Apparatus and method of providing graphical user interface

• US 9,262,049 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2008
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Ju-Hwan, Lea, Jong-Ho, Park, Sang-Wook, Kim, Yeun-Bae
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAPANESE, WILLIAM C
• Application Number:
  US12/218,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20090049412A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,776 Days
• Field of Search: 715/836
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method of providing a graphical user interface, and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method of providing a graphical user interface that enables a user to rapidly search a desired menu.

An apparatus for providing graphical user interface according to an aspect of the invention includes an apparatus including an output unit outputting a first menu in which a plurality of menu items are arranged in a predetermined direction, and outputting a second menu having a first region and a second region that are classified from a menu item selected from the first menu according to a predetermined classification standard, and a control unit performing an operation that corresponds to a menu item selected from the second menu.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing a graphical user interface, comprising:

a computer comprising;

an output unit to output on a display a first menu comprising a first region of items, a second region of items, and a first category region comprising a first category and a second category, and to output on the display a second menu comprising a third region of items, a fourth region of items, and a second category region comprising a third category and a fourth category, according to a selected item from one of the first region of items and the second region of items of the first menu,

wherein the first region and the second region are arranged in opposite directions,

wherein the items in the first region correspond to the first category, and the items in the second region correspond to the second category,

wherein the first category and second category are arranged in the same and opposite directions as the first region and the second region, respectively, and

wherein when the selected item from one of the first region of items and the second region of items of the first menu is selected, the output unit outputs the second menu on the display to replace the first menu with the second menu such that the first region of items is replaced by the third region of items, the second region of items is replaced by the fourth region of items, and the first category region is replaced by the second category region.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

in the second menu, submenu items of the item selected from the first menu are classified according to a classification standard whose level is lower than that of the item selected from the first menu; and

the submenu items are included in each of the third region and the fourth region of the second menu according to the lower-level classification standard.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the items included in the third region and the fourth region of the second menu are displayed in different forms.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the items included in the first menu and the items included in the second menu are arranged in the same direction.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein, in the second menu, the priorities of the items included in the third region and the fourth region increase as the items become close to the boundary between the third region and the fourth region.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the priorities are predetermined or designated by a user.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the items included in the first menu are arranged in a predetermined direction.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the third region and fourth region are classified from the item selected from the first menu according to a predetermined classification standard.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller to perform an operation that corresponds to an item selected from the second menu.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a boundary between adjacent items in each of the third region and the fourth region of the second menu is displayed such that it seems to protrude from a screen.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, the adjacent items are displayed on two surfaces of a three-dimensional block which rotates in a direction in which items in each of the third region and the fourth region of the second menu are arranged, when a user moves the menu in order to select a desired item, while the remaining items in each of the third region and the fourth region of the second menu are displayed adjacent to the three-dimensional block.

12. A method of providing a graphical user interface, comprising:

outputting on a display a first menu comprising a first region of items, a second region of items, and a first category region comprising a first category and a second category;

receiving a selected item from one of the first region of items and the second region of items of the first menu; and

outputting on the display a second menu comprising a third region of items, a fourth region of items, and a second category region comprising a third category and a fourth category, according to the selected item from one of the first region of items and the second region of items of the first menu,

wherein the first region and the second region are arranged in opposite directions,

wherein the items in the first region correspond to the first category, and the items in the second region correspond to the second category,

wherein the first category and second category are arranged in the same and opposite directions as the first region and the second region, respectively,

wherein when the receiving of the selected item from one of the first region of items and the second region of items of the first menu is performed, the outputting of the second menu on the display comprises replacing the first menu with the second menu such that the first region of items is replaced by the third region of items, the second region of items is replaced by the fourth region of items, and the first category region is replaced by the second category region.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

in the second menu, submenu items of the item selected from the first menu are classified according to a classification standard whose level is lower than that of the item selected from the first menu; and

the submenu items are included in each of the third region and the fourth region of the second menu according to the lower-level classification standard.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the items included in the third region and the fourth region of the second menu are displayed in different forms.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the items included in the first menu and the items included in the second menu are arranged in the same direction.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein, in the second menu, the priorities of the items included in the third region and the fourth region increase as the items become close to the boundary between the third region and the fourth region.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the priorities are predetermined, or are designated by a user.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the items included in the first menu are arranged in a predetermined direction.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the third region and fourth region are classified from the item selected from the first menu according to a predetermined classification standard.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising performing an operation that corresponds to an item selected from the second menu.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the third and fourth categories are adjacent to one another, and a boundary between the third and fourth categories is displayed such that it seems to protrude from a screen.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the third and fourth categories are displayed on two surfaces of a three-dimensional block which rotates in a direction in which the third and fourth categories are arranged when a user moves the three-dimensional block in order to select a desired category, while the third region of items and fourth region of items are displayed adjacent to the three-dimensional block.