Menu display interface with miniature windows corresponding to each page

• US 5,745,109 A
• Filed: 06/17/1996
• Issued: 04/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sugiyama, Takashi, Nakano, Hiroaki, Cossey, George, Bakoglu, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John E.
• Application Number:
  US08/664,651
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 395/326-358, 345/326-358
• US Class Current: 715/838
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04802 3D-info-object: information is displayed on the internal or external surface of a three dimensional manipulable object, e.g. on the faces of a cube that can be rotated by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• 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

Abstract

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a graphical user interface which displays a window on a display where the window comprises plural pages. Only one of the pages can be displayed at one time and each of the pages has at least one icon therein selectable by a user to carry out a function corresponding thereto. The graphical user interface also displays miniature windows simultaneously with the window being displayed on the display. Each of the miniature windows corresponds to each of the pages of the window and each of the miniature windows has miniature icons therein. The number of the miniature icons in each of the miniature windows is equal to the number of the icons included in a corresponding page of the window.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface for displaying a menu image on a display, comprising:

first means for displaying a window on said display, said window comprising plural pages, only one of said pages being displayed at one time, each of said pages having at least one icon therein selectable by a user to carry out a function corresponding thereto; and

second means for displaying miniature windows simultaneously with said window being displayed on said display, each of said miniature windows corresponding to each of said pages of said window, each of said miniature windows having miniature icons therein, and the number of said miniature icons in each of said miniature windows being equal to the number of said icons included in a corresponding page of said window, wherein one of said miniature windows which corresponds to the currently displayed page of said window is highlighted.

2. A graphical user interface for displaying a menu image on a display, comprising:

first means for displaying a window on said display, said window comprising plural pages, only one of said pages being displayed at one time, each of said pages having at least one icon therein selectable by a user to carry out a function corresponding thereto; and

second means for displaying miniature windows simultaneously with said window being displayed on said display, each of said miniature windows corresponding to each of said pages of said window, each of said miniature windows having miniature icons therein, and the number of said miniature icons in each of said miniature windows being equal to the number of said icons included in a corresponding page of said window, wherein the size of said miniature icons in one of said miniature windows is larger than that of said miniature icons in any other of said miniature windows when said one of said miniature windows corresponds to the currently displayed page of said window.