METHOD AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE FOR FACILITATING USER CONTROL OF A MENU

• US 20140026099A1
• Filed: 07/20/2012
• Published: 01/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Robert Simon Lessing
• Inventors: ANDERSSON REIMER, Nils Roger, THORSANDER, Simon Martin, LESSING, Robert Simon
• Granted Patent: US 9,256,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/825
• 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

Abstract

An electronic device comprising a display and means for receiving user input, a method of operation thereof and computer software, the method comprising, while receiving a first user input, displaying a menu in a first configuration, the menu in a first configuration having one or more menu elements; and on receiving a second user input continuous from the first user input, displaying the menu in a second configuration, wherein at least one element of the menu in a first configuration is represented in the menu in a second configuration.

Claims

1. A method, at an electronic device comprising a display and a means for receiving user input, the method comprising:

while receiving a first user input, displaying a menu in a first configuration, the menu in a first configuration having one or more menu elements; and

on receiving a second user input continuous from the first user input, displaying the menu in a second configuration, wherein at least one element of the menu in the first configuration is represented in the menu in the second configuration.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first user input is directed to an icon displayed on the display.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more menu elements are selectable to carry out an operation.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein said operation is performed in relation to an application having a graphical user interface displayed on the display.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the menu in the first configuration is displayed once a first user input has been received for longer than a predetermined threshold.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the menu elements in the menu in the first configuration consist of representative icons of operations associated with the menu elements.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the menu elements in the menu in the second configuration comprise descriptions of operations associated with the menu elements.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the menu in the first configuration is smaller than the menu in the second configuration.

9. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the menu in at least one of the configurations is displayed projecting from said icon displayed on the display.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the menu in at least one of the configurations is scrollable to display additional menu elements in response to receipt of user input.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein while the menu in a first configuration is displayed, further comprising receiving a user input selecting one of said menu elements and carrying out the operation associated with said menu element.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the user input selecting one of said menu elements is continuous from the first user input.

13. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the user input selecting one of said menu elements is a press and release on the menu element.

14. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein upon receiving the user input selecting one of said menu elements, displaying an indication that the selected menu element has been selected.

15. A method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising receiving a user input directed to one of said menu elements and displaying said menu element in an expanded form.

16. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first user input is an operational selection.

17. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first user input is a press.

18. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second user input is an operational unselection.

19. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second user input is a release.

20. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second user inputs are directed to the same location.

21. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second user input is a release on said icon displayed on the display.

22. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second user input is the converse of the first user input.

23. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the second user input is a movement of the press away from the menu.

24. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising receiving an intermediate user input continuous from the first user input and continuous to the second user input.

25. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electronic device comprises a touch sensitive display and wherein said user inputs are performed in relation to said touch sensitive display.

26. An electronic device comprising:

a display;

means for receiving user input;

one or more processors; and

memory comprising instructions which when executed by one or more of the processors cause the device to;

while receiving a first user input, displaying a menu in a first configuration, the menu in a first configuration having one or more menu elements; and

on receiving a second user input continuous from the first user input, displaying the menu in a second configuration, wherein at least one element of the menu in the first configuration is represented in the menu in the second configuration.

27. An electronic device as claimed in claim 26, wherein means for receiving user input is selected from the group comprising a touch-sensitive display, button, trackpad and scroll wheel.

28. A computer readable medium comprising instructions which when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device having a display and means for receiving user input cause the device to:

while receiving a first user input, displaying a menu in a first configuration, the menu in a first configuration having one or more menu elements; and

on receiving a second user input continuous from the first user input, displaying the menu in a second configuration, wherein at least one element of the menu in the first configuration is represented in the menu in the second configuration.