Abstract:
Disclosed is a system and method for selection of objects appearing in a rotational user interface list. A rotational list in a user interface is enabled to provide text, images, icons, links and scrolling abilities to either end to make components visible or invisible. The rotational list can be made to incorporate variable size icons or images and spacing can be adjusted. A rotational list may respond to priority settings and preferences to provide priority positioning in a geometric shape. Higher priority items may ascent to a narrower portion of the geometric shape and lower priority items may descend to a broader portion of the geometric shape.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The field of the invention relates generally to management of multiple items in a Graphical User Interface. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    A graphical user interface (GUI) is a type of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices using images rather than text commands. GUIs can be used in computers, hand-held devices such as MP3 players, portable media players or gaming devices, household appliances, office, and industry equipment. A GUI represents the information and actions available to a user through graphical icons and visual indicators such as secondary notation, as opposed to text-based interfaces, typed command labels or text navigation. The actions are usually performed through direct manipulation of the graphical elements. 
         [0003]    A GUI uses a combination of technologies and devices to provide a platform that the user can interact with, for the tasks of gathering and producing information. A series of elements conforming a visual language have evolved to represent information stored in computers. This makes it easier for people with few computer skills to work with and use computer software. The most common combination of such elements in GUIs is the WIMP (“window, icon, menu, pointing device”) paradigm, especially in personal computers. 
         [0004]    The WIMP style of interaction uses a virtual input device to control the position of a pointer, most often a mouse, and presents information organized in windows and represented with icons. Available commands are compiled together in menus, and actions are performed making gestures with the pointing device. A window manager facilitates the interactions between windows, applications, and the windowing system. The windowing system handles hardware devices such as pointing devices and graphics hardware, as well as the positioning of the pointer. 
         [0005]    In personal computers all these elements are modeled through a desktop metaphor, to produce a simulation called a desktop environment in which the display represents a desktop, upon which documents and folders of documents can be placed. Window managers and other software combine to simulate the desktop environment with varying degrees of realism. 
         [0006]    The term GUI is restricted to the scope of two-dimensional display screens with display resolutions able to describe generic information, in the tradition of the computer science research at the PARC (Palo Alto Research Center). The term GUI is rarely applied to other low-resolution types of interfaces that are non-generic, such as video games (where HUD is preferred), or not restricted to flat screens, like volumetric displays. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    An embodiment of the invention may therefore comprise a method for selecting items from a list, the method comprising displaying a plurality of items from at least one list in a rotational listing and displaying a trove associated with the rotational listing, wherein the rotational listing is rotatable and enabled to display a pre-determined number of items from the list, and the trove is enabled to hold any items from the list which are not displayed on the rotational listing. 
         [0008]    An embodiment of the invention may further comprise a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface being enabled to display in a plurality of locations in the graphical user interface a plurality of list items, the locations forming a first rotational listing, display a trove associated with the first rotational listing, wherein the first rotational listing is rotatable and enabled to display a pre-determined number of items from the list, and the trove is enabled to hold any items from the list which are not displayed on the first rotational listing. 
         [0009]    An embodiment of the invention may further comprise a method of selecting items from at least one list, the method comprising displaying at least one plurality of items from at least one list in a 3D rotational listing, and displaying at least one trove associated with at least one plurality of items, wherein the 3D rotational listing is rotatable and enabled to display a predetermined number of items from the at least one list, and the at least one trove is enabled to hold any items from the at least one list which are not displayed on the 3D rotational listing. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  shows a dial based user interface with multiple click (request) points and drag and drop support in 2D. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  shows a dial based user interface with multiple click (request) points and drag and drop support in 3D. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  shows a dial based user interface with multiple click (request) drop support in 2D. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  shows a dial based user interface with multiple click (request) drag support in 2D. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  shows touch being used to determine the speed of rotation of a dial. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  shows a double touch being used to determine the speed of rotation of a dial. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7A  shows a rotational based user interface with multiple click (request) points and drag and drop support in 3D. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7B  shows a rotational based user interface with multiple click (request) points and drag and drop support in 3D. 
           [0018]      FIG. 7C  shows a rotational based user interface with multiple click (request) points and drag and drop support in 3D. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8A  shows a rotational list with a number of items in the trove. 
           [0020]      FIG. 8B  shows a rotational list with a number of items in the trove. 
           [0021]      FIG. 8C  shows a rotational list with a number of items in the trove. 
           [0022]      FIG. 9A  shows a rotational list with a number of items in a trove. 
