METHOD AND DEVICE FOR IMPROVED MENU SEARCH AND SELECTION

• US 20110126157A1
• Filed: 02/03/2011
• Published: 05/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jin Seok Lee
• Original Assignee: Jin Seok Lee
• Inventors: LEE, Jin Seok
• Granted Patent: US 9,369,657 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/834
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration

Abstract

A method and apparatus for displaying options of a menu in order to easily search and select an option are provided. According to an embodiment, the method includes receiving a menu request from a user, determining a number of menu items associated with the requested menu, and displaying on a menu screen the menu items in a particular display form selected from a plurality of prestored display forms depending on the determined number of menu items.

Claims

1. A method for displaying menu items in a display device, the method comprising:

storing priorities on main menu items into a memory, wherein the priorities are set according to history information of using the main menu items;

receiving a request signal for displaying the main menu items;

accessing the memory storing the priorities on the main menu items; and

displaying a first main menu item, a second main menu item and a third main menu item in a radial display form, wherein a distance between the first main menu item and the second main menu item is different from a distance between the second main menu item and the third menu item based on the priorities on the three main menu items.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the distance between the first main menu item and the second main menu item is more near than the distance between the second main menu item and the third main menu item based on the priorities on the three main menu items.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a priority of the first main menu item is higher than a priority of the second main menu item, and the priority of the second main menu item is higher than a priority of the third main menu item.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the history information is determined by either frequency information with which the main menu items are selected or period information for which the main menu items are displayed.

5. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

controlling the step of displaying to stop if a predetermined time is elapsed or a specific key input is selected.

6. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

identifying each of users using the display device; and

displaying the main menu items in the first radial display form based on the identified user, wherein the first radial display form of a user is different from the first radial display form of another user.

7. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving a selection of one of the displayed main menu items; and

rearranging the main menu items depending on the selected main menu item, wherein the selected main menu item is moved to a changed position.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the display device corresponds to a DTV, a PDA, a computer, a mobile terminal or a cellular phone.

9. A method for displaying menu items in a display device, the method comprising:

receiving a first request signal for displaying main menu items;

displaying the main menu items in a first radial display form;

receiving a second request signal for displaying the main menu items;

determining priorities on the main menu items; and

displaying the main menu items in a second radial display form, wherein a position of at least one main menu item in the second radial display form is different from a position of the at least one main menu item in the first radial display form.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of displaying the main menu items in the first radial display form further comprises a step of controlling the step of displaying to stop if a predetermined time is elapsed or a specific key input is selected.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of determining further comprises a step of collecting history information of using the main menu items.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the history information is determined by either frequency information with which the main menu items are selected or period information for which the main menu items are displayed.

13. The method of claim 9, the method further comprising:

identifying each of users using the display device; and

displaying the main menu items in the first radial display form based on the identified user, wherein the first radial display form of a user is different from the first radial display form of another user.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the display device corresponds to a DTV, a PDA, a computer, a mobile terminal or a cellular phone.

15. A method for displaying menu items in a display device, the method comprising:

receiving a request signal for displaying main menu items;

displaying the main menu items in a first radial display form;

receiving a first selection signal for selecting one of the main menu items displayed in the first radial display form;

displaying multiple sub menu items in a second radial display form;

receiving a second selection signal for selecting a specific region displayed in the second radial display form; and

returning to the step of displaying the main menu items in the first radial display form.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the specific region is positioned at a center in the second radial display form.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the multiple sub menu items are related to the selected main menu item.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the steps of displaying display at least one of the main menu items or the sub menu items in a changeable position depending on a priority of the one, the priority being set according to history information of using the main menu items or the sub menu items.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the history information is determined by either frequency information with which the main menu items are selected or period information for which the main menu items are displayed.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of displaying the multiple sub menu items further displays the selected main menu item at a center region within the second radial display form.

21. The method of claim 15, the method further comprising:

controlling the two steps of displaying to stop if a predetermined time is elapsed or a specific key input is selected.

22. The method of claim 15, the method further comprising:

identifying each of users using the display device; and

displaying the main menu items in the first radial display form based on the identified user, wherein the first radial display form of a user is different from the first radial display form of another user.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of displaying the main menu items further displays a first group of the main menu items positioned at a first radius and a second group of the main menu items positioned at a second radius, the first radius being smaller than the second radius.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein priorities of the first group are higher than priorities of the second group.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein the display device corresponds to a DTV, a PDA, a computer, a mobile terminal or a cellular phone.

26. A method for displaying menu items in a display device, the method comprising:

receiving a first request signal for displaying main menu items; and

displaying a first main menu item, a second main menu item, a third main menu item and a fourth main menu item in a first radial display foam based on priorities of the first main menu item and the second main menu item,

wherein the first main menu item is positioned between the second main menu item and the fourth main menu item, the second main menu item is positioned between the first main menu item and the third main menu item, a distance between the second main menu item and the third main menu item is shorter than a distance between the first main menu item and the fourth main menu item, further a priority of the first main menu item is higher than a priority of the second main menu item.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

receiving a second request signal for displaying the main menu items;

determining changed priorities on the main menu items; and

displaying the main menu items in a second radial display form, wherein a position of at least one main menu item in the second radial display form is different from a position of the at least one main menu item in the first radial display form.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the priorities are set according to history information of using the main menu items;

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the history information is determined by either frequency information with which the main menu items are selected or period information for which the main menu items are displayed.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

identifying each of users using the display device; and

displaying the main menu items in the first radial display form based on the identified user, wherein the first radial display form of a user is different from the first radial display form of another user.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein the display device corresponds to a DTV, a PDA, a computer, a mobile terminal or a cellular phone.