Method for Browsing Through a List by Continuous Scrolling of a Graphic Feature and Related Terminal

• US 20090219304A1
• Filed: 09/20/2006
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Martin, Jerome, Coullon, Isabelle
• Granted Patent: US 8,405,683 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/684
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4858 for modifying screen layout parameters, e.g. fonts, size of the windows
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44504 Circuit details of the additional information generator, e.g. details of the character or graphics signal generator, overlay mixing circuits

Abstract

The present invention relates to a navigation method on elements extracted from a determined list of elements. A part at least of the elements of the list is displayed and a navigation command enables the user to move a graphical characteristic on the displayed elements. The maximum speed of movement of the graphical characteristic depends on the total number of elements of the list. According to an improvement, the acceleration of the scrolling speed when the user maintains the navigation command also depends on the total number of elements of the list. The invention also relates to a terminal featuring a user interface implementing the method.

Claims

1. Navigation method on elements, the elements being extracted from a list of a determined number of elements, comprising a display step of a part at least of the elements of the list;

a continuous scrolling step of a graphical characteristic on the displayed elements, said continuous scrolling step being triggered by the introduction of a navigation command, wherein the scrolling of the graphical characteristic is carried out at a maximum speed that is determined according to the total number of elements of the list.

2. Navigation method on displayed elements according to claim 1, wherein as long as the navigation command is activated, the scrolling speed of the graphical characteristic changes in a linear manner from a predetermined value until reaching the maximum scrolling speed depending on the total number of elements of the list.

3. Navigation method on displayed elements according to claim 1, wherein as long as the navigation command is activated, the scrolling speed of the graphical characteristic changes in a non-linear manner from a predetermined value until reaching the maximum scrolling speed depending on the total number of elements of the list.

4. Navigation method on displayed elements according to claim 1, wherein it comprises a display step of a visual indication representing the value of the scrolling speed.

5. Navigation method on displayed elements according to claim 4, wherein the value of the scrolling speed is indicated by a bar of elements, the number of elements marked giving an indication of the scrolling speed, all the elements being marked when the scrolling speed is maximum.

6. Navigation method on displayed elements according to claim 1, wherein the scrolling speed of the graphical characteristic immediately reaches the maximum speed depending on the total number of elements of the list as soon as the navigation command is enabled.

7. Navigation method on displayed elements according to claim 1, wherein it comprises an increase step of the scrolling speed up to the maximum speed, and a decrease step of the speed, each of these steps being enabled by the introduction of a command.

8. Navigation method on displayed elements according to claim 7, wherein each of the two speed control steps is enabled by the introduction of a command on an introduction means, the duration of pressing on the said means differentiating the activation of one or other of the steps.

9. Navigation method on displayed elements according to claim 1, wherein it comprises a first introduction step of a first command triggering the continuous scrolling step at the maximum speed as a function of the total number of elements of the list, and a second introduction step of a second command triggering a reduction of the continuous scrolling speed.

10. Display device comprising an introduction means of navigation commands;

a display means of part at least of the elements of a list having a determined number of elements;

a generation means of a continuous scrolling of a graphical characteristic on the displayed elements, the generation means of the scrolling being controlled by the command introduction means,

wherein the generation means scrolls the graphical characteristic at a maximum speed that depends on the total number of elements of the list.

11. Display device according to claim 10, wherein the generation means scrolls the graphical characteristic at a predetermined speed up to the maximum speed according to the total number of elements of the list, the variation of speed being linear.

12. Display device according to claim 10, wherein the generation means scrolls the graphical characteristic at a predetermined speed up to the maximum speed according to the total number of elements of the list, the variation of speed being linear.

13. Display device according to claim 10, wherein the generation means scrolls the graphical characteristic at the maximum speed according to the total number of elements of the list, as soon as the navigation command introduction means is enabled.

14. Display device according to claim 10, wherein it comprises a display means of a visual indication representing the value of the scrolling speed.

15. Display device according to claim 10 wherein it comprises a navigation command introduction means to increase the scrolling speed up to the maximum speed, and a navigation command introduction means to decrease the scrolling speed.