Concentric polygonal menus for a graphical user interface

• US 7,036,090 B1
• Filed: 03/06/2002
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Digeo Incorporated (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Loc V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Ba
• Assistant Examiner(s): Theriault, Steven B
• Application Number:
  US10/092,008
• Time in Patent Office: 1,511 Days
• Field of Search: 715/810, 715/848, 715/850, 715/834, 725/37, 725/44, 725/61
• US Class Current: 715/834
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

A user interface includes a first menu comprising a first set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the first menu. In response to a selection of an option from the first menu, a second menu is displayed. The second menu may be concentrically-disposed relative to the first menu. The second menu includes a second set of circumferentially-disposed, selectable options, which may or may not be hierarchically related to the first set of selectable options.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining user input in a graphical user interface, the method comprising:

displaying at least a portion of a first polygonal menu comprising a first set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the first polygonal menu;

receiving a user selection of an option from the first set of selectable options;

displaying at least a portion of a second polygonal menu comprising a second set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the second polygonal menu, wherein the second polygonal menu is concentrically-disposed relative to the first polygonal menu; and

receiving a user selection of an option from the second set of selectable options, wherein the user-selected options from the first and second sets always define a radially-aligned selection path through the first and second polygonal menus.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying at least a portion of a third polygonal menu comprising a third set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the third polygonal menu, wherein the third polygonal menu is concentrically-disposed relative to the first and second polygonal menus.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each side of the first polygonal menu is associated with a particular selectable option, and wherein the number of selectable options in the first set determines the number of sides for the first polygonal menu.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving comprises:

rotating the first polygonal menu about an axis to align a desired option from the first set with a fixed selection indicator.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving further comprises:

detecting a user action indicating selection of the option aligned with the selection indicator.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving comprises:

moving a selection indicator circumferentially around the first polygonal menu to align the selection indicator with a desired option from the first set.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein receiving further comprises:

detecting a user action indicating selection of the option aligned with the selection indicator.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectable options from the second set are determined by a selected option from the first set.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectable options from the second set are sub-options of a selected option from the first set.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the selectable options from the first and second sets are hierarchically related.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one selectable option comprises an icon.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one selectable option comprises text description.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one selectable option is associated with an audio sample, and wherein the audio sample is automatically played in response to the corresponding option being aligned with a selection indicator without an explicit selection action other than rotating one of the polygonal menus.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the second polygonal menu is displayed in response to a selection from the first polygonal menu, and wherein the second polygonal menu concentrically encloses the first polygonal menu.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the second polygonal menu is displayed in response to a selection from the first polygonal menu, and wherein the second polygonal menu is concentrically enclosed by the first polygonal menu.

16. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving a user selection of an option from the second set comprises:

rotating the second polygonal menu about an axis to align a desired option from the second set with a fixed selection indicator.

17. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving a user selection of an option from the second set comprises:

moving a selection indicator circumferentially around the second polygonal menu to align the selection indicator with a desired option from the second set.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second polygonal menus are rotatable about a common axis in response to a user command.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the second polygonal menu is displayed in response to the selection of an option from the first set.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the first polygonal menu is only partially displayed in the graphical user interface, and wherein the first set of selectable options comprises a subset of available options associated with the first polygonal menu.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first polygonal menu is rotatable in response to a user command to display a different subset of available options.

22. A user interface comprising:

a first polygonal menu comprising a first set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the first polygonal menu; and

a second polygonal menu comprising a second set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the second polygonal menu, wherein the second polygonal menu is concentrically-disposed relative to the first polygonal menu, wherein the second polygonal menu is displayed in response to a user selection of an option from the first set, and wherein the user-selected option from the first set and a user-selected option from the second set always define a radially-aligned selection path through the first and second polygonal menus.

23. The user interface of claim 22, further comprising:

a third polygonal menu comprising a third set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the third polygonal menu, wherein the third polygonal menu is concentrically-disposed relative to the second polygonal menu, and wherein the third polygonal menu is displayed in response to a user selection of an option from the second set.

24. The user interface of claim 22, wherein the first and second polygonal menus are ring-shaped.

25. The user interface of claim 22, further comprising:

a fixed selection indicator;

wherein the first polygonal menu is rotatable to align a desired option from the first set of selectable options with the fixed selection indicator.

