APPARATUS, METHODS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS PROVIDING MENU EXPANSION AND ORGANIZATION FUNCTIONS

• US 20090037846A1
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DRNC Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Cunningham, James B., Spalink, Karin
• Application Number:
  US12/242,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20090037846A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/825
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• 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

Display of menu items on a display of an electronic device, such as a cellphone or other portable device, is managed by defining first and second menus including respective first and second groups of menu items (e.g., graphic icons and/or text), wherein the first group of menu items is a subset of the second group of menu items. The device transitions from display of the first menu to display of the second menu responsive to user activation of a menu expansion function. Menu items may be organized responsive to user input.

Claims

1. A method of managing display of menu items on a display of an electronic device, the method comprising:

displaying a first two-dimensional array of menu items on the display;

identifying one of the menu items responsive to a user input;

accepting user activation of a menu rearrangement function;

providing a user interface for identification of a new array location for the identified menu item responsive to user activation of the menu rearrangement function;

identifying a new array location for the identified menu items responsive to a user input; and

displaying a second two-dimensional array of the menu items with the identified menu item in the new array location.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein accepting user activation of a menu rearrangement function comprises:

displaying an options menu including a menu rearrangement menu item responsive to a user input; and

accepting user selection of the menu rearrangement menu item.

3. A method according to claim 1:

wherein providing a user interface for identification of a new array location comprises;

displaying the first two-dimensional array; and

moving a graphic indicator to the new array location responsive to a user command; and

wherein identifying a new array location comprises accepting user selection of the new array location.

4. A method according to claim 1:

wherein displaying a first two-dimensional array of menu items on the display comprises displaying the first menu item at a first array location and a second menu item at a second array location;

wherein identifying one of the menu items comprises identifying the first menu item;

wherein identifying a new array location for the identified menu item comprises identifying the second array location; and

wherein displaying a second two-dimensional array of the menu items comprises displaying the first menu item at the second array location and the second menu item at the first array location.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the menu items comprise at least one of graphic icons and text.

6. An electronic device, comprising:

a display;

a user input device; and

a processor operatively associated with the user input device and the display, the processor configured to display a first two-dimensional array of menu items on the display, to identify one of the menu items responsive to a user input, to accept user activation of a menu rearrangement function via the user input device, to provide a user interface for identification of a new array location for the identified menu item responsive to user activation of the menu rearrangement function, to identify a new array location for the identified menu items responsive to a user input and to display a second two-dimensional array of the menu items with the identified menu item in the new array location.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein the processor is operative to display an options menu including a menu rearrangement menu item responsive to a user input, and to accept user selection of the menu rearrangement menu item via the user input device.

8. A device according to claim 6, wherein the processor is operative to display the first two-dimensional array, to move a graphic indicator to the new array location responsive to a user command via the user input device, and to accept user selection of the new array location via the user input device.

9. A device according to claim 6, wherein the menu items comprise at least one of graphic icons and text.

10. A device according to claim 6, wherein the user input device comprises at least one of a key, a trackpointer, a touch pad, a joystick, and a touchscreen.

11. A program product for managing display of menu items on a display of an electronic device, the program product comprising code embodied in a processor-accessible medium, the code comprising:

code configured to display a first two-dimensional array of menu items on the display;

code configured to identify one of the menu items responsive to a user input;

code configured to accept user activation of a menu rearrangement function;

code configured to provide a user interface for identification of a new array location for the identified menu item responsive to user activation of the menu rearrangement function;

code configured to identify a new array location for the identified menu items responsive to a user input; and

code configured to display a second two-dimensional array of the menu items with the identified menu item in the new array location.

12. A program product according to claim 11, wherein the code configured to accept user activation of a menu rearrangement function comprises:

code configured to display an options menu including a menu rearrangement menu item responsive to a user input; and

code configured to accept user selection of the menu rearrangement menu item.

13. A program product according to claim 11:

wherein the code configured to provide a user interface for identification of a new array location comprises;

code configured to display the first two-dimensional array; and

code configured to move a graphic indicator to the new array location responsive to a user command; and

wherein the code configured to identify a new array location comprises code configured to accept user selection of the new array location.

14. A program product according to claim 11:

wherein the code configured to display a first two-dimensional array of menu items on the display comprises code configured to display the first menu item at a first array location and a second menu item at a second array location;

wherein the code configured to identify one of the menu items comprises code configured to identify the first menu item;

wherein the code configured to identify a new array location for the identified menu item comprises code configured to identify the second array location; and

wherein the code configured to display a second two-dimensional array of the menu items comprises code configured to display the first menu item at the second array location and the second menu item at the first array location.

15. A program product according to claim 11, wherein the menu items comprise at least one of graphic icons and text.

16. A program product according to claim 11, configured to be processed in a processor of a portable electronic device.