Method for Controlling a Device

• US 20080276198A1
• Filed: 01/16/2006
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Richter, Anke, Murr, Florian, Kollmann, Johanna, Fertl, Daniela, Tarkus, Astrid, Kaiser, Frijof
• Granted Patent: US 9,323,414 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/841
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A device with a graphical user interface, via which the functions of the device are controlled has functions divided into categories which are sub-divided into subcategories. The categories are represented by primary regions that are schematically arranged on the user interface. The primary regions contain elements, each of which represents a sub-category of the category of the respective primary region. In addition, only one primary region is expanded by the display of a secondary region after an element has been selected. The secondary region contains control elements for at least one function that is assigned to the sub-category representing the selected element. The at least one function is controlled by the control elements.

Claims

1-8. -8. (canceled)

9. A method for controlling a device having a user interface by which functions of the device are controlled, comprising:

dividing the functions into categories and the categories into subcategories;

representing the categories by primary regions on the user interface, the primary regions arranged in a schema and containing elements which each represent a subcategory of a category of one of the primary regions;

responding to a selection of an element by expanding only one primary region by a secondary region in which control elements are displayed for at least one function which is associated with an associated subcategory that is represented by the element selected; and

controlling the at least one function by way of the control elements.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the device is a mobile terminal device.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the device forwards control commands to another system.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11,

wherein the other system is a house automation system,

wherein the categories are associated with rooms of a house,

wherein the subcategories are associated with room properties, and

wherein the functions regulate the room properties.

13. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the primary regions are displayed as bars.

14. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the elements are icons.

15. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said representing includes displaying the secondary region using an animation which pushes remaining primary regions from the user interface.

16. A device comprising:

means for dividing the functions into categories and the categories into subcategories;

means for representing the categories by primary regions on the user interface, the primary regions arranged in a schema and containing elements which each represent a subcategory of a category of one of the primary regions;

means for responding to a selection of an element by expanding only one primary region by a secondary region in which control elements are displayed for at least one function which is associated with an associated subcategory that is represented by the element selected; and

means for controlling the at least one function by way of the control elements.