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`US 8,434,020 B2
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`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
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`English translation of Japanese literature (bibliography: Arioka
`Osamu, “Windows CE carnival, using fast- and light-mobile phones
`toughly”, Mobile PC, Softbank Corp, Mar. 1, 1999, vol. 5, No. 3, p.
`82-83), 4 pages total (numbered 1/4-4/4).
`Japanese literature (bibliography: Arioka Osamu, “Windows CE car-
`nival, using fast- and light-mobile phones toughly”, Mobile PC,
`
`Softbank Corp, Mar. 1, 1999, vol. 5, No. 3, p. 82-83), 14 pages total
`(numbered 2/15 through 15/15).
`English translation of Japanese literature (bibliography: Arioka
`Osamu, “Windows CE carnival, using fast- and light-mobile phones
`toughly”, Mobile PC, Softbank Corp, Mar. 1, 1999, vol. 5, No. 3, p.
`82-83), 8 pages total.
`
`* cited by examiner
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`U.S. Patent
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`Apr. 30, 2013
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`US 8,434,020 B2
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`Launcher
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`Create message
`Enter chat room
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`Launcher
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`2 new SMS
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`US 8,434,020 B2
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`1
`COMPUTING DEVICE WITH IMPROVED
`USER INTERFACE FOR APPLICATIONS
`
`CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`This application claims the priority of PCT Application
`No. PCT/GB0l/03387 filed Jul. 27, 2001 and British appli-
`cation GB 00l9459.7 filed Jul. 28, 2000.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`1. Field of the Invention
`
`This invention relates to a computing device with an
`improved user interface for applications. The term ‘comput-
`ing device’ refers to any kind of device which can process and
`display information. The invention has specific application to
`mobile telephones. The term ‘mobile telephone’ refers to any
`kind of mobile device with communications capabilities and
`includes radio (mobile) telephones, smart phones, communi-
`cators, PDAs and wireless information devices. It includes
`devices able to communicate using not only mobile radio
`such as GSM or UMTS, but also any other kind of wireless
`communications system, such as Bluetooth.
`2. Description of the Prior Art
`One of the problems facing the designers of computing
`devices with small screens is how to allow the user to navigate
`quickly and efficiently to access data and activate a desired
`function. Computing devices with small screens tend to need
`data and functionality divided into many layers or views: for
`example, the small display size of mobile telephones has
`conventionally meant that several hierarchies of functions
`have to be offered to a user. The interface can be thought of as
`having many layers, with the user having to first locate the
`correct top level function and then, within that function, pro-
`gressively drill down (sometimes through 3 or more layers) to
`complete the required task. Where a mobile telephone
`includes several different applications (e.g. a message appli-
`cation, a contacts/address book application, a calendar appli-
`cation and a telephone application), then the user normally
`has to first of all locate, then start/open the required applica-
`tion and then may need to navigate to the required function
`(e. g. create a new contact entry) or cause the required stored
`data (e.g. display names beginning with the letter ‘A’) to be
`displayed. This process can seem slow, complex and difficult
`to learn, particularly to novice users.
`Hence, with conventional user interfaces, a user may need
`to scroll around and switch views many times to find the right
`data/functionality. An effective user interface would ideally
`enable the user to readily and rapidly access the right data/
`functionality. Designing such an interface is however a com-
`plex human factors problem, especially for computing
`devices such as mobile telephones.
`In some mobile telephones, a menu of several available
`options is displayed:
`the menu commands may then be
`divided into functional groups, with the most useful func-
`tional group at the top ofthe menu; the most useful command
`within that group is then placed at the top of group. In other
`devices, only one option is shown on the screen at any one
`time, making it harder for a user to appreciate the available
`options and therefore navigate effectively.
`Some mobile telephones also offer limited shortcuts to get
`straight to a particular function. This usually involves memo-
`rising various keyboard input sequences, corresponding to
`different menu positions at different levels in the menu hier-
`archy. These shortcuts appeal only to a small number of
`expert users. Most mobile telephones also include idle
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`screens (i.e. a display which is shown when the mobile tele-
`phone is switched on but not in use); these idle screens often
`carry alerting messages (e.g. “l missed call”).
