WO2007148040A1

WO2007148040A1 - Apparatus & method for selecting menu items

Info

Publication number: WO2007148040A1
Application number: PCT/GB2007/002075
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ian Richard Matthews
Original assignee: British Telecommunications Public Limited Company
Priority date: 2006-06-19
Filing date: 2007-06-06
Publication date: 2007-12-27
Also published as: GB0612128D0

Abstract

A wireless telephone (13) for selecting plural data items from a menu is described. The telephone (13) comprises a graphical user interface (GUI) for displaying a menu comprising a contact list and graphical selection means, in the form of a cursor (41), associated with a particular data item. A directional controller in the form of a joystick (23) is arranged to be operated by a user and to generate first and second control signals in response to first and second, substantially perpendicular, directional inputs. A selecting means is provided for receiving the first and second control signals from the joystick (23) and is effective to cause movement of the cursor (41) between data items in response to the first control signal and to cause selection of a data item associated with the current cursor position in response to the second control signal. Selection of data items for use in a subsequent processing operation, such as the setting up of a conference call or the sending of a text message, is confirmed using a dedicated control signal.

Description

APPARATUS & METHOD FOR SELECTING MENU ITEMS

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to apparatus and a method for selecting menu items, particularly a plurality of items for use in a subsequent processing operation.

Background of the Invention

It is common for computers and processing systems to present menus from which one or more items can be selected for use in a processing operation. For example, the website of an estate agent may present a menu enabling users to search for properties in one of a number of postal districts. The user selects a postal district which is then used to search properties, stored in the agent's database, which are located in the selected postal district.

It is advantageous to enable selection of plural items for use in a common processing operation. In the above case, the user may wish to select two or more postal districts in which to search. A further example is the sending of SMS text messages using mobile telephones and PDAs, where it is common for users to wish to send a single message to two or more contacts using a single 'send' command.

Selecting plural data items on a processing system having a basic control device, such as a joystick, can be cumbersome and inefficient. For example, a mobile telephone or PDA will usually have a four-way controller arranged to output directional signals when moved in one of the up/down/left/right directions. Directional signals results in a cursor or other highlighting means moving between menu items on the telephone/PDA and selection is achieved either by pressing a dedicated selection button or, in the case of a joystick, by pressing the joystick downwards into the body of the device. For example, a user wishing to send a SMS text message to multiple contacts in a single send operation will first type in their message and proceed to the contact list. The four-way controller is used to identify a first contact which is then selected using the selection button. This selection operation results in the contact list being exited and a confirmation screen is displayed requesting confirmation that the message is to be sent. In order to add an additional contacts, the user needs to re-enter the contact list which requires further menu inputs to go back down the menu hierarchy. Moreover, the process has to be repeated for each additional contact to which the message is to be sent. Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of selecting plural data items from a menu presented on a graphical user interface (GUI) of a data processing device, said processing device having an associated cursor control means changable between a neutral state and directional states along respective first and second axes, wherein the method comprises: (a) displaying on said GUI a menu comprising a list of data items and graphical highlighting means associated with one of the data items, the highlighting means being movable between adjacent data items in response to user action on the cursor control means along the first directional axis; (b) selecting a highlighted data item in response to a single user action on the cursor control means from the neutral state to a directional state along the second axis; (c) repeating step (b) to select one or more further data items in accordance with user action on the cursor control means along the first directional axis; and (d) confirming final selection of all selected data items for use in a common processing operation.

The method provides a way in which multiple menu items can be selected using a cursor control device, such as a joystick, in readiness for a common processing operation, for example by selecting two names from a contact list in readiness for sending a text message to both recipients. Even where just a four-way cursor control device is available, e.g. on a mobile telephone or television remote control, selection of multiple items can be achieved in a convenient and intuitive way without having to re-enter different levels of the menu hierarchy to add further items to the list. This also means that multiple items can be selected without having to operate any kind of button or switch that is ordinarily associated with confirming selection of an item.

The graphical highlighting means may be any displayable graphic capable of distinguishing one menu item from other menu items. This may involve displaying one item in bold typeface, italic typeface, underlined, in a different colour, and/or with a shaded background, to give some examples.

