Patent Publication Number: US-2007118235-A1

Title: Apparatus and method of displaying multiple menus

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
      The present invention relates to a display apparatus and methods therefor, and particularly to a display apparatus and methods of displaying multiple menus.  
     GENERAL BACKGROUND  
      Generally, a display apparatus is a device to visually output information including texts and graphics on a screen. It is widely and increasingly used in electronic devices. A first conventional display apparatus includes a screen to display data (i.e., an image) thereon, and a frame to support the screen. The frame is further disposed a plurality of mechanical function buttons thereon to actuate any desired function. The more functions the display apparatus has, the more mechanical function buttons the frame is disposed thereon. Therefore, the frame should be designed as large as possible to hold the mechanical function buttons. As a result, a volume of the display apparatus as a whole becomes larger, and an overall appearance of the whole display apparatus looks untidy.  
      A second conventional display apparatus adopts a touch screen instead of mechanical buttons. The touch screen using graphical user interface (GUI) displays on the display screen thereof buttons, allowing a user to touch by finger or the like for making a selection. However, by directly touching the display screen, the touch screen thereupon is easily scratched or damaged.  
      Therefore, there is a need for an improved display apparatus and touch-based display method therefore that can overcome the above-mentioned problems.  
     SUMMARY  
      In one aspect of the present invention, a touch-based display apparatus is provided. The display apparatus is capable of displaying multiple menus. The display apparatus includes a screen, a frame, and a processing unit. The screen has a menu region for displaying a menu therein. The menu further includes a plurality of menu options. The frame connects to the screen and has a touch strip thereof. The touch strip corresponds to the menu region, and allows a user to select a desired menu option to perform an associated function therewith. The processing unit is programmed for moving the menu options displayed in the menu region in response to a stroke operation on the touch strip, and performing the function associated with the desired menu option in response to a touch operation on the touch strip.  
      In another aspect of the present invention, a touch-based method enabling a display apparatus to display multiple menus is also provided, wherein the display apparatus has a screen and a frame connected to the screen, the screen having a menu region and the frame having a touch strip corresponding to the menu region. The method includes the steps of: (a) moving menu options of a menu displayed in the menu region in response to a stroke operation on the touch strip; and (b) performing a function associated with a desired menu option in response to a touch operation on the touch strip.  
      Other advantages and novel features will be drawn from the following detailed description with reference to the attached drawings, in which: 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is an exemplary schematic diagram of a touch-based display apparatus enabling to display multiple menus in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the display apparatus including a screen and a frame, the frame including a touch strip thereof;  
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram representing a hardware infrastructure of a sensing signal processing circuit for a touch sensitive unit beneath the touch strips of  FIG. 1  with the signal processing circuit connecting to a processing unit;  
       FIG. 3  (including  FIGS. 3A-3D ) illustrate a series of menus involving different menu options displayed in a menu region of the screen of  FIG. 1  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the menu region corresponding to the touch strip of  FIG. 1 ; and  
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a preferred touch-based method for enabling a display apparatus of  FIG. 1  to display multiple menus in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT  
      Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3 , a touch-based display apparatus  100  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown. The display apparatus  100  includes a screen  10  and a frame  11 . The screen  10  has a menu region  102  for displaying a menu  105  therein. The menu  105  has one or more menu options, at least some of which are displayed on the screen  10 . One or more of the menu options may be hidden due to the limited space of the screen  10 , but they are displayable on the screen  10 .  
      Each menu option, as displayed, may be in a form of an icon, for example, icons  107 ,  109 ,  111 ,  113 , and  115 . Each icon may have a corresponding graphical label. For instance, icon  109  has a corresponding graphical label  109   a . The corresponding graphical label can be a word, a symbol, a sign, a figure, a photo, a number, an indicator, or any combination of them. For example, in the embodiment as shown in  FIG. 3A , the icon  109  has a corresponding graphical label  109   a  “Rock”.  
