Target zones for menu items on a touch-sensitive display

• US 8,253,705 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2009
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Vuong, Thanh V., Griffin, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kevin M
• Application Number:
  US12/463,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20100283746A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-183, 715/702, 715/804, 715/841
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A portable electronic device is disclosed that includes a user interface with improved menu or list controls. Each of the items of the menu or list include a target zone that is spatially arranged in such a manner as to differentiate the menu items from one another and provide an easy target for contact by a user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying, on a touch-sensitive display, a plurality of menu items corresponding to a plurality of target zones, wherein the display of the plurality of menu items includes representations of a target zone distributed among at least three different positions along the menu items, wherein a first target zone associated with a first menu item is positioned away from ends of the first menu item;

detecting a touch within the first target zone;

performing at least one function associated with selection of the first menu item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two adjacent menu items have a common border.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first target zone comprises an enlarged area of the first menu item.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed area for each of the plurality of menu items comprises a first end and a second end, and wherein at least some of the plurality of target zones are located away from the first end and the second end.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a part of an identifier for the first menu item is located within the first target zone.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of menu items are listed in a first direction, and the plurality of target zones are arranged along a second direction that is substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of target zones are arranged in a repeating pattern.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of target zones extend along a diagonal direction relative to the first direction.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the plurality of target zones are distributed along at least five different positions along the second direction.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first menu item is displayed in a first color arrangement and the first target zone is displayed in a different color arrangement.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein performing at least one function comprises displaying information associated with selection of the first menu item.

15. A computer readable medium having stored instructions executed by a processor of a portable electronic device and causing the portable electronic device to implement the method of claim 1.

4. A method comprising:

displaying, on a touch-sensitive display, a plurality of menu items corresponding to a plurality of target zones, wherein the display of the plurality of menu items includes representations of a target zone distributed among at least three different positions along the menu items;

detecting a touch within a first target zone associated with a first menu item;

performing at least one function associated with selection of the first menu item, wherein the first target zone comprises an enlarged area of the first menu item, wherein the first menu item further includes a supplemental zone that is shorter in at least one dimension than the first target zone, and wherein detecting a touch within the supplemental zone selects the first menu item.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the supplemental zone and the first target zone are displayed in a single area associated with the first menu item.

13. A method comprising:

displaying, on a touch-sensitive display, a plurality of menu items corresponding to a plurality of target zones, wherein the display of the plurality of menu items includes representations of a target zone distributed among at least three different positions along the menu items;

detecting a touch within a first target zone associated with a first menu item;

performing at least one function associated with selection of the first menu item, wherein the first target zone is visually depicted entirely within a displayed area of the first menu item, and wherein a selection area for the first menu item extends beyond the displayed area of the first menu item.

16. A portable electronic device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display configured to display a plurality of menu items;

a microprocessor configured to;

detect a touch within a selection area of a first menu item of the plurality of menu items, wherein the selection area extends beyond an area displayed for the first menu item;

perform at least one function associated with selection of the first menu item.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the selection area of the first menu item overlaps an area displayed for a second menu item.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the touch is imparted on the touch-sensitive display with a force that exceeds a predetermined threshold.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the at least one function comprises displaying information associated with selection of the first menu item.

20. The portable electronic device of claim 16, wherein at least two adjacent menu items have a common border.