Methods and apparatuses for viewing choices and making selections

• US 20050229116A1
• Filed: 04/07/2004
• Published: 10/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tambata, Ippei, Endler, Sean Christopher, Herres, Joseph Steven
• Granted Patent: US 7,600,201 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/862
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

In one embodiment, the methods and apparatuses detect an input; display a plurality of selections; detect a location of a first segment relative to the plurality of selections; highlight a particular selection from the plurality of selections when the first segment is within an area of the particular selection; and select the particular selection based on the first segment being located within the area of the particular selection.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting an input;

displaying a plurality of selections;

moving a first segment based on the input;

detecting a location of the first segment relative to the plurality of selections;

highlighting a particular selection of the plurality of selections when the first segment is within an area of the particular selection; and

selecting the particular selection based on the first segment being located within the vicinity of the particular one of the plurality of selections.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising displaying a plurality of sub-selections corresponding to the particular selection.

3. The method according to claim 2 further comprising highlighting a particular sub-selection from the plurality of sub-selections when a second segment is within an area of the particular sub-selection.

4. The method according to claim 1 the plurality of selections corresponds with a function.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the function is one of a save function, a print function, a play function, and a meeting schedule function.

6. The method according to claim 1 the plurality of selections corresponds with content.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the content is one of an audio content, a video content, a document, and a graphic.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the input is initiated through a pointing device.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the input is initiated through a touch screen.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the area of the particular selection is defined as an area closer to the particular selection compared to other selections.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein the area of the particular selection is defined as an area over the particular selection.

12. A system comprising:

means for detecting an input;

means for displaying a plurality of selections;

means for moving a first segment based on the input;

means for detecting a location of the first segment relative to the plurality of selections;

means for highlighting a particular selection of the plurality of selections when the first segment is within an area of the particular selection; and

means for selecting the particular selection based on the first segment being located within the vicinity of the particular one of the plurality of selections.

13. A method comprising:

detecting an input;

displaying a plurality of selections;

detecting a first segment within an area of a particular selection from the plurality of selections;

highlighting the particular selection based on the first segment located within the area of the particular selection; and

displaying a plurality of sub-selections corresponding to the particular selection.

14. The method according to claim 13 further comprising selecting the particular selection based, in part, on the first segment within the area of the particular selection.

15. The method according to claim 13 further comprising highlighting a particular sub-selection from the plurality of sub-selections when a second segment is within an area of the particular sub-selection.

16. The method according to claim 15 further comprising rotating the second segment over the plurality of sub-selections.

17. A system, comprising:

a input detection module to detect input through an input device;

a render module to render images for displaying a plurality of selections and a segment controlled by the input and used for selecting a particular selection from the plurality of selections, wherein the render module selectively highlights the particular selection based on the input and the location of the segment.

18. The system according to claim 17 wherein the render module displays a plurality of sub-selections based on the particular selection.

19. The system according to claim 17 wherein the input device is a pointing device.

20. The system according to claim 17 wherein the input device is a touch screen device.

21. The system according to claim 17 wherein the input detection module provides the input to the render module wherein the input rotates the segment over the plurality of selections.

22. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

detecting an input;

displaying a plurality of selections;

moving a first segment based on the input;

detecting a location of the first segment relative to the plurality of selections;

highlighting a particular selection of the plurality of selections when the first segment is within an area of the particular selection; and

selecting the particular selection based on the first segment being located within the vicinity of the particular one of the plurality of selections.