Apple Exhibit 1001 Page 00001
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`US 8,713,476 B2
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`References Cited
`
`Us. PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`................ .. 715/825
`
`9/2000 Arcuri et al.
`6,121,968 A *
`11/2000 Chamm
`6,144,863 A
`6,160,554 A * 12/2000 Krause ........................ .. 715/804
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`6,512,525 B1
`1/2003 Capps et a1.
`6,570,596 B2
`5/2003 Frederiksen
`6,781,611 B1
`8/2004 R1-chard
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`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`JP
`JP
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`
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`0946028 A2
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`2325065 A
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`09-251371
`09-269883 A
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`
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`JP
`JP
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`
`3/1999
`11-74985 A
`7/1999
`11-196158 A
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`2000036856 A
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`_
`_
`_
`_
`_
`_
`English translation of Japanese literature (blbllographyz Arloka
`Osamua Windows CE Camiwlla using faSt- andlight-mobile Phones
`toughlyz, Mobile PC, Softbank Corp., Mar. 1, 1999, Vol. 5, N0. 3, p.
`82-83, 8 Pages total.
`IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin; Vol._ 37; No._0_2B; Feb. 1994;
`“Reorganlzlng Menu Hlerarchy to Best Flt the Individual User”; pp.
`349-350, 2 pages total.
`Japanese Oflice Action dated May 9, 2013 (3 pages) in parallel
`Japanese Divisional Application No. 2011-261132 together with an
`English translation of same (4 pages).
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`Epsom Corp. (30 pages).
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`English Abstract of JP 11-196158, published Jul. 21, 1999, NEC
`Mobile Commun Ltd. (1 page).
`English Abstract of JP 09-128189, published May 16, 1997, Fuji
`Xerox Co. Ltd. (16 pages).
`English Abstract ofJP 09-251371, published Sep. 22, 1997 (1 page).
`
`* cited by examiner
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`U.S. Patent
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`Apr. 29, 2014
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`US 8,713,476 B2
`
`
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` % Contacts
`Calendar
`
`Phone
`
`Figure 1
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`14:26
`T.II
`Launcher
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`@1111
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`53;; messages
`0 new messages’
`
`Create message
`Enter chat room
`
`Figure 2
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`3
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`‘1’.:l
`14:25
`Launcher
`messages
`3 unread emails
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`
`
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`2
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`4
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`
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`mu
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`2 new SMS
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`- - - u — — — _ _ — — — g _ --
`1 Chat ongoing
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`Create message
`Enter chat room
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`Figure 3
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`US 8,713,476 B2
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`1
`COMPUTING DEVICE WITH IMPROVED
`USER INTERFACE FOR APPLICATIONS
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED
`APPLICATIONS
`
`This a continuation of pending U.S. application Ser. No.
`13/860,143, filed on Apr. 10, 2013, which is a continuation of
`U.S. application Ser. No. 10/343,333, filed on Aug. 27, 2003
`and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,424,020, which is the National
`Stage of International Application No. PCT/GB01/03387,
`International Filing date, Jul. 27, 2001, which designated the
`United States of America, and which International Applica-
`tion was published under PCT Article 21 (s) as WO Publica-
`tion 02/ 1 0893 and which claims priority from, and benefit of,
`Great Britain Application No. 0019459.7, filed on Jul. 28,
`2000, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by
`reference in their entireties.
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`1. Field
`
`The disclosed embodiments relate to a computing device
`with an improved user interface for applications. The term
`‘computing device’ refers to any kind of device which can
`process and display information. The aspects ofthe disclosed
`embodiments have 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, communicators, 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. Brief Description of Related Developments
`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
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`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
`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. “1 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.
`
`SUMMARY
`
`The embodiments disclosed herein are directed to provid-
`ing an improved form of user interface that addresses the
`problems stated above. According to a first aspect of the
`disclosed embodiments there is provided a computing device
`comprising a display screen, the computing device being able
`to display on the screen an application summary window, the
`summary window comprising a limited list of (i) common
`functions offered within an application and/or (ii) data stored
`in that application.
`Hence, the presently disclosed embodiments envisage, in
`one implementation, 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 disclosed embodiments. The program may be
`an operating system.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
`
`The disclosed embodiments will be described with refer-
`
`ence to the accompanying Figures, in which:
`FIGS. 1-3 are screen shots showing an implementation of
`the disclosed embodiments.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION
`
`The presently disclosed embodiments offer, in one imple-
`mentation, a snap-shot view which brings together, in one
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`US 8,713,476 B2
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`summary window, a limited list of common functions and
`commonly accessed stored data which itself can he 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. For example, a user can
`get to the summary window in just two steps—first, launch a
`main View which shows various applications; then, launch the
`appropriate summary window for the application of interest.
`This is far faster and easier than conventional navigation
`approaches. Once the summary window is launched, core
`data/functionality is displayed and can be accessed in more
`detail and can typically be reached simply by selecting that
`data/functionality. Hence, only three steps may be needed
`from start up to reaching the required data/functionality;
`navigating from between each step is clear and straightfor-
`ward.
`
`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. Alternatively, 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 ‘1 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
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`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.
`
`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. Alternatively, 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 the 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-
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`US 8,713,476 B2
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`5
`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/subject of the
`message. Rather than an App Snapshot opening here, the
`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 dialed, 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 presently disclosed embodiments 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 com-
`monly used functions and/or data, selected by the system
`designer, user or through a machine learning process.
`As explained above, the disclosed embodiments are par-
`ticularly useful for mobile telephones because of their user
`interface constraints. However, they may also be used in
`environments outside of mobile telephony. For example,
`desktop and laptop PCs may also benefit from the disclosed
`embodiments. The disclosed embodiments may therefore be
`used in any computing environment, including both keyboard
`and keyboard-less devices.