           [0023]      FIG. 9B  shows a rotational list with a number of items in a trove. 
           [0024]      FIG. 9C  shows a rotational list with a number of items in a trove. 
           [0025]      FIG. 9D  shows a rotational list with a number of items in a trove. 
           [0026]      FIG. 10A  shows multiple troves and multiple lists in a rotational list. 
           [0027]      FIG. 10B  shows multiple troves and multiple lists in a rotational list. 
           [0028]      FIG. 10C  shows multiple troves and multiple lists in a rotational list. 
           [0029]      FIG. 10D  shows multiple troves and multiple lists in a rotational list. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0030]      FIG. 1  shows a dial based user interface, before rotation, with multiple click (request) points and drag and drop support in 2D. The rotary dial  100  comprises a number of items  110 . It is understood that the items  110  may be comprised of text, images, icons, links or other representations. Further it is understood that the items  110  may be uniform in their display or may be comprised of a mixture of text, images, icons, links or other representations. For instance, a first item  110 , e.g. item  1 , may be an icon, a second item  110 , e.g. item  2 , may be text and a third item  110 , e.g. item  3 , may be a link. However, all of the items  110  may be icons. A user may determine whether to uniformly display items  110  in the dial  100  or to display each item  110  in a different fashion. The manner in which items  110  are displayed may also be automated or predetermined. Particular types of items  110  may be automatically shown in a particular format based on the type of the item. For instance, a workflow item may be shown in text whereas a calendar item may be show as an icon. 
         [0031]    The rotary dial may also comprise a trove  120 . The trove  120  provides a location in the rotary dial where items  110  are contain when passing to or from the rotational portion of the dial. As shown in  FIG. 1 , there are seven (7) items  110  in the rotational dial. It is understood that there may be more or fewer items  110  shown in the rotary dial  100  outside of the trove  120 . More or fewer items  110  may be shown in the dial  100  by changing the size of each item  110 . The altered size may be of the text, image or icon or whatever form the item  110  takes in the particular dial. The spacing on the dial between each item  110  may also be affected to allow more or fewer items  110  in the dial  100 . A user may set a maximum or minimum spacing to allow the dial items  100  to be set from each other. Further, the dial  100  may automatically show more or fewer items depending on the total number of items  110  in the list. For instance, the dial  100  may automatically display a single item  110  from the trove  120  when there is only one item in the trove  120 . This may eliminate the need for the user to scroll items  110  in and out of the trove  120  when limited items  110  are present. 
         [0032]    Items  110  may be dragged and dropped in a user interface supporting a rotational list  100 . An item dragged to the rotational list  100  may be presented in the list according to a determined sorting order. This sorting order may be based on any number of factors such as priority, sequence of being applied to the list, or other sorting factor determined by a user or an application manager. It is understood that any imaginable sorting definition can be applied to the list. Further, multiple items  110  may be dragged or dropped to the list at one time. The list  100  will automatically arranged the multiple items  110  using a current configuration of the list  100 . It is understood, that as an individual item, or multiple items, are dragged out of the list, the rotational list  100  will automatically replace the dragged items with items from the trove  120 , to the extent that the trove has enough items to replace the dragged items. 
         [0033]      FIG. 1  shows an item  130  being dragged from the list  100 . This item  130 , as discussed above, will be replaced with an item from the trove  120  by a current, or pre-defined, sorting algorithm. Also shown in  FIG. 1  is an item  140  being dropped in the list  100 . The dropped item  140  may be dropped anywhere in the rotational list  100 . It is not required that the dropped item  140  be dropped in a sorted location in the list  100 . The dropped item  140  is allocated to an appropriate position in the list  100  according to a current, or pre-defined, sorting algorithm. The appropriate position in the list  100  may be in the rotational dial  100  or in the trove  120 . 
         [0034]    Also shown in the dial  100  of  FIG. 1  is a rotation indicator  150 . The dial  100  may be rotated clockwise as well as counter clockwise. It is understood that the rotation indicator  150  may not be visible or functional on a dial  100  and is shown to illustrate the possible directions of rotation of the dial  100 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 2  shows a dial based user interface, after rotation, with multiple click (request) points and drag and drop support in 2D. The dial  100  comprises a plurality of items  210  shown on the dial and a trove  220 . After items have dragged or dropped to the dial  100  as discussed in regard to  FIG. 1 , all items  210  in the list  100  will either show along the rotational dial or will be in the trove  220 . The trove  220  may have an indicator  225  which will show the number of items which are currently in the trove  220 . Here, there are 2 items in the trove  220  as shown by the indicator  225 . As further items are dropped to or dragged from the dial  200 , the number shown in the indicator  225  will be updated dynamically. Accordingly, if an additional item is dropped to the dial, that item may either show on the dial, thus pushing an existing shown item to the trove  220 , or it may be placed in the trove  220 . Either way, an additional item will be present in the trove  220  and the trove will automatically and dynamically update to show that there 3 items in the trove  220 , as would be displayed by the indicator  225 . 
