Portable communication apparatus having a hierarchical menu system and a dynamic menu

• US 6,993,362 B1
• Filed: 03/13/2000
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Aberg, Kristoffer
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Huy D.
• Application Number:
  US09/523,984
• Time in Patent Office: 2,150 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550, 455/566, 455/575, 455/90, 345/169, 345/684, 345/685, 345/688, 715/825
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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 communication apparatus, such as a mobile telephone, has a display, a user-controlled input device, a memory, a controller, and a hierarchical menu system stored in the memory. The menu system has a plurality of menus, including top-level menus, sub-level menus, and a plurality of menu items under respective menus. The controller is arranged to present individual menus/menu items on the display, receive selection commands from a user through the user-controlled input device and in response perform functions related to the presented menus/menu items. The memory of the apparatus has a dynamic menu, the contents of which may be modified by the user. The dynamic menu is either a top-level menu or a sub-level menu in the hierarchical menu system.

Claims

1. A portable communication apparatus having a display, a user-controlled input device, a memory, a controller and a hierarchical menu system stored in the memory, the menu system comprising a plurality of menus, including top-level menus, and a plurality of menu items under respective menus, the controller being arranged to present individual menus/menu items on the display, receive selection commands from a user through the user-controlled input device and in response perform functions related to the presented menus/menu items, the memory of the apparatus further comprising a dynamic menu, wherein the controller is further arranged to modify the dynamic menu in immediate response to direct user inputs through the user-controlled input device, and wherein the dynamic menu is either a top-level menu or a sub-level menu in the hierarchical menu system.

2. A portable communication apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the dynamic menu comprises a menu item for providing a function for modifying the dynamic menu.

3. A portable communication apparatus as in claim 2, wherein the controller is arranged, when providing said function for modifying the dynamic menu, to present a list of available menu items on the display, the list comprising menu items from other menus than the dynamic menu, to accept a selection command through the user-controlled input device and in response add a selected menu item to the dynamic menu.

4. A portable communication apparatus as in claim 2, wherein the controller is arranged, when providing said function for modifying the dynamic menu, to present a list of menu items on the display, the list comprising menu items already located in the dynamic menu, to accept a selection command through the user-controlled input device and in response delete a selected menu item from the dynamic menu.

5. A portable communication apparatus as in claim 2, wherein the controller is arranged, when providing said function for modifying the dynamic menu, to provide a function for allowing a user to decide a sequential position of any menu item of the dynamic menu.

6. A portable communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the dynamic menu comprises at least one prestored menu item provided by a manufacturer before first use of the portable communication apparatus.

7. A portable communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a mobile telephone.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the contents of the dynamic menu stored in the memory may be modified by the user through the user-controlled input device according to preferences of the user.

9. A method for use with a portable communication apparatus having a display, a user-controlled input device, a memory, a controller, and a hierarchical menu system stored in the memory, the menu system including a plurality of menus, including top-level menus and sub-level menus, each having a plurality of menu items under respective menus, and a dynamic menu, where the dynamic menu is either a top-level menu or a sub-level menu in the hierarchical menu system, wherein the dynamic menu includes a menu item associated with a function for modifying a number of available dynamic menu items for controlling the functionality of the apparatus, comprising:

the controller presenting individual menus with menu items on the display;

the controller receiving selection commands from a user through the user-controlled input device, and in response, performing functions related to the presented menus and menu items; and

the controller receiving menu modification commands in response to direct user input by the user-controlled input device, and in immediate response, modifying the dynamic menu.

10. The method in claim 9, wherein the controller, when providing said function for modifying the dynamic menu, presents a list of available menu items on the display, the list comprising menu items from other menus than the dynamic menu, accepts a selection command through the user-controlled input device, and in response, adds a selected menu item to the dynamic menu.

11. The method in claim 9, wherein the controller, when providing said function for modifying the dynamic menu, presents a list of menu items on the display, the list comprising menu items already located in the dynamic menu, accepts a selection command through the user-controlled input device, and in response, deletes a selected menu item from the dynamic menu.

12. The method in claim 9, wherein the controller, when providing said function for modifying the dynamic menu, provides a function for allowing a user to decide a sequential position of any menu item of the dynamic menu.

13. The method in claim 9, wherein the contents of the dynamic menu stored in the memory may be modified by the user through the user-controlled input device according to preferences of the user.