respond to rotational motion of a finger or stylus relative to the surface and in continuous contact with the surface, and

a display operably associated with the input surface, the display having a viewing area in which items may be introduced or removed from the viewing area in response to rotational motion of a finger or stylus relative to the input surface.

16. A method comprising:

establishing continuous contact between a finger or stylus and an input surface,

rotationally moving the finger or stylus relative to the input surface and in continuous contact with the input surface,

operably associating the input surface and a display configured to display items, and

linearly scrolling through the displayed items while continuous contact is established between the finger or stylus and the input surface.

17. A portable media device comprising:

a fixed input surface configured to respond to rotational motion of a finger or stylus relative to the surface and in continuous contact with the surface, and

a display operably associated with the input surface, the display configured to display items and to enable linear scrolling through the displayed items while continuous contact is established between the finger or stylus and the input surface.

18. A portable media device comprising:

an input surface having a first dimension and a second dimension, the input surface configured to respond to rotational motion, relative to the first and second dimensions, of a finger or stylus in continuous contact with the surface, and

a display operably associated with the input surface, the display configured to display items and to enable linear scrolling through the displayed items.

19. A media device comprising:

an input surface configured to respond to curvilinear motion of a digit relative to the surface and in continuous contact with the surface, and

a display operably associated with the input surface, the display configured to enable identification and selection of stored media associated with the media device.