SOUND FEEDBACK ON MENU NAVIGATION

• US 20070277107A1
• Filed: 09/27/2006
• Published: 11/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: ALMAS, Randi-Lise Hjelmeland
• Granted Patent: US 7,596,765 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/727
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback

Abstract

A menu structure in an information presentation device enables navigation in the menu structure. The information presentation device may include a sound generating unit, at least one first user input unit, and a control unit that provides selectable items in the menu structure. The items may be related to functions, applications or settings of the information presentation device. Each item may be associated with at least one dedicated sound. Upon detection of selection of a specific item via a user input unit, the presentation device may control the sound generating unit to generate the sound associated with the selected item.

Claims

1. A method of enabling navigation in a menu structure of an information presentation device comprising:

providing selectable items in the menu structure, where the selectable items are related to functions, applications or settings of the information presentation device;

associating each item with at least one dedicated sound; and

upon detecting selection of a specific item in the menu structure, controlling generation of a sound associated with the specific item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the generation of the sound comprises generating the sound.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein sound properties of the items are interrelated for indicating the direction of movement or position in the menu structure in relation to selected items in the menu structure.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the generated sounds are provided with different frequencies for indicating the direction of movement or position in the menu structure in relation to selected items.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein each sound is provided with at least one tone, where a number of tones of each sound is indicative of the direction of movement or position in the menu structure in relation to selected items.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the sounds are provided as voice that vocalizes the navigation direction or position in the menu structure in relation to selected items.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the sounds are provided as stereo sound.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said structure includes a number of groups of items, where at least one item of one group is linked to a further group of items.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the sounds provided for a number of items within a group are sounds providing music of a certain type.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein each item is provided with a sound for each direction in which movement can be made in relation to that item.

11. An information presentation device for enabling navigation in a menu structure comprising:

at least one first user input unit; and

a control unit configured to;

provide selectable items in a menu structure, where the items are related to functions, applications or settings of the information presentation device,

associate each item with at least one dedicated sound and upon detecting selection of a specific item via a user input unit, controlling a sound generating unit to generate a sound associated with the specific item.

12. The information presentation device of claim 11, wherein the sound generating unit is arranged to generate said sound.

13. The information presentation device of claim 11, wherein sound properties of the items are interrelated for indicating the direction of movement or position in the menu structure in relation to selected items in the menu structure.

14. The information presentation device of claim 13, wherein the sounds are provided with different frequencies for indicating the direction of movement or position in the menu structure in relation to selected items.

15. The information presentation device of claim 13, wherein each sound is provided with at least one tone, where the number of tones of each sound is indicative of the direction of movement or position in the menu structure in relation to selected items.

16. The information presentation device of claim 13, wherein the sounds are provided as voice that vocalizes the navigation direction or position in the menu structure in relation to selected items.

17. The information presentation device of claim 13, wherein the sounds are provided as stereo sound.

18. The information presentation device of claim 11, wherein said menu structure includes a number groups of items, where at least one item of one group is linked to a further group of items.

19. The information presentation device of claim 18, wherein the sounds provided for a number of items within a group are sounds providing music of a certain type.

20. The information presentation device of claim 11, wherein each item is provided with one sound for each direction in which movement can be made in relation to that item.

21. The information presentation device of claim 11, wherein the device is a portable electronic device.

22. The information presentation device of claim 21, wherein the device is a portable communication device.

23. The information presentation device of claim 22, wherein the device is a cellular phone.

24. An information presentation device for enabling navigation in a menu structure comprising:

means for providing selectable items in the menu structure, where the items are related to functions, applications or settings of the information presentation device;

means for associating each item with a dedicated sound; and

means for, upon detecting selection of a specific item, causing generation of the sound associated with the specific item.

25. A computer program product for enabling navigation in a menu structure of an information presentation device, the computer program product:

computer program code to provide selectable items in a menu structure, where the items are related to functions, applications or settings of the information presentation device;

computer program code to associate each item with a dedicated sound; and

computer program code to, upon detecting selection of a specific item, to control the generation of a sound associated with the specific item.