The menu can be displayed on the GUI as a vertical list of data items and user action along the first directional axis can be effective to cause movement of the highlighting means upwards or downwards through the list. Selection of a highlighted data item in step (b) can be effective to modify the appearance of the menu in such a way as to graphically indicate selection of the selected data item. The menu may be modified such that a marker is displayed adjacent the selected data item. The single user action in step (b) may be effective to cause movement of the graphical highlighting means from the data item to a region adjacent said data item and then back to the data item when the neutral state is returned to. The first and second axes are preferably substantially perpendicular to one another.

The menu may comprise a list of contact names and wherein the method further comprises establishing a communications link to destination terminals associated with each selected contact name.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a data processing device enabling selection of plural data items from a menu presented on a graphical user interface (GUI), the processing device having an associated cursor control means changable between a neutral state and directional states along respective first and second axes, wherein the device comprises: means for receiving control signals from the cursor control means indicative of the respective directional states; means for displaying on said GUI a menu comprising a list of data items and graphical highlighting means associated with one of the data items, the highlighting means being movable between adjacent data items in response to a control signal indicative of user action on the cursor control means along the first directional axis; means for selecting a highlighted data item in response to a control single indicative of user action on the cursor control means from the neutral state to a directional state along the second axis; and means for confirming final selection of a plurality of selected data items for use in a common processing operation.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of selecting plural data items from a menu for use in a processing operation, the method comprising: (a) displaying on a graphical user interface (GUI) a menu comprising a list of data items and graphical selection means associated with a first data item; (b) selecting a data item by (i) receiving a first control signal from a cursor controller indicative of first directional input, receipt thereof causing movement of said graphical selection means from the first data item to a second data item and (ii) receiving a second control signal from the cursor controller indicative of second directional input, receipt thereof causing selection of said second data item; (c) repeating step (b) to select one or more further data items; and (d) confirming selection of said plural data items for use in a processing operation. Preferably, receipt of the first control signal is effective to cause movement of said selection means along a first axis of the GUI. The menu may be displayed on the GUI as a vertical list of data items and receipt of the first control signal can be effective to cause movement of said selection means upwards or downwards through the vertical list. Receipt of the second control signal in step (b) may be effective to modify the appearance of the menu in such a way as to indicate selection of the selected data item. For example, the menu can be modified such that a marker is displayed adjacent the selected data item. In the preferred embodiment, receipt of the first and second control signals is effective to cause movement of said selection means along different respective axes of the GUI, the second control signal being effective to cause movement of the selection means towards a region adjacent the data item to be selected and to modify the appearance of said region. The different respective axes may be substantially perpendicular to one another. In the method, step (d) may comprise identifying receipt of a predetermined confirmation signal from the cursor controller. The method may further comprising the step (e) of performing a processing operation in respect of each selected data item confirmed in step (d). For example, the menu might comprise a list of telephone numbers and step (e) might comprise establishing a communications link to each destination identified by the selected telephone numbers confirmed in step (d).

According to a yet further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of selecting plural data items from a menu for use in a processing operation, the method comprising: (a) displaying on a graphical user interface (GUI) a menu comprising a list of data items and a graphical cursor associated initially with a first data item; (b) moving the cursor within the list in response to receiving a first control signal from a cursor controller and causing selection of a particular data item in response to receiving a second control signal from the cursor controller, the first and second control signals being generated in response to different, substantially perpendicular, motion inputs at the cursor controller; (c) repeating step (b) to select one or more further data items; and (d) confirming selection of said plural data items for use in a processing operation.

According to a yet further aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus for selecting plural data items from a menu, the apparatus comprising: a graphical user interface (GUI) for displaying a menu comprising a list of data items and graphical selection means movable between data items; selecting means for receiving first and second control signals from a cursor controller, the signals being indicative of respective first and second directional inputs at the cursor controller, wherein the selecting means is effective to cause movement of said graphical selection means between data items in response to the first control signal and to cause selection of a data item associated with the graphical selection means in response to the second control signal; and means arranged to confirm selection of a plurality of data items selected using the selecting means.

According to a yet further aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus for selecting plural data items from a menu, the apparatus comprising: a graphical user interface (GUI) for displaying a menu comprising a list of data items and graphical selection means associated with a data item; a directional controller arranged to be operated by a user and to generate first and second control signals in response to first and second, substantially perpendicular, directional inputs; selecting means for receiving the first and second control signals from the directional controller, the selecting means being effective to cause movement of said graphical selection means between data items in response to the first control signal and to cause selection of a data item associated with the graphical selection means in response to the second control signal; and means arranged to confirm selection of a plurality of data items selected using the selecting means.