         [0036]    The trove  220  may also comprise direction arrows  228 . The direction arrows  228  may be used to manipulate the items  210  shown on the dial  200 . The arrows  228  may be used to perform the manipulation with a mouse pointer or using a 1-finger touching action in a touch based interface. For instance, a single mouse click or finger touch on the left arrow  228  may cause the dial to rotate items  210  one position to the left. In such a situation, an item may be moved from the trove  220  to the 3 item  210  location and the 9 item  210  may be moved into the trove. It is understood that different dynamics can apply to the direction arrows  228 . For instance, a double mouse click or finger touch on one arrow may cause the dial  200  to slowly rotate in a particular direction corresponding to the arrow clicked or touched. Also, a continuous right mouse click (for example) or continuous finger touch on one arrow may cause the dial  200  to slowly rotate in a particular direction corresponding to the arrow clicked or touched. The speed of the rotation may be pre-defined and may be alterable by a user. Once a rotation of the dial  200  has been initiated, by whatever action is made to so manipulate the dial  200 , the rotation may be ceased by a secondary action of the user. For instance, a single mouse click or finger touch on either one of the arrows  228 , or anywhere on the dial  200 . It is understood that the discussed methods of causing rotation in the dial  200  are for illustration purposes. 
         [0037]      FIG. 3  shows a dial based user interface with multiple click (request) drop support in 2D. The dial  300  comprises a plurality of items  310  and a trove  320 . As discussed above, either single items  310  or multiple items can be dropped on the dial  300  at a particular time. A mouse click drop may be utilized to drop multiple drop items  315  to the dial  300 . A double, or triple for example, finger touch may be utilized to drop multiple items  315  on the dial  300 . Any available means of user interface may be used to group the items  315 . A current, or pre-defined sorting algorithm may place the drop items  315  in a sorted fashion as discussed above. The drop items may display on the dial  300  or may be placed in the trove  320  according to the appropriate sorting algorithm. 
         [0038]      FIG. 4  shows a dial based user interface with multiple click (request) drag support in 2D. The dial  400  comprises a plurality of items  410  and a trove  420 . As discussed above, either single items  410  or multiple items can be dragged from the dial  400  at a particular time. A mouse click drag may be utilized to drag multiple items  416  from the dial  400 . A double, or triple for example, finger touch may be utilized to drag multiple items  416  from the dial  400 . Any available means of user interface may be used to group the items  416 . A current, or pre-defined sorting algorithm may place the dragged items  416  in an appropriate place. An action can be defined by a user, or be pre-defined, for what needs to occur for the entities being dragged out of the dial  400 . For instance, the dragged items  416  may be placed in a trash bin icon. A curren, or pre-defined sorting algorithm may replace the dragged items  416  with items from the trove  420  as appropriate. 
         [0039]      FIG. 5  shows touch being used to determine the speed of rotation of a dial. A dial  500  comprises a plurality of items  510  and a trove  520 . The trove  520  may comprise direction arrows  528  and a number indicator  525 . As noted previously, the dial  500  rotation may be manipulated using the direction arrows  528  (see discussion regarding  FIG. 2 ). The dial  500  rotation may also be manipulated using the dial  500  itself. A single finger touch  570  may cause the dial  500  to rotate in the direction of the finger touch. The dial  500  may rotate at a pre-defined speed with the finger touch remaining in a single location. The dial  500  rotation speed may be changed by moving the finger touch  570  along the dial  500  circumference. For instance, the finger touch in  FIG. 5  shows the touch between the items  510   25  and  26 . The finger touch  570  may be moved toward the  25  (top of the circumference of the dial  500 ) to cause a degree of faster rotation. Likewise, the finger touch  570  may be moved in the direction of the item  26  (toward the bottom of the dial  500  or the trove  520 ) to cause a degree of slower rotation. In this manner, the rotation of the dial can be controlled by a user as the spinning dial  500  gets closer to displaying an item  510  of interest to the user. In  FIG. 5 , the trove  520  shows that there are 20 items not currently shown along the circumference of the dial. The dial rotation speed can be manipulated as disclosed to more quickly arrive at a desired item  510 . It becomes evident that rotation speed manipulation may be particularly helpful for a trove that contained a substantial number of items. Further, a dial  500  rotation speed may be slowed to allow a user to identify the items  510  as they come out of the trove  520 . The dial  500  rotation may require that a finger touch  570  be maintained during the rotation. When the finger touch  570  is removed, the rotation may cease. Also, a single finger touch  570  may initiate the rotation with the speed of the rotation being subject to the location of the finger touch  570 . A single touch and removal may also only be able to cause a single speed rotation of the dial  570 . While  FIG. 5  shows a single touch  570  on the right side of the dial  500  to cause a rotation in a particular direction, it is understood that a single touch in the manner described may be applied to the left side of the dial  500  to cause rotation in the opposite direction. 
