GB2324633A

GB2324633A - Menu selection in a wireless selective call receiver

Info

Publication number: GB2324633A
Application number: GB9807615A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jun Uchida
Original assignee: NEC Corp
Current assignee: NEC Corp
Priority date: 1997-04-22
Filing date: 1998-04-08
Publication date: 1998-10-28
Anticipated expiration: 2018-04-08
Also published as: GB9807615D0; GB2324633B

Abstract

A wireless selective call receiver includes an operation unit having at least one operating element (10) which is operated by a user. A detecting unit (11) detects a first predetermined operation (push for at least one second, or double click) of the operating element in a normal mode to generate a menu display signal, and detects a second predetermined operation of the operating element in a selection mode to generate an item designation signal. A control unit (3) controls a display unit to display a predetermined type of data in the normal mode. The control unit (3) responds to the menu display signal to set the selection mode and to control the display unit to display a first menu such that items of the first menu are scrolled while each of the items of the first menu is displayed one by one in a predetermined area. The control unit (3) selects a specific one of the items of the first menu in the selection mode in response to the item designation signal input from the detecting unit when the specific item is displayed in the predetermined area. The operating element (10) is also used for acknowledgement.

Description

A METHOD OF SELECTING A MENU AND AN APPARATUS EMPLOYING THE METHOD.

The present invention relates to a method of selecting a menu and an electronic equipment, such as a wireless selective call receiver, to which the method is applied.

A recently proposed wireless selective call receiver has a large number of functions, such as a wireless selection calling function, and a message displaying function, and it has an increase in the number of menus.

The increase in the number of menus tends to be accompanied by an increase in the number of switches.

The increase in the number of functions, which is achieved by the above-mentioned increase in the number of menus, is desirable from the viewpoint of the convenience of users. However, the number of switches required tends to increase with the increase in the number of menus.

The increase in the number of switches is a large factor to be considered against the realization of small size and a high number of functions in a wireless selective call receiver. Also, an increase in the number of switches makes it difficult to keep the cost low.

A previously proposed technique for the purpose of simplifying a switch operation is described in Japanese Laid Open Patent Disclosure (JP-A-Heisei 6-6288). In the previously proposed example of a wireless selective call receiver, a reverse direction scrolling switch is used, when a head portion of a message is displayed, as a back light turning switch. Otherwise, the switch is used for its normal purpose.

Features of arrangements to be described below, by way of example in illustration of the present invention are a method of selecting a menu with a minimum of operation, and an electronic equipment, such as a wireless selective call receiver, to which the method is applied.

In a particular wireless selective call receiver to be described below, by way of example in illustration of the present invention, there are a display unit, an operation unit including at least one operation element which is operated by a user, a detecting unit for detecting a first predetermined operation of the at least one operation element in a normal mode to generate a menu display signal, and for detecting a second predetermined operation of the at least one operation element in a selection mode to generate an item designation signal, and a control unit for controlling the display unit to display a predetermined type of data in the normal mode, for setting the selection mode in response to the menu display signal, for controlling the display unit in response to the menu display signal to display a first menu such that items of the first menu are scrolled while each of the items of the first menu is displayed one by one in a predetermined area, and for selecting a specific one of the items of the first menu in the selection mode in response to the item designation signal input from the detecting unit when the specific item is displayed in the predetermined area.

In this case, the operation unit may include a single operation element.

The first predetermined operation of the at least one operation element may be an operation of the at least one operation element for a time interval longer than a predetermined time interval. Alternatively, the first predetermined operation of the at least one operation element may be clicks of the at least one operation element twice or more times within a predetermined time interval.

Also, the predetermined area may be a part of a screen of the display unit. Alternatively, the predetermined area may be a whole screen of the display unit.

The control unit may further execute processing corresponding to the specific item of the first menu.

When a menu has a hierarchical structure and the first menu is a top layer menu, the control unit may control the display unit to display a second menu corresponding to the specific item of the first menu such that items of the second menu are scrolled while each of the items of the second menu is displayed one by one. Also, the control unit may select a specific one of the items of the second menu in the selection mode in response to an item designation signal input from the detecting unit when the specific item of the second menu is displayed.