26. The user interface of claim 25, wherein the second polygonal menu is rotatable to align a desired option from the second set with the fixed selection indicator.

27. The user interface of claim 22, further comprising:

a first movable selection indicator configured to move circumferentially around the first polygonal menu to align with a desired option from the first set.

28. The user interface of claim 27, further comprising:

a second movable selection indicator configured to move circumferentially around the second polygonal menu to align to a desired option from the second set.

29. The user interface of claim 22, wherein the selectable options from the second set are determined by a selected option from the first set.

30. The user interface of claim 22, wherein the selectable options from the second set are sub-options of a selected option from the first set.

31. The user interface of claim 22, wherein the selectable options from the first and second sets are hierarchically related.

32. The user interface of claim 22, wherein at least one selectable option comprises an icon.

33. The user interface of claim 22, wherein at least one selectable option comprises text description.

34. The user interface of claim 22, wherein at least one selectable option is associated with an audio sample, and wherein the audio sample is automatically played in response to the corresponding option being aligned with a selection indicator without an explicit selection action other than rotating one of the polygonal menus.

35. The user interface of claim 22, wherein the second polygonal menu is displayed in response to a selection from the first polygonal menu, and wherein the second polygonal menu concentrically encloses the first polygonal menu.

36. The user interface of claim 22, wherein the second polygonal menu is displayed in response to a selection from the first polygonal menu, and wherein the second polygonal menu is concentrically enclosed by the first polygonal menu.

37. The user interface of claim 22, wherein the first and second polygonal menus are rotatable about a common axis in response to a user command.

38. The user interface of claim 22, wherein the first polygonal menu is only partially displayed, and wherein the first set of selectable options comprises a subset of available options associated with the first polygonal menu.

39. The user interface of claim 22, wherein the first polygonal menu is rotatable in response to a user command to display a different subset of available options.

40. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium including code for causing a computer to perform a method for obtaining user input in a graphical user interface, the method comprising:

displaying at least a portion of a first polygonal menu comprising a first set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the first polygonal menu;

receiving a user selection of an option from the first set of selectable options;

displaying at least a portion of a second polygonal menu comprising a second set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the second polygonal menu, wherein the second polygonal menu is concentrically-disposed relative to the first polygonal menu; and

receiving a user selection of an option from the second set of selectable options, wherein the user-selected options from the first and second sets always define a radially-aligned selection path through the first and second polygonal menus.

41. A system for obtaining user input in a graphical user interface, the system comprising:

means for displaying at least a portion of a first polygonal menu comprising a first set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the first polygonal menu;

means for receiving a user selection of an option from the first set of selectable options;

means for displaying at least a portion of a second polygonal menu comprising a second set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the second polygonal menu, wherein the second polygonal menu is concentrically-disposed relative to the first polygonal menu; and

means receiving a user selection of an option from the second set of selectable options, wherein the user-selected options from the first and second sets always define a radially-aligned selection path through the first and second polygonal menus.

42. A method for obtaining user input in a graphical user interface, the method comprising:

displaying at least a portion of a first polygonal menu comprising a first set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the first polygonal menu;

rotating the first polygonal menu about an axis to radially align an option from the first set with a fixed selection indicator;

in response to a selection of the radially-aligned option from the first set, displaying at least a portion of a second polygonal menu comprising a second set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the second polygonal menu, wherein the second polygonal menu is concentrically-disposed relative to the first polygonal menu; and

rotating the second polygonal menu about the axis to radially align a user-selected option from the second set with the fixed selection indicator, wherein the user-selected options from the first and second sets always define a radially-aligned selection path through the first and second polygonal menus.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising:

in response to a selection of the radially-aligned option from the second set, displaying at least a portion of a third polygonal menu comprising a third set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the third polygonal menu, wherein the third polygonal menu is concentrically-disposed relative to the first and second polygonal menus; and

rotating the third polygonal menu about the axis to radially align a user-selected option from the third set with the fixed selection indicator, wherein the user-selected options from the first, second, and third sets always define a radially-aligned selection path through the first and second polygonal menus.