Method and system for accessing data stored in an electronic device

• US 20070120819A1
• Filed: 11/30/2005
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Young, Hoi, Bohan, Michael, Ina, Peter, Bruns, Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 8,049,715 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

A method and a system for accessing data stored in an electronic device (102) are disclosed. The data is stored in a data structure. The data structure includes a plurality of sets. Each of the plurality of sets includes at least one entry with an identical first character. The method includes varying (302) the speed of navigation through the data structure by using the input device (204). The method also includes displaying (304) a pre-defined entry from each of the plurality of sets, based on a pre-defined actuation of the input device.

Claims

1. A method for accessing data stored in an electronic device, the data being stored in a data structure, the data structure comprising a plurality of sets, each of the plurality of sets comprising at least one entry, each of the at least one entry having an identical first character as another entry in its respective set if another entry exists in the respective set, the method comprising:

varying a speed of navigation through the data structure using an input device; and

displaying a pre-defined entry from each of the plurality of sets based on a pre-defined actuation of the input device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pre-defined entry is selected from a group comprising a first entry associated with each of the plurality of sets, a last entry associated with each of the plurality of sets, and a most frequently accessed entry associated with each of the plurality of sets.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a variable speed input device, wherein the pre-defined actuation comprises a speed of rotation of the variable speed input device and wherein the pre-defined entry is displayed when the speed of rotation is at least equal to a threshold value.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein varying the speed of navigation through the data structure using the variable speed input device comprises changing the speed of rotation of the variable speed input device.

5. The method according to claim 3 further comprising rotating the variable speed input device in clockwise direction in order to scroll in a first direction in the data structure.

6. The method according to claim 3 further comprising rotating the variable speed input device in anti-clockwise direction in order to scroll in a second direction in the data structure.

7. The method according to claim 3 further comprising displaying each of the at least one entry associated with each of the plurality of sets when the speed of rotation of the variable speed input device is less than the threshold value.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein displaying each of the at least one entry further comprises selecting the at least one entry.

9. The method according to claim 1 further comprising selecting an entry from each of the plurality of sets for display.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein varying the speed of navigation through the data structure using the input device comprises pressing a key of the input device, wherein the pre-defined actuation comprises a threshold period for which the key is being pressed and wherein the pre-defined entry is displayed when the key is pressed for at least equal to the threshold period.

11. The method according to claim 10 further comprising displaying each of the at least one entry associated with each of the plurality of sets when the key is pressed for less than the threshold period.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pre-defined entry is displayed at the top of a display screen.

13. An electronic device comprising:

a memory module configured to store data, the data being stored in a data structure, the data structure comprising a plurality of sets, each of the plurality of sets comprising at least one entry, the at least one entry associated with each of the plurality of sets having an identical first character as another entry in its respective set if another entry exists in the respective set;

an input device configured to vary a speed of navigation through the data structure; and

a processor configured to select a pre-defined entry associated with each of the plurality of sets based on the speed of navigation.

14. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the pre-defined entry is selected from a group comprising a first entry associated with each of the plurality of sets, a last entry associated with each of the plurality of sets and a most frequently accessed entry associated with each of the plurality of sets.

15. The electronic device according to claim 13 further comprising a display capable of displaying the pre-defined entry selected by the processor, wherein the display of the pre-defined entry begins at the top of the display.

16. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the input device is selected from a group comprising a coin-key, a capacitive type scroller, a resistive type scroller, a keypad, a four-way navigation device and a joystick.

17. A computer program product for use with a computer, the computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein, for accessing data stored in an electronic device, the data being stored in a data structure, the data structure comprising a plurality of sets, each of the plurality of sets comprising at least one entry, each of the at least one entry having an identical first character as another entry in its respective set if another entry exists in the respective set, the computer program code performing:

detecting a pre-defined actuation of an input device, the input device being used for navigating through the data structure; and

displaying a pre-defined entry from each of the plurality of sets based on the pre-defined actuation of the input device.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer program code further performs:

scrolling in a first direction through the data structure when the input device is rotated in clockwise direction.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer program code further performs:

scrolling in a second direction through the data structure when the input device is rotated in anti-clockwise direction.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer program code further performs:

displaying all entries associated with each of the plurality of sets.

21. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer program code further performs:

converting a rotational motion of the input device into a translational motion through the data structure for displaying the at least one entry.

22. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer program code further performs:

converting a key press of the input device to a translational motion through the data structure.