Method and Apparatus for Use of Rotational User Inputs

Abstract

Improved approaches for users of computing devices to interact with graphical user interfaces are described. According to one aspect, a rotational user action supplied by a user at a user input device is transformed into linear action with respect to a graphical user interface. According to another aspect, a portion of an extended list of items is displayed by a graphical user interface and, through rotational user actions at a user input device, the portion of the list being displayed can be varied with welcomed ease of use. Although the type of computing device can vary, the improved approaches are particularly well-suited for use with a portable media player.

1 . A portable media player, comprising: 
 a storage device that stores media content for each of a plurality of media items;    a display screen that displays a portion of the media items at a time;    a user input device that enables a user of the portable media player to at least select a particular media item from the plurality of media items through a rotational action with respect to the user input device;    a processor operatively connected to the storage device and the user input device, the processor controls the portable media player to play the media content of the particular media item that was selected using the user input device; and    a feedback circuit operatively connected to the user input device and the processor, the feedback circuit produces a sound effect corresponding to the rotational action with respect to the user input device.    
     
     
         2 . A portable media player as recited in  claim 1 , wherein, responsive to the rotational action with respect to the user input device, visual feedback is provided on the display screen.  
     
     
         3 . A portable media player as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the portable media player is battery-operated.  
     
     
         4 . A portable media player as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the portable media player is pocket-sized.  
     
     
         5 . A portable media player as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the processor controls the portable media player to receive annular inputs directly from the user input device.  
     
     
         6 . A portable media player as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the storage device comprises a storage disk drive.  
     
     
         7 . A portable media player as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the display screen comprises a liquid crystal display with a light-emitting diode backlight.  
     
     
         8 . A portable media player as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the portable media player comprises an audio player, a video player and an image viewer, and wherein the media content for the media items comprises at least audio files of songs, video files of videos and image files of images.  
     
     
         9 . A portable media player as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the sound effect is electrically induced by the feedback circuit.  
     
     
         10 . A portable media player as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the feedback circuit comprises a piezoelectric buzzer.  
     
     
         11 . A method for interacting with a graphical user interface produced on a display device of a computing device, the method comprising: 
 receiving a rotational movement associated with a user input action;    converting the rotational movement into a linear movement;    applying the linear movement to at least one object of the graphical user interface being produced on the display device to provide visual feedback correlated to the rotational movement associated with the user input action on the display device; and    producing an audio indication of the rotational movement using electrical signals to control an audio device.    
     
     
         12 . A method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the at least one object is a list of items.  
     
     
         13 . A method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the items in the list are simultaneously displayed on the display device.  
     
     
         14 . A method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein one of the items in the list being simultaneously displayed is rendered visually distinctive.  
     
     
         15 . A method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the items are media items.  
     
     
         16 . A method as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the computing device comprises a pocket-sized media player.  
     
     
         17 . A method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein and the display device comprises a pixel-based display device, and wherein the pixel-based display device comprises a liquid crystal display with a light-emitting diode backlight.  
     
     
         18 . A method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the computing device comprises a storage device that stores digital content of the media items.  
     
     
         19 . A method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the computing device comprises a pocket-sized media player.  
     
     
         20 . A method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the rotational input device comprises a rotatable wheel coupled to the computing device.  
     
     
         21 . A method as recited in  claim 20 , wherein the rotational movement is provided by rotation of the rotatable wheel.  
     
     
         22 . A method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the rotational input device comprises a touch pad, and wherein the user input action is provided via the touch pad coupled to the computing device.  
     
     
         23 . A method as recited in  claim 22 , wherein the rotational movement is provided by a rotational user input action with the touch pad.  
     
     
         24 . A method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the rotational movement is angular, and the linear movement is linear.  
     
     
         25 . A method as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the degree of rotation determines the amount of linear movement being applied.  
     
     
         26 . A method as recited in  claim 11 , 
 wherein the at least one object is a list of items, the items are media items, and at least a portion of the items in the list are simultaneously displayed on the display device, and    wherein the computing device comprises a storage device that stores digital content of the media items.    
     
     
         27 . A portable media player, comprising: 
 a storage device that stores media content for each of a plurality of media items;    a display screen that displays a portion of the media items at a time;    a user input device having an exposed upper surface that enables a user of the portable media player to at least identify a particular media item from the media items being displayed through a rotational action with respect to the exposed upper surface of the user input device;    a processor operatively connected to the storage device and the user input device, the processor controls the portable media player to play the media content of the particular media item that was identified using the user input device; and    a feedback circuit operatively connected to the user input device and the processor, the feedback circuit produces a sound effect indicating the rotational action with respect to the user input device,    wherein, responsive to the rotational action with respect to the exposed upper surface of the user input device, visual feedback is provided on the display screen.    
     
     
         28 . A portable media player as recited in  claim 27 , wherein the user input device comprises a touch pad capable of rotational sensing.  
     
     
         29 . A portable media player as recited in  claim 28 , wherein the user input device comprises a button separate from the touch pad, and wherein the button is provided at the center of the touch pad.  
     
     
         30 . A portable media player as recited in  claim 27 , wherein the user input device comprises a rotary dial.  
     
     
         31 . A portable media player as recited in  claim 27 , wherein the portable media player is battery-operated and pocket-sized.  
     
     
         32 . A portable media player as recited in  claim 27 , wherein the processor controls the portable media player to receive annular inputs directly from the user input device.  
     
     
         33 . A portable media player as recited in  claim 27 , wherein the storage device comprises a storage disk drive.  
     
     
         34 . A portable media player as recited in  claim 27 , wherein the display screen comprises a liquid crystal display with a light-emitting diode backlight.  
     
     
         35 . A portable media player as recited in  claim 27 , wherein the portable media player comprises an audio player, a video player and an image viewer, and wherein the media content for the media items comprises at least audio files of songs, video files of videos and image files of images.  
     
     
         36 . A portable media player as recited in  claim 27 , wherein only a single finger of the user need be used to provide the rotational action with respect to the exposed upper surface of the user input device.  
     
     
         37 . A portable media player as recited in  claim 36 , wherein the single finger can be used to complete one or more revolutions of the user input device without lifting the finger from the user input device.  
     
     
         38 . A portable media player as recited in  claim 27 , wherein the exposed upper surface of the user input device is a completely exposed upper surface, and wherein the rotational action is with respect to the completely exposed upper surface of the user input device.