Method and Device for Displaying Information Arranged in Lists

• US 20120072864A1
• Filed: 10/31/2011
• Published: 03/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Hauschild, Frank, Kuhn, Mathias, Dehmann, Rainer
• Granted Patent: US 10,139,988 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/784
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

In a method for displaying information arranged in lists, a portion of a list is displayed in a display area, which includes a plurality of list entries, multiple elements being associated at least in part with the list entries, the displayed portion of the list being modifiable by a scrolling action such that previous and subsequent list entries are displayable in succession, and, when a list entry is selected, this list entry is displayed together with at least a portion of the elements that are associated with the list entry. If a selected list entry is displayed together with at least a portion of the elements associated with the selected list entry and the scrolling action is performed, first previous or subsequent elements are displayed in succession and thereupon list entries preceding or following the selected list entry are displayed. A device is configured for implementing the method.

Claims

1. A method for displaying information arranged in lists, comprising:

displaying a portion of a list in a display area that includes a plurality of list entries, multiple elements being associated at least in part with the list entries;

modifying the displayed portion of the list by a scrolling action such that previous and subsequent list entries are displayable in succession; and

displaying, in a selection of a list entry, the list entry together with at least a portion of the elements associated with the list entry;

wherein, if a selected list entry is displayed together with at least a portion of the elements associated with the selected list entry and the scrolling action is performed, first one of (a) previous and (b) subsequent elements are displayed in succession and thereafter list entries one of (a) preceding and (b) following the selected list entry are displayed.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the list entries and the elements are displayed successively in a linear representation.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein one of (a) the list entries and (b) the elements are displayed successively in a linear representation.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein after a last element of a selected list entry, the list entry following upon the selected list entry is displayed.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein, if a selected list entry is displayed together with at least a portion of the elements associated with the selected list entry and subsequently another list entry is selected, then the other list entry is displayed together with at least a portion of the elements associated with the other list entry, and the elements of the previously selected list entry are no longer displayed.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein the scrolling action scrolls through the list entries and the elements of a selected list entry.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein a number of the displayed (a) list entries and/or (b) elements depends on a magnification factor, at which (a) the list entries and/or (b) the elements are displayed in the display area, a magnitude of a change of the displayed information in the scrolling action depends on the magnification factor of the displayed information and the magnification factor for an operator action changes as a function of an operating situation.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein a number of the displayed (a) list entries or (b) elements depends on a magnification factor, at which (a) the list entries or (b) the elements are displayed in the display area, a magnitude of a change of the displayed information in the scrolling action depends on the magnification factor of the displayed information and a magnification factor for the operator action changes as a function of an operating situation.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein upon termination of the operator action the magnification factor is reset to an original value.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein upon termination of the operator action the magnification factor is reset to an original value.

4. The method according to claim 4, wherein the scrolling action scrolls through one of (a) the list entries and (b) the elements of a selected list entry.

12. A device for displaying information arranged in lists, comprising:

a display device having a display area;

a memory adapted to store a list that includes a plurality of list entries, of which a portion is displayable in the display area, and to store elements associated with the list entries;

an operation device actuatable by a user to change a displayed portion of the list by a scrolling action, the entries of the list being run through consecutively by the scrolling action; and

a control unit coupled with the operation device and the display device, the control unit adapted to control the display shown in the display area;

wherein the control device is adapted to control the display area such that, if a selected list entry is displayed together with at least a portion of the elements associated with the selected list entry and the scrolling action is performed using the operation device, first one of (a) previous and (b) subsequent elements are displayed in succession in the display area, and thereafter list entries one of (a) preceding and (b) following the selected list entry are displayable.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the operation device includes a touch-sensitive surface.

14. The device according to claim 12, wherein the control unit is adapted to display the list entries and the elements in the display area successively in a linear representation.

15. The device according to claim 12, wherein the control unit is adapted to display (a) the list entries or (b) the elements in the display area successively in a linear representation.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the control unit is configured such that the scrolling action scrolls through (a) the list entries or (b) the elements of a selected list entry.

17. The device according to claim 12, wherein the control unit is adapted such after a last element of a selected list entry the list entry following the selected list entry is displayed.

18. The device according to claim 12, wherein the control unit is adapted such that, if a selected list entry is displayed together with at least a portion of the elements associated with the selected list entry and subsequently another list entry is selected, then the other list entry is displayed together with at least a portion of the elements associated with the other list entry, and the elements of a previously selected list entry are no longer displayed.

19. The device according to claim 14, wherein the control unit is adapted such that the scrolling action scrolls through the list entries and the elements of a selected list entry.

20. The device according to claim 12, wherein the control unit is adapted such that a number of the displayed list entries and elements depends on a magnification factor, at which the list entries and elements are displayed in the display area, a magnitude of a change of displayed information in the scrolling action depending on the magnification factor of the displayed information, and the magnification factor for an operator action changes as a function of an operating situation.

21. The device according to claim 12, wherein the control unit is adapted such that a number of displayed (a) list entries or (b) elements depends on a magnification factor, at which (a) the list entries or (b) the elements are displayed in the display area, a magnitude of a change of displayed information in the scrolling action depends on the magnification factor of the displayed information, and a magnification factor for an operator action changes as a function of an operating situation.

22. The device according to claim 20, wherein the control unit is adapted such that, upon termination of the operator action, the magnification factor is reset to an original value.

23. The device according to claim 21, wherein the control unit is adapted such that, upon termination of the operator action, the magnification factor is reset to an original value.