Methods, apparatus, computer-readable storage mediums and computer programs for selecting functions in a graphical user interface

• US 9,454,299 B2
• Filed: 07/21/2011
• Issued: 09/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Rainisto, Roope Aleksi
• Primary Examiner(s): Riegler, Patrick
• Application Number:
  US13/187,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20130024808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,895 Days
• Field of Search: 715/777, 715/810, 715/828, 715821-823
• 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 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A method including controlling display of a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface including a portion configured to present content associated with a program; controlling display of a plurality of functions in response to a user input, the plurality of functions being associated with the program and being displayed in the graphical user interface with the portion; and determining if the user input selects a function of the plurality of functions for execution.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

controlling display on a graphical user interface of a plurality of functions in response to a single gesture user input, such that each function of the plurality of functions is sequentially scrolled into view and displayed, on a portion of the graphical user interface at which content associated with an application program is simultaneously displayed, in response to each sequential scrolling of the single gesture user input by a predetermined distance d in a scrolling direction by which a next one of the plurality of functions is fully displayed on the graphical user interface,

wherein each different function of the plurality of functions causes the application program to carry out a different action;

in response to determining that a user has selected one of the plurality of functions, controlling display of the selected function of the plurality of functions with a first appearance on the graphical user interface, and controlling display of remaining functions of the plurality of functions that are simultaneously displayed on the graphical user interface with a different second appearance, wherein determining that the user has selected one of the plurality of functions is based on at least one of;

an extent of the single gesture user input along the scrolling direction, such that whichever of the plurality of functions that was fully displayed most recently on the graphical user interface is the selected function;

a duration of the single gesture user input relative to a predetermined time; and

the single gesture user input moving in another direction different from the scrolling direction; and

causing the selected function of the plurality of functions having the first appearance on the graphical user interface to execute in response to determining that the single gesture user input is terminated.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface includes one or more other portions configured to present content associated with other application programs different from any of the plurality of functions.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method is executed by a software application running in a portable electronic device comprising the graphical user interface.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining that the user has selected one of the plurality of functions is based on the extent of the single gesture user input along the scrolling direction.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining that the user has selected one of the plurality of functions is based on a duration of the single gesture user input relative to a predetermined time.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining that the user has selected one of the plurality of functions corresponds to the single gesture user input moving in another direction different from the scrolling direction.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the single gesture user input includes contacting the graphical user interface with an object, moving the object while maintaining contact between the object and the graphical user interface, and terminating the single gesture user input by removing contact between the object and the graphical user interface.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the said portion is a first portion, the single gesture user input comprises a first single gesture user input, the plurality of functions comprises a first plurality of functions, the graphical user interface comprises a multi-touch screen that includes the first portion and a different second portion, and the method further comprises:

controlling display on the second portion of the graphical user interface of a second plurality of functions in response to a second single gesture user input simultaneous with the first single gesture user input, such that each function of the second plurality of functions is sequentially scrolled into view and displayed on the second portion of the graphical user interface in response to each sequential scrolling of the second single gesture user input by the predetermined distance d in the scrolling direction.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein for any integer value of n between one and the total number of functions in the plurality of functions, controlling display on the graphical user interface as said results in n of the functions being simultaneously displayed at the graphical user interface corresponding to the distance n*d that the single gesture user input is displaced along the scrolling direction.

10. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform;

controlling display on a graphical user interface of a plurality of functions in response to a single gesture user input, such that each function of the plurality of functions is sequentially scrolled into view and displayed, on a portion of on the graphical user interface at which content associated with an application program is simultaneously displayed, in response to each sequential scrolling of the single gesture user input by a predetermined distance d in a scrolling direction by which a next one of the plurality of functions is fully displayed on the graphical user interface,

wherein each different function of the plurality of functions causes the application program to carry out a different action;

in response to determining that a user has selected one of the plurality of functions, controlling display of the selected function of the plurality of functions with a first appearance on the graphical user interface, and controlling display of remaining functions of the plurality of functions that are simultaneously displayed on the graphical user interface with a different second appearance, wherein determining that the user has selected one of the plurality of functions is based on at least one of;

an extent of the single gesture user input along the scrolling direction, such that whichever of the plurality of functions that was fully displayed most recently on the graphical user interface is the selected function;

a duration of the single gesture user input relative to a predetermined time; and

the single gesture user input moving in another direction different from the scrolling direction; and

causing the selected function of the plurality of functions having the first appearance on the graphical user interface to execute in response to determining that the single gesture user input is terminated.

11. A portable electronic device comprising the apparatus and the graphical user interface as claimed in claim 10.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein determining that the user has selected one of the plurality of functions is based on the extent of the single gesture user input along the scrolling direction.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform:

controlling display on a graphical user interface of a plurality of functions in response to a single gesture user input, such that each function of the plurality of functions is sequentially scrolled into view and displayed, on a portion of on the graphical user interface at which content associated with an application program is simultaneously displayed, in response to each sequential scrolling of the single gesture user input by a predetermined distance d in a scrolling direction by which a next one of the plurality of functions is fully displayed on the graphical user interface,

wherein each different function of the plurality of functions causes the application program to carry out a different action;

in response to determining that a user has selected one of the plurality of functions, controlling display of the selected function of the plurality of functions with a first appearance on the graphical user interface, and controlling display of remaining functions of the plurality of functions that are simultaneously displayed on the graphical user interface with a different second appearance, wherein determining that the user has selected one of the plurality of functions is based on at least one of;

an extent of the single gesture user input along the scrolling direction, such that whichever of the plurality of functions that was fully displayed most recently on the graphical user interface is the selected function;

a duration of the single gesture user input relative to a predetermined time; and

the single gesture user input moving in another direction different from the scrolling direction; and

causing the selected function of the plurality of functions having the first appearance on the graphical user interface to execute in response to determining that the single gesture user input is terminated.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 13, wherein for any integer value of n between one and the total number of functions in the plurality of functions, controlling display on the graphical user interface as said results in n of the functions being simultaneously displayed at the graphical user interface corresponding to the distance n*d that the single gesture user input is displaced along the scrolling direction.