User interface for a portable data management device with limited size and processing capability
First Claim
1. A portable device for storing and managing data accessed by a user, comprising:
- (a) a memory for storing a plurality of machine instructions and for storing the data accessed by the user;
(b) a display on which a plurality of lines of data are presented to the user, said display being able to present only a predefined maximum number of lines, m, to the user at one time so that a list of n lines, where n can be greater than m, is presented to the user by scrolling through the list, said list having a top line and a bottom line;
(c) a plurality of controls that selectively enable the user to control and manipulate the data presented in the lines on the display, in a manner determined as a function of a type of data being accessed by the user; and
(d) a processor, electrically coupled to the memory, the display, and the plurality of controls, said processor implementing a plurality of functions, including;
(i) providing a first character on the display, adjacent to a first line presented on the display, when the top line of the list has been scrolled off the display and is no longer visible; and
(ii) providing a second character on the display, disposed adjacent to a last line of the display, indicating that the bottom line of the list is not currently visible on the display, when a line that is above the bottom line of the list is currently being displayed as the last line on the display.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A user interface for a combination pager and personal information management (PIM) data device provides considerable versatility in accessing the data and in controlling how the data are displayed to the user. The user interface includes a display screen having only a few rows oil which lines of data are displayed, and four control buttons, including an Up button, a Down button, an Action button, and a Back button. Since the device maintains data in a hierarchical directory structure and starts at the highest (root) level, the Action button is used to move to a lower level in the directory hierarchy, while the Back button is used to move back up to a higher level. In addition, the Action button is employed to initiate a selected function. If a line (or entry) of a list is above the top line displayed on the screen, an upwardly pointing arrowhead is displayed to the user adjacent the top line. Similarly, a downwardly pointing arrowhead is displayed if a line in the list is below the last line on the screen currently displayed. The user can select an application to execute in the root node of the hierarchy when the device is initially turned on, reset, or after a predefined time interval has elapsed. In addition, the user can selectively actuate a faster scroll rate to move up or down through a list that is relatively long. The format applied to data presented to the user in the display screen is user selectable.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. A portable device for storing and managing data accessed by a user, comprising:
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(a) a memory for storing a plurality of machine instructions and for storing the data accessed by the user; (b) a display on which a plurality of lines of data are presented to the user, said display being able to present only a predefined maximum number of lines, m, to the user at one time so that a list of n lines, where n can be greater than m, is presented to the user by scrolling through the list, said list having a top line and a bottom line; (c) a plurality of controls that selectively enable the user to control and manipulate the data presented in the lines on the display, in a manner determined as a function of a type of data being accessed by the user; and (d) a processor, electrically coupled to the memory, the display, and the plurality of controls, said processor implementing a plurality of functions, including; (i) providing a first character on the display, adjacent to a first line presented on the display, when the top line of the list has been scrolled off the display and is no longer visible; and (ii) providing a second character on the display, disposed adjacent to a last line of the display, indicating that the bottom line of the list is not currently visible on the display, when a line that is above the bottom line of the list is currently being displayed as the last line on the display. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 26, 27)
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18. A portable device for storing and managing data accessed by a user, comprising:
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(a) a memory for storing a plurality of machine instructions and for storing the data accessed by the user, said data comprising a hierarchical data structure; (b) a display on which a plurality of lines of information are presented to the user, said display being able to present only a predefined maximum number of said lines, m, to the user at one time so that a list of n lines, where n may be greater than m, is presented to the user by scrolling through the list; (c) a user interface including a plurality of controls that selectively enable the user to control and manipulate the display of said plurality of lines of information, wherein said plurality of controls are substantially fewer in number than the keys on a full alphanumeric keyboard; (d) a processor, electrically coupled to the memory, the display, and the plurality of controls, said processor implementing a plurality of functions, including; (i) enabling the user to actuate at least one of the plurality of controls to selectively scroll both up and down through said plurality of lines of information; (ii) enabling the user to actuate at least one of the plurality of controls to selectively navigate up and down in said hierarchical data structure; and (iii) enabling the user to actuate at least one of the plurality of controls to select one of said plurality of lines of information, causing said processor to launch a programmed application in response thereto; and (e) a data communication interface capable of receiving applications from an external source, said applications not being limited to any specific functionality.
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19. A portable device for storing and managing data accessed by a user, comprising:
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(a) a memory for storing a plurality of machine instructions and for storing the data accessed by the user; (b) a display on which a plurality of lines of information are presented to the user, said display being able to present only a predefined maximum number of said lines, m, to the user at one time so that a list of n lines, where n may be greater than m, is presented to the user by scrolling through the list; (c) a plurality of controls that selectively enable the user to control and manipulate the data lines on the display in a manner that is a function of a type of information being viewed by the user; and (d) a processor, electrically coupled to the memory, the display, and the plurality of controls, said processor implementing a plurality of functions, including enabling the user to actuate at least one of the plurality of controls to selectively scroll through the plurality of lines at one of a first rate and a second rate, wherein when scrolling at the second rate, the processor causes a top line on the display to change by a predefined number of lines within the list, said predefined number of lines being greater than one line, said processor further responding to user actuation of said plurality of controls to display options to the user that are a function of the type of information being accessed by the user. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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28. A portable device for storing and managing data accessed by a user comprising:
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(a) a memory for storing a plurality of machine instructions and for storing the data accessed by the user; (b) a display on which a plurality of lines of information are presented to the user without the inclusion of a scroll bar or elevator control, said display being able to present only a predefined maximum number of said lines, m, to the user at one time so that a list of n lines, where n may be greater than m, is presented to the user by scrolling through the list, without using either a scroll bar control or an elevator control; (c) a plurality of switches mounted on the portable device that selectively enable the user to directly control and manipulate the plurality of lines of information on the display without using a scroll bar and in a manner that is context sensitive with respect to a type of information being viewed by the user; and (d) a processor, electrically coupled to the memory, the display, and the plurality of switches, said processor implementing a plurality of functions, including enabling the user to actuate at least one of the plurality of switches to selectively scroll through the plurality of lines at one of a first rate and a second rate, said second rate being substantially greater than said first rate, said processor further responding to user actuation of said plurality of switches to display options to the user that are a function of the type of information being accessed by the user.
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Specification