Method and apparatus for using menu functions of an electronic device

• US 7,694,237 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2003
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IoT Innovations LLC (Empire IP LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kekki, Jussi-Pekka, Leinonen, Katja, Pusa, Juha
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu; Tadesse
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAUDHURI, ANITA
• Application Number:
  US10/427,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20030206199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,532 Days
• Field of Search: 715/810, 715/817, 715/818, 715/819, 715/820, 715/828, 715/829, 715/839, 715/841, 715/763, 715/790, 715/825, 715/830, 715/834
• US Class Current: 715/841
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• 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 1/72472 wherein the items are sorted according to specific criteria, e.g. frequency of use

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for using menu functions of an electronic device are presented. The electronic device provides the menu functions in a menu layer structure that comprises a top menu layer and at least one lower menu layer. One of the lower menu layers is a bottom menu layer. The top menu layer overlaps at least partially the lower menu layers. A user of the electronic device selects a menu layer to be provided as a top menu layer from the lower menu layers by giving a first command and the user selects a function to be performed from the top menu layer by giving a second command.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing on a display of an electronic device menu functions in a layered menu structure comprising several at least partially overlapped menu layers, the layered menu structure comprising at least a first menu layer and at least one further menu layer, said first menu layer comprising first menu functions, the first menu layer being displayed as a top layer of the layered menu structure on the display, said at least one further menu layer comprising second menu functions, in which layered menu structure the at least one further menu layer and other menu layers preceding the at least one further menu layer are displayed as part of the layered menu structure so as to be at least partially covered by said first menu layer, where all menu layers except for the first menu layer are displayed as part of the layered menu structure so as to be at least partially covered by the first menu layer, the method further comprising;

forming a logical link between said first menu layer and one of said at least one further menu layer in such a way that said one of said at least one further menu layer is either (i) a menu layer that follows said first menu layer in the layered menu structure or (ii) a menu layer that precedes said first menu layer in the layered menu structure,

a user selecting said one of said at least one further menu layer to be moved to the top layer of the layered menu structure so as to be displayed on the display instead of said first menu layer by giving a first command, said first menu layer then being displayed as part of the layered menu structure so as to be at least partially covered by said selected one of said at least one further menu layer, and

the user selecting a menu function presented on that menu layer which is on the top layer of the layered menu structure displayed on the display by giving a second command.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the menu layer that is on the top layer of the layered menu structure is completely visible on the display.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the layered menu structure further comprises at least one menu layer between said first menu layer and said at least one further menu layer.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said at least one menu layer between said first and said at least one further menu layer is at least partially covered by the first menu layer.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said first command causes the electronic device to scroll forward the layered menu structure by moving the next menu layer behind said first menu layer to the front on the display and by moving the first menu layer to the lowest at least partially covered menu layer of the layered menu structure.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein said first command causes the electronic device to scroll backwards the layered menu structure by moving the lowest menu layer of the at least partially covered menu layers of the layered menu structure to the front on the display and by moving the first menu layer to the next menu layer behind the menu layer on the front on the display.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said first command is one of the following:

a voice command, a touch of a key of a keyboard of the electronic device or a movement of a controller device of the electronic device.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said second command causes the electronic device to execute the selected function.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said second command is one of the following:

a voice command or a touch of a touch sensitive area on a surface of the electronic device, and corresponds to a function on the selected menu layer.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein said second command is a touch of a touch sensitive area on a surface of the electronic device, said touch corresponding to a location of a function on the menu layer.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein said second command is a movement of a controller device to a direction corresponding to a direction of a function on the menu layer from a center of the menu layer.

12. The method according to claim 1, the method further comprising editing said layered menu structure by moving a symbol representing a particular menu function from a location on one of said menu layers to a location on another one of said menu layers.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said editing is executed manually by the user.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein said editing is executed automatically by the electronic device on the basis of a usage frequency of said menu function.

42. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a terminal of a cellular communications system.

15. An electronic device comprising:

a display for displaying information to a user of the electronic device, and

a processor,

wherein said processor is adapted;

to show a layered menu structure comprising several menu layers on the display, said layered menu structure comprising at least a first menu layer and at least one further menu layer, said first menu layer comprising first menu functions, the first menu layer being displayed as the top layer of the layered menu structure on the display, said at least one further menu layer comprising second menu functions, in which layered menu structure the at least one further menu layer and other menu layers preceding the at least one further menu layer are displayed as part of the layered menu structure so as to be at least partially covered by said first menu layer, where all menu layers except for the first menu layer are displayed as part of the layered menu structure so as to be at least partially covered by the first menu layer,

to form a logical link between said first menu layer and one of said at least one further menu layer in such a way that said one of said at least one further menu layer is either (i) a menu layer that follows said first menu layer in the layered menu structure or (ii) a menu layer that precedes said first menu layer in the layered menu structure,

as a response to a first command given by a user, to move said one of said at least one further menu layer to the top layer of the layered menu structure so as to be displayed on the display instead of said first menu layer, said first menu layer thus being displayed as part of the layered menu structure so as to be at least partially covered by said one of said at least one further menu layer, and

as a response to a second command given by the user, to control operation of a menu function belonging to that menu layer which is on the top layer of the layered menu structure displayed on the display.

16. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein said layered menu structure is arranged to provide the menu layer, located on the top layer of the layered menu structure as completely visible on the display.

17. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein said layered menu structure is further arranged to provide at least one menu layer between said first menu layer and said at least one further menu layer.

18. The electronic device according to claim 17, wherein said layered menu structure is arranged to provide at least one of said at least one menu layer between said first menu layer and said at least one further menu layer at least partially covered by the first menu layer.

19. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein said first command causes the processor to scroll forward the layered menu structure by moving the next menu layer behind said first menu layer to the front on the display and by moving the first menu layer to the last at least partially covered menu layer of the layered menu structure.

20. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein said first command causes the processor to scroll backwards the layered menu structure by moving the last menu layer of the at least partially covered menu layers of the layered menu structure to the front on the display and by moving the first menu layer to the next menu layer behind the menu layer on the front on the display.

21. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein said second command causes the electronic device to execute a selected function.

22. The electronic device according to claim 19, wherein said electronic device further comprises a joystick controller and said first command and said second command is a movement of the joystick controller to a direction corresponding to a selected function.

23. The electronic device according to claim 19, wherein said electronic device further comprises a touch sensitive display and said first command and said second command is a touch of the touch sensitive display at a location corresponding to a selected function.

24. The electronic device according to claim 19, wherein said electronic device further comprises a rocker switch controller device and said first command and said second command is a touch of an area of the rocker switch controller device corresponding to a selected function.

25. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein the processor is further adapted to perform editing said layered menu structure by moving a function symbol representing a particular menu function from a location on one of said menu layers to a location on another one of said menu layers.

26. The electronic device according to claim 25, wherein said function symbol is selected by the user.

27. The electronic device according to claim 25, wherein said function symbol is automatically selected by the electronic device.

28. A memory encoded with a computer program, execution of the computer program resulting in operations comprising:

providing on a display of an electronic device a layered menu structure comprising several at least partially overlapped menu layers, the layered menu structure comprising at least a first menu layer and at least one further menu layer, said first menu layer comprising first menu functions, the first menu layer being displayed as the top layer of the layered menu structure on the display, said at least one further menu layer comprising second menu functions, in which layered menu structure the at least one further menu layer and other menu layers preceding the at least one further menu layer are displayed as part of the layered menu structure so as to be at least partially covered by said first menu layer, where all menu layers except for the first menu layer are displayed as part of the layered menu structure so as to be at least partially covered by the first menu layer,

forming a logical link between said first menu layer and one of said at least one further menu layer in such a way that said one of said at least one further menu layer is either (i) a menu layer that follows said first menu layer in the layered menu structure or (ii) a menu layer that precedes said first menu layer in the layered menu structure,

controlling said one of said at least one further menu layer to be moved to the top layer of the layered menu structure so as to be displayed on the display instead of said first menu layer in response to a first command given by a user, said first menu layer thus being displayed as part of the layered menu structure so as to be at least partially covered by said one of said at least one further menu layer, and

controlling a function of a menu function presented on that menu layer, which is on the top layer of the layered menu structure displayed on the display, in response to a second command given by the user.

29. The memory according to claim 28, the operations further comprising:

making the menu layer that is on the top layer of the layered menu structure completely visible on the display.

30. The memory according to claim 29, wherein the layered menu structure further comprises at least one menu layer between said first menu layer and said at least one further menu layer.

31. The memory according to claim 30, the operations further comprising:

making said at least one menu layer between said first and said at least one further menu layer to be at least partially covered by the first menu layer.

32. The memory according to claim 31, the operations further comprising:

in response to the first command, scrolling the layered menu structure forward by moving the next menu layer behind said first menu layer to the front on the display and moving the first menu layer to the lowest at least partially covered menu layer of the layered menu structure.

33. The memory according to claim 31, the operations further comprising:

in response to the first command, scrolling the layered menu structure backwards by moving the lowest menu layer of the at least partially covered menu layers of the layered menu structure to the front on the display and moving the first menu layer to the next menu layer behind the menu layer on the front on the display.

34. The memory according to claim 33, wherein said first command is one of the following:

a voice command, a touch of a key of a keyboard of the electronic device or a movement of a controller device of the electronic device.

35. The memory according to claim 34, wherein said second command is a touch of a touch sensitive area on a surface of the electronic device, said touch corresponding to a location of a function on the menu layer.

36. The memory according to claim 34, wherein said second command is a movement of a controller device to a direction corresponding to a direction of a function on the menu layer from a center of the menu layer.

37. The memory according to claim 28, the operations further comprising:

in response to the second command, executing the function.

38. The memory according to claim 37, wherein said second command is one of the following:

a voice command or a touch of a touch sensitive area on a surface of the electronic device, and corresponds to a function on the selected menu layer.

39. The memory according to claim 28, the operations further comprising:

editing said layered menu structure by moving a symbol representing a particular menu function from a location on one of said menu layers to a location on another one of said menu layers.

40. The memory according to claim 39, the operations further comprising:

enabling the user to execute said editing manually.

41. The memory according to claim 39, the operations further comprising:

executing said editing automatically on a basis of a usage frequency of said particular menu function.

43. The memory according to claim 28, wherein the electronic device is a terminal of a cellular communications system.