         [0040]    Although  FIG. 5  shows a touch manipulation with a touch sensitive user interface, it is understood that a mouse click may also be used to manipulate the rotation of the dial  500 . For instance, a mouse click at the location of the finger touch  570  may cause rotation at a particular speed. A held mouse click may cause rotation until the mouse click is released. Hovering a cursor over a location of the dial  500  may cause rotation of the dial  500 . The right and left mouse buttons may be used to manipulate the rotation of the dial  500  in different manners. For instance, a right mouse click may cause a first rotation speed and a left mouse click may cause a second rotation speed. 
         [0041]      FIG. 6  shows a double touch being used to determine the speed of rotation of a dial. A dial  600  comprises a plurality of items  610  and a trove  620 . The trove  620  may comprise direction arrows  628  and a number indicator  625 . As noted previously, the dial  600  rotation may be manipulated using the direction arrows  628  (see discussion regarding  FIG. 2 ) or with a single touch (see discussion regarding  FIG. 5 ). The dial  500  rotation may also be manipulated using a double finger touch  670  of the dial  600 . This may be used in combination with the single finger touch  570  described in regard to  FIG. 5 . A single finger touch  570  may cause the dial to rotate at a particular speed. A double finger touch  670  may cause the dial to rotate at a second particular speed, e.g. twice the speed of a single finger touch  570 . This may eliminate the need for moving a single finger touch  570  to manipulate the rotation speed of the dial  500 . However, a single finger touch  570  and a double finger touch  670  may be used in combination with the methods described in conjunction with  FIG. 5 . For instance, a double finger touch  670  may cause rotation of the dial until the double finger touch  670  is removed. A double finger touch  670  may also cause rotation after removal. The rotation may be ceased by touching the dial again with a single or double finger touch. For a trove  620  that contains numerous un-displayed items, dial  600  rotation speed manipulation may be helpful to move the list to a desired location. While  FIG. 6  shows a double touch  670  on the right side of the dial  600  to cause a rotation in a particular direction, it is understood that a double touch in the manner described may be applied to the left side of the dial  600  to cause rotation in the opposite direction. 
         [0042]    Although  FIG. 6  shows a touch manipulation with a touch sensitive user interface, it is understood that a mouse click may be used to manipulate the rotation of the dial  600 . For instance, a double mouse click at the location of the finger touch  670  may cause rotation at a particular speed. A third mouse click, or other method, may be used to cause the dial  600  to cease rotating. 
         [0043]      FIG. 7A-C  show a rotational based user interface with multiple click (request) points and drag and drop support in 3D. The rotational list  700  comprises a plurality of items  710  and a trove  720 . The rotational list  700  is a 3D representation of a list similar to those depicted as examples in  FIGS. 1-6 . It is understood that those depicted in  FIGS. 1-6  are 2D examples. The rotational list  700  may be rotated on all possible planes  730 . The rotational list  700  is shown in  FIG. 7A  with latitude and longitude type intersections  740 . The rotational list  700  may have the items  710  spaced throughout the sphere at the intersections  740 . The rotational list  700  may have the items  710  spaced throughout the sphere in between the intersections  740 —in the spaces. For the ease of discussion, it will be assumed that the items  710  are displayed at the intersections as shown in  FIG. 1  for the remainder of this description. Each intersection  740  may display one item  710 . The number of lines  750  can be increased or decreased to provide increased or decreased intersections  740 . As the rotational list  700  is rotated, the items will rotate likewise with the intersections  740 . The intersection lines  750  may or may not be visibly displayed. A trove  720  is displayed in the center of the rotational list  700 . The trove  720  may be state, i.e. non-moveable. 