      Each icon can be in a form of a geometrical shape such as a square, a rectangle, a triangle, a circle, an ellipse, or any desired geometrical shape at a designer&#39;s choice. For example, in the embodiment as shown in  FIG. 3A , the icon  109  is in the form of a rectangle. The icons can be same, shape-wise or size-wise, or different. For example, in the embodiment as shown in  FIG. 3A , the menu options or icons have substantially same size.  
      Furthermore, the menu options or icons are arranged on the screen  10  to be within a contour line  104 . The contour line  104  can be in the form of an open configuration or a closed configuration. For example, the contour line  104  can take a form of a rectangle, an ellipse, a circle, and son on. For the benefit of readers of this discourse and by way of example, in the embodiment as shown in  FIG. 3A , the contour line  104  has the form of a rectangle. In addition, the contour line  104  can be visible or invisible to a viewer.  
      Corresponding to the menu region  102 , the frame  11  provides a touch strip  110  thereon for being selectable by contact to perform a selected function associated with the menu options displayed in the menu region  102 .  
      In one embodiment of the present invention, a first contact on the touch strip  110  initiates the menu  105  to be displayed in the menu region  102 . After initiating the menu  105 , a further contact on the menu strip  110  selects a desired menu option or icon of the menu options or icons displayed in the menu region  102 . That is, when the desired menu option is in display, a touch on a corresponding location of the touch strip  110  performs a function associated with the menu option such as, for example, expanding a sub-menu of the menu option, executing a particular operation indicated by the menu option, etc; alternatively, when the desired menu option is not in display, a stroke on the touch strip  110  hides the currently displayed but now unselected menu options out of the menu region  102  until the selected or desired menu option rotates or moves into the menu region  102 , and then an additional touch on the corresponding location of the touch strip  110  to perform the function associated therewith.  
      In order to provide a friendly and easy user interface, the touch strip  110  is designed to correspond to the menu region  102  parallel to the touch strip  110 . Preferably, a length of the touch strip  110  is designed to correspond to a length of a side of the screen  10  displaying the menu region  102 . Furthermore, the touch strip  110  has a plurality of touch sensitive units (not shown) beneath thereof. Each touch sensitive unit is constructed to essentially map to a menu option of the menu  105 . That is, each touch sensitive unit is designed to perform a function associated with the menu option. Moreover, each touch sensitive unit includes a sensing signal processing circuit  112  (described in more detail below) for generating sensing signals to perform the function associated with the menu option in response to a contact on a corresponding location of the touch strip  110 . Each touch sensitive unit beneath the touch strip  110  is further assigned a coordinate for identification.  
      The display apparatus  100  further includes a processing unit  25  as shown in  FIG. 2 . Among other things, the processing unit  25  receives and processes the sensing signals from the touch sensitive units beneath the touch strip  110  according to the associated coordinates therewith, and performs corresponding functions. For example, in response to a single sensing signal from the touch strip  110 , the processing unit  25  processes the sensing signal, initiates to display the menu  105  last displayed thereon in the menu region  102 ; in response to a plurality of sensing signals from the touch strip  110  while the corresponding menu  105  is in display, the processing unit  25  rotates or moves the menu options displayed in the menu region  102 , that is, the processing unit  25  hides at least one of the menu options displayed in the menu region  102  and replaces the at least one of the displayed menu options by one of the hidden menu options; in response to a sensing signal from the touch strip  110 , the processing unit  25  performs the function indicated by the selected menu option displayed in the menu region  102 . In addition, when the selected menu option has a sub-menu, the processing unit  25  causes to displays a plurality of menu options of the sub-menu of the selected menu option, namely, icon  107   b  with a graphical label “Jacky”, icon  109   b  with a graphical label “Kaven”, icon  111   b  with a graphical label “Tony”, and icon  113   b  with a graphical label “Sam”, in the menu region  102 , which are corresponding to the displayed selected menu option, i.e., icon with a graphical label “Rock”.  