The abovementioned apparatus may be a communications device and the menu may comprise a list of telephone numbers, the apparatus further comprising means for establishing a communications link to each telephone number identified in the confirmation means.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a block diagram of a home network to which is connected a plurality of processing devices;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the face of a wireless telephone processing device; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a cursor controller, particularly a joystick controller, shown in plan view in a number of operating positions;

Figure 4 is a block diagram of functional components of the wireless telephone shown in

Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a flow chart showing the main steps operated by software of the wireless telephone to enable navigation and selection of multiple items from a menu; Figures 6a-6 are screen shots of the wireless telephone GUI which are useful for understanding the steps of selecting multiple items from a menu of the telephone; and Figure 7 shows a plurality of screen shots of the wireless telephone GUI which are useful for understanding the step of deselecting an already-selected item from a menu of the telephone.

Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment

Referring to Figure 1 , a home network 1 comprises a plurality of processing devices 7, 9,

13, 15 which are connected, or are connectable, to the Internet 3 by means of a broadband ADSL router 5. The router 5 communicates with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) over a conventional telephone line connected to the local telephone exchange. Directly connected to the router 5 is a personal computer (PC) 7 and a digital television set top box (STB) 9. The router 5 is also capable of wireless data transfer and includes an antenna 11 for transmitting and receiving data with one or more wireless devices in range of the router. In Figure 1 , a wireless telephone 13 and personal digital assistant (PDA) 15 are shown in range of the router 5. Although not shown, other processing devices could be connected to the home network, such as a games console having a communications platform for enabling Internet browsing and/or online gaming.

Each of the PC 7, STB 9, wireless telephone 13 and PDA 15 is configured to communicate data over the Internet 3 using the Internet Protocol (IP). For example, the PC 7 comprises a browser application providing access to the World Wide Web and a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) application enabling voice calls to be made using IP. The STB 9 receives broadcast television signals via an antenna and outputs programmes to an associated TV display 17. The STB 9 uses the internet connection to receive electronic programme guide (EPG) data from a host server and to provide a VoIP facility in conjunction with a microphone and the TV's speaker. The user may select a channel to view, or a contact to call,, by means of navigating a menu using a wireless remote control 10. The wireless telephone 13 and PDA 15 are conventional GSM/3rd Generation devices but can also operate as IP-enabled telephones when in range of the router 5.

A common facility provided by each of the above-mentioned processing devices 7, 9, 13,

15 is a contact list. That is, each device has stored thereon a menu comprising a list of contact names and, associated with each name, a telephone number. In order to make a call, or send a SMS message, a graphical user interface (GUI) of a particular device is operated and the contact list opened. Selection of a name from the contact list causes a voice call to be set up, or a SMS message to be sent, using the associated telephone number. It is also possible to select multiple names from the contact list to set up a conference call simultaneously with multiple participants, or to send an SMS message to multiple telephone numbers in a single 'send' operation.

The way in which names are selected from the contact list menu depends on the GUI and the control facilities of the device. In the case of the PC 7, a large number of contact names can be displayed on the monitor 8 and user-selection simply involves operating a mouse to click on the or each required name. In the case of the STB 9, although the TV 17 provides a relatively large GUI, selection involves user-operation of a remote control cursor controller 10a to move a graphical cursor to the required name or names. The cursor controller 10a is provided in the form of four directional keypad buttons (up, down, left and right) arranged around a central 'enter' button. Similarly, the wireless telephone 13 and PDA 15 require user operation of a joystick controller 23 which is movable in the four above-mentioned directions to cause corresponding cursor movement on the relatively small GUIs.

The remaining description will concentrate on the method by which multiple contact names can be selected from the contact list for use in a subsequent processing operation, such as invocation of a conference call or the sending of a single SMS text message to multiple recipients. In this respect, although the device may itself perform the requested processing operation as a sequence of individual operations, i.e. two or more text message transmissions performed one after the other, the user is able to preselect multiple contacts, for use in a common operation (namely the sending of a text message) using a single send command from the GUI. The method is of course applicable to any processing operation which takes multiple data items as input. The description relates to the operation of the wireless telephone 13, although the same operating principle applies to any processing device facilitating selection of multiple data items, for example the STB 9 and PDA 15.

