System and method for navigating within a display having different display sections

• US 7,149,985 B1
• Filed: 08/25/1998
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Barlow, Steven Todd, Strong, Robert John, Crosby, Sheila Renee
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo, Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chuong, Truc T.
• Application Number:
  US09/486,545
• Time in Patent Office: 3,031 Days
• Field of Search: 345/700, 345/712, 345737-739, 345/742, 345/764, 345/781, 345817-829, 345/160, 345/357, 345/835, 345/839, 345853-855, 345/767, 345/768, 345/859, 345/860, 345/837, 345/861, 348/731, 715/850, 715/851, 715/853, 715/854
• US Class Current: 715/851
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• 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

A system and a method for navigating within a display having one or more display sections are disclosed. A section from the one or more display sections is selected. In response to the selection, a navigational symbol is displayed on a border of the selected section, the symbol corresponding to a direction in which a highlight may be moved. In one embodiment, the highlight is moved in the corresponding direction in response to the selection of the symbol. In another embodiment, the symbol indicates an availability of an adjacent section in the corresponding direction.

Claims

1. A system for navigating within a display having one or more display sections, comprising:

means for selecting a first section of said display;

means for navigating within said first section of said display;

control means for displaying a navigational symbol on a border of said first selected section, said symbol corresponding to a direction in which a highlight may be moved; and

said control means moves said highlight to a second section of said display in said corresponding direction in response to the steps of highlighting said navigational symbol on said border of said first selected section and selecting said navigational symbol.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said symbol indicates availability of an adjacent section in said corresponding direction.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said control means moves said highlight in said corresponding direction to another icon in said adjacent section if no other icon exists in said selected section in said corresponding direction.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said different sections of the display represent different frames.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said different sections of the display represent different web pages.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said control means moves said highlight in said corresponding direction to another icon in said selected section if another icon exists in said selected section in said corresponding direction.

7. A system for navigating within a display having one or more display sections, comprising:

a user control for selecting a first icon in a selected section of said screen, said user control including a set of directional keys for moving to another icon selection; and

a controller for determining, in response to an entry of one of said directional keys, whether there is a visible icon in said selected section in the direction corresponding to said entered key; and

said controller, in response to said determination, moves said highlight to said visible icon if said visible icon is present and moves said highlight to a navigational control, if said visible icon is not present.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said controller causes said navigational control to be displayed, if an adjacent section is available in a direction indicated by said navigational control.

9. A method for navigating within a display having one or more display sections, comprising:

selecting a first icon in a selected section of said display via a user control, said user control including a set of directional keys for moving to another icon selection; and

determining, in response to an entry of one of said directional keys, whether there is a visible icon in said selected section in the direction corresponding to said entered key; and

moving said highlight, in response to said determination, to said visible icon if said visible icon is present and moving said highlight to a navigational control, if said visible icon is not present.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said navigational control is only displayed, if an adjacent section is available in a direction indicated by said navigational control.