         [0044]    In  FIG. 7A-C , the rotational list  700  is displayed as a sphere. It is understood that the list may displayed as any 3D object. The items  710  may be dropped in the trove  720  in a similar manner to items discussed in regard to  FIGS. 1-6 . This is shown in  FIG. 7B . Single items  710  may be dropped in the trove  720  and multiple items  710  may be dropped in the trove  720 . A touch sensitive GUI may be utilized to display the rotational list  700 . A GUI responsive to mouse clicks may be used to display the rotational list  700 . 
         [0045]    The rotational list  700  in  FIG. 7B  shows items  710  being dropped in the trove  720 . Items  710  may be dropped on the rotational list  700  and a sorting algorithm may determine which items to display and which items to push to the trove  720 . 
         [0046]      FIG. 7C  shows the rotational list  700  subsequent to the items dropped into the trove  720  depicted in  FIG. 7B . The trove  720  may show the number of items currently in the trove  720 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 8A-B  show a rotational list with a number of items in the trove. As shown, the trove  820  of the rotational list  800  indicates that there are 8 items in the trove  820 . A finger touch may be used, with a single tap of the trove  820  for example, to open the trove  820 . The trove items  830  may be displayed after such a tap as orbiting the trove  820 . This may be used to provide a user an opportunity to view items in the trove  820  without rotating items  810  in and out of the trove  820 . In an embodiment of the invention, a finger touch tap may also be used to expand the trove  820  in a manner where it sits on top of the rotational list  800  in a transparent or translucent manner. The trove  820  may still be orbited by the trove items  830  with the expanded, enlarged, view providing easier viewing to a user. 
         [0048]      FIG. 9A-D  show a rotational list (in 3D) with a number of items in a trove. As shown, the trove  920  of the rotational list  900  indicates that there are 8 items in the trove  920 . The trove  920  may be opened by a double tap for a touch sensitive interface or with a double mouse click. The double tap may swap the trove items  930  with the items  910  outside of the trove  920 . A second double click would return the display to its previous status. The rotational list  900  may be rotated is the described manner. It is understood that there may be more items in the trove  920  than the rotational list  900  is able to display. In such a situation, a double click will display those items in the trove  920  according to a current, or pre-determined, sorting algorithm, such as priority or frequency for example. It is understood that a double mouse click may display trove  920  items in a similar manner. 
         [0049]    As shown in  FIGS. 9 ,  FIG. 9A  and  FIG. 9B  show representations of spherical rotational lists. The lists  905 ,  915  are spheres wherein the outermost portions of the list are substantially equidistant from the center of the sphere. As the case may be, and as shown in  FIGS. 9A-B , the trove  920  resides at the center of the lists  905 ,  915 .  FIGS. 9C and 9D  show representations of non-spherical rotational lists  935 ,  945 . The lists  935 ,  945  are elliptical wherein the outermost portions of the list are at differing distances from the center of the center. It is understood that the dimensions of the elliptical rotational lists  935 ,  945  may vary depending on the desires of a user or an administrator. The dimensions, such as the semi-major axis and the semi-minor axis, may be customized and may be dynamic according to a user&#39;s input. 
         [0050]    The varying shapes shown in  FIGS. 9A-B  and contrasted with  FIGS. 9C-D  are here shown for purposes of examples. It is understood that the shape of a rotational list may be any shape that is rotatable. For example, a rotational list may be cubical, or rectangular or conical, in order to present a flatter face to a use and thereby present any shown icons on the front face in equal size. Moreover, it is understood that the directions of rotation may be restricted to particular axis. For example, in a cubical list, the directions of rotation may be limited to up and down, and left and right, to coincide with the x and y axis. A function controlling the directions of rotation may be selectable by a user. The user may opt to limit the rotation or the user may opt to not limit rotation to allow rotation free of any axis limitations. 
         [0051]      FIG. 10A-D  show multiple troves and multiple lists in a rotational list. The rotational list  1000  may comprise multiple troves  1025  and multiple lists  1015 . Each list  1015  may be individually manipulated with a finger touch or a mouse click. Further, each individual list may be manipulated with associated list items going into and coming out of the associated trove  1025  in a manner similar to the rotational lists described in  FIGS. 1-6 . Each trove  1025  may be utilized for particular tasks or purposes as desired by a user. A particular trove  1025  may be selected for display similar to that depicted in  FIGS. 7-9 . For instance, a double finger tap, for example, may be used to select one trove  1025  and associated list from  FIG. 10A  to be displayed. Any manner of selection may be used to return the rotational list  1000  to the multiple trove and multiple list view. 
