Cute user interface

• US 20060010395A1
• Filed: 07/11/2005
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Aaltonen, Antti
• Application Number:
  US11/179,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20060010395A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/779
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2747 Scrolling on a display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72451 according to schedules, e.g. using calendar applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/60 logging of communication history, e.g. outgoing or incoming calls, missed calls, messages or URLs logging of telephone numbers H04M1/56, H04M1/57

Abstract

A method for navigating information in a mobile terminal. The method includes displaying, on a graphical user interface of the mobile terminal, a plurality of window regions, wherein each region is a container for objects and provides an overview of contents of the terminal and a status of the terminal. Receiving a first user input to make a selection of one of the regions and in response to the first user input, displaying at least one object corresponding to a selected region in a central portion of the graphical user interface and displaying other non-selected regions that have a relationship to the selected region in a secondary manner. At least one management tool for accessing information related to the selected region is displayed and, upon activation of the at least one management tool, the information selected is displayed.

Claims

1. A method for navigating information in a mobile terminal, comprising:

displaying, on a graphical user interface of the mobile terminal, a plurality of window regions, wherein each region is a container for objects and provides an overview of contents of the terminal and a status of the terminal;

receiving a first user input to make a selection of one of the regions;

in response to the first user input, displaying at least one object corresponding to a selected region as the predominant object of objects displayed on the graphical user interface and displaying other non-selected regions and object(s) that have a relationship to the selected region'"'"'s object in a secondary manner;

displaying at least one management tool for accessing information related to the selected region; and

upon activation of the at least one management tool, displaying information selected.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting a region of the user interface that allows the user to access at least one application stored in the terminal and displaying a window on the user interface that provides functionality of the at least one application.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising displaying on the user interface, in a secondary fashion to the window corresponding to the selected region, at least one window corresponding to a non-selected region that is related to the selected region, the at least one window corresponding to the non-selected region providing the user with a functionality of the non-selected region.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the non-selected regions that have a relationship to the selected region include a region providing a contact list, a region providing calendar services and a region providing proximity and physical location of contacts from the contact list.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one region includes a region that provides a user of the terminal access to program applications and content files stored in the terminal.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the region that provides a user of the terminal access to program applications and content files has a secondary relation with a contact list stored in the terminal, a calendaring services function of the terminal and proximity and location services, objects for each of which are secondarily displayed on the graphical user interface when the content of the program application is primarily displayed.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising selecting one of the secondary objects, wherein the selected secondary object replaces the predominant object on the graphical user interface as a new predominant object.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising, highlighting, in each non-selected region displayed in a secondary manner, a function of the non-selected region that has a relationship to a function selected in the predominant region.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the selection of one of the regions, the selected region presents the user with one or more utility applications of the phone; and

selecting a utility application from the one or more utility applications;

presenting functionality and control features of the selected utility application on the display, wherein the user can access the control features to allow the user to control the utility application and functionality of the phone.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the selected utility application is a camera function of the mobile terminal and the user can utilize and control the camera function via the control features presented on the display.

11. A method for providing and accessing menu functions on a display of an electronic device comprising:

providing on the display, one or more menu functions in a menu structure, the menu structure comprising a primary object and at least one secondary object;

reformatting, upon selection of one of the menu functions, the selected menu function to be displayed as the primary object on the display;

determining which of non-selected menu functions have a relationship with the selected menu function; and

reformatting the non-selected menu functions that are related to the selected menu function to be displayed as secondary objects relative to the primary object on the display.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the primary object being displayed over a larger area of the display relative to the secondary objects.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising selecting one of the secondary objects, wherein the selected secondary object is resized and repositioned to become a new primary object on the display and remaining non-selected objects that have a relationship with the new primary object being resized and repositioned are displayed as the secondary objects on the display.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising, highlighting, in each secondary object, at least one item that has a relationship with an item of the primary object.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising selecting an item displayed in the primary object and highlighting in one of the secondary objects, at least one item that has a relationship with the selected item in the primary object.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the primary object is a calendar function and one of the secondary objects is a contact list, and upon selecting an appointment in the calendar function, at least one corresponding contact in the contact list related to the appointment is highlighted.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein reformatting the selected menu function comprises resizing the selected function to appear larger in viewing area on the display relative to secondary objects.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising displaying, during an idle state, on the graphical user interface:

