Abstract:
A method for entering alphanumeric data into an user interface associated with an electronic device. The user interface displays a plurality of alphanumerical characters and, in response to user input that functions to target one of the plurality of alphanumerical characters, the user interface displays the targeted alphanumeric character with a highlighted feature that distinguishes the targeted alphanumeric character from the non-targeted alphanumeric characters.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, relates to a method for entering alphanumeric characters into the graphical user interface of an electronic device.  
           [0002]    Graphical user interfaces are increasing found in electronic devices and have gained wide popularity due to their capacity to make operation of an electronic device much more user friendly. Virtually every personal computer in use today incorporates a graphical user interface typically using icons which correspond to commands which can be selected using a pointer manipulated by a mouse. Graphical user interfaces are even used to provide the user with ability to enter data into an electronic device. One such example well known in the art relies upon a touch screen display which presents alphanumeric buttons or keys to the user which can be selected, much like typing on a keyboard, toward entering alphanumeric data. However, such well known graphical user interfaces are not typically capable of being used for alphanumeric data entry in connection with a device having a touch screen display of limited size, i.e., where the touch screen display is not of sufficient size to allow the graphical user interface elements to be clearly viewed and/or individually selected. If a touch-screen is significantly smaller than a typical computer keyboard, the displayed alphanumeric buttons or keys are often obscured from the users view by the user&#39;s own hand which is attempting to make contact with the surface of the display proximate a particular button or key. In short, the user cannot clearly see which button or key is being pressed thereby frustrating the user experience.  
           [0003]    Accordingly, a need exists for an improved graphical user interface that allows a user to clearly discern graphical user interface elements and to interact with those graphical user interface elements even when implemented on an electronic device having a touch screen display of limited size.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    In order to address this and other needs, described hereinafter is a method for entering alphanumeric characters into the graphical user interface of an electronic device. Generally, the graphical user interface displays a plurality of alphanumerical characters and, in response to user input that functions to target one of the plurality of alphanumerical characters, the user interface displays the targeted alphanumeric character with a highlighted feature that serves to distinguish the targeted alphanumeric character from the displayed, non-targeted alphanumeric characters. By way of example, the targeted alphanumeric character may be provided with a distinct size, font stylization, location, and/or color that serves to distinguishing the targeted alphanumeric character within the graphical user interface display toward confirming to the user the identity of the character being selected.  
           [0005]    A better understanding of the objects, advantages, features, properties and relationships of the method will be obtained from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings which set forth illustrative embodiments which are indicative of the various ways in which the principles of the method may be employed.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    For a better understanding of the method for entering alphanumeric characters into a graphical user interface, reference may be had to preferred embodiments shown in the following drawings in which:  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 illustrates a first exemplary graphical user interface by which alphanumeric information may be entered for processing by an electronic device;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 illustrates a further exemplary graphical user interface by which alphanumeric information may be entered for processing by an electronic device;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 illustrates yet another exemplary graphical user interface by which alphanumeric information may be entered for processing by an electronic device; and  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 illustrates a still further exemplary graphical user interface by which alphanumeric information may be entered for processing by an electronic device.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0011]    Referring now to the figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements, a graphical user interface  10  for use in connection with an electrical device is described. More particularly, the graphical user interface  10  supports a method for entering alphanumeric characters such that the entered alphanumeric characters may be used to cause the electronic device to perform an action, for example, to perform a database search. While the graphical user interface  10  described hereinafter may be used in connection with any microprocessor based electronic device having an associated display, it is particularly suited for use in connection with an electronic device, such as an MP3 player, having a small touch screen display where the displayed graphical user interface elements are typically smaller than a human finger, i.e., a finger touch might overlap multiple target graphical user interface elements. It will be understood that the described graphical user interface may also be useful in a situation where an electronic device fails to include a keyboard or a limited amount of hard entry keys. While the principles of the present invention are disclosed in the context of entering alphanumeric characters into the graphical user interface, the present invention may be used to target and select other indicia for entry into a graphical user interface where such indicia includes not only alphanumeric characters but also symbols and/or graphic elements.  
         [0012]    For use in entering alphanumeric character information into the graphical user interface  10 , the graphical user interface  10  is adapted to present to the user a plurality of alphanumeric characters  12  that are selectable by the user. As illustrated in FIGS.  1 - 3 , the alphanumeric characters  12  may be presented to the user, for example, using a linear list wherein the alphanumeric characters may be arranged in an alphabetical and/or numerically ascending/descending order. Still further, the alphanumeric characters  12  may be presented to the user using a conventional “QWERTY” or other known keyboard metaphor, as illustrated in FIG. 4. It will also be appreciated that all of the selectable alphanumeric characters  12  need not be displayed at any one time. Rather, the graphical user interface may be adapted to present a subset of the selectable alphanumeric characters  12  provided that a mechanism is available to allow the user to access those alphanumeric characters  12  not currently displayed. Such a mechanism may be provided by using a scroll bar within the graphical user interface, by adapting the touch screen to be responsive to dragging motions, or the like.  
