Patent ID: 7818671

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for navigating a menu of an application, comprising: entering a virtual menu navigation mode; wherein the virtual menu navigation mode allows a user to navigate the menu of the application without adjusting a location of a current system focus and without displaying on a user interface of the application the menu being virtually navigated; wherein navigation of the menu in the virtual menu navigation mode includes adjusting a location of a virtual focus while maintaining and not changing the location of the current system focus; wherein the virtual focus is a locus of focus that is independent of the current system focus and wherein the virtual focus moves independently from the current system focus; wherein the location of the current system focus and the location of the virtual focus is a same location when the virtual menu navigation mode is entered; receiving an input; determining when the input is a directional input; in response to determining the input is a valid directional input for a menu: updating the location of the virtual focus within the menu in response to the input while maintaining the location of the current system focus; determining a menu item within the application that currently has the virtual focus; providing audio information about the menu item that currently has the virtual focus without graphically displaying the menu item; wherein the audio information comprises a name of the menu item and a description of the menu item; and in response to determining the input is not a valid directional input for the menu: determine whether the input is a valid invoke command for the menu item; in response to determining the input is a valid invoke command for the menu item: providing audio information about an effect of invoking the menu item, wherein the information provided comprises a description of a result caused by invoking the menu item; the menu item that currently has the virtual focus without displaying the menu item; in response to determining the input is not a valid invoke command: consuming the input; providing an error; and exiting the virtual menu navigation mode when the current system focus changes; wherein the location of the current system focus changes when the menu is navigated outside of the virtual menu navigation mode.