an environment region as an initial primary object;

a contact list region as one of the secondary regions when the environment region is the initial primary object;

a content object as one of the secondary regions when the environment region is the initial primary object;

a calendar object as one of the secondary regions when the environment region is the initial primary object; and

an applications object as one of the secondary regions when the environment region is the initial primary object.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

highlighting at least one contact in the contact list when at least one contact is in a proximity of the terminal device; and

displaying, in the environment region, an identifier of the at least one contact in proximity of the terminal device together with a distance that the at least one contact in proximity of the terminal device is from the terminal device.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

selecting the contact region to be a next primary object;

repositioning the contact region as the next primary object;

repositioning the environment object as one of the secondary objects, wherein the environment object occupies an area previously occupied by the applications area; and

displaying, in the content region, a gallery of content of the terminal device and at least one content creation application.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

selecting an image from the gallery of content;

highlighting in the contact list, at least one contact that has a relationship with the selected image; and

wherein selecting the highlighted contact can activate a communication link with the highlighted contact.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

selecting an image from the gallery of content;

highlighting in the calendaring object time and date information related to the selected image.

23. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

selecting the contact list to be a next primary object;

repositioning the contact list from one of the secondary objects to the next primary object; and

repositioning the environment object to be one of the secondary objects by displacing a region occupied by the applications object.

24. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

selecting the calendar object as a next primary object;

replacing the environment region as the primary object with the calendar object;

moving the environment region into an area occupied by the applications object to become one of the secondary regions.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising:

selecting an appointment displayed in the calendar object;

highlighting at least one contact in the contact list region that has a relationship with the selected appointment; and

selecting the at least one contact in the contact list region to establish a communication gateway with the selected at least one contact.

26. The method of claim 24 further comprising displaying, in the environment region, proximity information related to at least one contact from the contact list region, and wherein selecting one of a displayed contact identifier in the environment region will cause the corresponding contact identifier in the contact list region to be highlighted.

27. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

using a five-position navigating device to navigate and select among the primary object and at least one secondary object; and

adapting a functionality of each selection position of the navigating device to correspond to a content of a current primary object being displayed.

28. The method of claim 11 further comprising providing, in the environment region, information that a content-related object is available to the terminal device.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising providing an icon in the environment region representing the information that a content-related object is available, wherein upon selection of the icon, an action related to the content-related object is automatically performed.

30. A graphical user interface for a terminal device comprising:

a display screen;

a user input device;

a processor arranged to display information on the display screen, the information comprising a plurality of regions, each region providing information related to a contents of the terminal and a status of the terminal, the processor being arranged to display;

a primary region; and

at least one secondary region, the primary region being displayed in a more predominant manner on the graphical user interface than the at least one secondary region.

31. The graphical user interface of claim 30, wherein the plurality of regions comprises:

a region with information related to proximity, context, available services and indicators;

a region presenting an available content of the terminal;

a region presenting a calendaring function;

a region presenting contacts; and

a region presenting applications stored in the terminal.

32. The graphical user interface of claim 30, further comprising a size of the primary region being larger relative to a size of the at least one secondary region.

33. The graphical user interface of claim 30, further comprising a position of the primary region being located in a central portion of the graphical user interface and a position of the at least one secondary region being in a border area of the graphical user interface.

34. The graphical user interface of claim 30, further comprising:

a first icon representing the primary region, the first icon being in a form of a first geometric shape; and

at least one second icon representing the at least one secondary region, the second icon being in a form of a second geometric shape.

35. The graphical user interface of claim 34 wherein the second geometric shape comprises a portion of the first geometric shape.

36. The graphical user interface as claimed in claim 30, wherein each at least one secondary region has a relationship with the primary region, and an indicator of the relationship comprises at least one highlighted portion of the at least one secondary region.

37. The graphical user interface as claimed in claim 30, further comprising a idle state display of the graphical user interface comprising:

a primary region comprising an object including proximity and context services;

a first secondary region comprising an object including an application content and utility functions available in the terminal device;

a second secondary region comprising an object including a contact list;

a third secondary region comprising an object including third-party applications available in the terminal device; and

a fourth secondary region comprising an object including calendaring services available in the terminal device.

38. A computer program product comprising:

a computer useable medium having computer readable code means embodied therein for causing a computer to generate a user interface for a terminal device, the computer readable code means in the computer program product comprising;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to generate a background region and a plurality of window regions;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to arrange the plurality of window regions as a primary region and a plurality of secondary regions;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to display in the primary region during an idle state of the terminal device, an object including information pertaining to location services, proximity and context;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to present, in a first of the secondary regions, information pertaining to a content of the terminal device;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to present, in a second of the secondary regions, a calendaring function of the terminal device;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to present, in a third of the secondary regions, information pertaining to contacts stored in the terminal device; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to present, in a fourth of the secondary regions, information pertaining to non-content related applications stored in the terminal device.

39. The computer program product of claim 38 further comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to present a functionality of one of the plurality of secondary region as a new primary region in response to a user input selecting of one of the plurality of secondary regions; and

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to present, after selection of the new primary region, non-selected regions that have a relationship with the new primary region as the plurality of secondary regions.

40. The computer program product of claim 39 further comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to filter out non-selected regions that do not have a relationship with the new primary region.

41. The computer program product of claim 38 further comprising:

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to determine a size of a display area of the terminal device and automatically scale the background region and the plurality of window regions to fit the size of the display area.

42. The computer program product of claim 38 further comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to determine an object level of detail depending on an available screen size of the terminal device.

43. The computer program product of claim 39 further comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to, in response to the user input selecting one of the plurality of secondary regions, reformat a size of the selected one of the plurality of secondary regions to be larger in size than other secondary regions and reformat a size of the primary region to a size of the secondary regions.

44. The computer program product of claim 39 further comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to, upon selection of the first of the secondary regions, allow a user to select a function of the terminal device and display user manipulatable controls related to the selected function.

45. The computer program product of claim 44 further comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to select a camera function of the terminal device and capture an image using the camera.

46. The computer program product of claim 45 further comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to allow the user to select at least one contact from the third region with whom to immediately share the captured image.

47. The computer program product of claim 45 further comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to allow the user to select an option from the second region in order to effect a time image capture.

48. The computer program product of claim 45 further comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to allow the user to select an option from the second region an create a calendar event that includes the captured image.

49. The computer program product of claim 45 further comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to allow the user to select an option from the second region that will attach the captured image to an existing scheduled event displayed in the second region.

50. A method for providing a graphical user interface for a terminal device comprising:

providing on a display of the terminal device a plurality of objects, one of the objects comprising a primary object and a remainder comprising secondary objects;

displaying the primary object as a predominant object in comparison to the secondary objects;

displaying as an initial primary object an environments region that provides proximity services, context services, and indicators for available content and service;

displaying as secondary objects;

a content region that presents an available content of the terminal device including a gallery of content of the terminal device and at least one content creation application;

a contact region that provides a contact list;

a calendaring region that provides calendar, task and appointment services; and

an applications region that identifies third-party applications stored in the terminal device;

displaying in the environment region, when a contact from the contact list is within a certain proximity to the terminal device, a contact identifier for the contact and a proximity of the contact from the terminal device;

highlighting in the contact list, when a task from the calendaring region is selected, one or more contacts related to the task, wherein upon selection of the highlighted one or more contacts in the contact list, a communication pathway is established with the one or more contacts.

51. The method of claim 50 further comprising:

selecting the content region to be a next primary object;

moving the environment region as the initial primary object to a secondary object position of the applications region;

selecting a content creation application from the content region;

displaying at least one control related to the content creation application that allows content to be created using the application.

52. The method of claim 51 further comprising:

capturing an image using the content creation application;

displaying the image; and

selecting at least one contact from the contact list with whom the image is to be shared, wherein selection of the at least one contact automatically opens a communication pathway and causes the image to be transmitted to the at least one contact.

53. The method of claim 50 further comprising:

selecting the content region to be a next primary object;

moving the environment region as the initial primary object to a secondary object position of the applications region;

selecting at least one content from the gallery of content in the content region that allows the at least one content and information related to the at least one content to be view and edited;

highlighting in the contact region at least one contact that is related to the at least one content selected.