Apparatus and method of formatting a list for display on a touchscreen
First Claim
1. A method of formatting a list for display within a designated list window of a touchscreen, said list including a plurality of list members with a touchable element and text associated therewith, said method comprising the following steps:
- (a) setting a minimum required distance between touchable elements of adjacent list members;
(b) setting an area for each touchable element of said list members, wherein said area has a vertical component and a horizontal component;
(c) setting a required interline spacing between touchable elements of adjacent list members;
(d) calculating a line-space for each list member as a function of said vertical component of said touchable element area and said interline spacing;
(e) positioning a first list member at a designated line-space within said list window; and
(f) spacing each subsequent list member vertically and horizontally a specified amount from an immediately preceding list member in said list so that at least said minimum required distance between touchable elements is maintained.
8 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method of formatting for display within a designated list window of a touchscreen, the list including a plurality of list members with a touchable element and text associated therewith. The method includes the following steps: setting a minimum required distance between the touchable elements of adjacent list members; setting an area for each touchable element of the list members, wherein the area has a vertical component and a horizontal component; positioning a first list member within the list window; and, spacing each subsequent list member vertically and horizontally from an immediately preceding list member such that the minimum required distance between adjacent touchable elements is maintained. The vertical spacing between adjacent touchable elements may be set, with the horizontal spacing between touchable elements being determined from the minimum required distance between adjacent touchable elements, the interline spacing, and the vertical component of the touchable elements. Alternatively, the horizontal spacing between adjacent touchable elements can be set, with the vertical spacing between adjacent touchable elements being determined from the minimum required distance between adjacent touchable elements and the horizontal spacing. The touchable elements may be spaced in a repeating pattern, where the number of horizontal levels in the pattern can be selected by the user, determined as a function of the minimum required distance between adjacent touchable elements and the vertical spacing between adjacent touchable elements, or determined as a function of the physical size of the list window, the field width required for the associated text, and the indentation distance. The touchable element spacing within the list window is maximized by evaluating the number of lines of text to be displayed and the interline spacing, where adjacent touchable elements are offset horizontally when all list members cannot be displayed and spaced vertically by at least the minimum required distance between adjacent touchable elements.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A method of formatting a list for display within a designated list window of a touchscreen, said list including a plurality of list members with a touchable element and text associated therewith, said method comprising the following steps:
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(a) setting a minimum required distance between touchable elements of adjacent list members; (b) setting an area for each touchable element of said list members, wherein said area has a vertical component and a horizontal component; (c) setting a required interline spacing between touchable elements of adjacent list members; (d) calculating a line-space for each list member as a function of said vertical component of said touchable element area and said interline spacing; (e) positioning a first list member at a designated line-space within said list window; and (f) spacing each subsequent list member vertically and horizontally a specified amount from an immediately preceding list member in said list so that at least said minimum required distance between touchable elements is maintained. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of formatting a list for display within a designated list window of a touchscreen, said list including a plurality of list members with a touchable element and text associated therewith, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) setting a minimum required distance between touchable elements of adjacent list members; (b) setting an area for each touchable element of said list members, wherein said area has a vertical component and a horizontal component; (c) setting an indentation distance between touchable elements of adjacent list members; (d) positioning a first list member at a designated line space within said list window; (e) horizontally spacing each subsequent list member from an immediately preceding list member in said list by at least said indentation distance; and (f) vertically spacing each subsequent list member from an immediately preceding list member by an amount calculated as a function of said indentation distance and said minimum required distance between touchable elements of adjacent list members. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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- 39. In a computer system having a memory circuit, a processing circuit, and a touchscreen, a method of formatting a display list for finger-based selection comprising the step of displaying, under the control of said processing circuit, a plurality of touchable elements and associated text within a list window on said touchscreen, each of said touchable elements being spaced from immediately adjacent touchable elements a minimum specified distance to permit selection of any one of said touchable elements without any other of said immediately adjacent touchable elements being simultaneously selected, said minimum specified distance having a horizontal component and a vertical component in relation to said list window.
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46. A portable intelligent communications device, comprising:
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(a) circuitry for performing telephony operations; (b) a memory circuit including at least one display list and at least one software application for accessing said list; (c) a processing circuit associating a touchable element and related text with each list member in said display list; and (d) a touchscreen coupled to said processing circuit for displaying lists from said memory circuit; wherein the touchable elements and associated text of said list members are formatted within a list window on said touchscreen such that the touchable elements of immediately adjacent list members are a minimum specified distance apart to permit finger-based selection of one of said touchable elements without simultaneous selection of said immediately adjacent touchable elements, said minimum specified distance between immediately adjacent touchable elements having a vertical component and a horizontal component in relation to said list window. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49)
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50. A method of formatting a list of touchable elements and associated text on a touchscreen of a portable intelligent communications device, wherein the number of touchable elements and associated text displayed within a list window on said touchscreen is maximized without creating selection ambiguity between adjacent touchable elements, said method comprising the following steps:
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(a) setting a minimum required distance between adjacent touchable elements; (b) setting an area for each of said touchable elements, wherein said area has a vertical component and a horizontal component in relation to said list window; (c) setting a required interline spacing between adjacent touchable elements; (d) calculating a line-space for each touchable element and its associated text as a function of said vertical component of said touchable element area and said interline spacing; (e) determining a horizontal offset spacing between adjacent touchable elements; (f) determining a maximum number of offset levels for a repeating pattern of said touchable elements; (g) positioning a first touchable element and associated text within a first line-space on said list window; (h) spacing each subsequent touchable element horizontally and vertically from an immediately preceding touchable element by said offset spacing in an offset pattern until said maximum offset level is reached; and (i) repeating said offset pattern until all touchable elements and associated text in said list are displayed.
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Specification