Searching

• US 20090055771A1
• Filed: 08/24/2007
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Nurmi, Mikko
• Granted Patent: US 8,296,681 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

An apparatus, comprising: a user output device configured to display a first plurality of items from a list of items, each item having data portions in fields; a user input device configured to enable a user to select at least one character from a plurality of selectable characters and to associate the selected at least one character with a field; and processing circuitry configured to control the user output device to display a second plurality of items, the second plurality of items being selected from the list of items and ordered, wherein the selection and ordering is in dependence upon a comparison between the selected at least one character and the data portion that each item has in the associated field.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a user output device configured to display a first plurality of items from a list of items, each item having data portions in fields;

a user input device configured to enable a user to select at least one character from a plurality of selectable alphanumeric characters and to associate the selected at least one character with a field; and

processing circuitry configured to control the user output device to display a second plurality of items, the second plurality of items being selected from the list of items, wherein the selection is in dependence upon a comparison between the selected at least one character and the data portion that each item has in the associated field.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein only the second plurality of items is displayed.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the displayed second plurality of items does not include any of the items from the displayed first plurality of items.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the displayed second plurality of items includes at least one item from the displayed first plurality of items.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user input device is configured to enable a user to simultaneously select the at least one character and associate it with a field.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein in response to selection of a first individual character, the processing circuitry is configured to compare the data portion that each item has in the associated field with the first input character.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein in response to input of a second individual character, the processing circuitry is configured to compare the data portion that each item has in the associated field with the first and second input characters.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user input device and the user output device are comprised in a touch screen display device.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the touch screen display device is configured to enable a user to select the at least one character by writing the at least one character on the touch screen display device.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to associate each field with a portion of the surface area of the touch screen display device, and the processing circuitry is configured to determine which field the selected at least one character is associated with in dependence upon the portion of the surface area of the touch screen display device that the selected at least one character is written on.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the touch screen display device is configured to enable a user to select at the least one character by selecting at least one character icon from a plurality of character icons displayed on the touch screen display device.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein individual characters are selected by dragging a character icon displayed on the touch screen display device from one portion of the surface area of the touch screen display device to another.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to associate each field with a portion of the surface area of the touch screen display device, and the processing circuitry is configured to determine which at least one character is being selected and which field the selected at least one character is associated with in dependence upon the portion of the surface area of the touch screen display device that an character icon dragged to.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the selectable characters is included in the set of alphanumeric characters, symbols, shapes, manual movements and gestures.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each item of the plurality of items relates to an email.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to be operable as a mobile telephone.

17. A method, comprising:

displaying a first plurality of items from a list of items, each item having data portions in fields;

detecting the selection of at least one character from a plurality of selectable characters, the selection associating the selected character being with a field;

comparing the detected at least one character with the data portion that each item has in the associated field; and

displaying a second plurality of items, the second plurality of items being selected from the list of items, the selection being in dependence upon the comparison.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

means for displaying a first plurality of items from a list of items, each item having data portions in fields;

means for enabling a user to select at least one character from a plurality of selectable characters and to associate the selected at least one character with a field; and

control means, for controlling the means for displaying to display a second plurality of items, the second plurality of items being selected from the list of items, wherein the selection is in dependence upon a comparison between the selected at least one character and the data portion that each item has in the associated field.

19. A computer program, comprising:

instructions for displaying a first plurality of items from a list of items, each item having data portions in fields;

instructions for detecting the selection of at least one character from a plurality of selectable characters, the selection associating the selected character with a field;

instructions for comparing the detected at least one character with the data portion that each item has in the associated field; and

instructions for displaying a second plurality of items, the second plurality of items being selected from the list of items, the selection being in dependence upon the comparison.

20. A graphical user interface, comprising:

a user output device configured to display a first plurality of items from a list of items, each item having data portions in fields;

a user input device configured to enable a user to select at least one character from a plurality of selectable characters, and to enable the user to associate the selected at least one character with a field, wherein in response to the selection of the at least one character, the user output device displays a second plurality of items, the second plurality of items being selected from the list of items and ordered, in dependence upon the selected at least one character and the data portion that each item has in the associated field.