Electronic apparatus with display screen

• US 8,120,580 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2008
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Limited (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Limited (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamaji, Yasufumi, Miyazawa, Katsuji, Hong, Zhongsheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bolotin, Dmitriy
• Application Number:
  US12/104,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20090073118A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345156-172, 345/184, 715810-845, 715856-862
• US Class Current: 345/161
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

The present invention provides an electronic apparatus including a display screen having a first menu display area and a second menu display area, and a direction key provided on a side; first menu items arranged in a right-left direction are displayed in the first menu display area, and second menu items arranged in an up-down direction are displayed in the second menu display area, the direction key and the first menu display area are positioned substantially on a straight line extending in the right-left direction, the first menu items can be selected when a front portion/back portion of the direction key is pressed, the second menu items corresponding to the selected first menu items can be selected when an upper portion/lower portion of the direction key is pressed, and the selected menu items can be confirmed when a center portion of the direction key is pressed.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a display screen provided on a front surface of the electronic apparatus having a first menu display area and a second menu display area; and

a direction key provided on a side surface of said electronic apparatus,

wherein a plurality of first menu items arranged in a right-left direction are displayed in said first menu display area, and a plurality of second menu items arranged in an up-down direction are displayed in said second menu display area, said direction key and said first menu display area are positioned on a same straight line extending in the right-left direction, the first menu items in the first menu display area being selectable when a front portion/back portion of the direction key is pressed, and the second menu items corresponding to the selected first menu items being selectable in the second menu display area when an upper portion/lower portion of the direction key is pressed.

2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said direction key is depressible and a selected menu item is confirmed when a center portion of the direction key is depressed.

3. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display screen is composed of a touch panel.

4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first menu display area is positioned entirely in an upper portion of the display screen and all of said second menu display area is positioned below said first menu display area throughout an operation of the direction key.

5. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first menu display area and said second menu display area cross over each other with the upper portion of said second menu display area being above said first menu display area and the lower portion of said second menu display area being below said first menu display area.

6. The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said direction key has a shape of one of a rectangle and an oval.

7. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of first menu items in said first menu display area are arranged in a row along the right-left direction.

8. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of first menu items in said first menu display area are arranged in a loop form along the right-left direction.

9. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a concavity is provided on the outer surface of said direction key.

10. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a rectangular concavity for holding the electronic apparatus is provided in a lower portion of a rear side of said electronic apparatus near the side where the direction key is positioned.

11. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second menu display area is positioned entirely in an upper portion of the display screen and all of the first menu display area is positioned below the second menu display area throughout an operation of the direction key.

12. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the direction key and the first menu display area are positioned substantially on the same straight line extending in the right-left direction throughout an operation of the direction key.

13. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the direction key is provided on the side surface of the electronic apparatus without additional keys being arranged on the side surface.