Method and apparatus for previewing and selecting a network resource using a rotary knob for user input

• US 6,640,250 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2000
• Issued: 10/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: 3Com Corporation (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Mills, Michael, Winninger, Ray, Chang, Shu Kuen
• Primary Examiner(s): Geckil, Mehmet B.
• Application Number:
  US09/583,835
• Time in Patent Office: 1,245 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/245, 709/229, 709/225, 709/226, 709/227, 709/228, 709/250, 345/738-39, 345/763-64, 345/783, 345/787, 345/810, 345/835, 345/838, 345/846, 345/853, 345/855
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus and method for selecting wide area network resources, such as resources identified by URL values, using a rotary knob for user input. A client device having a display and a rotary knob is used for accessing network resources via a public network using an application program, such as a browser application. Rotation of the knob is detected by the client device, which adjusts the contents of a previewing window according to the rotation of the knob. The previewing window identifies graphics corresponding to predefined network resources and the graphics are output in a preview area of the display on the client device. As the user rotates the knob, the graphics for the network resources in the preview window are scrolled through the preview area of the display under control of the knob. The preview area includes a selection frame for selecting a network resource. When a graphic corresponding to a desired network resource is positioned within the selection frame, then the user depresses the knob, or other selection input device, to select the desired network resource. A network resource identifier, such as a URL value, corresponding to the desired network resource, is then sent to the browser application for processing. The browser application transmits a command, such as an HTTP command, onto the public network, receives and processes a response to the HTTP command, and displays the information from the response on the display of the client device.

Claims

1. A client system for accessing wide area network resources, the client system comprising:

a display having a viewing area and a previewing area, where the previewing area includes a selection frame;

a user selection knob configured to generate a clock signal and a data signal, where the clock signal indicates that the knob is being rotated and the data signal indicates a direction of rotation of the knob;

a selection switch configured to generate a selection signal;

a memory subsystem configured to store a predetermined hierarchy of network resources, where the hierarchy of network resources includes a plurality of network resource identifier pairs, where each one of the plurality of network resource identifier pairs further includes a network resource identifier value corresponding to a network resource accessible via a wide area network and a graphic representing the network resource;

a network access circuit configured to communicate with the wide area network; and

a processor system coupled to the display, the user selection knob, the selection switch, the memory subsystem, and the network access circuit, where the processor system is configured to receive and decode the clock signal and the data signal in order to control a data index that selectively indexes one of the plurality of network resource identifier pairs, where the processor system is further configured to display the graphic from the network resource identifier pair indicated by the data index in the selection frame of the display, and where the processor system is still further configured, responsive to receiving the selection signal, to format a command that

includes the network resource identifier value of the network resource identifier pair indicated by the data index and transmit the command onto the wide area network via the network access circuit.

2. The client system of claim 1, wherein:

the previewing area of the display further includes a first previewing frame; and

the processor system is further configured to display the graphic from a first adjacent network resource identifier pair that is adjacent to the network resource identifier pair indicated by the data index.

3. The client system of claim 1, where the selection switch is integrated with the user selection knob such that depressing the user selection knob generates the selection signal.

4. The client system of claim 1, where the processor system is further configured to receive a response to the command, process the response, and display information from the response in the viewing area of the display.

5. The client system of claim 4, where the processor system further includes a browser application that formats the command and processes the response.

6. The client system of claim 1, where the processor system further includes a user interface application for updating the network resource identifier pairs of the hierarchy.

7. The client system of claim 1, where the processor system further includes:

a timer circuit configured to generate a timer interrupt signal at a predetermined time interval;

a knob interface circuit configured to receive the clock signal and the data signal from the user selection knob and, responsive thereto, maintain a count value corresponding to the rotational motion of the user selection knob; and

where the processor system is further configured to receive the timer interrupt signal and, responsive thereto, read the count value from the knob interface circuit and adjust the data index accordingly.

8. The client system of claim 7, where the processor system is further configured to read a state of the selection signal responsive to the timer interrupt signal.

9. The client system of claim 1, where the processor system is further configured to be interrupted by the clock signal and, responsive thereto, adjust the data index based on the value of the data signal.

10. The client system of claim 1, where the processor system is further configured to be interrupted by the selection signal and, responsive thereto, format and transmit the command that includes the network resource identifier value of the network resource identifier pair indicated by the data index.

