On-screen menu buttons including multiple modes
First Claim
1. A method of successively displaying a root menu and a plurality of sub-menus in a menu region of a display screen, the method comprising:
- a) displaying a workspace for a software application in a work region of the display screen;
b) concurrently with continued and unobstructed display of the workspace in the work region, displaying a root menu in a menu region of the display screen, the root menu comprising a plurality of on-screen buttons arranged in a single row;
c) receiving user input activating one of the on-screen buttons;
d) responsive to user input activating an on-screen button of the root menu corresponding to a navigation operation, dismissing the root menu and displaying, in the menu region previously occupied by the root menu, and concurrently with continued and unobstructed display of the workspace in the work region, a sub-menu comprising a plurality of on-screen buttons arranged in a single row;
e) responsive to user input activating an on-screen button of a sub-menu corresponding to a navigation operation, dismissing the displayed sub-menu and displaying, in the menu region previously occupied by the sub-menu, and concurrently with continued and unobstructed display of the workspace in the work region, a menu other than the displayed sub-menu, the menu comprising a plurality of on-screen buttons arranged in a single row; and
f) responsive to user input activating an on-screen button corresponding to a function, performing the function.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Menu items are displayed on a screen, for example in the form of user-activatable on-screen buttons. A root menu is displayed, including a “more” button that allows the user to navigate to one or more sub-menus. Each menu can contain function buttons, menu buttons, or any combination thereof. Function buttons provide direct access to functions. Menu buttons provide access to sub-menus, which may be provided in a hierarchical arrangement. In some sub-menus, a menu title button replaces the “more” button and provides access to a previously displayed menu. The user can activate a displayed function button in any menu or sub-menu to perform an action associated with the function button. In one aspect, all menus are displayed in the same area of the screen. When a menu is to be displayed, it replaces the previously displayed menu.
36 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A method of successively displaying a root menu and a plurality of sub-menus in a menu region of a display screen, the method comprising:
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a) displaying a workspace for a software application in a work region of the display screen; b) concurrently with continued and unobstructed display of the workspace in the work region, displaying a root menu in a menu region of the display screen, the root menu comprising a plurality of on-screen buttons arranged in a single row; c) receiving user input activating one of the on-screen buttons; d) responsive to user input activating an on-screen button of the root menu corresponding to a navigation operation, dismissing the root menu and displaying, in the menu region previously occupied by the root menu, and concurrently with continued and unobstructed display of the workspace in the work region, a sub-menu comprising a plurality of on-screen buttons arranged in a single row; e) responsive to user input activating an on-screen button of a sub-menu corresponding to a navigation operation, dismissing the displayed sub-menu and displaying, in the menu region previously occupied by the sub-menu, and concurrently with continued and unobstructed display of the workspace in the work region, a menu other than the displayed sub-menu, the menu comprising a plurality of on-screen buttons arranged in a single row; and f) responsive to user input activating an on-screen button corresponding to a function, performing the function. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 20)
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9. A computer program product for successively displaying a root menu and a plurality of sub-menus in a menu region of a display screen, the computer program product comprising:
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a computer-readable medium; and computer program code, encoded on the medium, for causing a processor to perform the steps of; a) displaying a workspace for a software application in a work region of the display screen; b) concurrently with continued and unobstructed display of the workspace in the work region, displaying a root menu in a menu region of the display screen, the root menu comprising a plurality of on-screen buttons arranged in a single row; c) receiving user input activating one of the on-screen buttons; d) responsive to user input activating an on-screen button of the root menu corresponding to a navigation operation, dismissing the root menu and displaying, in the menu region previously occupied by the root menu, and concurrently with continued and unobstructed display of the workspace in the work region, a sub-menu comprising a plurality of on-screen buttons arranged in a single row; e) responsive to user input activating an on-screen button of a sub-menu corresponding to a navigation operation, dismissing the displayed sub-menu and displaying, in the menu region previously occupied by the sub-menu, and concurrently with continued and unobstructed display of the workspace in the work region, a menu other than the displayed sub-menu, the menu comprising a plurality of on-screen buttons arranged in a single row; and f) responsive to user input activating an on-screen button corresponding to a function, performing the function. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 24)
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17. A system for successively displaying a root menu and a plurality of sub-menus in a menu region of a display screen, the system comprising:
