Customizable database-driven menu structure for a portable computing device
A portable media playing device incorporating a menu structure. The device includes a display mechanism, a navigation database, including a navigation record with a navigation description, and an action database, including an action record with an action description. The action database is customizable. A display driver displays the navigation description. When the navigation description is selected, the display driver displays the action description. When the action description is selected, a digital synchronization system generates an extra action request (EAR) record that includes an action identifier and action data for storage in an EAR database. When the device is synchronized with a computer, a synchronization manager accesses the EAR database and updates the action database with any new action records.
1. A method of operating a portable device comprising:
displaying on the portable device a navigation menu with navigation descriptions of navigation records populated from a navigation database on said portable device;
obtaining on said portable device a navigation selection of one of the navigation descriptions, wherein said navigation selection is inputted into said portable device;
determining on said portable device that the navigation selection is associated with a media file;
constructing on said portable device an action menu with action descriptions of action records stored on the portable device, wherein at least one action record is customizable by downloading data to said portable device from an external device;
accepting on said portable device an action selection of one of the action descriptions;
initiating on said portable device an action associated with the action selection; and
downloading onto said portable device the media file, wherein the media file is stored remotely before being downloaded onto said portable device.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising downloading an action script, including action data, from a remote source; and storing the action data in an action record.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein a navigation record includes a plurality of navigation fields and one of the plurality of navigation fields comprises a navigation description, the method further comprising:
deciding on said portable device whether to display an action description for an action record of the action records by comparing an action field of the action record to a requisite value.
4. The method of claim 3 further comprising determining the requisite value from one of the plurality of navigation fields.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising, after said accepting, displaying on said portable device an interaction interface.
6. A method of operating a portable device comprising:
populating on the portable device a navigation menu with navigation descriptions of navigation records stored in a navigation database, wherein the navigation database providing a plurality of navigation descriptions per navigation record;
obtaining on said portable device a navigation selection of one of the navigation descriptions, wherein said navigation selection is input into said portable device;
determining on said portable device that the navigation selection is associated with a media file;
constructing on said portable device an action menu with action descriptions of action records stored on the portable device, wherein at least one action record is customizable by downloading data to said portable device from an external device;
accepting on said portable device an action selection of one of the action descriptions;
initiating on said portable device an action associated with the action selection; and
downloading onto said portable device the media file, wherein the media file is stored remotely before being downloaded onto said portable device.
7. The method of claim 6 further comprising downloading an action script, including action data, from a remote source; and storing the action data in an action record.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein a navigation record includes a plurality of navigation fields and one of the plurality of navigation fields comprises a navigation description, the method further comprising deciding on said portable device whether to display an action description for an action record of the action records by comparing an action field of the action record to a requisite value.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
determining the requisite value from one of the plurality of navigation fields.
10. The method of claim 6 further comprising, after said accepting, displaying on said portable device an interaction interface.
11. A method of operating a portable device comprising:
populating on the portable device a navigation menu with navigation descriptions of navigation records from a navigation database, wherein navigation is achieved by a plurality of navigation descriptions;
obtaining on said portable device at least one action record from an external device;
storing on said portable device the obtained at least one action record in an action database;
obtaining on said portable device a navigation selection of one of the navigation descriptions, wherein said navigation selection is input into said portable device;
determining on said portable device that the navigation selection is associated with a media file;
constructing on said portable device an action menu with action descriptions of action records stored on the portable device including the at least one action record from the external device;
accepting on said portable device an action selection of one of the action descriptions; and
initiating on said portable device an action associated with the action selection.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein a navigation record includes a plurality of navigation fields and one of the plurality of navigation fields comprises a navigation description, the method further comprising deciding on said portable device whether to display an action description for an action record of the action records by comparing an action field of the action record to a requisite value.
13. The method of claim 12 further comprising determining the requisite value from one of the plurality of navigation fields.
14. The method of claim 11 further comprising, after said accepting, displaying on said portable device an interaction interface.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the action records stored on the portable device include one or more action records, different from the at least one action record from the external device, with action descriptions indicating one or more actions different from action descriptions of the at least one action record from the external device.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
the action selection is one of the action descriptions of the at least one action record from the external device.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein:
the action selection is one of the action descriptions of the one or more action records different from the at least one action record from the external device.
18. The method of claim 15 , wherein obtaining on said portable device at least one action record from an external device further includes:
downloading on said portable device data corresponding to the at least one action record from the external device; and
generating on said portable device the at least one action record based on the data corresponding to the at least one action record.