Computing device with improved user interface for applications

• US 8,434,020 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2001
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conversant Wireless Licensing S.à.r.l. (f/k/a Core Wireless Licensing S.a.r.l.) (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Original Assignee: Conversant Wireless Licensing S.à.r.l. (f/k/a Core Wireless Licensing S.a.r.l.) (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Inventors: Martyn, Mathieu Kennedy
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, THANH T
• Application Number:
  US10/343,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20040051726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,295 Days
• Field of Search: 715/762, 715/776, 715/759, 715/808
• US Class Current: 715/808
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. SMS or e-mail
• 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

The present invention offers a snap-shot view which brings together, in one summary window, a limited list of common functions and commonly accessed stored data which itself can be reached directly from the main menu listing some or all applications. This yields many advantages in ease and speed of navigation, particularly on small screen devices.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising a display screen, the computing device being configured to display on the screen a main menu listing at least a first application, and additionally being configured to display on the screen an application summary window that can be reached directly from the main menu, wherein the application summary window displays a limited list of at least one function offered within the first application, each function in the list being selectable to launch the first application and initiate the selected function, and wherein the application summary window is displayed while the application is in an un-launched state.

2. The computing device of claim 1 in which selecting a function listed in the summary window causes the first application to open and that selected function to be activated.

3. The computing device of claim 1 in which an application launcher lists names and/or icons of several applications and selecting one of said names or icons causes the summary window for that application to be opened.

4. The computing device of claim 1 in which the kinds of content of a summary window for a given application is selected using a process in which the device learns what functionality and/or stored data types are of interest to any given user.

5. The computing device of claim 1 in which the user can define what functionality and/or stored data types are of interest to that user for the summary window for an application.

6. The computing device of claim 1 in which the functionality and/or stored data types for a summary window for a given application varies with the environment of the device.

7. The computing device of claim 1 in which the functionality and/or stored data types for a summary window for a given application varies with the actions of the user.

8. The computing device of claim 1 in which opening a summary window for a given application does not result in that application being opened.

9. The computing device of claim 1 in which the summary window is a frame which includes the name of the first application.

10. The computing device of claim 1 in which the summary window further display a list of data stored in that application.

11. The computing device of claim 1, being a mobile telephone.

12. The computing device of claim 1, being a PC.

13. The computing device of claim 1 wherein said limited list is a sub-set of all of the functions offered by a given application.

14. The computing device of claim 13 wherein said limited list displays only functions in said sub-set and thus cannot be scrolled to reveal additional functions outside of the sub-set.

15. The computer program product according to claim 14 wherein said limited list displays only functions in said sub-set and thus cannot be scrolled to reveal additional functions outside of the sub-set.

16. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable code embodied in the medium which, when running on a computing device, causes the computing device to display on a screen of the device a main menu listing at least a first application, and additionally causes the device to display on the screen an application summary window that can be reached directly from the main menu, wherein the summary window displays a limited list of at least one function offered within the first application, each function in the list being selectable to launch the first application and initiate the selected function, and wherein the application summary window is displayed while the application is in an unlaunched state.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein said computer-readable code comprises an operating system program.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein said computer-readable code is operable such that selecting a common function listed in the summary window causes the related application to open and that selected common function to be activated.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein said computer-readable code is operable to cause the screen to display an application launcher which lists the names and/or icons of several applications, wherein selecting a name or icon causes the summary window for that application to be opened.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein said computer-readable code enables the kinds of content of a summary window for a given application to be selected using a process in which the device learns what functionality and/or stored data types are of interest to any given user.

21. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein said computer-readable code enables a user to define what functionality and/or stored data types are of interest to that user for the summary window for an application.

22. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein said computer-readable code enables the functionality and/or stored data types for a summary window for a given application to vary with the environment of the device.

23. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein said computer-readable code enables the functionality and/or stored data types for a summary window for a given application to vary with the actions of the user.

24. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein said computer-readable code enables the opening of a summary window for a given application without resulting in that application being opened.

25. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein said computer-readable code enables the summary window to be a frame which includes the name of the associated application.

26. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein said computer-readable code enables the summary window to further display a list of data stored in that application.

27. The computer program product according to claim 16 wherein said limited list is a sub-set of all of the functions offered by a given application.