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an input device for receiving user input activating an on-screen button in a displayed menu; a display screen for; displaying a workspace for a software application in a work region of the display screen; concurrently with continued and unobstructed display of the workspace in the work region, displaying a root menu in a menu region of the display screen, the root menu comprising a plurality of on-screen buttons arranged in a single row; responsive to user input activating an on-screen button of the root menu corresponding to a navigation operation, dismissing the root menu and displaying, in the menu region previously occupied by the root menu, and concurrently with continued and unobstructed display of the workspace in the work region, a sub-menu comprising a plurality of on-screen buttons arranged in a single row; and responsive to user input activating an on-screen button of a sub-menu corresponding to a navigation operation, dismissing the displayed sub-menu and displaying, in the menu region previously occupied by the sub-menu, and concurrently with continued and unobstructed display of the workspace in the work region, a menu other than the displayed sub-menu, the menu comprising a plurality of on-screen buttons arranged in a single row; and a processor, for, responsive to user input activating an on-screen button corresponding to a function, performing the function. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 28)
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21. A method of successively displaying a root menu and a plurality of sub-menus in a menu region of a display screen, the method comprising:
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displaying a workspace for a software application in a work region of the display screen, the work region being separate from the menu region also displayed on the display screen; concurrently with continued and unobstructed display of the workspace in the work region, displaying a root menu in the menu region of the display screen, the root menu comprising a plurality of on-screen buttons; receiving user input activating one of the on-screen buttons; responsive to user input activating an on-screen button of the root menu corresponding to a navigation operation, replacing the root menu with a sub-menu comprising a plurality of on-screen buttons, wherein the sub-menu is displayed in the menu region previously occupied by the replaced root menu, and is displayed concurrently with continued and unobstructed display of the workspace in the work region; responsive to user input activating an on-screen button corresponding to a function, performing the function. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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25. A computer program product for successively displaying a root menu and a plurality of sub-menus in a menu region of a display screen, the computer program product comprising:
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a computer-readable medium; and computer program code, encoded on the medium, for causing a processor to perform the steps of; a) displaying a workspace for a software application in a work region of the display screen, the work region being separate from the menu region also displayed on the display screen, the menu region being a consistent location reserved for display of menus only; b) concurrently with continued and unobstructed display of the workspace in the work region, displaying a root menu in the menu region of the display screen, the root menu comprising a plurality of on-screen buttons; c) receiving user input activating one of the on-screen buttons; d) responsive to user input activating an on-screen button of the root menu corresponding to a navigation operation, replacing the root menu with a sub-menu comprising a plurality of on-screen buttons arranged in a single row, wherein the sub-menu is displayed in the menu region previously occupied by the replaced root menu, and is displayed concurrently with continued and unobstructed display of the workspace in the work region; e) responsive to user activation of an on-screen button of a sub-menu corresponding to a navigation operation, replacing the displayed sub-menu with a menu other than the displayed sub-menu, the menu comprising a plurality of on-screen buttons, wherein the menu is displayed in the menu region previously occupied by the replaced sub-menu, and is displayed concurrently with continued and unobstructed display of the workspace in the work region; and f) responsive to user input activating an on-screen button corresponding to a function, performing the function. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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29. A system for successively displaying a root menu and a plurality of sub-menus in a menu region of a display screen, the system comprising:
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an input device for receiving user input activating an on-screen button in a displayed menu; a display screen for; displaying a workspace for a software application in a work region of the display screen, the work region being separate from the menu region of the display screen; concurrently with continued and unobstructed display of the workspace in the work region, displaying a root menu in the menu region of the display screen; responsive to user input activating an on-screen button of the root menu corresponding to a navigation operation, replacing the root menu with a sub-menu comprising a plurality of on-screen buttons arranged in a single row, wherein the sub-menu is displayed in the menu region previously occupied by the replaced root menu, and is displayed concurrently with continued and unobstructed display of the workspace in the work region; and a processor, for, responsive to user input activating an on-screen button corresponding to a function, performing the function. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification