Radially expanding and context-dependent navigation dial
First Claim
1. A method in a computing system for displaying menus via navigation dials that represent concentric circles of menu items, the method comprising:
- receiving a menu structure having a menu hierarchy of menu items with menu sub-items, the menu hierarchy having levels of menu items;
receiving a location on a display;
retrieving menu items of a first level of the menu hierarchy from the received menu structure;
populating a first navigation dial with the retrieved menu items;
displaying the populated first navigation dial near the received location; and
when a user selects a menu item of the displayed first navigation dial,retrieving menu sub-items of the selected menu item from the received menu structure;
populating a second navigation dial with the retrieved menu sub-items; and
displaying the populated second navigation dial as a radially expanding navigation dial, wherein the first navigation dial and the second navigation dial share a common center point, and wherein the populated second navigation dial is displayed outside the perimeter of the populated first navigation dial near the selected menu item.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for displaying menus of menu items as a navigation dial is provided. A menu system provides a menu hierarchy for an application that includes menu items with menu sub-items and displays the menu items in a navigation dial. The menu hierarchy is dependent on the current context of the application. A navigation dial is a circular area in which the menu items are displayed near the perimeter of the area. When a user selects a menu item with menu sub-items, the menu system creates a radially expanding navigation dial and populates it with the menu sub-items. The radially expanding navigation dial is displayed outside the perimeter of the displayed navigation dial near the selected menu item.
50 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method in a computing system for displaying menus via navigation dials that represent concentric circles of menu items, the method comprising:
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receiving a menu structure having a menu hierarchy of menu items with menu sub-items, the menu hierarchy having levels of menu items; receiving a location on a display; retrieving menu items of a first level of the menu hierarchy from the received menu structure; populating a first navigation dial with the retrieved menu items; displaying the populated first navigation dial near the received location; and when a user selects a menu item of the displayed first navigation dial, retrieving menu sub-items of the selected menu item from the received menu structure; populating a second navigation dial with the retrieved menu sub-items; and displaying the populated second navigation dial as a radially expanding navigation dial, wherein the first navigation dial and the second navigation dial share a common center point, and wherein the populated second navigation dial is displayed outside the perimeter of the populated first navigation dial near the selected menu item. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computing system to display menus via navigation dials that represent concentric circles of menu items, by a method comprising:
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receiving a menu structure having a hierarchy of menu items with menu sub-items, the hierarchy having levels of menu items; receiving a location on a display; retrieving menu items of a first level of the hierarchy from the received menu structure; generating a first navigation dial; when a number of retrieved menu items of the first level of the hierarchy does not exceed a scroll threshold number, populating the first navigation dial with retrieved menu items; when the number of retrieved menu items of the first level of the hierarchy exceeds the scroll threshold number, populating the first navigation dial with a portion of the retrieved menu items; adding scroll indicators to the populated first navigation dial so that a user can scroll through at least a portion of the retrieved menu items; displaying the populated first navigation dial near the received location; and when a user selects a menu item of the displayed navigation dial, retrieving menu sub-items of the selected menu item from the received menu structure; populating a second navigation dial with the retrieved menu sub-items; and displaying the populated second navigation dial as a radially expanding navigation dial, wherein the first navigation dial and the second navigation dial share a common center point, and wherein the populated second navigation dial is displayed outside the perimeter of the populated first navigation dial near the selected menu item. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computing system for displaying menus via navigation dials that represent concentric circles of menu items, comprising:
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a menu data structure having a hierarchy of menu items with menu sub-items, the hierarchy having levels of menu items; a component that populates a first navigation dial with menu items of a level of the hierarchy; a component that displays the populated first navigation dial as a circular navigation dial for the level of the hierarchy; a component that, in response to a user selection of a menu item from the displayed first navigation dial, populates a second navigation dial with menu sub-items of a deeper level of the hierarchy; and a component that displays the populated second navigation dial as a radially expanding navigation dial, wherein the first navigation dial and the second navigation dial share a common center point, and wherein the populated second navigation dial is displayed outside the perimeter of the populated first navigation dial near the selected menu item. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification