Method and apparatus for soft keys of an electronic device

• US 7,619,615 B1
• Filed: 08/30/2005
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Donoghue, Karen
• Primary Examiner(s): Awad; Amr
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sherman; Stephen G
• Application Number:
  US11/216,420
• Time in Patent Office: 1,540 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/168, 345/169, 345173-178, 455/566, 715705-715
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04897 Special input arrangements or commands for improving display capability
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/56 including a user help function

Abstract

An electronic device includes a keypad portion having at least one multifunction key and a display area displaying screen views having one or more soft key labels corresponding to respective ones of the multifunction keys. A display enhancing assembly enhances display of the soft key labels and/or menus in a manner that actively induces and trains the user to properly operate the multifunction keys in association with corresponding soft key labels. The display enhancing assembly employs visual cues such as a videographic moving arrow, help text bubbles, a sliding in/out presentation of menus in a series of menus and automated relative enlarging of pertinent text and/or dimming of non-pertinent screen contents.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a keypad portion having at least one multifunction key; and

a display area configured to display a screen view comprising;

at least one soft key label corresponding to the at least one multifunction key, and

at least one visual cue presented along with the at least one soft key label, wherein the at least one visual cue is configured to visually associate the at least one multifunction key with the at least one soft key label, wherein the at least visual cue one is animated, wherein the at least one visual cue comprises a videographic arrow, wherein the videographic arrow is presented in animated movement from the at least one soft key label towards the corresponding at least one multifunction key.

2. An electronic device, comprising:

(i) a keypad portion having at least one multiple function key,

(ii) a display area configured to display a screen view,

(iii) a processor, and

(iv) a memory comprising an on-screen buffer manager, wherein the on-screen buffer manager is configured to, when executed by the processor, implement a method for presenting the screen view in the display area, the method comprising;

displaying at least one soft key label in the display area, wherein the at least one soft key label corresponds to the at least one multifunction key; and

displaying at least one visual cue in the display area, wherein the at least one visual cue is presented along with the at least one soft key label, wherein the at least one visual cue is configured to visually associate the at least one multifunction key with the at least one soft key label, wherein the at least one visual cue is animated, wherein the at least one visual cue comprises a videographic arrow, wherein the videographic arrow is presented in animated movement from the at least one soft key label towards the corresponding at least one multifunction key.