There will also be described below, by way of example in illustration of the present invention, a method of designating a specific item from a first menu in a wireless selective call receiver, which includes the steps of displaying a predetermined type of data in a normal mode, operating an operation element in the normal mode, detecting a first predetermined operation of the operation element in the normal mode to generate a menu display signal, setting a selection mode in the menu display signal, displaying a first menu in response to the menu display signal such that items of the first menu are scrolled while each of the items of the first menu is displayed one by one in a predetermined area, detecting a second predetermined operation of the operation element in the selection mode to generate a first item designation signal, and selecting a specific one of the items of the first menu in the selection mode in response to the first item designation signal generated when the specific item is displayed in the predetermined area.

In another wireless selective call receiver to be described below by way of example in illustration of the present invention, there are an antenna, a wireless unit for receiving a wireless signal by the antenna to demodulate the received wireless signal, an informing unit, a display unit, an operation unit including at least one operation element which is operated by a user, a detecting unit for detecting a first predetermined operation of the at least one operation element in a normal mode to generate a menu display signal, and a control unit for determining whether the demodulated wireless signal is destined for the wireless selective call receiver, for controlling the informing unit to inform the user of the reception of a message contained in the demodulated wireless signal, for controlling the display unit to display a predetermined type of data in the normal mode, for setting a selection mode in response to the menu display signal, for controlling the display unit in response to the menu display signal to display a first menu such that items of the first menu are scrolled while each of the items of the first menu is displayed one by one in a predetermined area.

In this case, the detecting unit may detect a second predetermined operation of the at least one operation element in the selection mode to generate an item designation signal. Also, the control unit may select a specific one of the items of the first menu in the selection mode in response to the item designation signal input from the detecting unit when the specific item is displayed in the predetermined area.

In yet another arrangement to be described below by way of example in illustration of the invention there are an electronic equipment which includes a display unit, an operation unit including at least one operation element which is operated by a user, a detecting unit for detecting a first predetermined operation of the at least one operation element in a normal mode to generate a menu display signal, and a control unit for controlling the display unit to display a predetermined type of data in the normal mode, for setting a selection mode in response to the menu display signal, for controlling the display unit in response to the menu display signal to display a first menu such that items of the first menu are scrolled while each of the items of the first menu is displayed one by one in a predetermined area.

Arrangements illustrative of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a block schematic circuit diagram illustrating the structure of a wireless selective call receiver, Fig. 2 is a table indicating the states of change depending upon the switch operation in the case of the selection of a menu in the wireless selective call receiver shown in Fig. 1, Figs. 3A and 3B are diagrammatic illustrations of examples of the menu selection in the wireless selective call receiver shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a diagram for use in illustrating another example of the menu selection in another wireless selective call receiver.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown a wireless selective call receiver which includes an antenna (ANT) 1, a wireless section 2, a control section 3, an ID-ROM 4, an informing section 5, an LCD driver 6, an LCD 7 with a display screen, a RAM 8, a ROM 9, an operation section including a switch (SW) 10 as an operation element, and a detecting section 11 including a timer (not shown).

In the wireless selective call receiver shown in this first embodiment, a radio signal from a paging system is received by the antenna (ANT) 1 and passed to the wireless section 2. The wireless section 2 demodulates the wireless signal into base-band data. The demodulated data is sent to the control section 3.

The control section 3 compares, in a normal mode, a self selection call number which is stored in the ID-ROM 4 and a selection call number which is contained in the received demodulated data. When both are coincident with each other, the control section 3 controls the informing section 5 to inform it. When a message is contained in the received data, the control section 3 stores the message in the RAM 8 as a message memory. Also, the control section 3 drives the LCD driver 6 such that the message is displayed on the display screen of the LCD 7.

A program which defines the operation of the whole of wireless selective call receiver with the display section is stored in the ROM 9.

The operation section of the wireless selective call receiver with the display section has the switch 10 as an operating element. The switch 10 is used for both the confirmation of the message which has been received and the selection of a menu. The detecting section 11 is placed between the control section 3 and the switch 10.

