IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,036,090

Granted Patent B1

US 7,036,090 · App. 10/092,008 · Granted Apr 25, 2006

Concentric polygonal menus for a graphical user interface

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 7,036,090
App. No.: 10/092,008
Filed: Mar 6, 2002
Granted: Apr 25, 2006
Kind: B1
Examiner: THERIAULT, STEVEN B
Art Unit: 2179
USPC: 715/834

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Abstract

A user interface includes a first menu comprising a first set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the first menu. In response to a selection of an option from the first menu, a second menu is displayed. The second menu may be concentrically-disposed relative to the first menu. The second menu includes a second set of circumferentially-disposed, selectable options, which may or may not be hierarchically related to the first set of selectable options.

Claims (75)

1. A method for obtaining user input in a graphical user interface, the method comprising:

displaying at least a portion of a first polygonal menu comprising a first set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the first polygonal menu;

receiving a user selection of an option from the first set of selectable options;

displaying at least a portion of a second polygonal menu comprising a second set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the second polygonal menu, wherein the second polygonal menu is concentrically-disposed relative to the first polygonal menu; and

receiving a user selection of an option from the second set of selectable options, wherein the user-selected options from the first and second sets always define a radially-aligned selection path through the first and second polygonal menus.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

displaying at least a portion of a third polygonal menu comprising a third set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the third polygonal menu, wherein the third polygonal menu is concentrically-disposed relative to the first and second polygonal menus.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein each side of the first polygonal menu is associated with a particular selectable option, and wherein the number of selectable options in the first set determines the number of sides for the first polygonal menu.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving comprises:

rotating the first polygonal menu about an axis to align a desired option from the first set with a fixed selection indicator.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein receiving further comprises:

detecting a user action indicating selection of the option aligned with the selection indicator.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving comprises:

moving a selection indicator circumferentially around the first polygonal menu to align the selection indicator with a desired option from the first set.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein receiving further comprises:

detecting a user action indicating selection of the option aligned with the selection indicator.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selectable options from the second set are determined by a selected option from the first set.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selectable options from the second set are sub-options of a selected option from the first set.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selectable options from the first and second sets are hierarchically related.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one selectable option comprises an icon.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one selectable option comprises text description.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one selectable option is associated with an audio sample, and wherein the audio sample is automatically played in response to the corresponding option being aligned with a selection indicator without an explicit selection action other than rotating one of the polygonal menus.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second polygonal menu is displayed in response to a selection from the first polygonal menu, and wherein the second polygonal menu concentrically encloses the first polygonal menu.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second polygonal menu is displayed in response to a selection from the first polygonal menu, and wherein the second polygonal menu is concentrically enclosed by the first polygonal menu.

16. The method of claim 2 , wherein receiving a user selection of an option from the second set comprises:

rotating the second polygonal menu about an axis to align a desired option from the second set with a fixed selection indicator.

17. The method of claim 2 , wherein receiving a user selection of an option from the second set comprises:

moving a selection indicator circumferentially around the second polygonal menu to align the selection indicator with a desired option from the second set.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second polygonal menus are rotatable about a common axis in response to a user command.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second polygonal menu is displayed in response to the selection of an option from the first set.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first polygonal menu is only partially displayed in the graphical user interface, and wherein the first set of selectable options comprises a subset of available options associated with the first polygonal menu.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the first polygonal menu is rotatable in response to a user command to display a different subset of available options.

22. A user interface comprising:

a first polygonal menu comprising a first set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the first polygonal menu; and

a second polygonal menu comprising a second set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the second polygonal menu, wherein the second polygonal menu is concentrically-disposed relative to the first polygonal menu, wherein the second polygonal menu is displayed in response to a user selection of an option from the first set, and wherein the user-selected option from the first set and a user-selected option from the second set always define a radially-aligned selection path through the first and second polygonal menus.

23. The user interface of claim 22 , further comprising:

a third polygonal menu comprising a third set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the third polygonal menu, wherein the third polygonal menu is concentrically-disposed relative to the second polygonal menu, and wherein the third polygonal menu is displayed in response to a user selection of an option from the second set.

