Display method, portable terminal device, and display program

• US 7,587,683 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2005
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Snaptrack Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Japan Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Chiba, Toshiyuki, Ito, Yuichi, Morimoto, Yukako, Hama, Tatsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu; Sy D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham; Linh K
• Application Number:
  US11/318,669
• Publication Number:
  US 20060143574A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,351 Days
• Field of Search: 715/823, 715/715, 715/798, 715/800, 715/802, 715/852, 715/801, 715/810, 715/834, 715/856, 715/857, 715/821, 715/835, 715/841, 455/566
• US Class Current: 715/823
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• 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

A display method for displaying a plurality of icons in list form on a display device by a list-form displaying section and for enlarging and reducing an icon. When a first icon is selected while second icon previously selected is being enlarged, the second icon is enlarged to a predetermined size, and then after the enlargement, the enlarged second icon is reduced so as to have a size substantially equal to the size of each of icons which are not selected.

Claims

1. A display method comprising:

displaying step that displays a plurality of icons in list form on a display device by list-form displaying unit;

an enlarging step that enlarges to a predetermined size step by step, a first icon selected by a user from the plurality of icons displayed on the display device;

when a second icon is selected by the user, reducing the first icon to a size equal to the size of icons that are not selected step by step; and

a controlling step that controls the enlarging step and the reducing step so that, when the second icon is selected by the user while the first icon is being enlarged, the first icon is first enlarged to the predetermined size step by step, and then is reduced to a size equal to the size of icons that are not selected step by step,

wherein the controlling step controls the reducing of the first icon to be performed simultaneously with the enlarging of the second icon,

wherein the plurality of icons are used as upper menus corresponding to menu groups which are each formed by grouping a plurality of lower menus displayed in list form along an arrangement direction of the upper menus;

wherein;

the lower menus are grouped correspondingly to each of the upper menus, and the lower menus have a ring structure having virtual connection of groups so that a lower menu at the end of one group is followed by a lower menu at the start of the next group when the lower menus are displayed;

when one of the upper menus is selected with a cursor, lower menus corresponding to the selected upper menu is displayed with such transparency that the displayed lower menus are viewable by the user, and

when a moving operation on the cursor from a presently selected upper menu to a different upper menu is detected, the lower menus of the group corresponding to the presently selected upper menu which are displayed with the transparency is hided in a form scrolled out of a display area of the display device, and, instead of the hidden lower menus, lower menus of a group corresponding to the different upper menu is displayed by scrolling, into the display area of the display device, the lower menus of the group corresponding to the different upper menu subsequent to the hidden lower menus.

2. The display method according to claim 1, further comprising an adjusting step that adjusts the display positions of the plurality of icons so that, in the step of displaying the plurality of icons, the plurality of icons are displayed in column form on the display device, and, after the first icon selected by the user is enlarged, all the plurality of icons displayed in list form are displayed in column form.

3. The display method according to claim 1, wherein:

in the step of displaying the plurality of icons, when the second icon is selected, the lower menus corresponding to the first icon are controlled to sequentially move out of a display area of the display device along the arrangement direction, and the lower menus corresponding to the second icon are controlled to sequentially move into the display area of the display device; and

the lower menus initially move at high speed along the arrangement direction then move at gradually decreasing speed and stop.

4. The display method according to claim 3, wherein, in displaying the plurality of icons, when different icons are sequentially selected by the user, displaying of lower menus corresponding to each of the different icons is controlled so that the lower menus corresponding to each of the different icons are moved at gradually increasing speed in accordance with a time in which the different icons are sequentially selected.

5. A portable terminal device comprising:

list-form displaying unit that displays a plurality of icons in list form;

an enlarging unit that enlarges, to a predetermined size step by step, a first icon selected with an operating unit by a user from the plurality of icons displayed on a display device by the list-form displaying unit;

reducing unit, when a second icon is selected with the operating unit by the user, that reduces the first icon selected and enlarged to the predetermined size to a size equal to the size of icons that are not selected step by step; and

a control unit, when the second icon is selected by the user while the first selected by the user is being enlarged by the enlarging unit, for controlling the enlarging unit to first enlarge the first icon step by step and then controls the reducing unit to reduce the enlarged icon to a size equal to the size of icons that are not selected step by step,