The detecting section 11 monitors the time duration or interval of a pushing operation of the switch 10, i.e.

the pushing operation continuous time duration or interval, and the number of times the pushing or switching operation of the switch 10 occurs. The detecting section 11 outputs a mode change signal to the control section 3 when it detects a pushing operation of the switch 10 for a time period or interval longer than a predetermined time interval, e.g., one second in this example, or a double click or pushing operation within the predetermined time period or interval. The control section 3 changes the mode from the normal mode to a menu selection mode in response to the mode change signal.

Also, the control section 3 drives the LCD driver 6 such that the LCD 7 displays a menu. Also, the detecting section 11 outputs an item designation signal to the control section 3 when detecting a pushing or switching operation of the switch 10 in the menu selection mode while a menu is displayed. The control section 3 selects and sets one of items of the menu in response to the item designation signal.

For example, the confirmation of the message in the normal mode is performed in response to the pushing operation of the switch 10. In other words, the pushing operation time interval of the switch 10 is measured by the timer (not shown) of the detecting section 11. If the pushing or switching operation time period or interval is equal to or less than 1 second, the detecting section 11 sends to the control section 3 a signal instructing that the message be displayed. In a wireless selective call receiver, since it is most important to confirm the receipt of a message, the pushing operation of the switch 10 once within one second, which is the simplest, is used as the operation for the message confirmation.

On the other hand, the pushing operation of the switch 10 for a time interval longer than one second is allocated to the menu selection. The pushing or switching operation of the switch 10 twice within one second (this is referred to as a double-click) may be allocated to this menu selection. Hereinafter, it is practical, when the pushing operation of the switch 10 is to be for a time interval longer than one second, for it to be allocated to the menu selection for simplification.

It should be noted that one pushing operation of the switch 10, which renders it more easy for the user to operate, may be stored previously in the ID-ROM 4. When detecting that the switch 11 has been pushed for a time interval or period longer than one second, the detecting section 11 sends a mode change signal to the control section 3 such that the mode is changed from the normal mode to the menu selection mode.

Next, the operation of the wireless selective call receiver illustrated in Fig. 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 2.

It will be remembered that Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram or table indicating the states of change in response to the operation of the switch 10 in the case of the selection of a menu.

Referring to Fig. 2, in the procedure (1), when the switch 10 is operated for a time interval longer than one second (or a double-click operation), the control section 3 changes the mode of the wireless selective call receiver from a clock display mode, as a normal mode, to a menu selection mode. The control section 3 sends information of each of the menu setting screens one after another to the LCD driver 6 with a predetermined time interval, and each menu setting screen is displayed one after another on the LCD 7. That is, each menu setting screen is automatically scrolled item by item. At this time, the control section 3 informs the detecting section 11 that the menu setting screens are being automatically scrolled.

In the procedure (2), when the switch 10 is pushed in the above state, the detecting section 11 notifies the control section 3 of the pushing operation of the switch 10, regardless of the time interval of the pushing operation of the switch 10. That is, the detecting section 11 outputs an item designation signal to the control section 3. In response to the item designation signal, the control section 3 selects one of the items of the menu which is being automatically displayed during the scroll, and sets the selected item.

In the last procedure (3), the control section 3 determines which one of the items should be selected from the particular menu based on the pushing operation of the switch 10 when a desired function setting screen is displayed while the items of the selected menu are automatically scrolled.

If the selected item in the procedure (2) corresponds to a sub-menu, the sub-menu is also displayed, while items of the sub-menu are being automatically scrolled.

Figs. 3A and 3D are diagrams illustrating a specific example of the menu selection in the embodiment described above.

Referring to Fig. 3A, in the embodiment described above, the clock displaying state of the screen A is displayed on the LCD 7 in a normal mode. The normal mode is set when there has been no pushing operation of the switch 10, and when the wireless selective call receiver is in a time interval which is other than a time interval immediately after a message has been received.

For the selection of a menu, the user pushes the switch 10 for a time longer than one second (as described above, it may be that the switch 10 is double clicked).

At that time, an alarm setting screen of the screen B is displayed for one second as a first item of a first menu.

