Categorical user interface for navigation within a grid

• US 7,036,092 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2002
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zhigu Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sloo, David Hendler, White, Christopher M., Danker, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): BAUTISTA, XIOMARA L
• Application Number:
  US10/155,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20030218637A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• Field of Search: 715/700, 715/708, 715/709, 715/716, 715/719, 715/733, 715/764, 715/781, 715/783, 715/784, 715/786, 715/810, 715/818, 715/819, 715/821, 715/823, 715/825, 715828-830, 715/835, 715/841, 715853-855, 715/861, 715/902, 715/973, 345/473, 345/589, 348/119, 348/589, 348/113, 348/906, 725 37- 52
• US Class Current: 715/841
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• 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 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4856 for language selection, e.g. for the menu or subtitles

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for presenting a plurality of options for selection. Each option is organized into either a category or a sub-category that is associated with a category. The association between categories and sub-categories is independent of time. Categories are displayed along one axis and sub-categories are displayed simultaneously along another orthogonal axis. The axis chosen for categories may depend on the direction that text associated with the categories is written. Categories and sub-categories are available for immediate selection, without first having to highlight or select any option. To account for a large number of options, categories and sub-categories may scroll as needed. The appearance of categories and sub-categories may be distinguished in some way, such as through colors, fonts, or borders.

Claims

1. In a computerized system that provides a user interface for selecting one or more options from a plurality of available options, a method of presenting a plurality of options for selection in a two-dimensional menu, the method comprising acts of:

defining each of the plurality of options as either (i) a category, or (ii) a sub-category associated with a calegory, wherein one or more categories and one or more sub-categories are defined, and wherein the association between categories and sub-categories is unrelated to time;

displaying a plurality of the categories along a first, category axis; and

simultaneous with the display of the plurality of the categories, displaying with each of the plurality of categories one or more corresponding sub-categories along a second, sub-category axis, wherein the sub-category axis is orthogonal to the category axis, and a plurality of the sub-categories is displayed without having first to highlight or select any of the displayed categories.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein more categories are defined than can be displayed at one time along the category axis, the method further comprising an act of scrolling the display of the at least one of the one or more categories.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein at least a first category and a last category are defined, and wherein the act of scrolling the display is both linear and circular in that while scrolling linearly, the last category can be reached as if it preceded the first category and in that the first category can be reached as if it followed the last category.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising acts of:

receiving input that selects a particular category, wherein a plurality of sub-categories are associated with the particular category; and

displaying the plurality of sub-categories that are associated with the particular category without displaying any other sub-category.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each category has associated text in a given language which is written in a particular direction, and wherein the category axis extends in a direction that is based on the particular direction in which the associated text is written.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising an act of receiving input for either (i) navigating between any two of the plurality of options, or (ii) selecting a particular option.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the displayed one or more categories and each of the simultaneously displayed one or more sub-categories is available for immediate selection.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein a plurality of categories are defined, and for each category, an unequal number of sub-categories are defined, the method further comprising an act of redisplaying a given category following display of a last sub-category for the given category, such that the redisplayed given category borders display of at least one sub-category of at least one other category.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising an act of scrolling the display of the at least one of the one or more sub-categories without scrolling the display of the at least one of the one or more categories.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one of the one or more categories is displayed in a category color, and wherein the at least one of the one or more sub-categories is displayed in a sub-category color, the sub-category color differing from the category color.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the computerized system is used for viewing video data, the method further comprising an act of, simultaneous with the display of the at least one of the one or more categories and the at least one of the one or more sub-categories, displaying video data and displaying help information for a currently highlighted option.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the computerized system is capable of receiving broadcast video data and is capable of interacting with one or more servers over a computer network, and wherein the plurality of options comprise configuration options for the computerized system.

13. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of options comprise a collection of data that is subject to change each time the plurality of options are displayed.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the collection of data comprises one or more names.

15. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein displaying the plurality of categories and the corresponding plurality of sub-categories comprises displaying the categories and a plurality of sub-categories in a grid that includes the plurality of categories displayed orthogonally to the plurality of sub-categories.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the method further includes scrolling the sub-categories corresponding to at least one of the displayed categories.

17. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein at least one of the plurality of categories is displayed with all of its one or more corresponding sub-categories in single line.

18. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the grid has a plurality of cells, wherein each of the plurality of cells has appreciable borders.

19. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of cells has text therein, wherein the text is indicative of one of the plurality of options.

20. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the grid is a first grid, and wherein the method further comprises presenting a second grid containing an electronic program guide, wherein the second grid has a structure corresponding to the first grid.

21. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each category has associated text in a given language which is written in a particular direction, and wherein the sub-category axis extends in a direction that is based on the particular direction in which the associated text is written in the particular language.

22. A method as recited as in claim 1, wherein the category axis is substantially vertical and the sub-category axis is substantially horizontal.

23. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein a plurality of sub-categories is displayed with each corresponding displayed category.

24. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of options represents a task that can pursued immediately.

25. For a computerized system that provides a user interface for selecting one or more options from a plurality of available options, a computer program product carrying computer executable instructions that implement a method of presenting a plurality of options for selection in a two-dimensional menu, the method comprising acts of:

defining each of the plurality of options as either (i) a category, or (ii) a sub-category associated with a category, wherein one or more categories and one or more sub-categories are defined, and wherein the association between categories and sub-categories is unrelated to time;

displaying a plurality of the categories along a first, category axis; and

simultaneous with the display of the plurality of the categories, displaying with each of the plurality of categories one or more corresponding sub-categories along a second, sub-category axis, wherein the sub-category axis is orthogonal to the category axis, and wherein a plurality of the sub-categories is displayed without having first to highlight or select any of the displayed categories.

26. A computer program product as recited in claim 25, wherein more categories are defined than can be displayed at one time along the category axis, the method further comprising an act of scrolling the display of the at least one of the one or more categories.

27. A computer program product as recited in claim 26, wherein at least a first category and a last category are defined, and wherein the act of scrolling the display is both linear and circular in that while scrolling linearly, the last category can be reached as if it preceded the first category and in that the first category can be reached as if it followed the last category.

28. A computer program product as recited in claim 25, the method further comprising acts of:

receiving input that selects a particular category, wherein a plurality of sub-categories are associated with the particular category; and

displaying the plurality of sub-categories that are associated with the particular category without displaying any other sub-category.

29. A computer program product as recited in claim 25, wherein each category has associated text in a given language which is written in a particular direction, and wherein the category axis extends in a direction that is based on the particular direction in which the associated text is written.

30. A computer program product as recited in claim 25, further comprising an act of receiving input for either (i) navigating between any two of the plurality or options, or (ii) selecting a particular option.

31. A computer program product as recited in claim 25, wherein a plurality of categories are defined, and for each category, an unequal number of sub-categories are defined, the method further comprising an act of redisplaying a given category following display of a last sub-category for the given category, such that the redisplayed given category borders display of at least one sub-category of at least one other category.

32. A computer program product as recited in claim 25, further comprising an act of scrolling the display of the at least one of the one or more sub-categories without scrolling the display of the at least one of the one or more categories.

33. A computer program product as recited in claim 25, wherein the at least one of the one or more categories is displayed in a category color, and wherein the at least one of the one or more sub-categories is displayed in a sub-category color, the sub-category color differing front the category color.

34. A computer program product as recited in claim 25, wherein the computerized system is used for viewing video data, the method further comprising an act of, simultaneous with the display of the at least one of the one or more categories and the at least one of the one or more sub-categories, displaying video data and displaying help information for a currently highlighted option.

35. A computer program product as recited in claim 25, wherein the plurality of options comprise a collection of data that is subject to change each time the plurality of options are displayed.