       FIG. 2  shows a block diagram of a sensing signal processing circuit  112  for the touch sensitive unit beneath the touch strips of  FIG. 1  according to one embodiment of the present invention, wherein the sensing signal processing circuit  112  is in communication with the processing unit  25 . The sensing signal processing circuit  112  has an antenna  20 , a clamping circuit  21 , a detector  22 , a feedback line  23 , and a grounding line  24 . The antenna  20  is electronically coupled to the clamping circuit  21  which itself is electronically coupled to an input end of the detector  22 . An output end of the detector  22  is respectively electronically coupled to the processing unit  25  and one end of the feedback line  23 . The feedback line  23  forms a positive feedback circuit with the antenna  21 . The grounding line  24 , which takes a form of a space between two adjacent touch sensitive units, is for spacing the touch sensitive units therebetween.  
      It is known that the human body is electrically charged with noise and static signals. Therefore, when a user contacts or touches the touch strip  110 , at least some of the noise and static signals of the user with a desired signal may be received by the antenna  20 . The antenna  20  transmits the received noise and static signals to the clamping circuit  21 . However, the static electrical signals may cause interference to normal operation of the detector  22 , and may even fry the detector  22 . In addition, a strong noise may adversely influence a resulting sensing signal for the processing unit  25 ; that is, the sensitivity of the touch sensitive unit may be diminished, and the quality of the resulting sensing signal may be negatively impacted. Accordingly, the clamping circuit  21  is adapted for eliminating the static signals and for reducing the noise, thus improving the sensitivity accuracy of the touch sensitive unit.  
      The clamping circuit  21  in one embodiment of the present invention includes a diode  210 , and a capacitor  211 . The cathode of the diode  210  is electronically coupled to the antenna  20 , while the anode is electronically coupled to ground. Upon receiving the noise and static signals with a desired signal, the diode  210  filters out the static signals to ground so as to avoid frying the detector  22 , and reducing the noise influencing to the capacitor  211 . The capacitor  211  further leaks a portion of the reduced noise to ground. Thus the reduced noise is further weakened, thereby obtaining a more accurate sensitivity.  
      The detector  22  has a high input impedance, so as to easily detect the desired signal with the reduced and weakened noise received from the input end of the detector  22 . The detector  22  then converts the desired signal with the reduced and weakened noise into digital signals, namely the sensing signals, and transmits the sensing signals through the output end of the detector  22  to the processing unit  25  to perform corresponding controls. Furthermore, because the feedback line  23  forms a positive feedback circuit with the antenna  20 , the noise generated as the user touches the edge of the touch sensitive unit is filtered, thereby further improving the sensitivity accuracy of the touch sensitive unit.  
       FIGS. 3A-3D  illustrate a series of menus having different menu options that can be displayed in the menu region  102  of the screen  10  of the touch-based apparatus  100  as shown in  FIG. 1  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this exemplary embodiment, contents of the menu options provide desired information related to music, and only four menus are illustrated therein. However, either the content of the menu options or the number of the menus are not to be construed as being limited thereto.  
      Therefore, the menu region  102  displays different menus (namely different parts of the information) in different states. For example, referring to  FIG. 3A , where namely a first display state of the screen  10  is shown, the menu region  102  displays a first menu  105  providing information related to music styles with menu options or icons having corresponding graphical labels “Classical”, “Rock”, “Hip-Hop”, “Jazz”, “Folk”, . . . , respectively.  
      Referring to  FIG. 3B , where namely a second display state of the screen  10  is shown, the menu region  102  displays a second menu  105   b,  namely a sub-menu of a desired menu option of the first menu  105  such as, for example, menu option or icon with a graphical label “Rock”, the sub-menu  105   b  providing information related to rock music singers with menu options or icons having corresponding graphical labels “Jacky”, “Kaven”, “Tony”, “Sam”, . . . , respectively.  
