Screen-phone and method of managing the menu of a screen-phone

• US 6,061,576 A
• Filed: 03/05/1997
• Issued: 05/09/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Terrasson, Jean-Fran.cedilla.ois
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GELIN, JEAN ALLAND
• Application Number:
  US08/810,900
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/575, 455/90, 345/337, 345/336, 345/333, 345/334, 345/335, 345/352, 345/353, 345/354, 345/146, 345/338, 345/348, 345/351, 345/173, 345/156, 706/11, 706/934, 706/900, 379/88.06, 379/88.11, 379/93.23, 379/136
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific 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

Abstract

A screen-phone, notably a radiotelephone, provides a display of a plurality of available functions in the form of a tree menu wherein the user can signify his selections. In order to improve the user'"'"'s efficiency in handling such a menu, the screen-phone includes modeling means for modeling the user'"'"'s behavior in making menu selections, including his rate of choosing each particular function as weighted by the number of returns made due to his level of inexperience with such functions. The processing calculations are performed using fuzzy logic. The menu tree is then rearranged to more closely correspond with the user'"'"'s behavioral model.

Claims

1. A screen-phone capable of providing one or more of a plurality of available functions as selected by a user from an initial tree menu of said functions displayed on a display, said initial tree menu being a default menu which is displayed first on said display, said screen-phone comprising:

modeling means for developing a behavioral model of the user'"'"'s behavior in making selections from the initial tree menu, the behavioral model taking into account the user'"'"'s preferences and relative inexperience in regard to each of said selections; and

menu adjusting means for modifying the initial tree menu in accordance with said behavioral model to form a modified tree menu and changing said default menu to said modified tree menu.

2. The screen-phone as claimed in claim 1, wherein the behavior of the user is modeled at least by main parameters which represent the user'"'"'s selection rate of at least certain functions, and by weighting parameters which represent the user'"'"'s inexperience of handling the initial tree menu.

3. The screen-phone as claimed in claim 2, wherein said weighting parameters is representative of the number of returns made by the user in the initial tree menu before making a selection.

4. The screen-phone as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

calculation means for calculating, based on said behavioral model, the relative importance to the user of at least certain of the functions in the initial tree menu;

wherein said menu adjusting means rearranges the functions in the initial tree menu in accordance with their relative importance to the user to form said modified tree menu.

5. The screen-phone as claimed in claim 4, wherein said calculation means utilize fuzzy logic in making said calculation.

6. The screen-phone as claimed in claim 1, wherein said initial tree menu includes a plurality of help levels for the user, and further comprising:

calculating means for calculating, on the basis of said behavioral model, the user'"'"'s ability in selecting functions in the initial tree menu; and

selection means for selecting a help level in accordance with the calculated ability of the user.

7. The screen-phone of claim 1, wherein said modified tree menu is displayed first on said screen if said initial tree menu tree is modified.

8. A method of managing displaying of a tree menu of a plurality of available functions of a screen-phone displayed on a display, said functions being selectable from said display by a user;

said method comprising;

displaying a default menu formed from said tree menu, said default menu being displayed first on said display;

developing a behavioral model of the user'"'"'s behavior in selecting functions from the tree menu, the behavioral model taking into account the user'"'"'s preferences and relative inexperience in regard to each of said functions;

modifying the tree menu in accordance with said behavioral model to form a modified tree menu; and

changing said default menu to said modified tree menu.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the user'"'"'s behavior is modeled by main parameters which are representative of the user'"'"'s selection rate of at least certain functions, and by weighting parameters which represent the user'"'"'s inexperience in handling the tree menu.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said weighting parameters represents of the number of returns made by the user in the tree structure of the menu before making a selection in the menu.

11. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

calculating, based on said behavioral model, the relative importance to the user of at least certain of the functions in the tree menu; and

rearranging the functions in the tree menu in accordance with their relative importance to the user to form said modified tree menu.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said calculations utilize fuzzy logic.

13. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

calculating, on the basis of said behavioral model, the user'"'"'s ability in selecting functions in the tree menu; and

selecting a help level in accordance with the calculated ability of the user.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising displaying first said modified tree menu next time said user access said tree menu if said tree menu is changed.

15. A menu rearrangement device comprising:

a screen for first displaying a current default menu, said current default menu being included in a menu tree having a plurality of options and being displayed first on said screen;

an input module which receives a first signal and a second signal each time a user selects a selected option from said menu tree, said first signal being indicative of an importance of a selected option, and said second signal being indicative of familiarity of said user with said menu tree; and

an output module which outputs a third signal in response to said first signal and said second signal;

wherein said menu tree is modified to form a modified menu tree if said third signal exceeds a predetermined threshold;

wherein options of said modified menu tree are rearranged in a relative order of importance to said user.

16. The menu rearrangement device of claim 15, wherein a new default menu is displayed first on said screen if said menu tree is modified, said new default menu being formed from said modified menu tree.

17. The menu rearrangement device of claim 15, wherein said default menu is not modified when said second signal indicates that said familiarity is below a predetermined level.

18. The menu rearrangement device of claim 15, further comprising a comparator which compares said third signal with said predetermined threshold.

19. The menu rearrangement device of claim 15, wherein said first signal is indicative of a number of times said selected option is selected.

20. The menu rearrangement device of claim 15, wherein said first signal is indicative of a number of times said selected option is selected;

and wherein said second signal is indicative of one of a number of returns to a different option before selecting said selected option, a rapidity of selecting said selected option, and a length of time a key used for selecting said selected option is activated.