INDICATION TO ASSIST A USER IN PREDICTING A CHANGE IN A SCROLL RATE

• US 20100169822A1
• Filed: 11/28/2006
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: TP Vision Holding BV (TPV Technology Co., Ltd. (f/k/a Nanjing Huadong Electronics Information & Technology))
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Hollemans, Gerrit
• Application Number:
  US12/095,573
• Publication Number:
  US 20100169822A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/784
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

A user interface of a device is provided for displaying an environment that is visually larger than a display area. The user interface includes a scroll function that positions selected portions of the environment within the display area. A scroll rate of the user interface changes as the scroll function is continued. The user interface produces an indication to alert a user that a change in scroll rate is imminent.

Claims

1. A user interface of a device for displaying an environment that is visually larger than a display area, the user interface comprising:

a scroll function configured to position selected portions of the environment within the display area, wherein a scroll rate changes as the scroll function is continued; and

an indication configured to alert a user that a change in scroll rate is imminent.

2. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the indication is a first indication and the alert is a first alert, the user interface comprising a second indication that is configured to produce a second alert to the user at a rate that is proportional to the scroll rate, and wherein when the change in scroll rate is imminent, the second alert is replaced by the first alert.

3. The user interface of claim 2, wherein the first alert is produced at a rate that is proportional to the scroll rate that is produced if a change in scroll rate occurs.

4. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the alert is produced a predetermined time before the change in scroll rate.

5. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the alert is at least one of a tactile alert, an auditory alert, and a visual alert.

6. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the alert is a vibration alert.

7. The user interface of claim 6, wherein the user interface is configured to generate a signal for a piezoelectric device to initiate the vibration alert.

8. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the alert is a clicking alert and the user interface is configured to generate a signal for an auditory device to initiate the clicking alert.

9. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the scroll function is configured to be initiated by a first scroll actuation and is configured to not change the rate of scroll if a second scroll actuation occurs within a predetermined interval of time after the first scroll actuation is stopped.

10. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the scroll function is configured to be initiated by a first scroll actuation and is configured to return to a predetermined rate of scroll if a second scroll actuation occurs within a predetermined interval of time after the first scroll actuation is stopped.

11. An application embodied on a computer readable medium (420) configured to produce a user interface to manipulate a visual environment that is visually larger than a display area, the application comprising:

a portion configured to visually scroll portions of the environment within the display area, wherein a scroll rate changes as the scroll function is continued; and

a portion configured to produce an indication to alert a user that a change in scroll rate is imminent.

12. The application of claim 11, wherein the indication is a first indication and the alert is a first alert, the application comprising a portion configured to produce a second indication to the user at a rate that is proportional to the scroll rate and when the change in scroll rate is imminent, to replace the second alert by the first alert.

13. The application of claim 12, wherein the application is configured to produce the first alert at a rate that is proportional to the scroll rate that is produced if the change in scroll rate occurs.

14. The application of claim 11, wherein the application is configured to produce an output for generating the alert that is at least one of a tactile alert, an auditory alert, and a visual alert.

15. The application of claim 11, wherein the portion configured to visually scroll is configured to be initiated by a first scroll actuation and is configured to not change the rate of scroll if a second scroll actuation occurs within a predetermined interval of time after the first scroll actuation is stopped.

16. The application of claim 11, wherein the portion configured to visually scroll is configured to be initiated by a first scroll actuation and is configured to return to a predetermined rate of scroll if a second scroll actuation occurs within a predetermined interval of time after the first scroll actuation is stopped.

17. A device having a user interface to manipulate a visual environment that is visually larger than a display area, the device comprising:

a means for visually scrolling portions of the environment within the display area, wherein a scroll rate changes as the scroll function is continued; and

a means for producing an indication to alert a user that a change in scroll rate is imminent.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the indication is a first indication and the alert is a first alert, the device comprising a means for producing a second indication to the user at a rate that is proportional to the scroll rate and when the change in scroll rate is imminent, to replace the second alert by the first alert.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the device comprises a means to produce an output for generating the alert that is at least one of a tactile alert, an auditory alert, and a visual alert.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the means for visually scrolling is configured to be initiated by a first scroll actuation and is configured to not change the rate of scroll if a second scroll actuation occurs within a predetermined interval of time after the first scroll actuation is stopped, or is configured to return to a predetermined rate of scroll if a second scroll actuation occurs within the predetermined interval of time after the first scroll actuation is stopped.