Method and system for navigating a display screen for locating a desired item of information

• US 7,075,512 B1
• Filed: 02/07/2002
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Access Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Palmsource Incorporated (Access Company Limited)
• Inventors: Fabre, Gilles, Parrish, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Jimmy H.
• Application Number:
  US10/071,816
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/173, 345/179, 345/684, 345/798, 345/799, 345/800, 345/815, 345/864, 345/660, 345/670, 345/671, 345/688, 715798-801, 715/815, 715/864
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04805 Virtual magnifying lens, i.e. window or frame movable on top of displayed information to enlarge it for better reading or selection
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A method and a system for navigating a display screen to search for a desired item of information stored in an electronic device. The electronic device includes a novel fly over user interface (FOUI) capable of receiving commands from a user to provide a zoom out view of the display screen. A user may commence a navigation session by touching the display screen in a non active area or by clicking on a specifically designated icon to activate the user interface. During the navigation session, the display screen is zoomed-out and a magnifying area may appear on the display screen. The user interface enables the user to scroll the zoomed-out display screen by dragging the magnifying area towards an edge of the display screen to find a desired item of information. The display screen may be a display screen of a digital device (e.g., portable computer, personal computer, a cellular telephone, a digital watch, etc). The user may terminate a navigation session by removing the pointer from the display screen.

Claims

1. A method for implementing a touchscreen user interface for a device, the method comprising:

a) displaying a plurality of items in a normal mode on a touchscreen of a portable electronic device;

b) registering a user input to enter a fly over mode;

c) in response to b), providing a fly over area within the touchscreen, wherein the fly over area provides a magnified view of items within the fly over area with respect to items outside the fly over area, and wherein items outside the fly over area are shrunk with respect to the items in the normal mode and the ones of the items, which are shrunk, are shrunk by a same constant factor with respect to the items in the normal mode;

d) controlling a location of the fly over area with respect to the touchscreen in accordance with a movement command received from a user; and

e) in response to d), scrolling a display contents of the touchscreen when the fly over area reaches an edge of the touchscreen.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the movement command for controlling the location of the fly over area with respect to the touchscreen comprises a user dragging a navigation pointer across the touchscreen.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

exiting the fly over mode when the user stops controlling the location of the fly over area.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the navigation pointer is a stylus.

5. A computer readable media having computer readable code for implementing a method for a touchscreen user interface for a device, the code when executed by a computer system of the device causes the device to implement a method comprising:

a) displaying a plurality of items in a normal mode on a touchscreen of a portable electronic device;

b) registering a user input via the touchscreen to enter a fly over mode;

c) in response to b), providing a fly over area within the touchscreen, wherein the fly over area provides a magnified view of items within the fly over area with respect to items outside the fly over area, and wherein items outside the fly over area are shrunk with respect to the items in the normal mode and the ones of the items, which are shrunk, are shrunk by a same constant factor with respect to the items in the normal mode;

d) controlling a location of the fly over area with respect to the touchscreen in accordance with a movement command received from the user; and

e) in response to d), scrolling a display area contents of the touchscreen when the fly over area reaches an edge of the touchscreen.

6. The computer readable media of claim 5 wherein the movement command for controlling the location of the fly over area comprises a user dragging a navigation pointer across the touchscreen.

7. The computer readable media of claim 6 wherein the method further comprises exiting the fly over mode when the user stops controlling the location of the fly over area.

8. The computer readable media of claim 7 wherein the navigation pointer is a stylus.