36. A computer program product as recited in claim 35, wherein the collection of data comprises one or more names.

37. In a computerized system that provides a user interface for selecting one or more options from a plurality of available options, a method of presenting a plurality of options for selection, the method comprising steps for:

organizing each of the plurality of options into either (i) a category, or (ii) a sub-category associated with a category, wherein one or more categories and one or more sub-categories are identified, and wherein the association between categories and sub-categories is independent of time;

listing a plurality of the categories along a first, category axis; and

simultaneous with listing the plurality of the categories, listing with each of the plurality of categories one or more corresponding sub-categories along a second, sub-category axis, wherein a plurality of the sub-categories is listed without having first to highlight or select any of the listed categories.

38. A method as recited in claim 37, wherein more categories are identified than can be listed at one time along the category axis, including at least a first category and a last category, the method further comprising an act of scrolling the display of the at least one of the one or more categories, wherein the act of scrolling the display is both linear and circular such that while scrolling linearly along the category axis, the last category can be reached as if it preceded the first category and such that the first category can be reached as if it followed the last category.

39. A method as recited in claim 37, wherein each category has associated text in a given language which is written in a particular direction, and wherein the category axis extends in a direction to account for the particular direction in which the associated text is written.

40. A method as recited in claim 37, further comprising an act of receiving input for either (i) navigating among the plurality of options, or (ii) selecting a particular option.

41. A method as recited in claim 37, wherein a plurality of categories are identified, and for each category, various numbers of sub-categories are identified, the method further comprising a step for repeating a given category following the listing of a last sub-category for the given category, such that the repeated given category borders the listing of at least one sub-category of at least one other category.

42. A method as recited in claim 37, further comprising a step for distinguishing the appearance of at least one of the one or more categories from the appearance of the at least one of the one or more sub-categories.

43. A method as recited in claim 37, wherein the computerized system is used for viewing video data, the method further comprising a step for, simultaneous with listing the at least one of the one of the or more categories and the at least one of the one or more sub-categories, showing video data and showing help information for a currently highlighted option.

44. A method as recited in claim 37, wherein the plurality of options comprise a collection of data that is subject to change each time the plurality of options are displayed.

45. For a computerized system that provides a user interface for selecting one or more options from a plurality of available options, a computer program product carrying computer executable instructions that implement a method of presenting a plurality of options for selection, the method comprising steps for:

organizing each of the plurality of options into either (i) a category, or (ii) a sub-category associated with a category, wherein one or more categories and one or more sub-categories are identified, and wherein the association between categories and sub-categories is independent of time;

listing a plurality of the categories along a first, category axis; and

simultaneous with listing the plurality of the categories, listing with each of the plurality of categories one or more corresponding sub-categories along a second, sub-category axis, wherein a plurality of the sub-categories is listed without having first to highlight or select any of the displayed categories.

46. A computer program product as recited in claim 45, wherein more categories are identified than can be listed at one time along the category axis, including at least a first category and a last category, the method further comprising an act of scrolling the display of the at least one of the one or more categories, wherein the act of scrolling the display is both linear and circular such that while scrolling linearly along the category axis, the last category can be reached as if it preceded the first category and such that the first category can be reached as if it followed the last category.

47. A computer program product as recited in claim 45, wherein each category has associated text in a given language which is written in a particular direction, and wherein the category axis extends in a direction to account for the particular direction in which the associated text is written.

48. A computer program product as recited in claim 45, the method further comprising an act of receiving input for either (i) navigating among the plurality of options, or (ii) selecting a particular option.

49. A computer program product as recited in claim 45, wherein a plurality of categories are identified, and for each category, various numbers of sub-categories are identified, the method further comprising a stop for repeating a given category following the listing of a last sub-category for the given category, such that the repeated given category borders the listing of at least one sub-category of at least one other category.

50. A computer program product as recited in claim 45, further comprising a step for distinguishing the appearance of at least one of the one or more categories from the appearance of the at least one of the one or more sub-categories.

51. A computer program product as recited in claim 45, wherein the computerized system is used for viewing video data, the method further comprising a step for, simultaneous with listing the at least one of the one or more categories and the at least one of the one or more sub-categories, showing video data and showing help information for a currently highlighted option.

52. A computer program product as recited in claim 45, wherein the plurality of options comprise a collection of data that is subject to change each time the plurality of options are displayed.