      Referring to  FIG. 3C , where namely a third display state of the screen  10  is shown, the menu region  102  displays a third menu  105   c,  namely a sub-menu of a desired menu option of the second menu  105   b  such as, for example, menu option or icon with a graphical label “Tony”, the sub-menu  105   c  providing information related to one rock music signer Tony&#39;s music albums with menu options or icons having corresponding graphical labels “Album A”, “Album B”, “Album C”, “Album D”, . . . , respectively.  
      Referring to  FIG. 3D , where namely a fourth display state of the screen  10  is shown, the menu region  102  displays a fourth menu  105   d,  namely a sub-menu of a desired menu option of the third menu  105   c  such as, for example, menu option or icon with a graphical label “Album C”, the sub-menu  105   d  providing information related to specific music names in “Album C” with menu options or icons having corresponding graphical labels “Song A”, “Song B”, “Song C”, . . . , respectively.  
      Furthermore, the menus exclusive of the first menu  105  each have a “Back” menu option displayed in a constant location in the menu region  102  for easily returning to a former menu.  
      Accordingly, because touch strip  110  is used instead of function buttons for performing functions, the frame  11  can retain its neatness, regardless of how many functions the display apparatus  100  has. Furthermore, since the surface areas of the touch sensitive strip  110  can be designed in a smaller size, the frame  11  of the display apparatus  100  thereupon can be designed in a smaller size by using a narrow configuration, whereas the screen  10  thereof can be designed in a larger size, thereby the display apparatus  100  may not only obtain a neater appearance but may also posses a larger screen for display more information. Moreover, due to the utilization of the dynamic menus of the display apparatus  100 , a user can easily select a desired menu option to perform the function associated therewith.  
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart of a preferred method for enabling a display apparatus  100  of  FIG. 1  to display multiple menus in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In step S 400 , the processing unit  25  receives and processes any sensing signal from the touch sensitive units beneath the touch strip  110 . In step S 401 , the processing unit  25  acts to display the menu  105  last displayed thereon in the menu region  102 . In step S 402 , the processing unit  25  determines whether it receives any sensing signal mapped to the menu options of the displayed menu  105 .  
      If the processing unit  25  does not receive a sensing signal mapped to the menu options of the displayed menu  105 , in step S 403 , the processing unit  25  determines whether the duration of not receiving any sensing signal from the touch strip  110  reaches a predetermined value. If the duration reaches the predetermined value, in step S 404 , the processing unit  25  hides the menu  105  displayed on the menu region  102 , and the procedure is finished. If the duration does not reach the predetermined value, the procedure returns to step S 402 .  
      If the processing unit  25  receives a sensing signal mapped to the menu options of the displayed menu  105 , in step S 405 , the processing unit  25  determines whether it further receives a plurality of sensing signals from the touch strip  110 . If received, in step S 406 , the processing unit  25  moves the menu options displayed in the menu region  102 , that is, the processing unit  25  hides at least one of the menu options displayed in the menu region  102  and replaces at least one of the displayed menu options by another hidden menu option, and the procedure returns to step S 402 . If not, in step S 407 , the processing unit  25  determines whether it receives the sensing signal mapped to the “Back” menu option. If received, in step S 408 , the processing unit  25  displays a former menu in the menu region  102 , and the procedure returns to step S 402 . If not, in step S 409 , the processing unit  25  determines whether it receives the sensing signal for performing the function associated with the menu options except the “Back” menu option. If received, in step S 410 , the processing unit  25  determines whether the selected menu option has a sub-menu. If the selected menu option has a sub-menu, in step S 411 , the processing unit  25  displays a plurality of menu options of the sub-menu of the selected menu option in the menu region  102 , and the procedure returns to step S 402 . If the selected menu option doesn&#39;t have a sub-menu, in step S 412 , the processing unit  25  performs the function associated with the menu option, and the procedure is finished.  
      Although the present invention has been specifically described on the basis of the preferred embodiment and preferred method thereof, the invention is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to the embodiment and method without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.