ENHANCED GRAPHICAL DISPLAY FOR HAND-HELD DEVICES

• US 20110161870A1
• Filed: 12/31/2009
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Muller, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,785,342 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/800
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for a flexible grid user interface for a handheld device. In an embodiment of the invention, a flexible grid display management method can be provided. The method can include generating a grid of different cells in a user interface in a handheld device, each cell linking to an application or content for an application. The method also can include displaying the grid in the user interface in the handheld device and receiving an event directing a zooming operation on the grid. Finally, the method can include performing the zooming operation on the grid responsive to the event directing a zooming operation. Optionally, the method also can include receiving an event directing a panning operation on the grid performing the panning operation on the grid responsive to the event directing a panning operation.

Claims

1. A flexible grid display management method comprising:

generating a grid of different cells in a user interface in a handheld device, each cell comprising a link to an application or content for an application;

displaying the grid in the user interface in the handheld device;

receiving an event directing a zooming operation on the grid; and

,

performing the zooming operation on the grid responsive to the event directing a zooming operation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an event directing a panning operation on the grid; and

,

performing the panning operation on the grid responsive to the event directing a panning operation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a grid of different cells in a user interface, comprises:

loading a template of a grid formed of cells in a specified shape; and

,

generating the grid to conform to the template.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein loading a template of a grid formed of cells in a specified shape, comprises loading a template of a grid formed of cells in a specified shape of a letter.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein loading a template of a grid formed of cells in a specified shape, comprises loading a template of a grid formed of cells in a specified shape of a set of letters.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving an event directing a zooming operation on the grid, comprises receiving a finger trace of a letter corresponding to a grid shaped like the finger traced letter and interpreting the finger trace of the letter as an event directing a zooming operation on a grid corresponding to the grid shaped like the finger traced latter.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving an event directing a zooming operation on the grid, comprises receiving an event directing a zooming operation on the grid at a specific zoom level.

8. A handheld device comprising:

at least one processor, memory and a display;

an operating system executing by the at least one processor in the memory;

a graphical user interface generated by the operating system in the display;

a flexible grid disposed in the graphical user interface and,

a flexible grid display management module coupled to the flexible grid and the graphical user interface, the module comprising program code enabled to generate a grid of different cells in the graphical user interface, each cell comprising a link to an application or content for an application, to direct the display of the grid in the graphical user interface, to receive an event directing a zooming operation on the grid, and to perform the zooming operation on the grid responsive to the event directing a zooming operation.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the program code is further enabled to receive an event directing a panning operation on the grid, and to perform the panning operation on the grid responsive to the event directing a panning operation.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the program code is further enabled to load a template of a grid formed of cells in a specified shape, and to generate the grid in the graphical user interface to conform to the template.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the specified shape is a logo.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the specified shape is a letter.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the specified shape is a set of letters.

14. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium embodying computer usable program code for flexible grid display management, the computer program product comprising:

computer usable program code for generating a grid of different cells in a user interface in a handheld device, each cell comprising a link to an application or content for an application;

computer usable program code for displaying the grid in the user interface in the handheld device;

computer usable program code for receiving an event directing a zooming operation on the grid; and

,

computer usable program code for performing the zooming operation on the grid responsive to the event directing a zooming operation.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising:

computer usable program code for receiving an event directing a panning operation on the grid; and

,

computer usable program code for performing the panning operation on the grid responsive to the event directing a panning operation.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer usable program code for generating a grid of different cells in a user interface, comprises:

computer usable program code for loading a template of a grid formed of cells in a specified shape; and

,

computer usable program code for generating the grid to conform to the template.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer usable program code for loading a template of a grid formed of cells in a specified shape, comprises computer usable program code for loading a template of a grid formed of cells in a specified shape of a letter.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer usable program code for loading a template of a grid formed of cells in a specified shape, comprises computer usable program code for loading a template of a grid formed of cells in a specified shape of a set of letters.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer usable program code for receiving an event directing a zooming operation on the grid, comprises computer usable program code for receiving a finger trace of a letter corresponding to a grid shaped like the finger traced letter and interpreting the finger trace of the letter as an event directing a zooming operation on a grid corresponding to the grid shaped like the finger traced latter.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer usable program code for receiving an event directing a zooming operation on the grid, comprises computer usable program code for receiving an event directing a zooming operation on the grid at a specific zoom level.