         [0052]    A finger fling movement, as opposed to a finger tap may he used to rotate the entire rotational list  1000  in 3D. Speed and direction of the rotation may be controlled by the direction and speed of the finger fling as shown in  FIG. 10C . As shown in  FIG. 9D , the speed and direction of rotation in a plane may be based on the placement of fingers relative to the list  1000 . The speed of the rotation may be based on the number of fingers utilized by a user. 
         [0053]      FIG. 11  shows two lists simultaneously for a drag/drop operation. A first rotational list  1105  and a second rotational list  1108  are show with trove  1120  and trove  1130 , respectively. The first list  1105  has a number of items  1110  displayed. The second list  1108  has a number of items  1140  displayed. An item from one list, for instance the first list  1105 , may be dragged from its position and dropped in another list, for instance the second list  1108 . The drag and drop operation may be performed with a single finger continuous movement action from the first list  1105  to the second list  1108 . The drag and drop operation may also be performed with multiple single finger continuous movements. For example,  FIG. 11  shows a holding location  1150  where an item from one list may be dropped. As such, one or more items from the first list  1105  may be dragged and dropped in the holding location  1150  and one or more items from the second list  1108  may be dragged and dropped in the holding location  1150 . A third list, not shown, may be swapped for one of the existing lists  1105 ,  1108 . The items from the holding location  1150  may be dragged and dropped from the holding location  1150  to the third list. In this manner, items from different lists may be consolidated or switched between lists. 
         [0054]      FIG. 12  shows a conical 3D shaped rotatable user interface. A conical 3D user interface  1200  may be used to provide prioritization to lists  1210 . Lists  1210  with higher priority may be pushed upward toward the narrower, or upper, portion of the cone interface  1200 . Priority of the items in the lists may be determined by the frequency of use by a user. An item from a list  1210  may move up  1220  to a higher priority list  1210  and may replace an item in that list which is similarly moved down  1230  to a lower priority list. A user may also be enabled to determine priority by manually moving an item from one list to another, higher or lower, list. The radius of the list  1200  may be inversely proportional to the importance, or frequency, of a list item, as determined either automatically or manually. 
         [0055]    It is understood that prioritization of items in the lists  1210  may be determined by any number of factors. Multiple factors may be used to determine priority. In the above discussion, frequency was utilized in a descriptive manner and is not intended to limit the disclosure to frequency. Further, a user may be enabled to identify one or more factors that determine, or influence, importance. These may include, but are not limited to, topic, timing, frequency, interest, or other factors. 
         [0056]    While not shown in  FIG. 12 , it is understood that a trove may be utilized to store excess or overflow items from each list  1210 . A trove may be assigned to each list  1210  and may reside anywhere within the cone, or outside the cone, such as immediately to the right of a corresponding list  1210 . 
         [0057]    The drag operation, either to the holding location  1150  or from a first list  1105  to a second list  1108 , may either be cut and paste operations or may be copy and paste operations. Which type of operation may be selectable by a user from a menu, not shown. Also, upon dragging and dropping from one location to another, either a holding location  1150  or another list, the user may be queried regarding which type of operation is desired. 
         [0058]    It is understood, in regard to the drag and drop operations discussed with regard to  FIG. 11 , that different shaped lists may be used. An item from a spherical, or circular, list may be dragged and dropped to a cubical, or square, list. 
         [0059]    Massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG) generally utilize a plurality of lists which a player can access to play the game. For instance, in war type/civilization type games, a player may desire to choose from one of attack, defense, resources, buildings or farm items. It is understood that rotational lists may be utilized in such MMORPG games. Also, it is understood that a MMORPG player may be enabled to create custom lists by dragging and dropping items from other standard lists in a MMORPG game. 
         [0060]    Throughout the disclosure, specific finger touch and mouse click actions are used to provide examples of actions which may be used to manipulate the lists, troves and items. It is understood that these are merely examples of possible actions, such as a mouse double click, that may be used by a user. The described elements may be manipulated in any manner to obtain the desired results. For instance, a mouse double click may be replaced with a right, or left click. A drag and drop may be replace with a right or left click, or a double click. A single finger tap may be replaced with with a prolonged touch prompting a user to choose an action from a menu. 
         [0061]    The foregoing description of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and other modifications and variations may be possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the appended claims be construed to include other alternative embodiments of the invention except insofar as limited by the prior art.