OFFERING MENU ITEMS TO A USER

• US 20120200607A1
• Filed: 02/06/2012
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Ross, Andree, Theimer, Wolfgang
• Granted Patent: US 9,549,059 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/676
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/216 using geographical information, e.g. location of the game device or player using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/25 Output arrangements for video game devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/52 involving aspects of the displayed game scene
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/406 Transmission via wireless network, e.g. pager or GSM
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5553 user representation in the game field, e.g. avatar
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/40 of characters, e.g. humans, animals or virtual beings
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2213/04 Animation description language
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic device offering a plurality of menu items to a user. In order to enable a user friendly selection of the menu items, the electronic device comprises a screen, user input means, storing means adapted to store parameters for a virtual model of a user and processing means. The processing means are adapted to generate a visual representation of a virtual user model on the screen based on the stored parameters for the virtual model of a user, to cause a movement of a visually represented virtual user model depending on a user input, to detect a movement of a visually represented virtual user model that is associated to a particular menu item, and to call a function that is assigned to the particular menu item.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following, facilitate a determining of a geographical location of the apparatus;

cause, at least in part, a generation of a visual representation of a virtual model of a user of the apparatus based in part on the geographical location; and

cause, at least in part, a movement of the visually represented virtual model depending on an input by the user of the apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine to store parameters for the virtual model of the user of the apparatus and for a virtual model of at least one user of another device that is associated with a menu item offered to the user of the apparatus.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the generation of the visual representation of the virtual model of the user of the apparatus is based in part on the respective parameters.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus is further caused to cause, at least in part, a generation of a visual representation of a virtual model of the at least one user of another device based on the respective parameters.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

cause, at least in part, a detection of a movement, of the visually represented virtual model that is associated with the menu item, which menu item is offered for any of a plurality of applications; and

call a function that is assigned to the menu item.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising a screen, wherein a plurality of menu items are visually represented on the screen and wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

cause, at least in part, a detection of the movement of the visually represented virtual model that is associated with a menu item in case the visually represented virtual model approaches a position on the screen at which the menu item is visually represented.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising at least one sensor, wherein the processor is configured to take measurement data provided by the at least one sensor into account, when generating the visual representation, and wherein the apparatus is further caused to determine measurement data provided by the at least one sensor into account for at least one of an appearance of the visually represented virtual model, a behavior of the virtual model of the visually represented virtual model, a selection of currently offered menu items and an appearance of an environment in which the visually represented virtual model is presented.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising an operating system, wherein the operating system is configured to forward measurement data provided by the at least one sensor to the processor.

10. A method comprising:

facilitating a determination of a geographical location of an apparatus;

causing, at least in part, a generation of a visual representation of a virtual model of a user of the apparatus based in part on the geographical location; and

causing, at least in part, a movement of the visually represented virtual model depending on an input by the user of the apparatus.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining to store parameters for the virtual model of the user of the apparatus and for a virtual model of at least one user of another device that is associated with a menu item offered to the user of the apparatus.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the generation of the visual representation of the virtual model of the user of the apparatus is based in part on the respective parameters.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising causing, at least in part, a generation of a visual representation of a virtual model of the at least one user of another device based on the respective parameters.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

causing, at least in part, a detection of a movement, of the visually represented virtual model that is associated with the menu item, which menu item is offered for any of a plurality of applications; and

calling a function that is assigned to the menu item.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising causing, at least in part, a detection of the movement of the visually represented virtual model that is associated with a menu item in case the visually represented virtual model approaches a position on a screen of the apparatus at which the menu item is visually represented, wherein a plurality of menu items are visually represented on the screen.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining to take measurement data provided by at least one sensor into account, when generating the visual representation; and

determining to take measurement data provided by the at least one sensor into account for at least one of an appearance of the visually represented virtual model, a behavior of the virtual model of the visually represented virtual model, a selection of currently offered menu items and an appearance of an environment in which the visually represented virtual model is presented.

17. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause an apparatus to perform at least the following:

facilitating a determination of a geographical location of the apparatus;

causing, at least in part, a generation of a visual representation of a virtual model of a user of the apparatus based in part on the geographical location; and

causing, at least in part, a movement of the visually represented virtual model depending on an input by the user of the apparatus.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the apparatus is caused to further perform determining to store parameters for the virtual model of the user of the apparatus and for a virtual model of at least one user of another device that is associated with a menu item offered to the user of the apparatus.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the generation of the visual representation of the virtual model of the user of the apparatus is based in part on the respective parameters.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the apparatus is caused, at least in part, to further perform:

causing, at least in part, a generation of a visual representation of a virtual model of the at least one user of another device based on the respective parameters;

causing, at least in part, a detection of a movement, of the visually represented virtual model that is associated to the menu item, which menu item is offered for any of a plurality of applications; and

calling a function that is assigned to the menu item.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the apparatus is caused, at least in part, to further perform:

determining to take measurement data provided by at least one sensor into account, when generating the visual representation; and

determining to take measurement data provided by the at least one sensor into account for at least one of an appearance of the visually represented virtual model, a behavior of the virtual model of the visually represented virtual model, a selection of currently offered menu items and an appearance of an environment in which the visually represented virtual model is presented.