`On a more theoretical basis, a user interface typically has to
`demonstrate or make explicit the changing internal status of
`the mobile telephone as navigation proceeds. For example, to
`select or initiate a function (e.g. to open an address book
`function, enter a PIN security number or to alter the ring
`melody) a user has to understand (a) how to navigate to that
`function in order to select that function and (b) that the status
`of the telephone is such that the function can be selected or
`initiated. The technical problem of effectively enabling the
`user to understand this changing internal state has to date been
`inadequately addressed. The object ofthe present invention is
`to provide an improved form of user interface which
`addresses this problem
`
`SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
`
`According to a first aspect ofthe invention there is provided
`a computing device comprising a display screen, the comput-
`ing device being able to display on the screen an application
`summary window, the summary window comprising a lim-
`ited list of (i) common functions offered within an application
`and/or (ii) data stored in that application.
`Hence, the present invention envisages, in one implemen-
`tation, a ‘snap-shot’ view of an application in which the
`snap-shot view brings together, in one summary window, a
`limited list of common functions and commonly accessed
`stored data.
`
`Preferably, where the summary window for a given appli-
`cation shows data or a function of interest, the user can
`directly select that data or function; this causes the applica-
`tion to open and the user to be presented with a screen in
`which the data or function of interest is prominent. This saves
`the user from navigating to the required application, opening
`it up, and then navigating within that application to enable the
`data of interest to be seen or a function of interest to be
`activated.
`
`In another aspect, there is a computer program which when
`running on a computing device (such as a mobile telephone),
`enables the device to operate in accordance with the above
`aspects of the invention. The program may be an operating
`system.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
`
`The invention will be described with reference to the
`
`accompanying Figures, in which:
`FIGS. 1-3 are screen shots showing an implementation of
`the present invention.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`The present invention offers, in one implementation, a
`snap-shot view which brings together, in one summary win-
`dow, a limited list of common functions and commonly
`accessed stored data which itselfcan be reached directly from
`the main menu listing some or all applications. This yields
`many advantages in ease and speed ofnavigation, particularly
`on small screen devices. For example, a user can get to the
`summary window injust two step s—first, launch a main view
`which shows various applications; then, launch the appropri-
`ate summary window for the application ofinterest. This is far
`faster and easier than conventional navigation approaches.
`Once the summary window is launched, core data/function-
`ality is displayed and can be accessed in more detail can
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`3
`typically be reached simply by selecting that data/function-
`ality. Hence, only three steps may be needed from start up to
`reaching the required data/functionality; navigating from
`between each step is clear and straightforward.
`As an example, the main View may be an Application
`Launcher for several applications such as ‘Messages’, ‘Con-
`tacts’, ‘Calendar’ and ‘Phone’. The Application Launcher
`View is then presented as a standard scrolling list of applica-
`tion names with appropriate application icons next to them.
`The list is Vertical and only one application is presented per
`line. Standard highlight functions apply in that when the
`Application Launcher View is opened the highlight defaults to
`the first item in the list of applications. This is shown in FIG.
`1, in which the screen display 1 includes a list of applications
`(‘Messages’; ‘Contacts’; ‘Calendar’; and ‘Phone’), including
`a highlighted ‘Messages’ at 2. AltematiVely, the highlight
`may default to the middle item in the list of applications. At
`this point, the user may take conVentional naVigation steps,
`such as scrolling, to moVe the highlight and using the aVail-
`able select function to naVigate to the required highlighted
`application.
`The innoVatiVe summary window functionality can be
`accessed as follows: should the highlight rest on the name of
`an application in the App Launcher for a certain amount of
`time (say a 1.2 second timeout), the summary window (the
`“App Snap shot”) drops down from the highlight bar. The App
`Snapshot for any giVen application is a window which
`includes commonly requested data associated with that appli-
`cation and links to common functionality in that application.
