Searching a list based upon user input

• US 8,296,681 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2007
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Nurmi, Mikko
• Primary Examiner(s): Queler, Adam M
• Assistant Examiner(s): LONG, ANDREA NATAE
• Application Number:
  US11/844,717
• Publication Number:
  US 20090055771A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,887 Days
• Field of Search: 715/810, 715/845, 715/863
• US Class Current: 715/845
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

An apparatus, comprising: a user output device configured to display a first plurality of items from a list of items, each item having data portions in fields; a user input device configured to enable a user to select at least one character from a plurality of selectable characters and to associate the selected at least one character with a field; and processing circuitry configured to control the user output device to display a second plurality of items, the second plurality of items being selected from the list of items and ordered, wherein the selection and ordering is in dependence upon a comparison between the selected at least one character and the data portion that each item has in the associated field.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

processing circuitry; and

at least one memory storing computer program instructions, the at least one memory and the computer program instructions configured to, with the processing circuitry, cause the apparatus to at least;

control a display to display a first plurality of items from a list of items, each of the displayed first plurality of items having data portions displayed in a plurality of selectable fields;

enable a user to input at least one character on one or more portions of a plurality of portions of a touch screen display device and to simultaneously, upon character input, select in dependence upon the one or more portions, at least one field, from the plurality of selectable fields, with which to associate the input at least one character; and

control the display to display a second plurality of items, the second plurality of items being selected from the list of items, wherein the selection is in dependence upon a comparison between the at least one character input by the user and the data portions the items have in the selected at least one field.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein in response to a first individual character being input by the user, the at least one memory including the computer program instructions is further configured to, with the processing circuitry, cause the apparatus to compare the data portions that the items have in the selected at least one field with the first individual character.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein in response to a second individual character being input by a user, the at least one memory including the computer program instructions is further configured to, with the processing circuitry, cause the apparatus to compare the data portion that the items have in the selected at least one field with the first and second individual characters.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one character is input by the user writing the at least one character on the touch screen display device.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, the at the least one character is input by selecting at least one character icon from a plurality of character icons displayed on the touch screen display device.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein individual characters are input by dragging a character icon displayed on the touch screen display device from one portion of the touch screen display device to another.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of items relates to emails.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a display.

9. A method, comprising:

controlling a display to display a first plurality of items from a list of items, each of the displayed first plurality of items having data portions displayed in a plurality of selectable fields;

enabling a user to input at least one character on one or more portions of a plurality of portions of a touch screen display device and to simultaneously, upon character input, select in dependence upon the one or more portions, at least one field, from the plurality of selectable fields, with which to associate the input at least one character; and

controlling the display to display a second plurality of items, the second plurality of items being selected from the list of items, the selection being in dependence upon a comparison between the at least one character input by the user and the data portion that the items have in the selected at least one field.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein in response to a first individual character being input by the user, the data portions that the items have in the selected at least one field are compared with the first individual character.

11. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one character is input by the user writing the at least one character on the touch screen display device.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer program instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause at least the following to be performed:

controlling a display to display a first plurality of items from a list of items, each of the displayed first plurality of items having data portions displayed in a plurality of selectable fields;

enabling a user to input at least one character on one or more portions of a plurality of portions of a touch screen display device and to simultaneously, upon character input, select in dependence upon the one or more portions, at least one field, from the plurality of selectable fields, with which to associate the input at least one character; and

controlling the display to display a second plurality of items, the second plurality of items being selected from the list of items, the selection being in dependence upon a comparison between the at least one character input by the user and the data portions that the items have in the selected at least one field.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer program instructions as claimed in claim 12, wherein in response to a first individual character being input by the user, the data portions that the items have in the selected at least one field are compared with the first individual character.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer program instructions as claimed in claim 12, wherein the at least one character is input by the user writing the at least one character on the touch screen display device.

15. A graphical user interface, comprising:

a touch sensitive display configured to display a first plurality of items from a list of items, each of the displayed first plurality of items having data portions displayed in a plurality of selectable fields;

wherein the touch sensitive display is further configured to enable a user to input one or more characters on one or more portions of a plurality of portions of the touch sensitive display and to simultaneously, upon character input, select in dependence upon the one or more portions, at least one field, from the plurality of selectable fields, with which to associate the input at least one character, wherein following input of the one or more characters, the touch sensitive display displays a second plurality of items, the second plurality of items being selected from the list of items and ordered in dependence upon the at least one character input by the user and the data portion that items have in the selected at least one field.

16. A graphical user interface as claimed in claim 15, wherein in response to a first individual character being input by the user, the data portions that the items have in the selected at least one field are compared with the first individual character.

17. A graphical user interface as claimed in claim 15, wherein the at least one character is input by the user writing the at least one character on the touch screen display device.