Displays of user select icons with an axes-based multimedia interface

• US 8,954,847 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2011
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Audet, Mathieu
• Primary Examiner(s): Queler, Adam M
• Assistant Examiner(s): BURKE, TIONNA M
• Application Number:
  US13/311,959
• Publication Number:
  US 20120079428A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 715/273
• US Class Current: 715/273
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/123 Storage facilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A method of displaying an on-screen graphical user interface, the method comprising providing a plurality of user-selectable icons, and a plurality of content icons representing respective items of contents; generating image data for the on-screen user-interface with a multi-dimensional array which includes a first axis comprising the plurality of user-selectable icons adapted to be arranged in a specific direction and which is also adapted to include a second axis comprising the plurality of content icons in a direction intersecting, or abutting, the first axis; and outputting the image data for the on-screen user interface related to displaying the contents to a display, wherein the generating displays the second axis to intersect, or abut, the first axis.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructions operable to perform a method of displaying an on-screen graphical user interface, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of user-selectable icons, and a plurality of content icons representing respective items of contents;

generating image data for the on-screen user-interface with a multi-dimensional array which includes a first axis comprising the plurality of user-selectable icons adapted to be arranged in a specific direction and which is also adapted to include a second axis comprising the plurality of content icons in a direction intersecting, or abutting, the first axis; and

outputting the image data for the on-screen user interface related to displaying the contents to a display, wherein the generating displays the second axis to intersect, or abut, the first axis.

2. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructions operable to perform a method of displaying an on-screen user interface of claim 1, wherein the second axis intersects the first axis at a position of one of the user-selectable icons.

3. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructions operable to perform a method of displaying an on-screen user interface of claim 1, wherein the second axis comprising the plurality of content icons is generated on a basis of a selection of one of the user-selectable icons.

4. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructions operable to perform a method of displaying an on-screen user interface of claim 1, wherein the second axis comprising the plurality of content icons is generated on a basis of a selection of an attribute associated with at least one of the user-selectable icons.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructions operable to perform a method of displaying an on-screen user interface of claim 1, wherein at least one user selectable icon from the first axis of user-selectable icons is adapted to have an image attribute associated therewith, the picture attribute being automatically selected when the at least one user-selectable icon is selected.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructions operable to perform a method of displaying an on-screen user interface of claim 1, wherein at least one user selectable icon from the first array of user-selectable icons is adapted to have a music attribute associated therewith, the music attribute being automatically selected when the at least one user-selectable icon is selected.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructions operable to perform a method of displaying an on-screen user interface of claim 1, wherein at least one of the user-selectable icons is a thumbnail of an image file.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructions operable to perform a method of displaying an on-screen user interface of claim 1, wherein at least some of the user-selectable icons are associated with documents.

9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructions operable to perform a method of displaying an on-screen user interface of claim 1, wherein at least one of the axes is adapted to move longitudinally on the display.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructions operable to perform a method of displaying an on-screen user interface of claim 1, wherein a selection of a user-selectable icon from the axis of user-selectable icons is adapted to be made with a game controller.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructions operable to perform a method of displaying an on-screen user interface of claim 1, wherein at least one of the content icons is a thumbnail of an image file.

23. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructions operable to perform a method of displaying an on-screen user interface of claim 1, wherein the plurality of user-selectable icons visually present a characterization attribute of the respective items of contents.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructions operable to perform a method of displaying an on-screen user interface of claim 1, wherein the plurality of user-selectable icons are superimposed on the plurality of content icons.

26. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructions operable to provide a user interface of claim 1, wherein a selection of a user-selectable icon among the first axis of user selectable icons is adapted to cause a second axis of content icons to be displayed, the content icons in the second axis having a common attribute.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructions operable to provide a user interface comprising a first axis of user-selectable icons, at least some of the user-selectable icons being adapted to display a second axis of user-selectable icons thereof, the second axis of user-selectable icons being substantially orthogonally displayable about the first axis of user-selectable icons.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructions operable to provide a user interface of claim 11, wherein the second axis of user-selectable elements is adapted to be displayed on a basis of a selection of one user-selectable element from the axis of user-selectable elements.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructions operable to provide a user interface of claim 11, wherein at least some of the user-selectable elements are menu items.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructions operable to provide a user interface of claim 11, wherein the second axis is sequentially displayed after the first axis has been displayed.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructions operable to provide a user interface of claim 11, wherein at least one user-selectable element from the first array of user-selectable elements has an attribute associated therewith, the attribute being automatically selected when the one user-selectable elements is selected.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructions operable to provide a user interface of claim 11, wherein the second axis is adapted to intersect and scroll through the first axis.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructions operable to provide a user interface of claim 11, wherein the second axis of user-selectable elements is adapted to move longitudinally on the display, the movement of the second axis of user-selectable elements being made upon an instruction provided by a user-actuatable controller.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructions operable to provide a user interface of claim 11, wherein a selection of a user-selectable element from the first axis of user-selectable elements is adapted to be made on a basis of an action performed on a user-actuatable controller.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructions operable to provide a user interface of claim 11, wherein a selection of a user-selectable icon among the first axis of user selectable icons is adapted to cause a second axis of content icons to be displayed, the user selectable icons from the second axis of user selectable elements having a common attribute.

24. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that includes computer-readable instructions operable to provide a user interface of claim 11, wherein a selection of a user-selectable icon among the first axis of user selectable icons is adapted to cause a second axis of content icons to be displayed, the content icons in the second axis having a common attribute.

20. A system capable of displaying contents, comprising:

a control which acquires an instruction for displaying of contents via a user manipulation;

a non-transitory storage device which stores data for a plurality of attribute icons associated with respective types of content, and data for a plurality of content icons representing respective items of contents;

a display output module which outputs image data for an on-screen menu related to displaying of the contents to a display and which displays the contents acquired from the storage in response to the instruction acquired by the control;

a display controller which generates the image data for the on-screen menu with a multi-dimensional array which includes a first axis comprising the plurality of attribute icons arranged in a specific direction on a screen and which also includes a second axis comprising the plurality of content icons in a direction intersecting, or abutting, the first axis on the screen, wherein the display controller displays the second axis to intersect, or abut, the first axis at a position of one of the attribute icons selected by the user, and if the contents are adapted to be chronologically ordered, represents the chronology by displaying the content icons in chronological order in the second axis.

21. The system capable of displaying contents of claim 20, wherein the instruction includes a selection of a one of the plurality of attribute icons along the first axis causes the second axis of content icons to be displayed, the plurality of content icons in the second axis having a common attribute.