Then, the display screen is automatically changed to a timer setting screen of the screen C as a second item of the first menu. This display screen is also displayed for one second. After that, an alert setting screen of the screen D is automatically displayed as a third item of the first menu. As mentioned above, in the menu selection mode, the screens corresponding to the first to third items of the first menu are automatically scrolled, as far as there is not any item designation signal generated based on the pushing operation of the switch 10.

When the switch 10 is pushed or operated in the state in which the last alert setting screen of the screen D is displayed as shown in Fig. 3A, the alert setting menu is selected. The screens from the screen E to the screen J, corresponding to items of the selected alert setting menu, are shown to enable a method of setting the details of the alert setting menu to be described.

The item "Sound On" is shown in the screen E and the item "Sound Of f" is shown in the screen F. The item "Sound On" means that the informing operation is carried out by the use of the sound from a speaker. On the other hand, the item "Sound Off" means that the informing operation is carried out by the use of the vibration of a vibrator resulting from the vibration of a motor.

When the alert setting screen is displayed as the last screen D of Fig. 3A, the switch 10 is pushed when the state is that of the start of Fig. 3B, so that the alert setting is selected. At that time, the item "Sound On" of the screen E and the item "Sound Off" of the screen F are automatically and alternately displayed with the time interval or period of one second. In this case, if the switch 10 is pushed in the state in which the item "Sound On" of the screen E is displayed. The content of the alert setting is determined to be that of the item "Sound On".

Next, an item "Beep" of a screen G and an item 1,Musical" of the screen H are automatically and alternately displayed with the time interval of one second. The item "Beep" means that the speaker sounds.

The item "Musical" means that the speaker delivers a simple melody. When the switch 10 is pushed when in the state in which the item "Beep" of the screen C is displayed, the content of the alert setting is determined to be the item "Beep".

Then, an item "Single" of the screen I and an item "Dual" of the screen J are automatically and alternately displayed with the time interval of one second. The item "Single" means that the speaker sounds with a single frequency. The item "Dual" means that the speaker sounds alternately with two different frequencies. When the switch 10 is pushed in the state in which the item "Single" of the screen I is displayed, the item "Single" is selected as the content of the alert setting.

After this, the control returns to the waiting state (clock display) by the pushing operation of the switch 10.

Overall, the items "Sound On", "Beep" and "Single" are selected by the pushing operation of the single switch 10 only, so that the contents of the alert setting menu as one of the menus can be determined.

Next, the wireless selective call receiver of the second embodiment illustrative of the present invention will be referred to. The structure of the wireless selective call receiver employed in the second embodiment is the same as that employed in the first embodiment.

Therefore, any description of the receiver will be omitted.

In the first embodiment, the whole screen portion of the display screen was used for the selection of a menu, or selection of an item of the menu. However, in the wireless selective call receiver employed in the second embodiment, the upper half area of the display screen of the LCD 7 is used for the selection of a menu or the selection of an item of the menu, as shown in Fig. 4.

When the first item of a menu is displayed in the upper half area of the display screen, the following second item is displayed in the lower half of the display screen. After one second, the second item is displayed in the upper half area of the display screen and the third item is displayed in the lower half area of the display screen. Thus, the screens corresponding to the items of the menu are automatically scrolled with a one second interval. In this case, since the next item can be confirmed, it is convenient to the user.

Also, a plurality of items of a menu are displayed on a display screen and the plurality of items may be sequentially highlighted with a predetermined time interval to distinguish the active state, instead of an automatic scroll. When the switch is pushed as described above in the state in which one of the items is highlighted, the item may be selected.

In the wireless selective call receiver with a display unit which has been described above, by way of example in illustration of the present invention, the pushing operation of the switch is performed for a time period or interval longer than a predetermined time interval for the selection of one of items of a menu.

Alternatively, the pushing operation of the switch twice within a predetermined time period or interval, i.e., a double click, is performed for the selection of an item of the menu. During the selection of the item of the menu, the items of the menu are automatically scrolled with a predetermined time period or interval. Thus, it is possible to select or set a desired one of the items of the menu in response to the pushing operation of the switch in the condition in which the desired item of the menu is displayed. Thus, the menu setting operation is improved.

