Sprocket shaped user interface for navigating a dynamic collection of information
View Patent ↗The sprocket shaped menu accepts selections of information from the menu, where selecting an item in the menu causes other parts of the look of the menu to change. In one embodiment, this can cause a break in the menu which shows a preview. In another embodiment, touching an item on the menu can cause an automatic update of the other items unless those other items have been automatically updated within a predetermined time before, such as within 15 minutes.
1. A computer, operating using a processor and a display screen to display a menu and to accept selections from the menu,
where said processor produces an output indicative of a menu that is substantially in the shape of at least a portion of a circle having multiple different ring portions, where items on the menu can be selected, and where selecting the items on the menu changes content which is shown in other portions of the menu, to show content that is associated with the selected item on the menu, said processor operating to determine, when a first item has been selected from a first ring portion of the menu, other content associated with the first item for displaying on a second ring portion of the menu different than the first ring portion of the menu, by determining if the item has been selected previously within a specified update time, if not, receiving over a network connection, update information for said content associated with the item, and displaying said other content including said update information responsive to said item being selected, and if the item has been selected previously within the specified update time, then displaying already-stored information associated with the item without checking for an update and using previously downloaded information, without contacting a server, and where said output comprises multiple different rectangular display portions, each of said multiple different rectangular display portions showing a display of a specific option based on the selected item, where said multiple different rectangular display portions is not part of said ring portions and is created as a break between said first item in the ring portions and another item in the ring portions when said first item is selected, where said break is not shown before said item is selected.
2. A computer as in claim 1 , wherein said display screen is a touchscreen, and said selecting comprises detecting a touch on the touch screen.
3. A computer as in claim 1 , wherein said menu is in the form of concentric rings, and selecting an item on one of said rings changes information on another of said rings.
4. A computer as in claim 3 , wherein said another of said rings is an outwardly concentric ring.
5. A computer as in claim 3 , wherein said another of said rings is an inwardly concentric ring.
6. The computer as in claim 3 , wherein said items on the menu that can be selected include both applications and video selection items, including all of a social network, a channel guide, a studio, a media library, and favorites.
7. The computer as in claim 3 , wherein said items on the menu that can be selected include a favorites item, that allows selecting an advertising that is displayed as part of said menu.
8. The computer as in claim 3 , wherein said items on the menu include a channel guide, wherein said channel guide when shown on a mobile phone screen includes only channels that can be seen on a mobile phone screen, and where said channel guide shown on another screen includes other channels that can be seen on said another screen but cannot be seen on said mobile phone screen.
9. A computer, operating using a processor and a display screen to display a menu and to accept selections from the menu,
where said processor produces an output indicative of a menu that is substantially in the shape of at least a portion of a circle having multiple different ring portions, where items on the menu can be selected,
said processor detecting a selection of an item on the menu to change the content which is shown in other portions of the menu, to show content that is associated with the selected item on the menu, said processor operating to, when a first item has been selected from a first ring portion of the menu, form a display portion associated with said first item, where said display portion comprises multiple different rectangular display portions, each of said multiple different rectangular display portions showing a display of a specific option based on the selected item, where said multiple different rectangular display portions is not part of said rings and is created as a break between said first item in the rings and another item in the ring when said first item is selected, where said break is not shown before said item is selected.
10. A computer as in claim 9 , wherein selecting said first item in the ring also causes other content associated with the first item for displaying on a second ring portion of the menu different than the first ring portion of the menu, by determining if the item has been selected previously within a specified update time, if not, receiving over a network connection, update information for said content associated with the item, and displaying said other content including said update information responsive to said item being selected, and if the item has been selected previously within the specified update time, then displaying already-stored information associated with the item without checking for an update.
11. A computer as in claim 9 , wherein said display screen is a touchscreen, and said selecting comprises detecting a touch on the touch screen.
12. A computer as in claim 10 , wherein said menu is in the form of concentric rings, and selecting an item on one of said rings changes information on another of said rings.