`The App Snapshot is shown at 3 in FIG. 2; it includes the
`number of new messages (‘0’) and links to the two most
`common functions (as defined by the system designer, or
`selected by the user, or learned by the deVice) in the Messages
`application—‘Create Messages’ and ‘Enter chat room’. In
`FIG. 3, a slightly longer App Snapshot is shown, indicating at
`4 that there are ‘2 new SMS’ messages and ‘l Chat Ongoing’.
`Other selection processes could also be used (e. g. Voice acti-
`Vation, softkey selection etc) to access the App Snapshot. For
`example, the App Snapshot may be ‘called’ or ‘fired’ by using
`a right scroll function (if the mobile telephone has 4-way
`scrolling capacity); a press and hold of the select function
`when an application name is highlighted; or using a right
`cursor key on a highlighted application name.
`A highlight is aVailable in the App Snapshot dropdown
`which may be scrolled in order to select a required item.
`When an item in the App Snapshot is selected (e.g. by being
`highlighted and then selected using a conVentional selection
`technique such as pressing a right cursor), the deVice displays
`the releVant data in the application details View, or displays
`the releVant screen offering the releVant functionality. The
`required application may be automatically opened when the
`item in the App Snapshot is selected. The App Snapshot can
`therefore display data from an application and functions of
`that application without actually opening the application up:
`only once a user has selected an item in the App Snapshot
`associated with a giVen application does that application haVe
`to be opened. For example, when ‘Create Messages’ in anApp
`Snapshot
`is selected,
`then the messaging application is
`opened up; that application does not howeVer haVe to be
`opened up prior to that stage.
`Although the term ‘window’ has been used to describe the
`drop down summary, the summary does not haVe to be pre-
`sented within any kind of frame. Any manner of presenting
`the common functions offered within an application and/or
`data stored in that application will constitute a ‘window’ as
`such.
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`The App Snapshot dropdown may be dismissed in the
`following ways:
`If a timeout is used to call the App Snapshot, scrolling the
`highlight back to the releVant application name (i.e. back
`up to ‘Messages’ in FIG. 2 or 3) remoVes the App Snap-
`shot. Scrolling down through the App Snapshot and off
`the end moVes the highlight to the next application in the
`list (i.e. to ‘Contacts’ if the Messages App Snapshot has
`been scrolled through).
`If scroll functions (e.g. right scroll) call the App Snapshot
`the opposite scroll function remoVes the snapshot.
`When a user scrolls off the end of the App Snapshot, the
`main list from which the App Snapshot was opened de-com-
`presses to regain the display estate that was taken up by the
`App Snapshot (i.e. the screen reVerts to that shown FIG. 1). If
`the user has scrolled up back to the application name (so that
`the highlight moVes up), this application name stays where it
`was and the next main list item draws back up to abut it. Ifthe
`user scrolls off the end of the App Snapshot, the highlight
`moVes down to the next item in the main list and this item
`
`together with the highlight moVe up the screen to regain the
`App Snapshot estate (i.e. taking the place of the App Snap-
`shot).
`Another caVeat regarding the main list is that when the App
`Snapshot opens, there will typically be one item in the main
`list aboVe and below it to preserve context—(i .e. to reduce any
`feeling in the user ofhaVing been transported somewhere else
`in the UI. They haVe not gone anywhere yet; the App Snap shot
`is just showing where they could easily go to). Hence in FIG.
`2, the term ‘ Launcher’ remains at the top ofthe screen, and the
`word ‘Phone’ and its associated icon remains at the bottom.
`
`App Snapshots are not intended to replace notifications,
`but to complement them by proViding non-intrusiVe remind-
`ers for the user, as well as rapid shortcuts to key application
`functionality.
`The mobile telephone may be able to learn what function-
`ality and/or stored data types are most likely to be of interest
`to a giVen user and which should therefore be included in a
`summary View to any giVen user. AltematiVely, the user or
`system designer may define the kinds of functionality and/or
`stored data to be included in the App Snapshot for a giVen
`application. The constituency of the App Snapshot can there-
`fore Vary as determined by the user and/or system designer
`and/or thae usage patterns of the user. The consistent goal
`howeVer is for the App Snap shot to show only the mo st useful
`Views and states.