`It should be understood that the foregoing description is
`only illustrative of the aspects of the disclosed embodiments.
`Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by
`those skilled in the art without departing from the aspects of
`the disclosed embodiments. Accordingly, the aspects of the
`disclosed embodiments are intended to embrace all such
`alternatives, modifications and variances that fall within the
`scope of the appended claims. Further, the mere fact that
`different features are recited in mutually different dependent
`or independent claims does not indicate that a combination of
`these features carmot be advantageously used, such a combi-
`nation remaining within the scope of the aspects of the dis-
`closed embodiments.
`
`What is claimed is:
`
`1. A computing device comprising a display screen, the
`computing device being configured to display on the screen a
`menu listing one or more applications, and additionally being
`configured to display on the screen an application summary
`that can be reached directly from the menu, wherein the
`application summary displays a limited list of data offered
`within the one or more applications, each ofthe data in the list
`being selectable to launch the respective application and
`enable the selected data to be seen within the respective
`
`6
`application, and wherein the application summary is dis-
`played while the one or more applications are in an un-
`launched state.
`
`2. The computing device ofclaim 1 in which an application
`launcher lists names and/or icons of several applications and
`selecting a name or icon causes the summary for that appli-
`cation to be opened.
`3. The computing device of claim 1 in which the kinds of
`content of a summary for a given application is selected using
`a process in which the device learns what data types are of
`interest to any given user.
`4. The computing device of claim 1 in which a user can
`define what data types are of interest to that user for the
`summary for an application.
`5. The computing device of claim 1 in which the data type
`for a summary for a given application varies with the envi-
`ronment of the device.
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`6. The computing device of claim 1 in which the data type
`for a summary for a given application varies with the actions
`of a user.
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`7. The computing device of claim 1 in which the summary
`is a frame which includes the name of the one or more appli-
`cations.
`
`8. The computing device of claim 1 in which the summary
`further displays a limited list of functions offered in the one or
`more applications.
`9. The computing device of claim 1, being a mobile tele-
`phone.
`10. The computing device of claim 1, being a PC.
`11. A computer program product comprising a non-transi-
`tory computer-readable storage medium having computer-
`readable code embodied in the medium which, when running
`on a computing device, causes the computing device to dis-
`play on a screen of the device a menu listing one or more
`applications, and additionally causes the device to display on
`the screen an application summary that can be reached
`directly from the menu, wherein the summary displays a
`limited list of data offered within the one or more applica-
`tions, each ofthe data in the list being selectable to launch the
`respective application and enable the selected data to be seen
`within the respective application, and wherein the application
`summary is displayed while the one or more applications are
`in an un-launched state.
`
`12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein
`the computer-readable code comprises an operating system
`program.
`13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein
`the 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 for that application to be opened.
`14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein
`the computer-readable code enables the kinds of content of a
`summary for a given application to be selected using a pro-
`cess in which the device learns what data types are of interest
`to any given user.
`15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein
`the computer-readable code enables a user to define what data
`types are of interest to that user for the summary for an
`application.
`16. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein
`the computer-readable code enables the data types for a sum-
`mary for a given application to vary with the environment of
`the device.
`
`17. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein
`the computer-readable code enables the data types for a sum-
`mary for a given application to vary with the actions of a user.
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`US 8,713,476 B2
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`18. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein
`the computer-readable code enables the summary to be a
`frame which includes the name of the one or more applica-
`tions.
`
`19. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein
`the computer-readable code enables the summary to further
`display a limited list of functions offered in the one or more
`applications.
`20. A method comprising:
`displaying, on a computing device having a display screen,
`a menu listing one or more applications;
`displaying an application summary that can be reached
`directly from the menu, wherein the application sum-
`mary displays a limited list of data offered within the one
`or more applications, wherein the application summary
`is displayed while the one or more applications are in an
`un-launched state; and
`in response to a user selection of particular data, launching
`the respective application associated with the selected
`data to enable the selected data to be seen within the
`
`respective application.
`21. The method of claim 20, further comprising listing
`names and/or icons of the one or more applications and upon
`selecting a name or icon, opening the application summary
`for the associated application.
`
`8
`22. The method of claim 20, further comprising learning
`data types of interest to a user and selecting content of the
`application summary based on the learned data types of inter-
`est.
`
`23. The method of claim 20, further comprising selecting
`content of the application summary based on data of interest
`to a user.
`
`5
`
`24. The method of claim 20, further comprising selecting
`content of the application summary based on data usage pat-
`terns.
`
`10
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`25. The method of claim 20, further comprising selecting
`content of the application summary according to a user defi-
`nition.
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`
`26. The method of claim 20, further comprising varying
`content of the application summary according to an environ-
`ment of the computing device.
`27. The method of claim 20, further comprising varying
`content ofthe application summary according to user actions.
`28. The method of claim 20, further comprising displaying
`the application summary as a frame including a name of the
`one or more applications.
`29. The method of claim 20, further comprising displaying
`in the application summary a limited list of functions offered
`in the one or more applications.
`*
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`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION
`
`PATENT NO.
`APPLICATION NO.
`
`2 8,713,476 B2
`2 14/063544
`
`DATED
`INVENTOR(S)
`
`2 April 29, 2014
`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:
`
`In the Specification
`
`Column 1, Line 7 , “This is continuation” should read --This is a continuation--
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`Column 1, Line 10, “8,424,020” should read --8,434,020"
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`Signed and Sealed this
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`Eighteenth Day of November, 2014
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`‘%u;uo&.Z/..<:’..=_.
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`Michelle K. Lee
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`Deputy Director ofthe United States Patent and Trademark Oflice
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`Page 00003
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`Page 00008