         [0013]    For illustrative purposes, the present invention is described in the context of a electronic device which executes a search function, by selecting the “go” button, according to an alphanumeric character string entered by the user. To select one of the displayed alphanumeric characters  12  for entry into the device, for example, to be ultimately used in the performance of a search executed by an electronic device, the graphical user interface  10  is adapted to be responsive to a pointer  14 . For example, when implemented in connection with a touch screen, the graphical user interface  10  will be response to the positioning and/or movements of a pointer  14  such as a stylus or a finger. In the case of a touch screen where the pointer  14  is of a size relative to the selectable alphanumeric characters such that the pointer  14  may overlap multiple alphanumeric characters, the graphical user interface  10  may determine an approximate center location of the pointer  14  and use that location to determine which of the alphanumeric characters  12  is being targeted for selection by the user.  
         [0014]    To identify to the user which of the displayed alphanumeric characters  12  is presently being indicated by the graphical user interface as being the target of the pointer  14 , the graphical user interface  10  is adapted to highlight the target alphanumeric character. By way of example, the target alphanumeric character may be provided with an appearance that is distinct from the remaining displayed alphanumeric characters, as illustrated in FIG. 1. Such an appearance may be provided through the use of colors, font sizes or stylizations, or the like. Still further, the target character can be highlighted by being presented within a temporary field  18  of the graphical user interface  10  which is a field that is separate and distinct from the displayed alphanumeric characters  12 . A size for the highlighted, target alphanumeric character and/or the location for the temporary field  16  are preferably chosen so as to allow the displayed, highlighted, target alphanumeric character to avoid being obscured from the view of a user, for example, by a finger overlaying the alphanumeric characters  12  displayed in a touch screen display, should the system require the user to maintain physical contact with the graphical user interface during the process of identifying target alphanumeric characters.  
         [0015]    Once an alphanumeric character has been selected by a user, the user may further indicate that the user desires the target alphanumeric character to be placed into a field of interest, such as the search field  18 , used immediately in the performance of an action by an electronic device, or the like. Such user indication may be provided by action of the user breaking physical contact with the surface of the touch screen display. It will also be appreciated that the target alphanumeric character may be highlighted to the user by being displayed directly in an action field, such as search field  18 , as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4.  
         [0016]    To draw the focus of the user to a target alphanumeric character, especially in the case where the target alphanumeric character is not separated from the remaining, non-targeted, displayed alphanumeric characters  12 , the graphical user interface  10  may be adapted to change the appearance of certain of the non-targeted alphanumeric characters  12  that are adjacent to or in the proximate vicinity of the target alphanumeric character. Preferably, in this case, the appearance of the alphanumeric characters adjacent to or in the vicinity of the target alphanumeric character is made to be distinct from the remainder of the non-targeted alphanumeric characters as well as the target alphanumeric character. By way of example, FIG. 1 illustrates the alphanumeric characters adjacent to the target alphanumeric “J” as having a font size that is larger than the remaining, non-targeted alphanumeric characters while having a font size that is smaller than the font size that is provided to the target alphanumeric “J.” In this manner, the graphical user interface  10  provides a view of the alphanumeric characters  12  that might be considered to be similar to a view seen through a magnifying glass with the target alphanumeric character as the point of focus. It may again be preferable to select font sizes that allow any highlighted alphanumeric characters to be visible should the system require the user to maintain contact with the graphical user interface during the process of identifying target alphanumeric characters. It may also be desirable to adapt the graphical user interface such that each of the alphanumeric characters that a pointer  14  overlays is highlighted to some degree.  
         [0017]    For allowing a user to select a target alphanumeric character as being of interest in the further performance of an action by the electronic device, the user may perform an action as simple as removing the pointer  14  from the graphical user interface  10 . The selection of a target alphanumeric character may also involve a two step process, namely, requiring the user to remove the pointer  14  from the graphical user interface  10  and then requiring the user to retouch some portion of the pointer  14  to the graphical user interface, preferably at a designated location that would not be confused with a desire to change which of the alphanumeric characters  12  is intended to be the target. In such a two step process, since the pointer  14  would be removed from the graphical user interface, it is preferred to continue to highlight for the user the alphanumeric character that was last targeted by the user as being of interest. In either process, it may also be desirable to adapt the graphical user interface  10  such that alphanumeric characters are highlighted in an order that follows the pointer is it may be dragged or moved along the displayed alphanumeric characters  12 . Furthermore, once the user indicates a desire to use the targeted alphanumeric character (or not use the targeted alphanumeric character either by affirmative action, a time-out, or the like) it may be desired to return the graphical user interface  10  to its initial state where no alphanumeric characters are highlighted.  
         [0018]    While specific embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, the particular arrangement disclosed is meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any equivalents thereof.