USER INTERFACE FOR MULTIFUNCTION DEVICE

• US 20080303803A1
• Filed: 12/28/2007
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: O'Brien, Darren Kelly, Lau, Dannie C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,339,362 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

A system implements a circular navigation paradigm that matches a physical input device to a graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI may be displayed on a personal navigation device, music player, or any other electronic device that employs a GUI. The match between the physical input device and the GUI facilitates ready understanding and intuitive interaction with the GUI by the device operator. The circular navigation paradigm may also extend over multiple screens within an application, and across multiple applications, to provide consistency of operation throughout the entire feature set of this device.

Claims

1. A portable interface hub, comprising:

an electronics hub body having a secondary power input;

a detachable vehicle power stalk adapted for removable engagement with the hub body, where the detachable vehicle power stalk includes a primary power connector adapted to provide power to the secondary power input of the electronics hub body when the electronics hub body and the detachable vehicle power stalk are engaged with one another;

where the electronics hub body further comprises;

a main control module interface; and

a media device interface interconnected with the main control module interface.

2. The interface hub of claim 1, where the electronics hub body further comprises an expansion interface interconnected with the main control module interface.

3. The interface hub of claim 1, where the electronics hub body further comprises a power conversion unit adapted to receive a first voltage from the secondary power input and convert the first voltage into a second voltage, the second voltage for powering one or more of a supplemental media device, an expansion device, or a main control module.

4. The interface hub of claim 1, where the electronics hub body further comprises an audio/video line output adapted to provide an analog audio/video signal from one or more of a supplemental media device or an expansion device.

5. The interface hub of claim 4, where the electronics hub body further comprises:

a frequency modulation (FM) modulator for wirelessly transmitting the audio/video signal; and

switching circuitry operable to sense whether a cable is inserted into the audio/video line output, and if the cable is not inserted, providing a radio frequency signal with the FM modulator.

6. A user interface system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory in communication with the processor, the memory comprising processor-executable instructions configured to direct the processor to perform operations comprising;

detecting an angular position of a rotatable control of an input device;

converting the angular position to a rotational movement;

analyzing the rotational movement against a user interface mapping comprising a user interface element angular transition threshold predetermined for radially arranging user interface elements on a graphical user interface, including a first radially arranged user interface element and a subsequent radially arranged user interface element;

determining whether the rotational movement exceeds the angular transition threshold; and

when the rotational movement exceeds the angular transition threshold, directing a display device to change highlighting from the first radially arranged user interface element to the subsequent radially arranged user interface element in the direction of the rotational movement.

7. The system of claim 6, where the memory further comprises a mapping database comprising the user interface mapping and further comprising additional user interface mappings for multiple screens of a graphical user interface.

8. The system of claim 6, where the mapping database further comprises the angular transition threshold.

9. The system of claim 7, where the mapping database further comprises multiple user interface mappings for multiple executable applications.

10. The system of claim 7, where the mapping database further comprises multiple angular transition thresholds for multiple executable applications.

11. The system of claim 6, where the input device comprises a rotatable ring that may be rotated to provide angular position information.

12. The system of claim 6, where the instructions are configured to direct the processor to perform further operations comprising:

detecting an activation of a selection button on the input device; and

initiating processing corresponding to a highlighted user interface element on the screen in response to the activation of the selection button.

13. The system of claim 6, where the instructions are configured to direct the processor to perform further operations comprising:

detecting an activation of a function button on the input device; and

performing a predetermined function in response to the activation of the function button.

14. The system of claim 13, where the function button corresponds to a function user interface element on the screen of the graphical user interface, the function user interface element disposed on the screen at approximately a same location and orientation as the function button on the input device.

15. A computer readable medium comprising processor executable instructions for controlling a user interface system, the processor executable instructions configured to cause a processor to perform operations comprising:

detecting an angular position of a rotatable control of an input device;

converting the angular position to a rotational movement;

analyzing the rotational movement against a user interface mapping comprising a user interface element angular transition threshold predetermined for radially arranging user interface elements on a graphical user interface, including a first radially arranged user interface element and a subsequent radially arranged user interface element;

determining whether the rotational movement exceeds the angular transition threshold; and

when the rotational movement exceeds the angular transition threshold, directing a display device to change highlighting from the first radially arranged user interface element to the subsequent radially arranged user face element in the direction of the rotational movement.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising a mapping database comprising the user interface mapping and further comprising additional user interface mappings for multiple screens of the graphical user interface.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, where the mapping database further comprises the angular transition threshold.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16, where the mapping database further comprises multiple user interface mappings for multiple executable applications.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 16, where the mapping database further comprises multiple angular transition thresholds for multiple executable applications.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 15, where the input device comprises a rotatable ring that may be rotated to provide angular position information.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 15, where the processor executable instructions are configured to cause the processor to perform further operations comprising:

detecting and activation of a selection button on input device; and

initiating processing corresponding to a highlighted user interface element on the screen in response to the activation of the selection button.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 15, where the processor executable instructions are configured to cause the processor to perform further operations comprising:

detecting an activation of a function button on the input device; and

performing a predetermined function in response to the activation of the function button.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22, where the function button corresponds to a function user interface element on a screen of the graphical user interface, the function user interface element disposed on the screen at approximately a same location and orientation as the function button on the input device.