wherein the control unit controls the reducing of the first icon to be performed simultaneously with the enlarging of the second icon,

wherein the plurality of icons are used as upper menus corresponding to menu groups which are each formed by grouping plurality of lower menus displayed in list form along an arrangement direction of the upper menus;

wherein;

the lower menus are grouped correspondingly to each of the upper menus, and the lower menus have a ring structure having virtual connection of groups so that a lower menu at the end of one group is followed by a lower menu at the start of the next group when the lower menus are displayed;

when one of the upper menus is selected with a cursor, lower menus corresponding to the selected upper menu is displayed with such transparency that the displayed lower menus are viewable by the user, and

when a moving operation on the cursor from a presently selected upper menu to a different upper menu is detected, the lower menus of the group corresponding to the presently selected upper menu which are displayed with the transparency is hided in a form scrolled out of a display area of the display device, and, instead of the hidden lower menus, lower menus of a group corresponding to the different upper menu is displayed by scrolling, into the display area of the display device, the lower menus of the group corresponding to the different upper menu subsequent to the hidden lower menus.

6. The portable terminal device according to claim 5, further comprising a display-position adjusting unit that adjusts the display positions of the plurality of icons so that the list-form displaying unit displays the plurality of icons in column form, and, after the first icon selected by the user is enlarged, all the plurality of icons displayed in list form are displayed in column form.

7. The portable terminal device according to claim 5, wherein:

when the second icon is selected with the operating unit by the user, the lower menus corresponding to the first icon selected are controlled to sequentially move out of a display area of the display device along the arrangement direction, and the lower menus corresponding to the second icon are controlled to sequentially move into the display area of the display device; and

the controlled lower menus initially move at high speed along the arrangement direction, then move at gradually decreasing speed and stop.

8. The portable terminal device according to claim 7, wherein, when different icons are selected in a sequentially consecutive manner with the operating unit by the user, the lower menus corresponding to each of the different icons are moved at gradually increasing speed in accordance with a time in which the different icons are selected in the sequentially consecutive manner.

9. A computer-readable medium storing an executable program, when executed, causing a computer to display a plurality of icons, said executable program comprising:

displaying a plurality of icons in list form on a display device;

enlarging, to a predetermined size step by step, a first icon selected by a user from the plurality of icons;

when a second icon is selected by the user, reducing the first icon selected and enlarged to the predetermined size to a size equal to the size of icons that are not selected step by step; and

when the second icon is selected by the user while the first icon selected by the user is being enlarged, enlarging the first icon to the predetermined size step by step, and then reducing the enlarged icon to a size equal to the size of icons that are not selected step by step,

wherein the controlling step controls the reducing of the first icon to be performed simultaneously with the enlarging of the second icon,

wherein the plurality of icons are used as upper menus corresponding to menu groups which are each formed by grouping a plurality of lower menus displayed in list form along an arrangement direction of upper menus;

wherein;

the lower menus are grouped correspondingly to each of the upper menus, and the lower menus have a ring structure having virtual connection of groups so that a lower menu at the end of one group is followed by a lower menu at the start of the next group when the lower menus are displayed;

when one of the upper menus is selected with a cursor, lower menus corresponding to the selected upper menu is displayed with such transparency that the displayed lower menus are viewable by the user, and

when a moving operation on the cursor from a presently selected upper menu to a different upper menu is detected, the lower menus of the group corresponding to the presently selected upper menu which are displayed with the transparency is hided in a form scrolled out of a display area of the display device, and, instead of the hidden lower menus, lower menus of a group corresponding to the different upper menu is displayed by scrolling, into the display area of the display device, the lower menus of the group corresponding to the different upper menu subsequent to the hidden lower menus.

10. The executable program according to claim 9, further comprising:

adjusting the display positions of the plurality of icons so that the plurality of icons are displayed in list form and in column form, and, after the first icon selected by the user is enlarged, all the plurality of icons displayed in list form are displayed in column form.

11. The executable program according to claim 9, wherein:

when the second icon is selected by the user, the lower menus corresponding to the first icon selected are controlled to sequentially move out of a display area of the display device along the arrangement direction, and the lower menus corresponding to the second icon are controlled to sequentially move into the display area of the display device; and

the controlled lower menus initially move at high speed along the arrangement direction, then move at gradually decreasing speed and stop.

