Smart column for contact information on palm-sized computing devices and method and apparatus for displaying the same

• US 6,593,949 B1
• Filed: 05/04/2000
• Issued: 07/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ben-Shachar, Ido, Chew, Chee H., Blum, Jeffrey R., Parker, Kathryn L., Zuberec, Sarah E., Shields, Kevin T., Keyser, Greg A., Bastiaanse, Elizabeth A., Enomoto, Mark H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao (Kevin)
• Application Number:
  US09/564,515
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 345/157, 345/169, 345/173, 345/863, 345/762, 345/763, 345/764, 345/841
• US Class Current: 715/841
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

The UI of the present invention increases the number of contacts initially shown to the user of a hand-held device to aid the user in finding information in a Contacts database. While displaying a list of Contacts database entries, the UI displays a column which contains single letters indicating the type of information displayed for the names represented in the list of entries. A tap on a letter in that column causes a sub-list of other most commonly needed information to be deployed for the corresponding entry, potentially eliminating the need for the user to open the entire record for that entry.

Claims

1. A method of generating a Contacts database user interface on a stylus-based computing device having a display and a stylus for providing input to the display, the method comprising:

displaying a list of entries with each entry representing a record in the Contacts database, wherein each entry in the list of entries includes a record identifier for a corresponding record, primary information for the corresponding record, and an indicator which identifies a type for the primary information for the corresponding record;

receiving a first input from the user in the form of a tap on a first entry in the displayed list of entries corresponding to a first record;

determining whether the first input is a tap on a first portion of the first entry or a tap on a second portion of the first entry;

opening the first record if the first input is determined to be a tap on the first portion of the first entry; and

displaying a sub-list of primary information candidates for the first record if the first input is determined to be a tap on the second portion of the first entry.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein if the first input is determined to be a tap on the second portion of the first entry, further comprising:

receiving a second input from the user in the form of a second tap on one of the primary information candidates in the sub-list thereby selecting the one of the primary information candidates;

determining which of the primary information candidates was selected;

setting the selected primary information candidate as the primary information; and

displaying the list of entries with the selected primary information candidate being displayed as the primary information in conjunction with the first entry record identifier and with an indicator which identifies a type for the selected primary information candidate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the list of entries includes displaying the list of entries with each entry including a name as the record identifier.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein displaying the list of entries further includes displaying each particular entry in the list of entries such that the name, the primary information and the indicator for the particular entry are displayed on a single line.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the primary information candidates displayed in the sub-list are information types chosen from a list of information types consisting of telephone numbers, pager numbers, electronic mail addresses, and facsimile machine numbers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the indicator for the displayed primary information for each entry in the list of entries comprises a single letter which identifies the type of the primary information for the entry.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the first entry includes portions of the display in which the record identifier and the primary information of the first entry are displayed such that if it is determined that the first input is a tap on either of the record identifier or the primary information of the first entry, then the first record is opened.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second portion of the first entry includes portions of the display in which the indicator of the first entry is displayed such that if it is determined that the first input is a tap on the indicator of the first entry, then the sub-list of primary information candidates for the first record is displayed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the sub-list of primary information candidates for the first record further comprises displaying the sub-list while still displaying at least one entry in the list of entries.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to the sub-list of primary information candidates for the first record being displayed, a first line displays the name, the primary information and the indicator of the first entry, and wherein if the name of the first entry is truncated in the first line prior to the sub-list being displayed, then while the sub-list is displayed further comprising displaying the name as fully as possible on the first line using portions of the first line on which the primary information and the indicator were previously displayed.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first input further comprises receiving the first input in the form of a tap and hold gesture on the first entry in the displayed list of entries corresponding to the first record.

12. A computer-readable medium for a stylus-based hand-held device having a display and a stylus for providing an input to the display, the computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

displaying a list of entries with each entry representing a record in a Contacts database, wherein each entry in the list of entries includes a record identifier for a corresponding record, primary information for the corresponding record, and an indicator which identifies a type for the primary information for the corresponding record;

receiving a first input from the user in the form of a tap on a first entry in the displayed list of entries corresponding to a first record;

determining whether the first input is a tap on a first portion of the first entry or a tap on a second portion of the first entry;

opening the first record if the first input is determined to be a tap on the first portion of the first entry; and

displaying a sub-list of primary information candidates for the first record if the first input is determined to be a tap on the second portion of the first entry.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein if the first input is determined to be a tap on the second portion of the first entry, further including computer-executable instructions for performing steps comprising:

receiving a second input from the user in the form of a second tap on one of the primary information candidates in the sub-list thereby selecting the one of the primary information candidates;

determining which of the primary information candidates was selected;

setting the selected primary information candidate as the primary information; and

displaying the list of entries with the selected primary information candidate being displayed as the primary information in conjunction with the first entry record identifier and with an indicator which identifies a type for the selected primary information candidate.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein displaying the list of entries includes displaying the list of entries with each entry including a name as the record identifier.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the indicator for the displayed primary information for each entry in the list of entries comprises a single letter which identifies the type of the primary information for the entry.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the first portion of the first entry includes portions of the display in which the record identifier and the primary information of the first entry are displayed such that if it is determined that the first input is a tap on either of the record identifier or the primary information of the first entry, then the first record is opened.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the second portion of the first entry includes portions of the display in which the indicator of the first entry is displayed such that if it is determined that the first input is a tap on the indicator of the first entry, then the sub-list of primary information candidates for the first record is displayed.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein displaying the sub-list of primary information candidates for the first record further comprises displaying the sub-list while still displaying at least one entry in the list of entries.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein prior to the sub-list of primary information candidates for the first record being displayed, a first line displays the name, the primary information and the indicator of the first entry, and wherein if the name of the first entry is truncated in the first line prior to the sub-list being displayed, then while the sub-list is displayed further comprising displaying the name as fully as possible on the first line using portions of the first line on which the primary information and the indicator were previously displayed.