Method and Apparatus for Accelerated Scrolling

• US 20080094352A1
• Filed: 12/19/2007
• Published: 04/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey Robbin, Robert Tsuk
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey Robbin, Robert Tsuk
• Inventors: Tsuk, Robert, Robbin, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 8,952,886 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/34 for rolling or scrolling
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/233 including a pointing device, e.g. roller key, track ball, rocker switch or joystick constructional details of pointing devices per se G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons

Abstract

Improved approaches for users to with graphical user interfaces of computing devices are disclosed. A rotational user action supplied by a user via a user input device can provide accelerated scrolling. The accelerated nature of the scrolling enables users to scroll or traverse a lengthy data set (e.g., list of items) faster and with greater ease. The amount of acceleration provided can be performed in successive stages, and/or performed based on the speed of the rotational user action. In one embodiment, the rotational user action is transformed into linear action with respect to a graphical user interface. The resulting acceleration effect causes the linear action to be enhanced such that a lengthy data set is able to be rapidly traversed.

Claims

1. A portable media player, comprising:

a display device;

a rotational input device configured to receive a number of units associated with a rotational user input, the rotational user input being provided by a user through interaction with the rotational input device; and

circuitry, operatively connected to said rotational input device, configured to;

determine an acceleration factor pertaining to the rotational user input, modify the number of units by the acceleration factor, determine a next portion of a data set based on the modified number of units, and present the next portion of the data set,

wherein as the interaction with the rotational input device occurs, the display device provides visual feedback for the user of the portable media player.

2. A portable media player, comprising:

a display device;

a rotational input device configured to receive a number of units associated with a rotational user input, the rotational user input being provided by a user through interaction with the rotational input device; and

circuitry, operatively connected to said rotational input device, configured to;

receive a number of units from the rotational input device, the number of units being associated with a rotational user input being provided by a user through interaction with the rotational input device;

determine a speed of rotation for the rotational input device;

apply acceleration when the speed of rotation is greater than a speed threshold;

remove any acceleration being applied when the speed of rotation is less then the speed threshold, modify the number of units in accordance with the acceleration, if any;

determine a next portion of the data set based on the modified number of units; and

present the next portion of the data set,

wherein as the interaction with the rotational input device occurs, audio feedback and the visual feedback are provided for the user of the portable media player.

3. A portable media player, comprising:

a storage device configured to store media content for each of a plurality of media items;

a display screen that displays a portion of the media items at a time;

a user input device that enables a user of said portable media player to at least scroll through the plurality of media items using a rotational action with respect to said user input device; and

a processor operatively connected to said storage device and said user input device, said processor determining a rate of scrolling and thus determining a next portion of the media items to be displayed

4. A portable media player as recited in claim 3, wherein said portable media player is battery-operated.

5. A portable media player as recited in claim 4, wherein said portable media player is pocket-sized.

6. A portable media player as recited in claims 3, wherein the rate of scrolling is automatically increased to provide an acceleration effect with respect to scrolling through the list of media items.

7. A portable media player as recited in claim 3, wherein said portable media player comprises an audio player, and wherein the media content for the media items includes at least audio files of songs.

8. A portable media player as recited in claim 3, wherein said portable media player comprises a video player, and wherein the media content for the media items includes at least video files of videos.

9. A portable media player as recited in claim 3, wherein said portable media player comprises an image viewer, and wherein the media content for the media items includes at least image files of images.

10. A portable media player as recited in claim 3, wherein said portable media player further comprises:

a feedback circuit operatively connected to said user input device and said processor, said feedback circuit produces a sound effect indicating degree of the rotational action with respect to said user input device.

11. A portable media player as recited in claim 10, wherein the sound effect is electrically induced by said feedback circuit.

12. A method for displaying a portion of a list of media items on a display of a media player, the media player having a rotational input device, said method comprising:

(a) determining a rate of turn of the rotational input device;

(b) obtaining a length of the list of media items;

(c) determining a next portion of the list of media items to be displayed based on the rate of the turn of the rotational input device and the length of the list of media items; and

(d) displaying the next portion of the list of media items.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the number of media items that can be display on the display at any one time is limited due to the small size of the display.

14. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the next portion does not consecutively follow a former portion when the rate of turn of the rotational input device exceeds a threshold rate.

15. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the next portion includes a plurality of the media items from the list of media items.

16. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the rotational input device comprises a navigation wheel.

17. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the media items are audio files.

18. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the rotational input device comprises a touch sensitive surface.

19. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein said method further comprises:

(e) providing audible feedback.

20. A method as recited in claim 19, wherein the audible feedback is dependent on the rate of turn of the rotational input device.