IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,375,326
Granted Patent B2
US 8,375,326 · App. 11/754,842 · Granted Feb 12, 2013

Contextual-based and overlaid user interface elements

Inventors: Timothy Bucher (Los Altos, CA); Arthur Anthonie Van Hoff (Menlo Park, CA)
Assignee: Dell Products LP.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,375,326
App. No.
11/754,842
Filed
May 29, 2007
Granted
Feb 12, 2013
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2171
USPC
715/810
Abstract

A portable electronics device for displaying a graphical user interface (“GUI”) element on a screen of the device includes a screen, a user input device, a GUI element, and a port for receiving audio headgear. Content is displayed on a screen of the device, the content being associated with a function of the device. Upon receiving user input, the GUI element is displayed on the screen by overlaying the GUI element above the content. The GUI element graphically represents one or more menu selection items, permitting the user of the device to select a menu selection item without navigating out of the function of the device prior to selecting the menu selection item.

Claims (25)

1. In a portable electronics device, a method for displaying a graphical user interface element on a screen of the portable electronics device, comprising:

navigating within a hierarchy of user interfaces from an upper-level user interface to a lower-level user interface through one or more intermediate-level user interfaces disposed between the upper-level user interface and the lower-level user interface;

receiving input that selects a first icon in the lower-level user interface, the first icon being configured to launch a first user application;

executing the first user application to display content within a user interface of the first user application on the screen of the portable electronics device, the content of the user interface of the first user application being displayed with a first intensity;

while the first user application is executing and the user interface of the first user application is being displayed on the screen of the portable electronics device, receiving user input through the manipulation of a user input device of the portable electronics device;

in response to the user input and while the user interface of the first user application is being displayed, displaying the content of the user interface of the first user application with a second intensity that is less than the first intensity, and displaying a graphical user interface (“GUI”) element on the screen by overlaying the GUI element on the user interface of the first user application that is being displayed on the screen, the GUI element including a plurality of icons from the upper-level user interface that each are configured to launch a different user application than the first user application, the GUI element being displayed with the first intensity overtop the content of the user interface of the first user application that is being displayed with the second intensity;

receiving user input that selects one of the plurality of icons from the upper-level user interface;

in response to the user input that selects one of the plurality of icons, executing a corresponding second user application to display content within a user interface of the second user application thereby permitting the user to select to execute the second user application while the user interface of the first user application is being displayed without navigating back through the one or more intermediate-level user interfaces and without navigating out of the first user application of the portable electronics device prior to selecting the icon.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the user input device is a rotatable wheel; and

the GUI element is a rotating arc displayed on the screen.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising displaying the plurality of icons along a segment of the rotating arc.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising, in response to receiving user input rotating the rotatable wheel, rotating the GUI element in lockstep with the rotatable wheel.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the user input device is oriented horizontally with respect to the screen of the portable electronics device; and

the GUI element is displayed horizontally on the screen.

6. One or more computer storage devices storing computer executable instructions which when executed by a processor perform a method for displaying a graphical user interface element on a screen of the portable electronics device, comprising:

navigating within a hierarchy of user interfaces from an upper-level user interface to a lower-level user interface through one or more intermediate-level user interfaces disposed between the upper-level user interface and the lower-level user interface;

receiving input that selects a first icon in the lower-level user interface, the first icon being configured to launch a first user application;

executing the first user application to display content within a user interface of the first user application on the screen of the portable electronics device, the content of the user interface of the first user application being displayed with a first intensity;

while the first user application is executing and the user interface of the first user application is being displayed on the screen of the portable electronics device, receiving user input through the manipulation of a user input device of the portable electronics device;

in response to the user input and while the user interface of the first user application is being displayed, displaying the content of the user interface of the first user application with a second intensity that is less than the first intensity, and displaying a graphical user interface (“GUI”) element on the screen by overlaying the GUI element on the user interface of the first user application that is being displayed on the screen, the GUI element including a plurality of icons from the upper-level user interface that each are configured to launch a different user application than the first user application, the GUI element being displayed with the first intensity overtop the content of the user interface of the first user application that is being displayed with the second intensity;

receiving user input that selects one of the plurality of icons from the upper-level user interface;

in response to the user input that select one of the plurality of icons, executing a corresponding second user application to display content within a user interface of the second user application thereby permitting the user to select to execute the second user application while the user interface of the first user application is being displayed without navigating back through the one or more intermediate-level user interfaces and without navigating out of the first user application of the portable electronics device prior to selecting the icon.

7. The one or more computer storage devices of claim 6 , wherein the first user application is a multimedia application, and wherein the second application is a messaging application.

Assignments (17)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (053546/0001) Recorded Jun 23, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
Reel/Frame 071642/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (045455/0001) Recorded May 20, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061753/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME (040136/0001) Recorded Apr 26, 2022
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.); DELL MARKETING L.P. (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.); DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL MARKETING CORPORATION (SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC. AND WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.); EMC CORPORATION (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MAGINATICS LLC); EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC (ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND AS SUCCESSOR-IN-INTEREST TO MOZY, INC.); SCALEIO LLC
Reel/Frame 061324/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 3, 2021
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH
To: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL, L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 058216/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 22, 2020
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053546/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 21, 2019
From: CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; EMC CORPORATION; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.
Reel/Frame 049452/0223 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040136/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 21, 2016
From: ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; AVENTAIL LLC; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL INTERNATIONAL L.L.C.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL SYSTEMS CORPORATION; EMC CORPORATION; EMC IP HOLDING COMPANY LLC; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; MAGINATICS LLC; MOZY, INC.; SCALEIO LLC; SPANNING CLOUD APPS LLC; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040134/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040065/0618 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 14, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040040/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2016
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: DELL MARKETING L.P.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; COMPELLANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL USA L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
Reel/Frame 040065/0216 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (NOTES) Recorded Jan 2, 2014
From: APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; BOOMI, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL INC.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL USA L.P.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; GALE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., AS FIRST LIEN COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 031897/0348 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (ABL) Recorded Jan 2, 2014
From: DELL INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; BOOMI, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL USA L.P.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; GALE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 031898/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT (TERM LOAN) Recorded Jan 2, 2014
From: DELL INC.; APPASSURE SOFTWARE, INC.; ASAP SOFTWARE EXPRESS, INC.; BOOMI, INC.; COMPELLENT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; CREDANT TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELL MARKETING L.P.; DELL PRODUCTS L.P.; DELL SOFTWARE INC.; DELL USA L.P.; FORCE10 NETWORKS, INC.; GALE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; PEROT SYSTEMS CORPORATION; SECUREWORKS, INC.; WYSE TECHNOLOGY L.L.C.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 031899/0261 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 11, 2008
From: ZING SYSTEMS, INC.
To: DELL PRODUCTS L.P.
Reel/Frame 020353/0262 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE MISPELLING OF ASSIGNORS NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 019352 FRAME 0166. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.. Recorded Jun 12, 2007
From: BUCHER, TIMOTHY; VAN HOFF, ARTHUR ANTHONIE
To: ZING SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 019415/0396 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 29, 2007
From: BUCHER, TIMOTHY; VAN HOFF, AURTHUR ANTHONIE
To: ZING SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 019352/0166 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 60803507 · May 30, 2006
Related Publication 20070283292A1 · Dec 6, 2007