12. The executable program according to claim 11, wherein when different icons are selected in a sequentially consecutive manner by the user, the lower menus corresponding to each of the different icons are moved at gradually increasing speed in accordance with a time in which the different icons are selected in the sequentially consecutive manner.

13. A display method comprising:

a displaying step that displays at least a plurality of upper menus in column form on display device;

a displaying step that displays, in list form, along an arrangement direction of the plurality of upper menus displayed in column form, on the display device, lower menus corresponding to a selected upper menu;

a displaying step that displays, on the display device, a cursor for selecting a desired menu from the plurality of upper menus or the lower menus;

a detecting step that detects, by a moving operation detecting unit, a moving operation on the cursor from one of the plurality of upper menus to one of the lower menus, and a moving operation on the cursor from one of the lower menus to one of the plurality of upper menus, the moving operations being performed by a user;

when the moving operation on the cursor from one of the plurality of upper menus to one of the lower menus is detected, displaying all the plurality of upper menus in a form moved to a side opposite to the lower menus, and moving and displaying the lower menus in a margin area formed by moving the plurality of upper menus; and

when the moving operation from one of the lower menus to one of the plurality of upper menus is detected, displaying the lower menus by moving all the lower menus to a side opposite to the plurality of upper menus, and displaying the plurality of upper menus by moving the plurality of upper menus into a margin area formed by moving the lower menus,

wherein the moving operation of the upper menu or the lower menu is controlled so that the moving operation is terminated when reduction or enlargement of an upper menu or a lower menu is complete,

wherein;

the lower menus are grouped correspondingly to each of the upper menus, and the lower menus have a ring structure having virtual connection of groups so that a lower menu at the end of one group is followed by a lower menu at the start of the next group when the lower menus are displayed;

when one of the upper menus is selected with the cursor, lower menus corresponding to the selected upper menu is displayed with such transparency that the displayed lower menus are viewable by the user, and

when a moving operation on the cursor from a presently selected upper menu to a different upper menu is detected, the lower menus of the group corresponding to the presently selected upper menu which are displayed with the transparency is hided in a form scrolled out of a display area of the display device, and, instead of the hidden lower menus, lower menus of a group corresponding to the different upper menu is displayed by scrolling, into the display area of the display device, the lower menus of the group corresponding to the different upper menu subsequent to the hidden lower menus.

14. The display method according to claim 13, wherein the step of displaying the upper menus and the lower menus by moving upper menus and the lower menus includes:

when the moving operation from one of the upper menus to one of the lower menus is detected, a moving step that moves all the upper menus to a side opposite to the lower menus, reduces the moved upper menus before displaying the moved upper menus, and enlarges the lower menus before displaying the lower menus; and

when the moving operation on the cursor from one of the lower menus to one of the upper menus is detected, a moving step that moves the all the lower menus to a side opposite to the upper menus, reduces the moved lower menus before displaying the moved lower menus, and enlarges the upper menus before displaying the upper menus.

15. The display method according to claim 13, wherein, in reducing the upper menus and enlarging the lower menus, the color of the cursor, a character color of the lower menus, or the color of the cursor and the character color of the lower menus are changed so that the lower menus are viewed through the cursor.

16. A portable terminal device comprising:

a menu displaying unit that displays a plurality of upper menus in column form on a display device, and for displaying, on the display device, in list form, along an arrangement direction of the upper menus displayed in column form, lower menus corresponding to a selected upper menu, and for displaying, on the display device, a cursor for selecting a desired menu from the upper menus or the lower menus;

a moving operation detecting unit that detects a moving operation on the cursor from one of the upper menus to one of the lower menus, and a moving operation on the cursor from one of the lower menus to one of the upper menus, the moving operations being performed with operating means by a user; and

a displaying processing unit that displays the upper menus in a form moved to a side opposite to the lower menus when the moving operation detecting unit detects the moving operation on the cursor from one of the upper menus to one of the lower menus, and moving and displaying the lower menus in a margin area formed by moving the upper menus, and for displaying, when the moving operation detecting unit detects the moving operation from one of the lower menus to one of the upper menus, the lower menus by moving all the lower menus to a side opposite to the upper menus, and the upper menus by moving the upper menus into a margin area formed by moving the lower menus,

wherein the moving operation of the upper menu or the lower menu is controlled so that the moving operation is terminated when reduction or enlargement of an upper menu or a lower menu is complete,