`
`Anotherpossible feature is that the constituency ofthe App
`Snap shot may Vary with the enVironment in which the mobile
`telephone finds itself. For example, if the telephone is Blue-
`tooth enabled, then there may be a Bluetooth application
`which has associated with it a summary window which lists
`the other Bluetooth deVices in the Vicinity.
`A further possible feature is that the constituency of the
`App Snapshot may Vary with the actions of the user. For
`example, if the mobile telephone has an actiVe Calendar
`application, and the user opens the App Snapshot for Con-
`tacts, then the Contacts App Snapshot may include contact
`information for parties in the preViously or currently open
`Calendar application. But ifthe user opened the Contacts App
`Snapshot when the Phone application was current, then the
`Contacts App Snapshot may instead include contact informa-
`tion ofthe most called party, or a missed call party, or a party
`whose call the user is auto-replying to.
`In a Messages View, when the highlight rests on a message
`entry, further information on that message becomes Visible
`such as date and time it arriVed and the first line/subj ect ofthe
`message. Rather than an App Snapshot opening here, the
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`highlight expands to cover this extra information as well as
`the list item. It does this here because the extra information
`
`displayed is not ‘fireable’ like App Snapshot items in the
`application switcher.
`In the Contacts manager, the App Snapshot opens (using
`whatever mechanism is implemented) to display phone num-
`bers and email addresses which may be ‘fired’ (i.e. a phone
`number is dialled, an email address is seeded into a new
`message). The Contacts manager can have a base view—a list
`of names of the people stored in a device. It opens to show
`usable contact details
`like phone numbers and email
`addresses for each contact so you can initiate communication
`from here rather than navigating further within the Contacts
`Manager application. For example, the contact John Smith
`would have a snapshot which expands to show his phone
`number and email address. A user can scroll to the email
`
`address and hit the select button—the display then changes to
`a new email form seeded with his email address and all the
`
`user need do is input some body text and hit a ‘Do It’ button.
`The present invention can also be used in systems which do
`not have a concept of separate applications as such. Then, the
`snapshot views are then views of commonly used functions
`and/or data, selected by the system designer, user or through
`a machine learning process.
`As explained above, the present invention is particularly
`useful for mobile telephones because of their user interface
`constraints. However, it may also be used in environments
`outside ofmobile telephony. For example, desktop and laptop
`PCs may also benefit from the present invention. The present
`invention may therefore be used in any computing environ-
`ment, including both keyboard and keyboard-less devices.
`The invention claimed is:
`
`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 sum-
`mary 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 appli-
`cation 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 inter-
`est to that user for the summary window for an application.
`6. The computing device of claim 1 in which the function-
`ality 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 function-
`ality 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.
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`9. The computing device of claim 1 in which the summary
`window is a frame which includes the name of the first appli-
`cation.
`
`10. The computing device ofclaim 1 in which the summary
`window further display a list ofdata stored in that application.
`11. The computing device of claim 1, being a mobile tele-
`phone.
`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 carmot 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 comput-
`ing 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 func-
`tion 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 applica-
`tion 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 applica-
`tion 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 sum-
`mary window for a given application without resulting in that
`application being opened.
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`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 appli-
`cation.
`
`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.
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`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION
`
`PATENT NO.
`APPLICATION NO.
`
`2 8,434,020 B2
`2 10/343333
`
`DATED
`INVENTOR(S)
`
`: April 30, 2013
`2 Martyn
`
`Pagg 1 Of]
`
`It is certified that error appears in the above—identified patent and that said Letters Patent is hereby corrected as shown below:
`
`On the Title Page:
`
`The first or sole Notice should read --
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. l54(b)
`
`by 2222 days.
`
`Signed and Sealed this
`
`Twenty—third Day of December, 2014
`
`‘%u;4.z,&.X/..é.=_.
`
`Michelle K. Lee
`
`Deputy Director ofthe United States Patent and Trademark Oflice
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