24. The user interface of claim 22 , wherein the first and second polygonal menus are ring-shaped.

25. The user interface of claim 22 , further comprising:

a fixed selection indicator;

wherein the first polygonal menu is rotatable to align a desired option from the first set of selectable options with the fixed selection indicator.

26. The user interface of claim 25 , wherein the second polygonal menu is rotatable to align a desired option from the second set with the fixed selection indicator.

27. The user interface of claim 22 , further comprising:

a first movable selection indicator configured to move circumferentially around the first polygonal menu to align with a desired option from the first set.

28. The user interface of claim 27 , further comprising:

a second movable selection indicator configured to move circumferentially around the second polygonal menu to align to a desired option from the second set.

29. The user interface of claim 22 , wherein the selectable options from the second set are determined by a selected option from the first set.

30. The user interface of claim 22 , wherein the selectable options from the second set are sub-options of a selected option from the first set.

31. The user interface of claim 22 , wherein the selectable options from the first and second sets are hierarchically related.

32. The user interface of claim 22 , wherein at least one selectable option comprises an icon.

33. The user interface of claim 22 , wherein at least one selectable option comprises text description.

34. The user interface of claim 22 , wherein at least one selectable option is associated with an audio sample, and wherein the audio sample is automatically played in response to the corresponding option being aligned with a selection indicator without an explicit selection action other than rotating one of the polygonal menus.

35. The user interface of claim 22 , wherein the second polygonal menu is displayed in response to a selection from the first polygonal menu, and wherein the second polygonal menu concentrically encloses the first polygonal menu.

36. The user interface of claim 22 , wherein the second polygonal menu is displayed in response to a selection from the first polygonal menu, and wherein the second polygonal menu is concentrically enclosed by the first polygonal menu.

37. The user interface of claim 22 , wherein the first and second polygonal menus are rotatable about a common axis in response to a user command.

38. The user interface of claim 22 , wherein the first polygonal menu is only partially displayed, and wherein the first set of selectable options comprises a subset of available options associated with the first polygonal menu.

39. The user interface of claim 22 , wherein the first polygonal menu is rotatable in response to a user command to display a different subset of available options.

40. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium including code for causing a computer to perform a method for obtaining user input in a graphical user interface, the method comprising:

displaying at least a portion of a first polygonal menu comprising a first set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the first polygonal menu;

receiving a user selection of an option from the first set of selectable options;

41. A system for obtaining user input in a graphical user interface, the system comprising:

means for displaying at least a portion of a first polygonal menu comprising a first set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the first polygonal menu;

means for receiving a user selection of an option from the first set of selectable options;

means for displaying at least a portion of a second polygonal menu comprising a second set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the second polygonal menu, wherein the second polygonal menu is concentrically-disposed relative to the first polygonal menu; and

means receiving a user selection of an option from the second set of selectable options, wherein the user-selected options from the first and second sets always define a radially-aligned selection path through the first and second polygonal menus.

42. A method for obtaining user input in a graphical user interface, the method comprising:

displaying at least a portion of a first polygonal menu comprising a first set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the first polygonal menu;

rotating the first polygonal menu about an axis to radially align an option from the first set with a fixed selection indicator;

in response to a selection of the radially-aligned option from the first set, displaying at least a portion of a second polygonal menu comprising a second set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the second polygonal menu, wherein the second polygonal menu is concentrically-disposed relative to the first polygonal menu; and

rotating the second polygonal menu about the axis to radially align a user-selected option from the second set with the fixed selection indicator, wherein the user-selected options from the first and second sets always define a radially-aligned selection path through the first and second polygonal menus.

43. The method of claim 42 , further comprising:

in response to a selection of the radially-aligned option from the second set, displaying at least a portion of a third polygonal menu comprising a third set of selectable options circumferentially disposed on the third polygonal menu, wherein the third polygonal menu is concentrically-disposed relative to the first and second polygonal menus; and

rotating the third polygonal menu about the axis to radially align a user-selected option from the third set with the fixed selection indicator, wherein the user-selected options from the first, second, and third sets always define a radially-aligned selection path through the first and second polygonal menus.