Techniques for device display navigation

• US 20070296711A1
• Filed: 06/13/2006
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Yee, Dawson, Knudson, Dan A.
• Application Number:
  US11/451,734
• Publication Number:
  US 20070296711A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0354 with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/34 for rolling or scrolling

Abstract

Techniques are provided for vertical navigation of displayed content. A physical wheel on a device is provided for navigating through content displayed on a display associated with the device. The physical wheel is moved in a direction and a distance about its rotational axis to indicate a scrolling direction and corresponding scrolling amount. The physical wheel is indexed in accordance with a display unit size associated with the content displayed.

Claims

1. A method for vertical navigation of displayed content comprising:

providing a physical wheel for navigating through content displayed on a display associated with said device, said physical wheel being mounted on a surface of a component of said device; and

moving the physical wheel in a direction and a distance about its rotational axis to indicate a scrolling direction and corresponding scrolling amount, wherein said physical wheel is indexed in accordance with a display unit size associated with the content displayed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said display unit size is in accordance with a font size of the content displayed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said device is a phone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said device is a computer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said device is a mobile communications device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said physical wheel is located on a side of said device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating a display area on which said content is displayed in accordance with said display unit size, said scrolling direction and said corresponding scrolling amount.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a visual indicator of a current portion of said content.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

updating said visual indicator of a display area of said content to indicate a new current portion of said content in accordance with said display unit size, said scrolling direction and said corresponding scrolling amount.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said current portion is indicated by highlighting said current portion.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said current portion is indicated by bolding said current portion.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

selecting said current portion by depressing and releasing said physical wheel causing said physical wheel to move along a linear axis in a first direction toward the device when depressed and an opposite direction when released.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said physical wheel is moved at an accelerated rate in accordance with a threshold and said content displayed is accordingly updated at said accelerated rate, and wherein said content is otherwise displayed in accordance with a non-accelerated rate when said physical wheel is not moved at said accelerated rate.

14. A device comprising:

a display area for displaying content; and

a physical wheel placed in proximity to said display area for navigating through content displayed at said display area, wherein movement of the physical wheel in a direction and a distance about its rotational axis indicates a scrolling direction and corresponding scrolling amount, wherein said physical wheel is indexed in accordance with a display unit size associated with the content displayed in said display area, said physical wheel being mounted in proximity to said display area on a component of said device.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein said device is a phone and said display area is on a first component of said phone including said display area.

16. The device of claim 14, wherein a visual indicator is provided in said display area to indicate a current portion of said content.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein said display area on which said content is displayed is updated in accordance with said display unit size, said scrolling direction and said corresponding scrolling amount in response to a movement of said physical wheel.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein said physical wheel is capable of movement along a linear axis so that selecting said current portion is made by depressing and releasing said physical wheel causing said physical wheel to move along said linear axis in a first direction toward the device when depressed and an opposite direction when released.

19. A method for vertical navigation of displayed content comprising:

providing a physical wheel on a device for navigating through content displayed on a display associated with said device, said physical wheel being mounted in proximity to said display on a component of said device wherein said component includes said display; and

moving the physical wheel in a direction and a distance about its rotational axis to indicate a scrolling direction and corresponding scrolling amount, wherein said physical wheel is indexed in accordance with a display unit size associated with the content displayed, and wherein said physical wheel is moved along a linear axis in connection with selecting a portion of content displayed.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said portion is selected by depressing and releasing said physical wheel causing said physical wheel to move along said linear axis in a first direction toward the device when depressed and an opposite direction when released.