GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE FOR ACCESSING INFORMATION ORGANIZED BY CONCENTRIC CLOSED PATHS

• US 20090254865A1
• Filed: 04/07/2008
• Published: 10/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Arch Bridges Holdings, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Archbridge Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Siegel, Richard J.
• Application Number:
  US12/099,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20090254865A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/835
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A graphical user interface for a computer system having a plurality of icons, each icon representing an activity. A display controller launches the activity associated with a selected icon when selected. An organization algorithm directs a processor of the computer system to arrange the plurality of icons along a sequence of consecutive closed paths, each closed path representing an organizational level of associated activities.

Claims

1. A method for presenting icons on a graphical user interface comprising:

arranging a plurality of icons in concentric closed paths, each closed path surrounding an organizational level of icons;

displaying the plurality of icons on the screen, wherein each icon is adapted to be selected by a user and is operable to display electronic information; and

in response to the selection of a first icon, displaying electronic information associated with the first icon on a display screen.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a first closed path surrounds icons of a first organizational level, and wherein a second closed path surrounds icons of a different organizational level from the first organizational level.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the second closed path is outside the first closed path.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second closed paths surround a rectangular array of icons.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second closed paths surround a rectangular array of icons and a center display portion, said center display portion configured to display the electronic information associated with a selected icon.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the rectangular array of icons are arranged in a matrix.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the matrix comprises 6 rows and 7 columns.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the display screen is a touch responsive display.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein a first icon is selected by contact with said touch responsive display.

10. A graphical user interface for a computer system, the system comprising:

a plurality of icons, each icon representing an activity;

a display controller;

a processor; and

an organization algorithm;

wherein the display controller launches the activity associated with a selected icon when selected; and

wherein the organization algorithm directs the processor to arrange the plurality of icons in consecutive closed paths, each closed path representing an organizational level of icons.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the display controller is a touch responsive display.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the activity is rendering electronic information.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the activity is execution of a program by the processor.

14. A system for presenting icons on a graphical user interface, comprising:

a computer having a memory and a processor; and

a computer-readable medium for generating software code, which, when said code is loaded into the memory and run by the processor, causes the processor to perform the steps of;

arranging a plurality of icons in concentric closed paths, each closed path representing an organizational level icons;

displaying the plurality of icons on a display screen, wherein each icon is associated with electronic information and is adapted to be selected by a user; and

in response to the selection of a first icon, displaying the electronic information associated with the first icon on the screen.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the activity is rendering electronic information.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the display screen comprises a touch responsive display.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein a first icon is selected by contact with said touch responsive display.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the concentric closed paths comprise at least two concentric rectangular arrays of icons.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the concentric rectangular arrays are arranged in a matrix.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the matrix comprises 6 rows and 7 columns.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the system comprises a handheld computing device with wireless networking capabilities.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the electronic information comprises a Website.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the activity comprises executing a software application stored in the memory.