METHODS FOR SEARCHING DIGITAL FILES ON A USER INTERFACE

• US 20100287154A1
• Filed: 05/07/2009
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Creative Technology Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Creative Technology Ltd.
• Inventors: TEE, Hock Guan, TAN, Aik Tat
• Granted Patent: US 9,658,760 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/708
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

There are provided methods for searching at least one desired digital file on a user interface. The user interface may include a first section showing a first sorted listing of digital files and a second section showing a second sorted listing of groupings by which the digital files in the first sorted listing are grouped. The user interface may be on either a touch-screen display or a non touch-screen display.

Claims

1. A method for searching at least one desired digital file on a user interface with the user interface including a first section showing a first sorted listing of digital files and a second section showing a second sorted listing of groupings by which the digital files in the first sorted listing are grouped, the method including:

placing a selector beyond a pre-determined period of time at a first position at the second sorted listing of groupings in the second section, the selector obscuring a portion of the user interface;

showing a representation of a grouping obscured by the selector that is placed at the second sorted listing of groupings in the second section;

minimizing a rate of scrolling of the second sorted listing of groupings in the second section when the selector is moved along the second sorted listing of groupings in the second section from the first position to a second position; and

showing at least a third sorted listing of digital files in the first section, the third sorted listing of digital files belonging to the grouping shown in the representation;

wherein both the representation and the at least a third sorted listing are continually updated as the selector is moved along the second sorted listing of the groupings in the second section.

2. The method of claim 1, further including:

moving the selector to the first section showing the at least a third sorted listing of digital files to select the at least one desired digital file.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selector is either a stylus tip or a finger tip.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein minimizing the rate of scrolling causes an appearance of the second sorted listing of groupings in the second section to be enlarged.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the representation of the grouping is enlarged in relation to an appearance of the second sorted listing of groupings in the second section.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the representation of the grouping is located in any portion of the user interface.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-determined period of time is at least one second.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second sorted listing of groupings scrolls in a first direction when the selector is positioned at a first end of the second sorted listing and the second sorted listing of groupings scrolls in a second direction when the selector is positioned at a second end of the second sorted listing.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the minimization of the rate of scrolling of the second sorted listing of groupings in the second section is due to enlargement of image pixels in the second section.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the selector is a digital icon controllable by an input device, with the input device being selected from a group comprising:

a computer mouse, a motion sensing controller, a joystick, directional control keys on a keyboard, a track ball, and any combination of the aforementioned.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface is on either a touch-screen display or a non touch-screen display.

12. A method for searching at least one desired digital file on a user interface with the user interface including a first section showing a first sorted listing of digital files and a second section showing a second sorted listing of groupings by which the digital files in the first sorted listing are grouped, the method including:

placing a selector beyond a pre-determined period of time at a first position at the second sorted listing of groupings in the second section, the selector obscuring a portion of the user interface;

showing a representation of a grouping obscured by the selector that is placed at the second sorted listing of groupings in the second section, the representation of the grouping being a fourth sorted listing of groupings including at least one grouping both before and after the grouping obscured by the selector, with the grouping obscured by the selector being centralized in the fourth sorted listing; and

showing at least a third sorted listing of digital files in the first section, the third sorted listing of digital files belonging to the centralized grouping shown in the representation;

wherein both the representation and the at least a third sorted listing are continually updated as the selector is moved along the second sorted listing of the groupings in the second section.

13. The method of claim 12, further including:

moving the selector to the first section showing the at least a third sorted listing of digital files to select the at least one desired digital file.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the selector is either a stylus tip or a finger tip.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the representation of the grouping is enlarged in relation to an appearance of the second sorted listing of groupings in the second section.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the representation of the grouping is located in any portion of the user interface.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the pre-determined period of time is at least one second.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the grouping obscured by the selector is highlighted within the fourth sorted listing.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the second sorted listing of groupings scrolls in a first direction when the selector is positioned at a first end of the second sorted listing and the second sorted listing of groupings scrolls in a second direction when the selector is positioned at a second end of the second sorted listing.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the highlighting uses forms selected from a group comprising:

enclosing within a boundary, varying font colour, varying font, bolding font, and italicizing font.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the selector is a digital icon controllable by an input device, with the input device being selected from a group comprising:

a computer mouse, a motion sensing controller, a joystick, directional control keys on a keyboard, a track ball, and any combination of the aforementioned.

22. The method of claim 12, wherein the user interface is on either a touch-screen display or a non touch-screen display.