Method and user interface tool for navigation through grid of scheduled items
First Claim
1. A method for navigating a user-interface showing a plurality of scheduled items arranged in a grid, the method comprising:
- displaying in a grid, items of information categorized by time periods in a time scale axis and by one or more specific labels in a second axis, wherein the items comprise plurality of television programs and wherein the second axis comprises a channel list;
displaying a user controllable slider on the time scale axis that is located external to said grid;
displaying an interactive time schedule associated with a first time period;
allowing the user to control a window of interest associated with the interactive time schedule with the slider by selecting a second time period with the slider, said second time period being temporally non-contiguous with respect to the first time period;
establishing one or more background asynchronous data communication processes; and
in response to the user'"'"'s movement of the slider, seamlessly updating the items of information displayed in the grid based on the current position of the slider along the time scale axis without reloading the user-interface screen, the asynchronous data communication processes retrieving the updated items of information to facilitate the seamless update.
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Abstract
Methods and software tools are described for allowing users to navigate through a time schedule quickly and easily. The time schedule interface facilitates a user viewing multiple time periods on an information schedule on a client device quickly without having to completely remake or redraw the entire interface. A user of a computer or similar device is presented with a time schedule interface. This schedule interface may resemble a schedule such as program guide or a train schedule. The schedule typically is composed of a grid or blocks of information defined by two parameters. One parameter is almost always time, while the other parameter depends on the type of schedule. The interface in this invention includes a moveable virtual slider. The slider rests on or is attached to a time scale axis. This time scale axis may be implemented as a horizontal or vertical bar and in addition may contain markings corresponding to time intervals much like a ruler. A user may select and control this slider along the time scale axis. The position of the slider along the time scale axis controls the time periods displayed in the schedule.
84 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for navigating a user-interface showing a plurality of scheduled items arranged in a grid, the method comprising:
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displaying in a grid, items of information categorized by time periods in a time scale axis and by one or more specific labels in a second axis, wherein the items comprise plurality of television programs and wherein the second axis comprises a channel list; displaying a user controllable slider on the time scale axis that is located external to said grid; displaying an interactive time schedule associated with a first time period; allowing the user to control a window of interest associated with the interactive time schedule with the slider by selecting a second time period with the slider, said second time period being temporally non-contiguous with respect to the first time period; establishing one or more background asynchronous data communication processes; and in response to the user'"'"'s movement of the slider, seamlessly updating the items of information displayed in the grid based on the current position of the slider along the time scale axis without reloading the user-interface screen, the asynchronous data communication processes retrieving the updated items of information to facilitate the seamless update. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification