Method for displaying a hierarchically structure list and associated display unit

• US 20050125147A1
• Filed: 10/19/2002
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Mueller, Guido
• Granted Patent: US 7,716,582 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/209
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3632 Guidance using simplified or iconic instructions, e.g. using arrows G01C21/365 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A method is provided for displaying at least one hierarchically structured list having at least two levels, and a display unit for such a method is also provided, in which the user is offered an optimum overview in the display of hierarchically structured lists having at least two levels. In the display of one or more of the subordinate elements of the list, the respective superordinate element of the list associated with the subordinate element of the list is also always displayed.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A method for displaying at least one hierarchically structured list having at least two levels including at least one hierarchical level of superordinate elements and at least one hierarchical level of subordinate elements, at least one subordinate element being associated with at least one superordinate element, the method comprising:

displaying at least one subordinate element; and

displaying a respective superordinate element associated with the at least one subordinate element displayed.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

subdividing a display region of a display device into at least one superordinate display region and at least one subordinate display region;

wherein the at least one subordinate element is displayed in the subordinate display region and the respective superordinate element associated with the at least one subordinate element is displayed in the superordinate display region.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein a plurality of subordinate elements are associated with the respective superordinate element, and wherein at least one subordinate element is blanked out of the subordinate display region.

18. The method claim 17, wherein at least one subordinate element at the beginning of the subordinate display region is blanked out.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein a separating line separates the superordinate display region and the subordinate display region, the method further comprising:

shifting at least one of the separating line and a blanking element between the superordinate display region and the subordinate display region so that all superordinate elements associated with the displayed subordinate elements are displayed in the superordinate display region.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein a separating line separates the superordinate display region and the subordinate display region, the method further comprising:

shifting at least one of the separating line and a blanking element between the superordinate display region and the subordinate display region so that all superordinate elements associated with the displayed subordinate elements are displayed in the superordinate display region.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

(A) determining superordinate elements and subordinate elements to be displayed; and

(B) displaying the at least one subordinate element and the respective superordinate element associated with the at least one subordinate element.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the method step (A) for determining superordinate elements and subordinate elements to be displayed includes the following sub-steps:

[A.1] defining a current element as a last element in an original list to be displayed, and proceeding to step [A.2];

[A.2] checking whether an additional element is acceptable in the subordinate display region, wherein;

if an additional element is acceptable in the subordinate display region, then proceeding to step [A.3]; and

if no additional element is acceptable in the subordinate display region, then proceeding to step [A.9];

[A.3] accepting the current element into the subordinate display region, and proceeding to step [A.4];

[A.4] checking whether the current element is also contained in the superordinate display region, wherein;

if the current element is also contained in the superordinate display region, then proceeding to step [A.5]; and

if the current element is not also contained in the superordinate display region, then proceeding to step [A.6];

[A.5] deleting the current element from the superordinate display region, and proceeding to step [A.8];

[A.6] specifying the at least one superordinate element as the current element, and proceeding to step [A.7];

[A.7] accepting the at least one superordinate element specified in step [A.6] into the superordinate display region if the at least one superordinate element is not yet contained in the superordinate display region, and proceeding to step [A.8];

[A.8] defining the current element as the next element to be displayed in the original list, and proceeding to step [A.2];

[A.9] displaying the superordinate display region and the subordinate display region.

23. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the method step [B] for displaying the at least one subordinate element and the respective superordinate element includes the following sub-steps:

[B.1] defining the current element as the first element of the superordinate display region to be displayed, and proceeding to step [B.2];

[B.2] displaying the current element, and proceeding to step [B.3];

[B.3] checking whether an additional element of the superordinate display region to be displayed is present, wherein;

if an additional element of the superordinate display region to be displayed is present, then proceeding to step [B.4]; and

if no additional element of the superordinate display region to be displayed is present, then proceeding to step [B.7];

[B.4] checking whether the subsequent element of the superordinate display region corresponds to the subsequent element of the original list, wherein;

if the subsequent element of the superordinate display region corresponds to the subsequent element of the original list, then proceeding to step [B.6]; and

if the subsequent element of the superordinate display region does not correspond to the subsequent element of the original list, then proceeding to step [B.5];

[B.5] displaying the at least one separating line and proceeding to step [B.6];

[B.6] defining the current element as the next element of the superordinate display region to be displayed, and proceeding to step [B.2];

[B.7] displaying the at least one separating line and proceeding to step [B.8]; and

[B.8] displaying the subordinate display region.

30. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one subordinate element and the respective superordinate element associated with the subordinate element are displayed by at least one of:

a cell phone;

a software-based route search application of a navigation system; and

a file manager.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

installing the navigation system in a vehicle.

32. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one subordinate element and the respective superordinate element associated with the subordinate element are displayed in a display window of a file manager.

24. A display unit for displaying at least one hierarchically structured list having at least two levels including at least one hierarchical level of superordinate elements and at least one hierarchical level of subordinate elements, at least one subordinate element being associated with at least one superordinate element, comprising:

an arrangement for displaying at least one subordinate element and a respective superordinate element associated with the at least one subordinate element displayed.

25. The display unit of claim 24, wherein the arrangement for displaying includes a display region subdivided into at least one superordinate display region and at least one subordinate display region, wherein the at least one subordinate element is displayed in the subordinate display region and the respective superordinate element associated with the at least one subordinate element is displayed in the superordinate display region.

26. The display unit of claim 25, wherein the display region includes at least one of a separating element and a blanking element configured to be shifted between the superordinate display region and the subordinate display region so that all superordinate elements associated with subordinate elements are displayed in the superordinate display region.

27. The display unit of claim 25, wherein the display region is configured to display in a smaller typeface in the superordinate display region at least some superordinate elements associated with subordinate elements.

28. A cellular phone, comprising:

at least one display unit configured to display at least one hierarchically structured list having at least two levels including at least one hierarchical level of superordinate elements and at least one hierarchical level of subordinate elements, at least one subordinate element being associated with at least one superordinate element, the display unit including;

an arrangement for displaying at least one subordinate element and a respective superordinate element associated with the at least one subordinate element displayed.

29. A navigation system, comprising:

at least one display unit configured to display at least one hierarchically structured list having at least two levels including at least one hierarchical level of superordinate elements and at least one hierarchical level of subordinate elements, at least one subordinate element being associated with at least one superordinate element, the display unit including;

an arrangement for displaying at least one subordinate element and a respective superordinate element associated with the at least one subordinate element displayed.