Menu item selecting device and method

• US 7,503,014 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2004
• Issued: 03/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited, NTT Docomo Incorporated (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation)
• Inventors: Sudo, Takuma, Tojo, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore; William L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Takele; Meseker
• Application Number:
  US10/890,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20040250217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,700 Days
• Field of Search: 715/753, 715/810, 715864-867, 715/243, 715/817, 715/818, 715/819, 715/820, 715/825, 715/834, 715/841, 715/845, 345/156, 345/157, 345/168
• US Class Current: 715/810
• 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

In order to provide a configuration with which a desired function can be started rapidly from a function menu of an electronic device having a plurality of functions together, a circular menu is displayed on a main LCD 21, a function item activated is shifted item by item in response to left-and-right directional operation of a cross-shaped key in a main operation part 25, and a function item located at the opposite position in the circular menu is activated in response to up-and-down directional operation of the same.

Claims

1. A device for selecting a desired item from a menu comprising a predetermined plurality of items, comprising:

a first part which arranges the plurality of items of said menu circularly, a first direction of rotation of the circular menu being designated;

a second part which rotates said circular menu in a second direction, different from said first direction of rotation, when the second direction is designated, and

an up-down-left-right direction operation key, wherein;

when a single operation in a left-right direction of the up-down-left-right direction operation key is made, said second part rotates the circular menu in the first direction, one item every time, and when a single operation in an up-down direction of the up-down-left-right direction operation key is made, said second part rotates the circular menu automatically such that an item located at an opposite position, relative to a front position, rotates 180°

to the front position.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a part with which said circular menu is displayed.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said part with which said circular menu is displayed comprises a part with which a way of displaying each item of said circular menu is changed depending on the position thereof, and the display way of each item is changed sequentially in response to a change in the position of each item according to the rotation of the circular menu.

4. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein:

said plurality of items correspond to functions which are executed by a predetermined electronic device.

5. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

said plurality of items correspond to functions which are executed by a predetermined electronic device.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of items correspond to functions which are executed by a predetermined electronic device.

7. A computer-executable method for selecting a desired item from a menu comprising a predetermined plurality of items, comprising:

arranging the plurality of items of said menu circularly in a first direction; and

rotating the circular menu of the plurality of items in a second direction, different from the first direction, when the second direction is designated, wherein;

the rotating of the circular menu in the designated, second direction is caused using an up-down-left-right direction operation key, and;

when a single operation in a left-right direction of the up-down-left-right direction operation key is made, the circular menu rotates in its arranged first direction, one item every time, and, when a single operation in an up-down direction of the up-down-left-right direction operation key is made, the circular menu automatically rotates such that an item located at an opposite position, relative to a front position, rotates 180°

to the front position.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising:

displaying said circular menu.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

said displaying said circular menu comprises changing a way of displaying each item of said circular menu depending on the position thereof, and changing the display way of each item sequentially in response to a change in the position of each item according to the rotation of the circular menu.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein:

said plurality of items correspond to functions which are executed by a predetermined electronic device.

11. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

said plurality of items correspond to functions which are executed by a predetermined electronic device.

12. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein:

said plurality of items correspond to functions which are executed by a predetermined electronic device.

13. A method for selecting a desired item from a menu comprising a predetermined plurality of items, comprising:

arranging the plurality of items of said menu circularly in a first direction;

rotating the circular menu of the plurality of items in a second direction, different from the first direction, when the second direction is designated;

causing the rotating of the circular menu in the designated, second direction by using an up-down-left-right direction operation key;

rotating the circular menu in its arranged first direction, one item every time, when a single operation in a left-right direction of the up-down-left-right direction operation key is made; and

,

rotating the circular menu automatically such that an item located at an opposite position, relative to a front position, rotates 180°

to the front position when a single operation in an up-down direction of the up-down-left-right direction operation key is made.