System and methods for interacting with a control environment

Abstract

A system and methods for facilitation of user interactions with an electronic device. A number of user interface methods are described and may be used alone or in combination with one another to present an enhanced interface to a user. A method of providing user interaction using a compact status indicator is described. A method for providing a virtual scroll wheel to a user for interaction with content sets is described. A method for allowing a user to dynamically modify a scalable user interface is described. A method for providing gesture based input to a user via a virtual gesture pad is described. A method of providing an interactive graphic search query interface is described. A method for indicating and selecting available content type is described.

1 . In a portable electronic device, a computer-readable media having instructions for displaying content status indications, the instructions performing steps comprising: 
 displaying within a display of the portable electronic device at least a portion of a compact status indicator for displaying information related to the status of content displayed within the display;    accepting user input indicating a desire to browse the content displayed within the display; and    in response to the user input, causing at least a portion of the compact status indicator to move in a substantially radial fashion with respect to a center point of the compact status indicator and displaying the radial movement of the at least a portion of the compact status indicator within the display.    
     
     
         2 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the user input indicating a desire to browse the content displayed within the display comprises input on a portion of the compact status indicator.  
     
     
         3 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the user input on the portion of the compact status indication comprises a substantially arcuate path by said user, at least a portion of said path falling within the portion of the compact status indicator.  
     
     
         4 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the status of content displayed within the display is indicative of the relative amount of content which has already been displayed as compared to the relative amount of content which is remaining for display.  
     
     
         5 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the at least a portion of a compact status indicator includes a scalable sub-portion, said scalable sub-portion being scaled in relation to the amount of content displayed within the display at a predetermined time as compared to the total amount of content able to be browsed by the user at the predetermined time using the user input indicating a desire to browse the content displayed within the display.  
     
     
         6 . In a portable electronic device, a computer-readable media having instructions for providing scroll wheel functionality on a display, the instructions performing steps comprising: 
 defining within the display of the portable electronic device a first area for displaying a graphical representation of the scroll wheel functionality;    defining within the display of the portable electronic device a second area for accepting user input for providing scroll wheel functionality, the second area encompassing at least a portion of the first area;    accepting user input via the second area which indicates a desire to browse content displayed within the display; and    in response to the user input, causing the content displayed within the display to move in proportion to at least one characteristic value of the user input.    
     
     
         7 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the second area defines an area within the display which is larger than the area defined by the first area.  
     
     
         8 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the second area encompasses the entirety of the first area.  
     
     
         9 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the user input is at least one selected from a group consisting of a finger, a stylus, a button, and a cursor.  
     
     
         10 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the at least one characteristic value of the input comprises at least the distance traveled on the second area of the display by the user input.  
     
     
         11 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the at least one characteristic value of the input comprises at least the speed of the user input on the second area of the display.  
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the at least one characteristic value of the user input comprises at least the amount of time that the user input is in contact with the second area of the display.  
     
     
         13 . In a portable electronic device, a computer-readable media having instructions for providing a scalable interface on a display, the instructions performing steps comprising: 
 defining within the display of the portable electronic device a first area for accepting user input indicating a desire to modify a first interface characteristic;    accepting user input via the first area, the user input indicating a desire to modify a first interface characteristic of the interface on the display; and    in response to the user input, causing the first interface characteristic of the interface on the display to be modified such that a first interface state of a plurality of interface states is displayed on the display.    
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the first area defines a region of the display comprising a middle portion, a first end portion and a second end portion.  
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 14 , wherein user input on the first area from the middle portion to the first end portion causes the first interface characteristic of the interface on the display to be modified such that the first interface state is displayed on the display, and user input on the first area from the middle portion to the second end portion causes the first interface characteristic of the interface on the display to be modified such that a second interface state is displayed on the display.  
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the first interface characteristic comprises the relative size of interface elements on the display, and the first interface state comprises a state wherein the interface elements on the display are relatively larger.  
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the first interface characteristic comprises the relative size of interface elements on the display, and the second interface state comprises a state wherein the interface elements on the display are relatively smaller.  
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 13 , further comprising defining a second area within the display of the portable electronic device for accepting user input indicating a desire to modify a second interface characteristic, the first interface characteristic and second interface characteristic being able to be modified both separately or in conjunction with one another based on characteristics of the accepted user input.  
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the second interface characteristic comprises the relative number of interface elements on the display.  
     
     
         20 . In a portable electronic device, a computer-readable media having instructions for providing interactive search capabilities, the instructions performing steps comprising: 
 accepting user input that defines a search criteria;    displaying via use of a Venn diagram comprised of at least two geometric shapes a relationship between the search criteria and a search result set;    accepting user input to move at least one of the geometric shapes to thereby define a new search criteria; and    redisplaying via use of the Venn diagram a relationship between the new search criteria and a search result set.    
     
     
         21 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the user input to move the at least one of the geometric shapes is received via interaction with a touch screen display.  
     
     
         22 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the user input to define the search query is displayed using alphanumeric symbols.  
     
     
         23 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 22 , wherein the displayed alphanumeric symbols are altered to reflect the new search query defined by movement of the at least one geometric shape.  
     
     
         24 . In a portable electronic device, a computer-readable media having instructions for displaying content status indications, the instructions performing steps comprising: 
 displaying within a display of the portable electronic device at least a portion of a compact status indicator for displaying information related to the status of a state of an electronic device;    accepting user input indicating a desire to change the status of the state of the electronic device; and    in response to the user input, causing at least a portion of the compact status indicator to move in a substantially radial fashion with respect to a center point of the compact status indicator, displaying the radial movement of the at least a portion of the compact status indicator within the display, and transmitting at least one command to the electronic device to effect the change of the state of the electronic device.    
     
     
         25 . A portable electronic device adapted to accept gesture based input from a user, comprising 
 a touch screen pad used to accept the gesture based input, the touch screen pad having a plurality of gesture accepting areas, each gesture accepting area being arranged to accept a gesture in a direction that is unique with respect to the other gesture accepting areas.    
     
     
         26 . The portable electronic device as recited in  claim 25 , further comprising a transmission circuit for transmitting commands to one or more electronic devices in response to the gesture based input.  
     
     
         27 . The portable electronic device as recited in  claim 25 , wherein each gesture accepting area is positioned on the touch screen display at a location that is unique with respect to the other gesture accepting areas.