Graphical user interface

• US 7,856,603 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2001
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mølgaard, John
• Original Assignee: Mølgaard, John
• Inventors: Mølgaard, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu; Tadeese
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ulrich; Nicholas S
• Application Number:
  US10/344,747
• Publication Number:
  US 20040021696A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,445 Days
• Field of Search: 715/823, 715/835, 715/864, 715/840, 715/856, 715/704, 715/861, 345/156
• US Class Current: 715/835
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An apparatus for selection of characters to be displayed on a display screen. Has input actuators with associated fields containing graphical symbols representing the characters. The user is guided during selection of a character via the display. The selection procedure is sufficiently simple to allow a user to memorise the steps needed in order to select a specific character. Uses a limited number of actuators, and a character is selected using a sequence of actuations. Actuations may e.g. be keystrokes or movement by tactile pointing means on a touch sensitive device. Preferably, a character is selected by drawing one or two linear segments on a touch sensitive device. The displayed graphical symbols are preferably rearranged upon actuation. Suitable for use in electronic devices, in particular hand held devices having a small display screen, such as communication equipment, such as portable phones, e.g. mobile phones, or computers.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a display screen;

a symbol generator that generates for display on the display screen a set of first graphical symbols in a 3 by 3 matrix arrangement;

wherein at least one of the first graphical symbols indicates a first set of alphabetic characters in alphabetic order;

a selector for selection of graphical symbols on the display screen, the selector including a movable cursor that is displayed on the display screen at the center of the 3 by 3 matrix arrangement; and

a controller, connected to the symbol generator and the selector, that controls the symbol generator to display a set of second graphical symbols corresponding to one of the first graphical symbols by replacing the set of first graphical symbols in the 3 by 3 matrix arrangement with the set of second graphical symbols responsive to a graphical sign constituted by at least one line segment drawn on the display screen with the movable cursor from the center of the 3 by 3 matrix arrangement to one of the first graphical symbols, the at least one line segment is displayed on the display screen overlying the 3 by 3 matrix arrangement;

wherein the movable cursor is repositioned to the center of the 3 by 3 matrix arrangement after replacing the set of first graphical symbols in the 3 by 3 matrix arrangement with the set of second graphical symbols.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selector further comprises a keyboard with keys constituting input actuators also for selection of graphical symbols on the display screen.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a sound generator for generation of a specific sound upon actuation of a corresponding input actuator.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the selector comprises a number of keys corresponding to the input actuators, and actuation of a specific key corresponds to actuation of the corresponding input actuator, wherein said keys are positioned on a surface of the apparatus opposite the display screen.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an input actuator for re-allocating the fields containing the first graphical symbols to respective input actuators.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein at least three consecutive actuations of one of the input actuators with associated fields containing first graphical symbols results in re-allocation of the fields containing the first graphical symbols to the respective input actuators.

7. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein selection of an individual character results in re-allocation of the fields containing the first graphical symbols to the respective input actuators.

8. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an input actuator for switching between a first graphical symbol and second graphical symbol in a field.

9. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an input actuator with an associated field containing a string of characters for selection by actuation of the input actuator.

10. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an input actuator with an associated field containing a string of control characters for selection by actuation of the input actuator.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selector comprises a touch sensitive device whereby the cursor is movable by tactile interaction with the touch sensitive device.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the touch sensitive device is a touch sensitive display.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein a specific directional movement on the touch sensitive device is by a tactile pointer.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the apparatus is a hand held apparatus, and the touch sensitive device is positioned on a surface of the apparatus opposite the display screen.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one second graphical symbol of the set of second graphical symbols indicates a second set of alphabetic characters in alphabetic order, and wherein the controller further controls the symbol generator to display graphical symbols in fields corresponding to respective characters of the second set of alphabetic characters in response to selection of an associated field containing the at least one second graphical symbol.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the second set of alphabetic characters is a case shifted version of the first set of alphabetic characters of a selected first graphical symbol.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the second graphical symbol is displayed at a same relative position in the 3 by 3 matrix arrangement as the selected first graphical symbol.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the selector further comprises a cursor controller for manually controlling a position of the movable cursor on the display screen, and a click actuator for selection of the graphical symbol at a current cursor position.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the cursor controller comprises a key for movement of the movable cursor one step in a specific direction in the 3 by 3 matrix arrangement.

20. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the key has a plurality of pressure sensitive regions for individual selection of a desired direction of cursor movement.

21. The apparatus according to claim 18, further comprising eight selectable directions for moving the cursor one step to the “

east”

, “

south-east”

, “

south”

, “

south-west”

, “

west”

, “

north-west”

, “

north”

, and “

north-east”

respectively in the 3 by 3 matrix arrangement.

22. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the movable cursor is shown as a line segment connecting a center point of the display screen and a current cursor position.

23. An apparatus comprising:

a display screen;

a symbol generator that generates for display on the display screen a set of first graphical symbols in a 3 by 3 matrix arrangement,

wherein at least one of the first graphical symbols indicates a first set of alphabetic characters in alphabetic order;

a selector for selection of graphical symbols on the display screen, the selector including a movable cursor that is displayed on the display screen at the center of the 3 by 3 matrix arrangement; and

a controller, connected to the symbol generator and the selector, that controls the symbol generator to;

display a set of second graphical symbols corresponding to one of the first graphical symbols by replacing the set of first graphical symbols in the 3 by 3 matrix arrangement with the set of second graphical symbols responsive to at least one line segment drawn on the display screen with the movable cursor from the center of the 3 by 3 matrix arrangement to one of the first graphical symbols;

wherein the movable cursor is repositioned to the center of the 3 by 3 matrix arrangement after replacing the set of first graphical symbols in the 3 by 3 matrix arrangement with the set of second graphical symbols; and

to subsequently redisplay the set of first graphical symbols in place of the set of second graphical symbols responsive to the at least one line segment traversed by the movable cursor from the center of the 3 by 3 matrix arrangement in a second direction opposite the first direction.

24. An apparatus comprising:

a display screen;

a symbol generator that generates for display on the display screen a 3 by 3 matrix arrangement of input actuators having a set of first graphical symbols displayed therein;

wherein at least one of the first graphical symbols indicates a first set of alphabetic characters in alphabetic order;

a selector for selection of the input actuators on the display screen, the selector including a movable cursor that is displayed on the display screen at the center of the 3 by 3 matrix arrangement; and

a controller, connected to the symbol generator and the selector, that controls the symbol generator to display a set of second graphical symbols corresponding to one of the first graphical symbols by replacing the set of first graphical symbols in the 3 by 3 matrix arrangement of input actuators with the set of second graphical symbols responsive to a graphical sign constituted by at least one line segment drawn on the display screen with the movable cursor from the center of the 3 by 3 matrix arrangement to one of the first graphical symbols, the at least one line segment is displayed on the display screen overlying the 3 by 3 matrix arrangement;

wherein the movable cursor is repositioned to the center of the 3 by 3 matrix arrangement after replacing the set of first graphical symbols in the 3 by 3 matrix arrangement with the set of second graphical symbols.