Patent ID: 8001487

Claim:
A user interface on an electronic computing device, comprising: a plurality of information categories and option nodes organized into a hierarchy; a display screen associated with the electronic computing device, comprising a plurality of menu columns contained within a window on the display screen associated with the electronic computing device, the menu columns each being configured to display to an end user a portion of the plurality of categories and option nodes; a first scrolling control, located adjacent the plurality of menu columns, configured to scroll the plurality of menu columns in a defined direction across the screen; a second scrolling control located adjacent and on an opposite side of the plurality of menu columns, the second scrolling control being linked to the first scrolling control to enable either scrolling control to be moved in the defined direction in order to scroll the menu columns and unused scrolling control simultaneously; a graphical button comprising a shortcut to any desirable menu column within the plurality of menu columns having at least one parent column, and wherein selection of the shortcut results in a display of the menu column and the at least one parent column; and an input device associated with the electronic computing device for enabling user interaction; wherein: the menu columns are configured to add an additional column for each information category accessed by an end user and additional menu columns are added on a side of the scrolling columns; and columns other than the additional menu column that are unable to fit within a viewable area of the window are automatically moved off the viewable area to enable an unlimited number of menu columns to be adjacently displayed, and are accessible using the first and second scrolling controls.