Also, one of the features of the arrangements described above in illustration of the invention is that a wireless selective call receiver with a display unit can be provided to give the user the ease of menu selection requiring only a single switch. Therefore, with such a wireless selective call receiver it is possible to make the area and volume of the hardware comparatively small, and a wireless selective call receiver with a display unit can be made with a comparatively small size and with a high level of functions, so as to match the needs of the market.

Further, such a wireless selective call receiver with a display unit can be manufactured with a comparatively low cost, because the number of parts associated with the switch can be reduced.

It will be understood that, although particular arrangements illustrative of the invention have been described by way of example, variations and modifications thereof, as well as other arrangements can be conceived within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A wireless selective call receiver including a display unit, an operation unit having at least one operating element which is operable by a user, a detecting unit for detecting a first predetermined operation of the at least one operating element in a normal mode to generate a menu display signal, and for detecting a second predetermined operation of the at least one operating element in a selection mode to generate an item designation signal, and a control unit for controlling the display unit to display a predetermined type of data in the normal mode, for setting the selection mode in response to the menu display signal, for controlling the display unit in response to the menu display signal to display a first menu such that items of the first menu are scrolled while each of the items of the first menu is displayed one by one in a predetermined area, and for selecting a specific one of the items of the first menu in the selection mode in response to the item designation signal input from the detecting unit when the specific item is displayed in the predetermined area.

2. A wireless selective call receiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operation unit includes a single operating element.

3. A wireless selective call receiver as claimed in either claim 1 or 2, wherein the first predetermined operation of the at least one operating element is an operation of the at least one operating element for a time interval longer than a predetermined time interval.

4. A wireless selective call receiver as claimed in either claim 1 or 2, wherein the first predetermined operation of the at least one operating element is by clicks of the at least one operating element two or more times within a predetermined time interval or period.

5. A wireless selective call receiver as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the predetermined area is a part of a screen of the display unit.

6. A wireless selective call receiver as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the predetermined area is the whole screen of the display unit.

7. A wireless selective call receiver as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the control unit further executes processing corresponding to the specific item of the first menu.

8. A wireless selective call receiver as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a menu has a hierarchical structure and the first menu is a top layer menu, and wherein the control unit controls the display unit to display a second menu corresponding to the specific item of the first menu such that items of the second menu are scrolled while each of the items of the second menu is displayed one by one, and selects a specific one of the items of the second menu in the selection mode in response to an item designation signal input from the detecting unit when the specific item of the second menu is displayed.

9. A method of designating a specific item from a first menu in a wireless selective call receiver, including the steps of displaying a predetermined type of data in a normal mode, operating an operating element in the normal mode, detecting a first predetermined operation of the operating element in the normal mode to generate a menu display signal, setting a selection mode in the menu display signal, displaying a first menu in response to the menu display signal such that items of the first menu are scrolled while each of the items of the first menu is displayed one by one in a predetermined area, detecting a second predetermined operation of the operating element in the selection mode to generate a first item designation signal, and selecting a specific one of the items of the first menu in the selection mode in response to the first item designation signal generated when the specific item is displayed in the predetermined area.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first predetermined operation of the at least one operating element is an operation of the at least one operating element for a time interval longer than a predetermined time interval.

11. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first predetermined operation of the at least one operating element includes clicks of the at least one operating element two or more times within a predetermined time interval or period.

12. A method as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the predetermined area is a part of a screen of the display unit.

13. A method as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the predetermined area is a whole screen of the display unit.

14. A method as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 13, including the step of executing processing corresponding to the specific item of the first menu.

15. A method as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 14, wherein a menu has a hierarchical structure and the first menu is a top layer menu, and wherein the method includes the step of displaying a second menu corresponding to the specific item of the first menu such that items of the second menu are scrolled while each of the items of the second menu is displayed one by one, detecting the second predetermined operation of the operating element in the selection mode when the second menu is displayed, to generate a second item designation signal, and selecting a specific one of the items of the second menu in the selection mode in response to the second item designation signal generated when the specific item of the second menu is displayed.

16. A wireless selective call receiver as claimed in claim 1 substantially as described with reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, or Figs. 1 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.

17. A method as claimed in claim 9 substantially as described herein with reference to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, or Figs. 1 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.