Management of files in a personal communication device

• US 7,956,272 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2005
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chaudhri, Imran, Wysocki, Christopher R., Christie, Greg, Wasko, Timothy, Jobs, Steve, Robbin, Jeffrey L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fletcher; Marlon T
• Application Number:
  US11/295,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20070038941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,010 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 84/477.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons

Abstract

Improved approaches for assisting a user interacting with a portable wireless communication device are disclosed. The improved approaches can provide a user interface for the portable wireless communication device that includes including a plurality of linked display screens and a plurality of physical keys.

Claims

1. A method of assisting a user interacting with a portable wireless communication device having a display and a plurality of user input devices, comprising:

providing a user interface for the portable wireless communication device, the user interface including a plurality of linked display screens;

displaying one of the linked display screens on the display as a current display screen;

determining an occurrence of a user input comprising pressing a selected user input device;

displaying a resulting action associated with the user input on a next display screen based upon the current displayed screen and a most recently displayed previous display screen, wherein the resulting action comprises fast-forwarding or rewinding a playback position with respect to a selected track;

comparing total press time of the selected user input device to a first value;

applying an acceleration factor dependant on total press time to the resulting action when total press time exceeds the first value; and

automatically decreasing the acceleration factor applied to the resulting action when the playback position approaches but has not yet reached an end of the track or a beginning of the track.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising displaying a plurality of user selectable items on the current display screen.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the plurality of user input devices includes a plurality of navigation keys arranged to provide a navigation signal used to navigate amongst the selectable items being displayed.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the plurality of user input devices includes a plurality of keypad keys arranged to provide a keypad input signal.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the portable wireless communication device is selected from a group that includes a cell phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and a digital multimedia player.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the keypad input signals are suitable for initiating a communication session by the portable wireless communication device.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the portable wireless communication device includes a memory device, and the method further comprises:

receiving a key press at a particular one of the keypad keys being configured to initiate a digital data file download operation;

downloading the digital data file in response to the key press of the particular one of the keypad keys; and

storing the digital data file in the memory device.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the digital data file is a digital audio file.

9. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the downloaded digital audio file is incorporated into a library of digital audio files stored in the memory device.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the plurality of linked display screens includes a main menu screen that is a home screen of the graphical user interface from which a user can view and interact with, at least, a selectable master playlist item, a selectable list of artist items, a selectable list of all album items, and a selectable list of song items corresponding to the digital audio files stored in the memory device.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of the master playlist item; and

displaying a playlists screen that lists selectable items corresponding to the names of all the playlists that have been stored in the memory device.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of one of the items of the playlists screen corresponding to a selected playlist; and

displaying a selected playlist screen corresponding to the selected playlist that includes a list of selectable items corresponding to the names of the songs in the selected playlist in the order in which they will be played.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the user can arrange the order of the songs in the selected playlist as desired.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of one of the items of the selected playlist corresponding to a selected song; and

displaying a now playing screen associated with the selected song.

15. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of one of the selectable artist items; and

displaying an all artists screen that lists selectable items corresponding to the names of all the artists that have been stored in the memory device.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of one of the items of the all artists screen corresponding to a selected artist; and

displaying an artist screen corresponding to the selected artist that includes a list of selectable items corresponding to the names of the songs stored in the memory device that correspond to the selected artist.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein user can arrange the order of the songs in the artists screen as desired.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of one of the items of the artist screen corresponding to a selected song; and

displaying a now playing screen associated with the selected song.

19. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of one of the all albums items; and

displaying an album screen that lists selectable items corresponding to the names of all the albums stored in the memory device.

20. A method as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of one of the items of the albums screen corresponding to a selected album; and

displaying a selected album screen corresponding to the selected album that includes a list of selectable items corresponding to the names of the songs in the selected album in the order in which they will be played.

21. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the user can arrange the order of the songs in the selected album screen as desired.

22. A method as recited in claim 21, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of one of the items of the selected album screen corresponding to a selected song; and

displaying a now playing screen associated with the selected song.

23. A method as recited in claim 20, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of one of the selectable items in the selected album screen corresponding to a selected album; and

displaying a songs screen that lists selectable items corresponding to the names of all the songs stored in the memory device that correspond to the selected album.

24. A method as recited in claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a user selection of one of the items of the songs screen corresponding to a selected song; and

displaying a now playing screen associated with the selected song.

25. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the acceleration factor increases as total press time increases.

26. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the resulting action includes displaying a position indicator associated with the playback position.

27. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising comparing total press time to a second value and changing the resulting action from a first mode to a second mode when total press time exceeds the second value.

28. A portable handheld device, comprising:

a display configured to display a user interface including a plurality of linked display screens;

multiple keys; and

a processor configured to determine an occurrence of a user input comprising pressing a selected key of the multiple keys and compare total press time of the selected key to a first value,

wherein the display is further configured to display a resulting action associated with the user input on a display screen, the resulting action comprising fast-forwarding or rewinding a playback position with respect to a selected track, and

wherein the processor is further configured to (i) apply an acceleration factor dependant on total press time to the resulting action when total press time exceeds the first value and (ii) automatically decrease the acceleration factor applied to the resulting action when the playback position approaches but has not yet reached an end of the track or a beginning of the track.

29. A device as recited in claim 28, wherein the acceleration factor increases as total press time increases.

30. A device as recited in claim 28, wherein the resulting action includes displaying a position indicator associated with the playback position.

31. A device as recited in claim 28, further comprising comparing total press time to a second value and changing the resulting action from a first mode to a second mode when total press time exceeds the second value.

32. A method of assisting a user interacting with a device, comprising:

displaying a display screen having an indicator moving along a track at a first rate;

determining an occurrence of a user input comprising actuating a user input device;

displaying a resulting action associated with the user input, the resulting action comprising moving the indicator along the track at a second rate greater than the first rate;

comparing total press time of the user input device to a value;

applying an acceleration factor dependant on total press time to the second rate when total press time exceeds the value; and

automatically decreasing the acceleration factor applied to the second rate when the indicator approaches but has not yet reached an end of the track or a beginning of the track.