Hierarchical menu screen interface for displaying and accessing telephone terminal features
First Claim
1. An arrangement for accessing selectable features of a telephone terminal, the arrangement comprising:
- means for displaying a plurality of menu screens in a display device at said telephone terminal, each one of the plurality of menu screens containing an indication of one of a plurality of selectable features of said telephone terminal available at each one of a plurality of selectable levels, an indication of the total number of selectable levels associated with said indicated feature, and an indication of which of said associated selectable levels is being displayed; and
a plurality of button means coupled to said means for displaying for accessing each one of the plurality of menu screens, a first one of the plurality of button means providing a means for moving from a displayed first menu screen at a first selectable level forward to a second menu screen at said first selectable level, a second one of the plurality of button means providing a means for moving backward from said displayed first menu screen to a third menu screen at said first selectable level, and a third one of the plurality of button means providing a means for selecting one from the plurality of menu screens at a second selectable level.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A user of a telephone terminal with an interactive display is provided complete access to all feature choices in a hierarchical menu through a minimum number of menu keys. These menu keys include a "Next" key, a "Back" key, a "Select" key and a "Home" key. These menu keys occupy minimal space on the housing of the telephone terminal, yet enable the user of the terminal to easily scroll to and select every feature in the interactive display. The user is able to quickly develop a mental model of the feature choices and easily navigate through these menu selections. Context-sensitive functionality also is provided for using the interactive display. As a user completes a command function, the feature choice presented to the user for this function is the one most likely to be accessed by the user, thus advantageously avoiding the necessity of having a dedicated key for allowing the user to select this feature choice.
135 Citations
26 Claims
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1. An arrangement for accessing selectable features of a telephone terminal, the arrangement comprising:
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means for displaying a plurality of menu screens in a display device at said telephone terminal, each one of the plurality of menu screens containing an indication of one of a plurality of selectable features of said telephone terminal available at each one of a plurality of selectable levels, an indication of the total number of selectable levels associated with said indicated feature, and an indication of which of said associated selectable levels is being displayed; and a plurality of button means coupled to said means for displaying for accessing each one of the plurality of menu screens, a first one of the plurality of button means providing a means for moving from a displayed first menu screen at a first selectable level forward to a second menu screen at said first selectable level, a second one of the plurality of button means providing a means for moving backward from said displayed first menu screen to a third menu screen at said first selectable level, and a third one of the plurality of button means providing a means for selecting one from the plurality of menu screens at a second selectable level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An arrangement for accessing selectable features of a telephone terminal, the arrangement comprising:
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means for displaying a plurality of menu screens in a display device at said telephone terminal, each one of the plurality of menu screens containing an indication of one of a plurality of selectable features of said telephone terminal available at each one of a plurality of selectable levels, an indication of the total number of selectable levels associated with said indicated feature, and an indication of which of said associated selectable levels is being displayed; button means coupled to said means for displaying for executing a command function of said telephone terminal while at a displayed first menu screen at a first selectable level; and means for selecting a specific one of the plurality of menu screens at a second selectable level for display in response to execution of said command function by said button means. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of accessing selectable features of a telephone terminal, the method comprising the steps of:
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displaying a plurality of menu screens in a display device at said telephone terminal, each one of the plurality of menu screens containing an indication of one of a plurality of selectable features of said telephone terminal available at each one of a plurality of selectable levels, an indication of the total number of selectable levels associated with said indicated feature, and an indication of which of said associated selectable levels is being displayed; and accessing each one of the plurality of menu screens through a user interface compnsing a plurality of buttons, the accessing step activating a first one of the plurality of buttons for moving from a displayed first menu screen at a first selectable level forward to a second menu screen at said first selectable level, a second one of the plurality of buttons for moving backward from said displayed first menu screen to a third menu screen at said first selectable level, and a third one of the plurality of buttons for selecting one from the plurality of menu screens at a second selectable level. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of accessing selectable features of a telephone terminal, the method comprising the steps of:
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displaying a plurality of menu screens in a display device at said telephone terminal, each one of the plurality of menu screens containing an indication of one of a plurality of selectable features of said telephone terminal available at each one of a plurality of selectable levels, an indication of the total number of selectable levels associated with said indicated feature, and an indication of which of said associated selectable levels is being displayed; executing a command function of said telephone terminal while at a displayed first menu screen at a first selectable level; and selecting a specific one of the plurality of menu screens at a second selectable level for display in response to the execution of said command function. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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Specification