Referring to Figure 2, the wireless telephone 13 comprises a display 19, a keypad 21 and a four-way directional controller in the form of a joystick 23. Referring to Figure 3a, the joystick 23 is represented in plan view in its neutral position, that is when the joystick is not subject to user action. It will be seen that in this neutral state the joystick 23 is located centrally within its seating. The joystick 23 may be moved in one of four, non-neutral, directions, namely up, down, right and left, by the application of external force by a user. Referring to Figure 3b, the joystick 23 is shown when moved up and down from the neutral position along a first axis. Referring to Figure 3c, the joystick 23 is shown when moved left and right from the neutral position along a second axis which is substantially perpendicular to the first axis. Movement in each of these four directions from the neutral position is detected by respective switches located beneath the joystick seating and results in generation of respective directional control signals each of which is recognised by a processor of the telephone. Referring to Figure 3d, the joystick 23 can also be depressed downwards into its seating to generate a fifth, non-directional, control signal. When the joystick 23 is in the neutral position shown in Figure 3a, no control signal is generated.

Referring to Figure 4, the main functional elements of the wireless telephone 13 comprise a processor 25, a display 19, the abovementioned keypad 21 and cursor controller 23, and a GSM transceiver 27 connected to an antenna 29. The processor 25 operates under the control of a telephone operating system 31 which provides a top-level menu through which sub-programs can be accessed. These sub-programs include a communications application 33, e.g. a voice call or SMS application, and a selection program 35. The selection program 35 provides a GUI through which the user is presented with a list of contact names stored in a contact list 37. Selection of names is effected by user operation of the joystick controller 23 which causes directional control signals to be passed to the selection program 35. Initially, the selection program 35 interprets certain directional signals, namely those corresponding to up/down movement from the neutral position, to cause corresponding up/down movement of a graphical cursor (or other highlighting means) on the GUI so that the cursor can be associated with a desired contact name. Actual selection of a contact name takes place in a second stage by detecting a directional signal corresponding to a single leftwards movement of the joystick 23 from the neutral position. This detection results in the selected contact name being identified in a selection memory 39. This selection process (which may more appropriately be termed a preselection process) repeats for any number of further contact names until the user is satisfied that all desired contact names have been identified. Next, selection is confirmed and those contact names identified or preselected in the selection memory 39 are passed to the communications application 33 so that a conference call can be invoked or a SMS message sent to the multiple contacts. The selection memory 39 is then cleared.

The operation of the selection program 35 will now be explained in detail with reference to the flow chart of Figure 5 in conjunction with the illustrative GUI screen shots shown in Figure 6. Figure 5 indicates the operating steps in general terms although it is clear how these relate to the specific contact list application described above. As shown in Figure 6, it is preferred that the GUI displays the contact list 37 as a vertical list of names. A graphical cursor 41 is shown in association with the first name "Alvin".

In a first step 5.1 , the selection program receives either an up or down cursor control signal indicative of corresponding directional input at the joystick 23. The directional input may be a 'jogging' input in which the user repeatedly allows the joystick to return to the neutral position after each single directional up or down input. This allows more accurate positioning of the cursor as compared with holding the joystick up or down. As a result, in a second step 5.2, the cursor is moved, or jogged, in the corresponding direction until a leftwards cursor control signal, resulting from a single leftwards movement of the joystick 23 from the neutral position, is detected in step 5.3. As will be described below with reference to Figure 6, the leftwards signal causes the cursor to shift to the left hand side of the contact name to visually indicate selection or de-selection of the contact name. Specifically, following receipt of the leftwards signal, in step 5.4, it is determined whether the associated contact name is already selected, i.e. whether it is already stored in the selection memory. If not, in steps 5.5 and 5.6, the contact name is stored in the selection memory 39 and a visual indication of selection is displayed to the left of the contact name. If the contact name is already stored in the selection memory 39, in steps 5.7 and 5.8, said contact name is deleted from the selection memory and the visual indication of selection is removed.

To confirm selection of all indicated/preselected contact names, the selection program requires receipt of a dedicated control signal. In this case, said dedicated control signal is the non-directional control signal generated in response to user-depression of the joystick 23. Upon receiving the dedicated control signal in step 5.9 all contact names stored in the selection memory 39 are passed to the communications application 33. Referring to Figure 6a, the GUI of the selection program 35 is shown in its initial state with the joystick 23 located in the neutral position. Referring to Figure 6b, jogging movement of the joystick 23 in the downwards direction causes the cursor to move in the corresponding direction. In this example, three downward inputs from the neutral position cause the cursor to be associated with the name "Barry". Referring to Figure 6c, a single movement of the joystick 23 leftwards from the neutral position causes the cursor to shift to the left of the name. Since the name has not already been selected, an indicator (in the form of a checked box 43) is displayed to the left of the name to indicate that the name has been stored in the selection memory 39. Referring to Figure 6d, when the joystick 23 returns to the neutral position the cursor returns rightwards to highlight the associated name. Selection of a further name "Edward" is likewise indicated in Figures 6e to 6g. In response to the user pressing the joystick 23 into the body of the handset, the selected names are shown on a confirmation screen, shown in Figure 6h, associated with the communications application 33.

Figures 7a to 7c illustrate the de-selecting operation (steps 5.4, 5.7 and 5.8). In Figure 7a it is assumed that the names "Annie", "Barry", and "Edward" have been selected. As shown in Figure 7b, the name "Barry" is highlighted by moving the joystick downwards in three jogging movements. As shown in Figure 7c, de-selection involves jogging the joystick 23 to the left in a single movement which causes the cursor to shift to the left of the name. As a result the checked box 43 disappears to indicate de-selection.

The above embodiment enables user-selection of multiple items from a menu using directional inputs only. In this way, the button, key or switch ordinarily associated with selecting individual items is not operated until all selections have been made and serves to confirm multiple item selection for a subsequent processing operation. The result is an intuitive interface requiring less clicks or interactions to achieve selection of multiple menu items.

Whilst the embodiment uses a joystick 23 of a wireless telephone 13, the same method can be applied to the joystick 23 of the PDA 15 or the cursor controller 10a of the STB remote controller 10. In the case of the STB remote controller 10, the cursor controller 10a is always in the neutral state until one of the four directional buttons are depressed thereby resulting in directional signals.

Claims

1. A method of selecting plural data items from a menu presented on a graphical user interface (GUI) of a data processing device, said processing device having an associated cursor control means changable between a neutral state and directional states along respective first and second axes, wherein the method comprises:

(a) displaying on said GUI a menu comprising a list of data items and graphical highlighting means associated with one of the data items, the highlighting means being movable between adjacent data items in response to user action on the cursor control means along the first directional axis;

(b) selecting a highlighted data item in response to a single user action on the cursor control means from the neutral state to a directional state along the second axis;

(c) repeating step (b) to select one or more further data items in accordance with user action on the cursor control means along the first directional axis; and (d) confirming final selection of all selected data items for use in a common processing operation.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the menu is displayed on the GUI as a vertical list of data items and user action along the first directional axis is effective to cause movement of the highlighting means upwards or downwards through the list.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein selection of a highlighted data item in step (b) is effective to modify the appearance of the menu in such a way as to graphically indicate selection of the selected data item.

4. A method according to claim 3, in which the menu is modified such that a marker is displayed adjacent the selected data item.

5. A method according to claim 3 or claim 4, in which the single user action in step (b) is effective to cause movement of the graphical highlighting means from the data item to a region adjacent said data item and then back to the data item when the neutral state is returned to.

6. A method according to any preceding claim, in which the first and second axes are substantially perpendicular to one another.

7. A method according to any preceding claim, in which the menu comprises a list of contact names and wherein, the method further comprises establishing a communications link to destination terminals associated with each selected contact name.

8. A computer program stord on a computer-readable medium and comprising a set of instructions to cause a processing device to perform the method according to any preceding claim.

9. A wireless telephone, PDA, games console or STB arranged to process a computer program according to claim 8.

10. A data processing device enabling selection of plural data items from a menu presented on a graphical user interface (GUI), the processing device having an associated cursor control means changable between a neutral state and directional states along respective first and second axes, wherein the device comprises: means for receiving control signals from the cursor control means indicative of the respective directional states; means for displaying on said GUI a menu comprising a list of data items and graphical highlighting means associated with one of the data items, the highlighting means being movable between adjacent data items in response to a control signal indicative of user action on the cursor control means along the first directional axis; means for selecting a highlighted data item in response to a control single indicative of user action on the cursor control means from the neutral state to a directional state along the second axis; and means for confirming final selection of a plurality of selected data items for use in a common processing operation.

11. A device according to claim 10 in which said device is a communications device and the menu comprises a list of contact names, the apparatus further comprising means to establish a communications link to destination terminals associated with each selected name.