Scrolling with automatic compression and expansion

• US 5,923,327 A
• Filed: 04/23/1997
• Issued: 07/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Bell-Northern Research Ltd. (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Smith, Colin Donald, Beaton, Brian Finlay
• Primary Examiner(s): KATBAB, ABDOLLAH
• Application Number:
  US08/841,486
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 345/341, 40/371
• US Class Current: 715/784
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/48 Message addressing, e.g. address format or anonymous messages, aliases
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2747 Scrolling on a display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/576 associated with a pictorial or graphical representation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• 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

Abstract

The system and method consistent with the present invention improves searching and display features of graphical user interfaces by providing automatic compression and expansion of the display during the scroll.

Claims

1. A method of managing information display by compressing an amount of information displayed, the method comprising the steps of:

storing in memory a directory of entries each including a plurality of fields;

displaying the directory;

activating a scrolling mechanism to scroll the entries of the directory and display a certain amount of information;

displaying a selected one of the fields of the entries in a compressed manner when the scrolling mechanism is activated and continuously pressed;

receiving a user input releasing the scrolling mechanism; and

displaying other ones of the fields associated with the entries in an uncompressed manner when the scrolling mechanism is released.

2. The method of claim 1, further including the step of associating one of the fields of the entries with an icon representing the characteristics of that field.

3. The method of claim 2, further including the step of receiving a user input selecting the particular entry by activating the associated icon.

4. The method of claim 2, further including the step of displaying the fields associated with the icon in the form of a business card.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing step includes the substep of storing in the memory the directory of entries each including a plurality of telephone numbers and associated information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing step further includes the substep of

storing the directory in the memory of a communication device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing step further includes the substep of

storing the directory in the memory of a central computer.

8. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of receiving a user input selecting one of the displayed entries, and

initiating a call automatically to a telephone number associated with the selected entry.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the storing step includes the substep of storing in the memory the directory of entries each including a telephone number and associated information for a GSM network.

10. A system for managing information display by compressing an amount of information displayed, comprising:

a database for storing in memory a directory of entries each including a plurality of fields;

displaying means for displaying the directory;

means for activating a scrolling mechanism to scroll the entries of the directory and display a certain amount of information;

first means for displaying a selected one of the fields of the entries in a compressed manner when the scrolling mechanism is activated and continuously pressed;

means for receiving a user input releasing the scrolling mechanism; and

second means for displaying other ones of the fields associated with the entries in an uncompressed manner when the scrolling mechanism is released.

11. The system of claim 10, further including means for associating one of the fields of the entries with an icon representing the characteristics of that field.

12. The system of claim 11, further including

means for receiving a user input selecting the particular entry by activating the associated icon.

13. The system of claim 11, further including

means for displaying the fields associated with the icon in the form of a business card.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the database includes

a database for storing the directory of entries each including a plurality of telephone numbers and associated information.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the database is in the memory of a communication device.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the database is in the memory of a central computer.

17. The system of claim 10, further including

means for receiving a user input selecting one of the displayed entries, and

means for initiating a call automatically to a telephone number associated with the selected entry.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the database includes

a database storing the directory of entries each including a telephone number and associated information for a GSM network.