Scrollable menus and toolbars

• US 8,601,389 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Schulz, Egan, Langmacher, Tom
• Primary Examiner(s): HO, RUAY L
• Application Number:
  US12/433,891
• Publication Number:
  US 20100281374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,678 Days
• Field of Search: 715200-277, 715700-867, 700701-866, 709201-229, 705 50- 79, 705/14, 345 30-111, 345/810, 345/173, 348/47
• US Class Current: 715/786
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

Some embodiments of the invention provide a method that defines several menu items having a particular order. The method provides a display area for displaying a portion of the menu items in the particular order. The method provides a selection window in the display area for indicating that a menu item is presently selectable. The display area is also for receiving input to (i) scroll the menu items through the selection window in the particular order and (ii) select a particular menu item when the particular menu item is displayed in the selection window. In some embodiments, the display area is a linear display area, while in some embodiments it is a semi-circular display area or other shape.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying, using one or more processors, a plurality of menu items within a display area on a display screen of a device, wherein the plurality of menu items is comprised of a first plurality of menu items having a first order and a second plurality of menu items having a second order;

displaying, using one or more processors, a selection indicator for indicating that a menu item is selectable, wherein menu items in the first plurality of menu items are scrollable through the selection indicator in a first direction, and further wherein menu items in the second plurality of menu items are scrollable through the selection indicator in a second direction that intersects the first direction;

displaying, using one or more processors, the first plurality of menu items in the first order;

detecting a selection of one of the menu items in the first plurality of menu items, and in response to the selection, displaying the second plurality of menu items in the second order and displaying in a faded manner the first plurality of menu items in the first order.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of menu items are displayed in a linear layout.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of menu items are displayed in a semi-circular layout.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the selection indicator is provided at a top of the semi-circular layout.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of menu items are scrollable through a side of the selection indicator and out of an opposite side of the side of the selection indicator.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the menu items are displayed as partially faded when the menu items are near sides of the display area.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a cursor controller input is received as the selection of one of the menu items in the first plurality of menu items.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the menu items are for accessing video-editing tools, wherein the display area is defined as part of a video-editing application.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the video-editing tools comprise at least one of a ripple tool, a roll tool, a slide tool, and a slip tool.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of menu items are scrollable through the selection indicator in the first direction according to the first order without moving the selection indicator and the second plurality of menu items are scrollable through the selection indicator in the second direction according to the second order without moving the selection indicator.

11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for execution by at least one processor, the computer program comprising a graphical user interface (GUI), the GUI comprising:

a display area for displaying a menu with a plurality of menu items arranged in a particular order; and

a selection indicator in the display area for indicating that a menu item is selectable; and

an interaction module for (i) receiving a first user input at a first side of the selection indicator to scroll menu items with respect to the selection indicator in the particular order and (ii) receiving a second user input to select a particular menu item when the particular menu item is indicated by the selection indicator,

wherein when the interaction module receives an amount of input that passes a threshold amount of movement, the interaction module has the selection indicator indicate a new menu item as the selectable menu item,

wherein when the interaction module receives an amount of input that does not pass the threshold amount, the interaction module maintains the selection indicator'"'"'s indication of a previous menu item as the selectable menu item.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the computer program provides the GUI in a media-editing application.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the computer program provides the GUI in an operating system of a computer.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the computer program provides the GUI for a touchscreen in a hand-held device.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the selection indicator indicates that the menu item is selectable by highlighting the menu item.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the user input to scroll is directional input.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the threshold amount of movement is based on a speed of the directional input.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the display area is further for displaying, in response to the user input to scroll, an animation of a first menu item moving through the selection indicator to an extent of the amount of the user input.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the user input to scroll the menu items with respect to the selection indicator in the particular order causes the display area to display the menu items scrolling through the selection indicator without moving the selection indicator.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the user input to scroll the menu items with respect to the selection indicator in the particular order causes the display area to display the menu items scrolling through the selection indicator by moving the selection indicator.

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the user input to scroll the menu items with respect to the selection indicator in the particular order causes the display area to display the menu items scrolling through the selection indicator without moving the menu items.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the received first user input comprises a swipe gesture input.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the received first user input comprises a drag input.

24. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for execution by at least one processing unit, the computer program comprising sets of instructions for:

displaying a display area for displaying a first plurality of menu items in a first order, and for displaying a second plurality of menu items in a second order when one menu item in the first plurality of menu items is selected; and

displaying a selection indicator in the display area for indicating that a menu item is selectable,

wherein the first plurality of menu items are scrollable through the selection indicator in a first direction according to the first order, wherein the second plurality of menu items are scrollable through the selection indicator according to the second order in a second direction that intersects the first direction.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the first direction is orthogonal to the second direction.

26. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the display area is for displaying the first plurality of menu items in a circular layout.

27. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein the display area is for displaying the second plurality of menu items in a linear layout.

28. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the display area is for displaying the first plurality of menu items in a semi-circular layout.

29. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the display area is for displaying the second plurality of menu items in a linear layout.