wherein;

the lower menus are grouped correspondingly to each of the tipper menus, and the lower menus have a ring structure having virtual connection of groups so that a lower menu at the end of one group is followed by a lower menu at the start of the next group when the lower menus are displayed;

when one of the upper menus is selected with the cursor, the displaying processing unit displays lower menus corresponding to the upper menu selected with the cursor with such transparency that the lower menus of the group corresponding to the selected upper menu are viewable by the user; and

when a presently selected upper menu is changed to a different upper menu, the displaying processing unit hides the lower menus corresponding to the presently selected upper menu which are displayed with the transparency by scrolling, out of a display area of the display device, the lower menus corresponding to the presently selected upper menu in accordance with a moving operation direction of the cursor, and the displaying processing unit displays, instead of the hidden lower menus, lower menus corresponding to the different upper menu in the display area of the display device by scrolling the lower menus corresponding to the different upper menu subsequent to the hidden lower menus.

17. The portable terminal device according to claim 16, wherein:

when the moving operation detecting unit detects the moving operation on the cursor from one of the upper menus to one of the lower menus, the displaying processing unit displays the upper menus by moving all the upper menus to a side opposite to the lower menus and reducing the moved upper menus, and displays the lower menus after enlarging the lower menus; and

when the moving operation on the cursor from one of the lower menus to one of the upper menus is detected by the moving operation detecting unit the displaying processing unit displays the lower menus after moving all the lower menus to a side opposite to the upper menus and reducing the moved lower menus, and displays the upper menus after enlarging the upper menus.

18. The portable terminal device according to claim 16, wherein, when the moving operation on the cursor from one of the upper menus to one of the lower menus is detected, the displaying processing unit changes the color of the cursor, a character color of the lower menus, or the color of the cursor and the character color of the lower menus so that the lower menus are viewed through the cursor.

19. A computer-readable medium recorded storing a display program, when executed, causing a computer to function as:

menu displaying means for displaying at least a plurality of upper menus in column form on display means, and in list form, in an arrangement direction of the upper menus displayed in column form, on the display means, lower menus corresponding to a selected upper menu, and for displaying, on the display means, a cursor for selecting a desired menu from the plurality of lower menus and the lower menus;

moving operation detecting means for detecting a moving operation on the cursor from one of the upper menus to one of the lower menus and a moving operation on the cursor from one of the plurality of lower menus to one of the upper menus, the moving operations being performed with operating means by a user; and

displaying processing means for displaying, when the moving operation on the cursor from one of the upper menus to one of the lower menus is detected, the upper menus by moving all the upper menus to a side opposite to the lower menus, and for displaying, when the moving operation on the cursor from one of the lower menus to one of the upper menus is detected, by moving the lower menus into a margin area formed by moving the upper menus before displaying the moved lower menus, the lower menus by moving all the lower menus to a side opposite to the plurality of upper menus, and for displaying the upper menus by moving the upper menus into a margin area formed by moving the lower menus,

wherein the moving operation of the upper menu or the lower menu is controlled so that the moving operation is terminated when reduction or enlargement of an upper menu or a lower menu is complete,

wherein;

the lower menus are grouped correspondingly to each of the upper menus, and the lower menus have a ring structure having virtual connection of groups so that a lower menu at the end of one group is followed by a lower menu at the start of the next group when the lower menus are displayed;

when one of the upper menus is selected with the cursor is being detected, the displaying processing means displays lower menus corresponding to the selected upper menu with such transparency that the lower menus corresponding to the selected upper menu are viewable by the user; and

when a presently selected upper menu to a different upper menu is detected, the displaying processing means hides lower menus of a group corresponding to the presently selected upper menu in accordance with a moving operation direction of the cursor by scrolling, out of a display area of the display means, the lower menus of the group corresponding to the presently selected upper menu, and, instead of the hidden lower menus, the displaying processing means displays lower menus corresponding to the different upper menu by scrolling, into the display area of the display means, the lower menus corresponding to the different menu subsequent to the hidden lower menus.

20. The display program according to claim 19, wherein,

when the moving operation on the cursor from one of the upper menus to one of the lower menus is detected, all the upper menus are moved to a side opposite to the lower menus and are reduced before being displayed, and the lower menus are enlarged before being displayed, and

when the moving operation on the cursor from one of the lower menus to one of the upper menus is detected, all the lower menus are moved to a side opposite to the upper menus and are reduced before being displayed, and the upper menus are enlarged before being displayed.

21. The display program according to claim 19, wherein, when the moving operation on the cursor from one of the upper menus to one of the lower menus is detected, the displaying processing means changes the color of the cursor, a character color of the lower menus, or the color of the cursor and the character color of the lower menus so that the lower menus are viewed through the cursor.

22. A portable terminal device comprising:

a list-form displaying section configured to display a plurality of icons in list form on a display device;

an enlarging section configured to enlarge, to a predetermined size step by step, a first icon selected with an operating device by a user from the plurality of icons displayed on the display device by the list-form displaying section;

a reducing section configured to, when a second icon is selected with the operating device by the user, reduce the first icon selected and enlarged to the predetermined size to a size equal to the size of icons that are not selected step by step; and

a control section configured to, when the second icon is selected by the user while the first icon selected by the user is being enlarged by the enlarging section, controls the enlarging section to first enlarge the first icon to the predetermined size step by step, and then controls the reducing section to reduce the enlarged icon to a size equal to the size of icons that are not selected step by step,

wherein the control section controls the reducing of the first icon to be performed simultaneously with the enlarging of the second icon,

wherein the plurality of icons are used as upper menus corresponding to menu groups which are each formed by grouping a plurality of lower menus displayed in list form along an arrangement direction of the upper menus;

wherein;

the lower menus are grouped correspondingly to each of the upper menus, and the lower menus have a ring structure having virtual connection of groups so that a lower menu at the end of one group is followed by a lower menu at the start of the next group when the lower menus are displayed;

when one of the upper menus is selected with the cursor, lower menus corresponding to the selected upper menu is displayed with such transparency that the displayed lower menus are viewable by the user, and

when a moving operation on the cursor from a presently selected upper menu to a different upper menu is detected, the lower menus of the group corresponding to the presently selected upper menu which are displayed with the transparency is hided in a form scrolled out of a display area of the display device, and, instead of the hidden lower menus, lower menus of a group corresponding to the different upper menu is displayed by scrolling, into the display area of the display device, the lower menus of the group corresponding to the different upper menu subsequent to the hidden lower menus.

23. A portable terminal device comprising:

a menu displaying section configured to display at least a plurality of upper menus in column form on a display device, and configured to display, on the display device, in list form, along an arrangement direction of the upper menus displayed in column form, lower menus of a menu group corresponding to a selected upper menu, and configured to display, on the display device, a cursor for selecting a desired menu from the upper menus or the lower menus;

a moving operation detecting section configured to detect a moving operation on the cursor from one of the upper menus to one of the lower menus, and a moving operation on the cursor from one of the lower menus to one of the upper menus, the moving operations being performed with an operating device by a user; and

a displaying processing section configured to display all the upper menus in a side opposite to the lower menus, when the moving operation detecting section detects the moving operation on the cursor from one of the upper menus to one of the lower menus, and display the lower menus by moving the lower menus into a margin area formed by moving the upper menus, and configured to display, when the moving operation detecting section detects the moving operation from one of the lower menus to one of the upper menus, the lower menus in a side opposite to the upper menus, and display the upper menus by moving the upper menus into a margin area formed by moving the lower menus,

wherein the moving operation of the upper menu or the lower menu is controlled so that the moving operation is terminated when reduction or enlargement of an upper menu or a lower menu is complete,

wherein;

the lower menus are grouped correspondingly to each of the upper menus, and the lower menus have a ring structure having virtual connection of groups so that a lower menu at the end of one group is followed by a lower menu at the start of the next group when the lower menus are displayed;

when one of the upper menus is selected with the cursor, lower menus correspondingly to the selected upper menu is displayed with such transparency that the displayed lower menus are viewable by the user, and

when a moving operation on the cursor from a presently selected upper menu to a different upper menu is detected, the lower menus of the group corresponding to the presently selected upper menu which are displayed with the transparency is hided in a form scrolled out of a display area of the display device, and, instead of the hidden lower menus, lower menus of a group corresponding to the different upper menu is displayed. by scrolling, into the display area of the display device, the lower menus of the group corresponding to the different upper menu subsequent to the hidden lower menus.