User interface to provide additional information on a selected item in a list

• US 9,075,509 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2006
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonos, Inc.
• Inventors: Lambourne, Robert A., Schulert, Andrew J., Holmgren, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Linh K
• Application Number:
  US11/419,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20130254695A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,337 Days
• Field of Search: 715/830, 715/817, 715/819, 715/820, 715/856, 715/969, 715/825
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D

Abstract

Techniques pertaining to efficient scrolling a list are disclosed. One of the features of the efficient scrolling is to provide a graphic user interface that displays items in the list so that a user may scroll the list using a scroll wheel. After an item is highlighted for a predefined time, an information panel is automatically displayed to show hidden information associated with the item. The information panel is superimposed in an area of the graphic user interface, without obstructing the highlighted item.

Claims

1. A method for providing an information panel, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of multimedia items in a list on a graphical user interface of a controller, the controller used to control an audio device;

displaying a movable indicator positioned with respect to a particular multimedia item of the plurality of multimedia items in response to receipt of input from the graphical user interface;

determining that the movable indicator has remained positioned with respect to the particular multimedia item for a first predefined time;

retrieving automatically, from a remote device and based on the moveable indicator position with respect to the particular multimedia item and upon passage of the first predefined time, additional information corresponding to the particular multimedia item, the additional information to form an information panel for the particular multimedia item, the additional information not shown in the list and instead displayed in the information panel; and

displaying the information panel associated with the particular multimedia item via the controller, the information panel positioned over a portion of the graphical user interface, the information panel to display the additional information regarding the particular multimedia item, the additional information not otherwise viewable in the list of multimedia items, wherein the first predefined time is to avoid an inadvertent display of the information panel when the movable indicator is moving through the list;

determining whether the information panel is obstructing another item displayed via the graphical user interface;

when the information panel is determined to be obstructing another item displayed via the graphical user interface, triggering the information panel to automatically disappear after a second predefined time; and

when the information panel is determined not to be obstructing another item displayed via the graphical user interface, displaying the information panel until a second multimedia item is selected.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the additional information is represented as metadata associated with the particular multimedia item.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the information panel is to be displayed without obstructing the particular multimedia item.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first predefined time allows a retrieval of information for the information panel remotely across a network.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the information panel is to automatically expand to show the additional information should the additional information exceed a preconfigured display size of the information panel.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the information panel is to obstruct anything else but the particular multimedia item to display the additional information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first predefined time equals the second predefined time.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the items is related to a group of songs or a sound track, and wherein information displayed in the information panel includes a picture representing an art associated with the group of songs or the sound track.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

showing an indexing display that includes a list of indexes, each corresponding to a group of items in the list that share one or more common characteristics;

facilitating user scrolling in the indexing display for a desired index; and

facilitating user scrolling in the list when the desired index is confirmed, wherein the scrolling in the list starts at the item indexed by the desired index.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the information panel is superimposed in an area of the graphical user interface apart from the list of items.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the particular multimedia item is not currently being played by the audio device.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein retrieving automatically further comprises:

attempting to locate the additional information corresponding to the particular multimedia item locally on the controller; and

,

upon a failure to locate the additional information locally, retrieving, from the remote device, the additional information.

13. A controller apparatus comprising:

a display to display a plurality of multimedia items in a list, the plurality of multimedia items selectable for play on a networked device;

an input interface to accept user touch input to position a moveable indicator with respect to a particular multimedia item of the plurality of multimedia items; and

a processor configured to;

determine that the moveable indicator has remained positioned with respect to the particular multimedia item for a first predefined time;

retrieve automatically, from a remote device and based on the moveable indicator position with respect to the particular multimedia item and upon passage of the first predefined time, additional information corresponding to the particular multimedia item, the additional information to form an information panel for the particular multimedia item, the additional information not shown in the list and instead displayed in the information panel;

display the information panel associated with the particular multimedia item via the controller, the information panel positioned over a portion of the graphical user interface, the information panel to display the additional information regarding the particular multimedia item, the additional information not otherwise viewable in the list of multimedia items, wherein the first predefined time is to avoid an inadvertent display of the information panel when the movable indicator is moving through the list;

determine whether the information panel is obstructing another item displayed via the graphical user interface;

when the information panel is determined to be obstructing another item displayed via the graphical user interface, trigger the information panel to automatically disappear after a second predefined time; and

when the information panel is determined not to be obstructing another item displayed via the graphical user interface, display the information panel until a second multimedia item is selected.

14. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the first predefined time is to allow a retrieval of information for the information panel remotely across a network.

15. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the processor is to attempt to locate the additional information corresponding to the particular multimedia item on the controller apparatus, and, upon a failure to locate the additional information locally, retrieve, from the remote device, the additional information.

16. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the additional information is represented as metadata associated with the particular multimedia item.

17. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the information panel is automatically displayed without obstructing the particular multimedia item.

18. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the additional information comprises a video clip or audio sample that is to be played when the moveable indicator has remained positioned with respect to the particular multimedia item for the first predefined time.

19. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the information panel is to expand to show the additional information should the additional information exceed a preconfigured display size of the information panel.

20. The apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein the information panel is to obstruct anything else but the particular multimedia item to display the additional information.

21. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first predefined time equals the second predefined time.

22. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein each of the items is related to a group of songs or a sound track, information displayed in the information panel is to include a picture representing an art associated with the group of songs or the sound track.

23. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the information panel is superimposed in an area of the display apart from the list of items.

24. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the particular multimedia item is not currently being played by the networked device.

25. The apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the processor is to further execute instructions to:

show an indexing display that includes a list of indexes, each corresponding to a group of items in the list that share one or more common characteristics;

facilitate user scrolling in the indexing display for a desired index; and

facilitate user scrolling in the list when the desired index is confirmed, wherein the scrolling in the list starts at the item indexed by the desired index.