Integrated Scrollbar Options Menu And Related Methods, Devices, And Computer Program Products

• US 20120167003A1
• Filed: 08/20/2010
• Published: 06/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Mobile Communications Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Johansson, Fredrik
• Granted Patent: US 9,671,924 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/786
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An electronic device includes an integrated scrollbar options menu, a display screen, and a graphical user interface for navigating the display screen. The graphical user interface includes a scrollbar that is operable to scroll display content in a first direction corresponding to an axis of the scrollbar in response to a first navigational movement of the scrollbar in the first direction corresponding to the axis. The scrollbar includes the integrated scrollbar options menu. The integrated scrollbar options menu is configured to be accessed by expanding the scrollbar using a second navigational movement of the scrollbar that is different from the first navigational movement.

Claims

1. A method of operating an integrated scrollbar options menu in a graphical user interface of an electronic device, comprising:

highlighting a scrollbar that is operable to scroll display content in a first direction corresponding to an axis of the scrollbar in response to a first navigational movement of the scrollbar in the first direction corresponding to the axis and that includes the integrated scrollbar options menu; and

accessing the integrated scrollbar options menu by expanding the scrollbar using a second navigational movement of the scrollbar that is different from the first navigational movement.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein highlighting the scrollbar includes selecting the scrollbar such that a movement in the first direction moves the scrollbar.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising collapsing the integrated scrollbar options menu into the scrollbar using a third navigational movement of the scrollbar.

4. The method according to claim 3,

wherein the second navigational movement includes dragging the scrollbar, from a collapsed position that hides the scrollbar options menu toward an expanded position that displays the scrollbar options menu, in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the scrollbar, and

wherein the third navigational movement includes dragging the scrollbar from the expanded position toward the collapsed position.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the second navigational movement includes tapping the scrollbar and the third navigational movement includes tapping the scrollbar.

6. The method according to claim 3,

wherein highlighting the scrollbar comprises accessing a navigational feature of a highlight-driven interface,

wherein the second navigational movement includes operating the navigational feature to navigate in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the scrollbar, and

wherein the third navigational movement includes operating the navigational feature to navigate in a third direction that is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the scrollbar.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein accessing the integrated scrollbar options menu by expanding the scrollbar comprises navigating a touch interface that includes a touch sensor configured to detect a location of a plurality of contact points on a display screen associated with the electronic device.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the integrated scrollbar options menu comprises at least one of:

a snap-to-section option, wherein scrolling of the display content in response to the first navigational movement from a first section of the display content stops at a second section of the display content that is adjacent the first section;

a screen-by-screen option, wherein scrolling of the display content in response to the first navigational movement from a first screen of the display content stops at a second screen of the display content that is adjacent the first screen;

a continuous scrolling option, wherein the first navigational movement from the first section provides continuous scrolling through the second section; and

a scrolling speed option, wherein the first navigational movement provides scrolling through the display content at a predetermined rate.

9. An electronic device that includes an integrated scrollbar options menu, comprising:

a display screen; and

a graphical user interface for navigating the display screen, the graphical user interface including a scrollbar that is operable to scroll display content in a first direction corresponding to an axis of the scrollbar in response to a first navigational movement of the scrollbar in the first direction corresponding to the axis and that includes the integrated scrollbar options menu, the integrated scrollbar options menu being configured to be accessed by expanding the scrollbar using a second navigational movement of the scrollbar that is different from the first navigational movement.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the device is a mobile handheld device.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein the integrated scrollbar options menu is configured to be collapsed into the scrollbar using a third navigational movement of the scrollbar.

12. device according to claim 11,

wherein the second navigational movement includes dragging the scrollbar, from a collapsed position that hides the scrollbar options menu toward an expanded position that displays the scrollbar options menu, in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the scrollbar, and

wherein the third navigational movement includes dragging the scrollbar from the expanded position toward the collapsed position.

13. The device according to claim 11, wherein the second navigational movement includes tapping the scrollbar and the third navigational movement includes tapping the scrollbar.

14. The device according to claim 11,

wherein the graphical user interface comprises a highlight-driven interface that includes a navigational feature,

wherein the second navigational movement includes operating the navigational feature to navigate in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the scrollbar, and

wherein the third navigational movement includes operating the navigational feature to navigate in a third direction that is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the scrollbar.

15. The device according to claim 9, wherein the graphical user interface comprises a touch interface, the touch interface including a touch sensor configured to detect a location of a plurality of contact points on the display screen.

16. The device according to claim 9, wherein the integrated scrollbar options menu comprises at least one of:

a snap-to-section option, wherein scrolling of the display content in response to the first navigational movement from a first section of the display content stops at a second section of the display content that is adjacent the first section;

a screen-by-screen option, wherein scrolling of the display content in response to the first navigational movement from a first screen of the display content stops at a second screen of the display content that is adjacent the first screen;

a continuous scrolling option, wherein the first navigational movement from the first section provides continuous scrolling through the second section; and

a scrolling speed option, wherein the first navigational movement provides scrolling through the display content at a predetermined rate.

17. A computer program product providing operation of an integrated scrollbar options menu in a graphical user interface of an electronic device, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium including computer readable program code therein configured to access the integrated scrollbar options menu in response to expansion of a scrollbar using a second navigational movement of the scrollbar that is different from a first navigational movement of the scrollbar that is in a first direction corresponding to an axis of the scrollbar.

18. The computer program product according to claim 17, wherein the second navigational movement includes dragging the scrollbar, froth a collapsed position that hides the scrollbar options menu toward an expanded position that displays the scrollbar options menu, in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the scrollbar.

19. The computer program product according to claim 17, wherein the second navigational movement includes tapping the scrollbar.

20. The computer program product according to claim 17,

wherein the electronic device includes a highlight-driven user interface that includes a navigational feature, and

wherein the second navigational movement includes operating the navigational feature to navigate in a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the scrollbar.