Control of miniature personal digital assistant using menu and thumbwheel
First Claim
1. A method for control of a miniature handheld computing system, comprising the steps of:
- displaying an ordered sequence of items in a menu, in which one of the items from said ordered sequence is designated at any given time as tentatively selected by displaying it in a manner distinct from that of other menu items;
rotating a cylinder and determining the direction and amount of movement of said cylinder;
moving the designation of a menu item in a particular direction and distance within the ordered sequence, depending upon the direction and distance said cylinder was rotated;
repeating the steps of rotating the cylinder, determining the amount of movement, and moving the designation of a menu item until a menu item desired by the user is designated;
actuating a switch to complete the selection of said desired menu item.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for control of a handheld miniature personal digital assistant, based on a user interface with a menu and thumbwheel. The device consists of a microprocessor, memory, display, thumbwheel, and button. The display presents a sequence of menu items, with one such item designated as tentatively selected by displaying it in reverse video. Rotating the thumbwheel results in moving the designation of an item in the menu, while pressing the button selects an item. The thumbwheel itself can serve as the button if it is pressed rather than rotated. The use of complex menus that display items in two dimensions allows the use of sophisticated applications, including those that require the entry of alphanumeric data, such as a telephone and address directory and datebook. The approach makes such applications feasible in a credit-card-sized package; without the necessity of a keyboard, allowing most of the surface area of the package to be devoted to a display.
701 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for control of a miniature handheld computing system, comprising the steps of:
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displaying an ordered sequence of items in a menu, in which one of the items from said ordered sequence is designated at any given time as tentatively selected by displaying it in a manner distinct from that of other menu items; rotating a cylinder and determining the direction and amount of movement of said cylinder; moving the designation of a menu item in a particular direction and distance within the ordered sequence, depending upon the direction and distance said cylinder was rotated; repeating the steps of rotating the cylinder, determining the amount of movement, and moving the designation of a menu item until a menu item desired by the user is designated; actuating a switch to complete the selection of said desired menu item. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for the control of a miniature handheld computing system, comprising the steps of:
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displaying an ordered sequence of items in a menu whereby a plurality of menu items are presented such that at least one item appears above another item, and at least one item appears to the left of another item, with one of the items from said ordered sequence designated at any given time as tentatively selected by displaying it in a manner distinct from that of other menu items; rotating a cylinder and determining the direction and amount of movement of said cylinder; moving the designation of a menu item in a particular direction within the ordered sequence, depending upon the direction and distance said cylinder was rotated; repeating the steps of rotating the cylinder, determining the amount of movement, and moving the designation of a menu item until a menu item desired by the user is designated; actuating a switch to complete the selection of said desired menu item. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for control of a miniature handheld computing device, comprising:
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a microprocessor; a memory for storage of a computer program controlling said microprocessor and for other information; a flat panel display for presenting information from the microprocessor to the user; a cylinder capable of rotation in either direction; means for determining the direction and amount of movement of said cylinder and providing that information to the microprocessor; a selector button the state of which is provided to the microprocessor. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification