Method and apparatus for using a touch screen display on a portable intelligent communications device

• US 6,433,801 B1
• Filed: 09/26/1997
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Optis Wireless Technology, LLC (Brevet Capital)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Moon, Billy G., Bankler, Brian, Wooldridge, Tammy A., Jain, Vikas
• Primary Examiner(s): dela Torre, Crescelle N.
• Application Number:
  US08/938,510
• Time in Patent Office: 1,782 Days
• Field of Search: 345/352, 345/353, 345/354, 345/334, 345/339, 345/342, 345/347, 345/348, 345/349, 345/350, 345/357, 345/169, 345/173, 345/146, 345/810, 345/815, 345/826, 345/835, 345/839, 345/840, 345/841, 345/764, 345/765, 345/769, 345/770, 345/776, 345/777, 345/854, 345/864
• US Class Current: 715/840
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• 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 portable intelligent communications device is provided which includes a cellular telephone and a computer-controlled touch screen display. The touch screen display is a high-resolution graphics display which acts as a graphical user interface. Since the touch screen display is smaller in size than a standard laptop computer'"'"'s display, the information boxes and menu selections are re-sized so as to fit on the smaller screen, however, each of the choices is made large enough in surface area so that a human finger can tactilely operate the touch screen display without the need of a more precise pointing device. Instead of using pull-down menus or drop down lists, the graphical user interface provides a selection list based upon virtual control buttons and virtual “image buttons” in which each image button is labeled to describe the option that can be selected by pressing that button. In situations where touching a control button opens a second level of the menu, this second level of menu choices (or “image buttons”) is either docked adjacent to the display'"'"'s work area, or is launched as a floating window on top of the work area. The user also may reconfigure the control buttons which are provided as a tabbed panel for easy actuation on the touch screen display. Rather than providing a fixed pull-down menu set of choices, the display shows a series of file folders having tabs that are displayed at different horizontal locations on the screen. The user can drag and drop the tabs (i.e., the control buttons) so that these controls can be re-ordered. In addition, the user may wish to change the entire grouping and move a control button from an old control panel to a completely new panel. When this occurs, the new panel is automatically created. Furthermore, the user can drag a control button from one control panel area of the screen and drop the control button into the “tab area” of the control panel at a location where no tab previously existed. When that occurs, a new tab is automatically created having the same name as the original control button.

Claims

1. In a computer system having a memory circuit, a processing circuit, and a touch-screen display, a method of providing a graphical user interface that supports finger navigation, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying, under the control of said processing circuit, a plurality of virtual control buttons on said touch-screen display, said virtual control buttons being arranged on said display prior to selection in a manner such that each of said virtual control buttons is sufficiently spaced-apart from an adjacent of said virtual control buttons and is sufficiently large in surface area to allow actuation by a human finger without any one of said adjacent of said virtual control buttons being simultaneously actuated, wherein a portion of said plurality of virtual control buttons are arranged on said touch-screen display as a set of tab panel buttons that, when actuated, bring up a dialog.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the portion of said plurality of virtual control buttons that are arranged on said touch-screen display as a set of tab panel buttons are labeled as a first level of menu choices, and which, when actuated, each of said tab panel buttons creates a substantially horizontal row of control image buttons located below and adjacent to said first level of menu choices that are labeled as a second level of menu choices.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, further comprising the step of selecting, by a user, one of said control image buttons, after which a pre-determined function is performed by said computer system.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising the step of selectably moving the location on the touch-screen display of one of said control image buttons to a new location upon a control panel comprising the same set of substantially horizontal row of control image buttons that are labeled as a second level of menu choices, thereby re-ordering said control image buttons on that control panel.

5. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising the step of selectably moving the location on the touch-screen display of one of said control image buttons to a new location upon a different control panel, thereby automatically creating a new control panel having a function and label substantially identical to the original control image button'"'"'s function and label.

6. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising the step of selectably moving the location on the touch-screen display of one of said control image buttons to a new location upon a tab menu area comprising said set of tab panel buttons which are labeled as a first level of menu choices, thereby automatically creating a new tab panel button having a function and label substantially identical to the original control image button'"'"'s function and label.

7. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein said step of selectably moving the location on the touch-screen display of one of said control image buttons is accomplished by a drag and drop operation on said touch-screen display.

8. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein said step of selectably moving the location on the touch-screen display of one of said control image buttons is accomplished by a drag and drop operation on said touch-screen display.

9. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein said step of selectably moving the location on the touch-screen display of one of said control image buttons is accomplished by a drag and drop operation on said touch-screen display.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a cellular telephone that is in communication with said processing circuit, wherein data received by said cellular telephone is displayed on said display.

11. A computer system, comprising:

(a) a memory circuit for storage of data;

(b) a touch-screen display which acts as a graphical user interface that supports finger navigation; and

(c) a processing circuit tat is configured to control the flow of data between said memory circuit and said touch-screen display, and to control the appearance of information upon said touch-screen display by displaying a plurality of virtual control buttons on said touch-screen display, said virtual control buttons being arranged prior to selection on said display in a manner such that each of said virtual control buttons is sufficiently spaced-apart from an adjacent of said virtual control buttons and is sufficiently large in surface area to allow actuation by a human finger without any one of said adjacent of said virtual control buttons being simultaneously actuated, wherein a portion of said plurality of virtual control buttons are arranged on said touch-screen display as a set of tab panel buttons that, when actuated, bring up a dialog.

12. The computer system as recited in claim 11, wherein the portion of said plurality of virtual control buttons that are arranged on said touch-screen display as a set of tab panel buttons are labeled as a first level of menu choices, and which, when actuated, each of said tab panel buttons creates a substantially horizontal row of control image buttons located below and adjacent to said first level of menu choices that are labeled as a second level of menu choices.

13. The computer system as recited in claim 12, wherein said processing circuit is further configured to provide a selection capability of one of said control image buttons by a user, after which a pre-determined function is performed by said computer system.

14. The computer system as recited in claim 13, wherein said processing circuit is yet further configured to provide a user with a capability to selectably move the position on the touch-screen display of one of said control image buttons to a new location upon a control panel comprising the same set of substantially horizontal row of control image buttons that are labeled as a second level of menu choices, thereby re-ordering said control image buttons on that control panel.

15. The computer system as recited in claim 13, wherein said processing circuit is yet further configured to provide a user with a capability to selectably move the position on the touch-screen display of one of said control image buttons to a new location upon a second, different control panel on said touch-screen display, thereby automatically creating a new control panel having a function and label substantially identical to the original control image button'"'"'s function and label.

16. The computer system as recited in claim 13, wherein said processing circuit is yet further configured to provide a user with a capability to selectably move the position on the touch-screen display of one of said control image buttons to a new location upon a tab menu area comprising said set of tab panel buttons which are labeled as a first level of menu choices, thereby automatically creating a new tab panel button having a function and label substantially identical to the original control image button'"'"'s function and label.

17. The computer system as recited in claim 13, wherein said pre-determined function executed by said computer system is a web browser function which is actuable via said touch-screen display.

18. The computer system as recited in claim 13, wherein said pre-determined function executed by said computer system is a word processor function which is actuable via said touch-screen display.

19. The computer system as recited in claim 13, wherein said pre-determined function executed by said computer system is a cellular telephone dialer function which is actuable via said touch-screen display.

20. The computer system as recited in claim 19, further comprising a cellular telephone circuit integral to said computer system and in communication with said processing circuit and said memory circuit, wherein said pre-determined function executed by said computer system is a web browser function which is actuable via said touch-screen display, and is connected to a world wide communications system via said cellular telephone circuit.

21. A communications terminal, comprising:

(a) a telephony circuit;

(b) a memory circuit for storage of data;

(c) a touch-screen display which acts as a graphical user interface that supports finger navigation; and

(d) a processing circuit that is configured to control the flow of data between said telephony circuit, said memory circuit, and said touch-screen display, and to control the appearance of information upon said touch-screen display by displaying a plurality of virtual control buttons on said touch-screen display, said virtual control buttons being arranged prior to selection on said display in a manner such that each of said virtual control button is sufficiently spaced-apart from an adjacent of said virtual control buttons and is sufficiently large in surface area to allow actuation by a human finger without any one of said adjacent of said virtual control buttons being simultaneously actuated, wherein a portion of said plurality of virtual control buttons are arranged on said touch-screen display as a set of tab panel buttons that, when actuated, bring up a dialog.

22. The communications terminal as recited in claim 21, wherein the portion of said plurality of virtual control buttons that are arranged on said touch-screen display as a set of tab panel buttons are labeled as a first level of menu choices, and which, when actuated, each of said tab panel buttons creates a substantially horizontal row of control image buttons located below and adjacent to said first level of menu choices that are labeled as a second level of menu choices.

23. The communications terminal as recited in claim 22, wherein said processing circuit is further configured to provide a selection capability of one of said control image buttons by a user, after which a pre-determined function is performed by said computer system.

24. The communications terminal as recited in claim 23, wherein said processing circuit is yet further configured to provide a user with a capability to selectably move the position on the touch-screen display of one of said control image buttons to a new location upon a control panel comprising the same set of substantially horizontal row of control image buttons that are labeled as a second level of menu choices, thereby re-ordering said control image buttons on that control panel.

25. The communications terminal as recited in claim 23, wherein said processing circuit is yet further configured to provide a user with a capability to selectably move the position on the touch-screen display of one of said control image buttons to a new location upon a second, different control panel on said touch-screen display, thereby automatically creating a new control panel having a function and label substantially identical to the original control image button'"'"'s function and label.

26. The communications terminal as recited in claim 23, wherein said processing circuit is yet further configured to provide a user with a capability to selectably move the position on the touch-screen display of one of said control image buttons to a new location upon a tab menu area comprising said set of tab panel buttons which are labeled as a first level of menu choices, thereby automatically creating a new tab panel button having a function and label substantially identical to the original control image button'"'"'s function and label.

27. The communications terminal as recited in claim 23, wherein said pre-determined function executed by said computer system is a web browser function which is actuable via said touch-screen display.

28. The communications terminal as recited in claim 23, wherein said pre-determined function executed by said computer system is a word processor function which is actuable via said touch-screen display.

29. The communications terminal as recited in claim 23, wherein said pre-determined function executed by said computer system is a cellular telephone dialer function which is actuable via said touch-screen display.

30. The communications terminal as recited in claim 29, wherein said telephony circuit comprises a cellular telephone circuit which is in communication with said processing circuit and said memory circuit, wherein said pre-determined function executed by said computer system is a web browser function which is actuable via said touch-screen display, and is connected to a world wide communications system via said cellular telephone circuit.

31. The communications terminal as recited in claim 21, wherein said telephony circuit comprises a cellular telephone that is in communication with said processing circuit, and wherein data received by said cellular telephone is displayed on said display.

32. The communications terminal as recited in claim 31, wherein said cellular telephone is in communication with said processing circuit and said memory circuit, and wherein a web browser function is executed by said computer system which is actuable via said touch-screen display, and is connected to a world wide communications system via said cellular telephone circuit.