11. The client system of claim 1, where the user selection knob further comprises an incremental rotary encoder device.

12. The client system of claim 1, where each network resource identifier value is one of a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) value or a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) value.

13. A method for selecting network resources on a wide area network, the method comprising the steps of:

storing a hierarchy of the network resources accessible via the wide area network, the hierarchy of network resources including a plurality of network resource identifier pairs, where each one of the plurality of network resource identifier pairs further includes a network resource identifier value corresponding to a network resource accessible via the wide area network and a graphic representing the network resource;

rotating a user selection knob to control a data index to the hierarchy of network resources, where the data index indicates one of the plurality of network resource identifier pairs;

displaying in a selection frame the graphic from the network resource identifier pair indicated by the data index;

selecting the network resource indicated by the data index; and

accessing the selected network resource using the network resource identifier value from the network resource identifier pair indicated by the data index.

14. The method of claim 13, where the step of rotating a user selection knob to control a data index to the hierarchy of network resources further comprises the steps of:

ascending the hierarchy of network resources with the data index when the user selection knob is rotated in a first direction; and

descending the hierarchy of network resources with the data index when the user selection knob is rotated in a second direction.

15. The method of claim 13, where the step of rotating a user selection knob to control a data index to the hierarchy of network resources includes:

maintaining a count value corresponding to rotational movement of the user selection knob;

periodically checking the count value; and

adjusting the data index according to periodic change in the count value.

16. The method of claim 13, where the step of rotating a user selection knob to control the data index to the hierarchy of network resources includes:

sensing a transition in a clock signal caused by rotation of the user selection knob;

responsive to the transition in the clock signal, sensing a value of a data signal that indicates a direction of rotation of the user selection knob;

incrementing the data index to a next network resource value pair in the hierarchy of network resources responsive to a first value of the data signal; and

decrementing the data index to a preceding network resource value pair in the hierarchy of network resources with the data index responsive to a second value of the data signal.

17. The method of claim 13, where the step of selecting the network resource indicated by the data index includes depressing the user selection knob.

18. The method of claim 13, where the step of selecting the network resource indicated by the data index includes depressing a user input button.

19. The method of claim 13, where the method includes a step of displaying in a preview frame the graphic from an adjacent network resource identifier pair that is adjacent in the hierarchy to the network resource identifier pair indicated by the data index.

20. The method of claim 13, where the step of accessing the selected network resource using the network resource identifier value from the network resource identifier pair indicated by the data index further comprises the steps of:

formatting a command that includes the network resource identifier value from the network resource identifier pair indicated by the data index;

transmitting the command onto the network;

receiving a response to the command from the network; and

processing and displaying information from the response.

21. The method of claim 13, where:

the step of selecting the network resource indicated by the data index includes sending the network resource identifier value from the network resource identifier pair indicated by the data index to a browser application; and

the step of accessing the selected network resource using the network resource identifier value from the network resource identifier pair indicated by the data index includes the steps of;

formatting an HTTP command in the browser that includes the network resource identifier value from the network resource identifier pair indicated by the data index,

transmitting the HTTP command onto the network,

receiving an HTTP response that includes HTML information,

processing the HTML information in the browser application to form a web page, and

displaying the web page.

22. The method of claim 13, the method further including a step of adding a new network resource identifier pair to the hierarchy of network resources.

23. A computer readable medium that includes computer readable instructions for executing the steps of claim 13.

24. A method for selection of input to a browser application, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a hierarchy of network resources, each network resource having a network resource identifier value and a graphic;

rotating a knob to control a subset of network resources within a preview window from the hierarchy of network resources;

providing a preview area on a display;

displaying the graphics corresponding to the network resources within the preview window;

selecting a graphic displayed with the preview area; and

inputting the network resource identifier value corresponding to the selected graphic to the browser application.

25. The method of claim 24, where the step of displaying the graphics corresponding to the network resources within the preview window further comprises scrolling the graphics corresponding to the network resources within the preview window through the preview area responsive to rotation of the knob.

26. The method of claim 24, where the network resources are accessible via a wide area network.

27. The method of claim 26, where the network resource identifier values further comprise URL values.

28. The method of claim 24, the method further including the steps of:

processing the network resource identifier value input to the browser application; and

displaying an output of the browser application in a viewing area of the display.