Computing device with improved user interface for applications

Abstract

The present invention offers a snap-shot view which brings together, in one summary window, a limited list of common functions and commonly accessed stored data which itself can be reached directly from the main menu listing some or all applications. This yields many advantages in ease and speed of navigation, particularly on small screen devices.

1 . A mobile telephone comprising a display screen, the mobile telephone being adapted to:
 display a plurality of items on the screen, each item corresponding to an application, the plurality of items arranged in a main view from which, responsive to a user input of a first type selecting any of the plurality of items in the main view, the application corresponding to the selected item is opened; and   responsive to a user input of a second type selecting a first item of the plurality of items in the main view, the first item corresponding to a first application:   display on the screen an application summary for the first application, the application summary comprising a list of at least one function that can be initiated within the first application, the list excluding at least one other function that can be initiated within the first application; and   responsive to a user input selecting a function in the displayed application summary, open the first application and initiate the selected function within the first application.   
     
     
         2 . The mobile telephone of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of items comprises at least one of a name associated with a corresponding application and an icon associated with the corresponding application. 
     
     
         3 . The mobile telephone of  claim 1 , wherein the user input of the second type selecting the first item comprises a press and hold relating to the first item. 
     
     
         4 . The mobile telephone of  claim 3 , wherein the user input of the first type selecting an item comprises use of a select function of the mobile telephone relating to the item;
 and wherein the user input of the second type selecting the first item comprises a press and hold of the select function of the mobile telephone relating to the first item.   
     
     
         5 . The mobile telephone of  claim 1 , wherein the displayed application summary for the first application overlies at least a second item in the main view, the second item corresponding to a second application. 
     
     
         6 . The mobile telephone of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile telephone is adapted to vary contents of the application summary for the first application according to a current environment external to the mobile telephone. 
     
     
         7 . The mobile telephone of  claim 6 , wherein the mobile telephone further comprises Bluetooth communications capability;
 and wherein the contents of the application summary for the first application varying according to the current environment comprises a list of other devices with Bluetooth capability in the vicinity of the mobile telephone.   
     
     
         8 . The mobile telephone of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile telephone is adapted to select contents of the application summary for the first application based on usage patterns of a user. 
     
     
         9 . The mobile telephone of  claim 1 , wherein the displayed application summary for the first application further comprises data of at least one stored data type accessible within the first application when opened. 
     
     
         10 . The mobile telephone of  claim 1 , wherein the mobile telephone is adapted to, responsive to the user input selecting the function in the displayed application summary, open the first application and initiate the selected function within the first application without an intervening further user input. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 responsive to a user input of a first type selecting any of a plurality of items arranged in a main view displayed on a mobile telephone screen, each of the plurality of items corresponding to an application, opening the application corresponding to the selected item; and   responsive to a user input of a second type selecting a first item of the plurality of items in the main view, the first item corresponding to a first application:
 displaying on the screen an application summary for the first application, the application summary comprising a list of at least one function that can be initiated within the first application, the list excluding at least one other function that can be initiated within the first application; and 
 responsive to a user input selecting a function in the displayed application summary, opening the first application and initiating the selected function within the first application. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of items comprises at least one of a name associated with a corresponding application and an icon associated with the corresponding application. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the user input of the second type selecting the first item comprises a press and hold relating to the first item. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the user input of the first type selecting an item comprises use of a select function of the mobile telephone relating to the item;
 and wherein the user input of the second type selecting the first item comprises a press and hold of the select function of the mobile telephone relating to the first item.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the displayed application summary for the first application overlies at least a second item in the main view, the second item corresponding to a second application. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 selecting contents of the application summary for the first application according to a current environment external to the mobile telephone.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the selected contents of the application summary for the first application comprises a list of devices with Bluetooth capability in the vicinity of the mobile telephone. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 selecting contents of the application summary for the first application based on usage patterns of a user.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the displayed application summary for the first application further comprises data of at least one stored data type accessible within the first application when opened. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the opening and initiating steps are performed, responsive to the user input selecting the function in the displayed application summary, without an intervening further user input. 
     
     
         21 . A mobile telephone comprising a display screen, the mobile telephone being adapted to:
 display on the screen a main view comprising a plurality of items, each item representing an application;   receive a user input selecting one of the plurality of items from the main view;   responsive to the received user input being of a first type, open the application corresponding to the selected item; and   responsive to the received user input being of a second type:
 without opening the application, display on the screen an application summary for the application corresponding to the selected item, the application summary comprising a list of at least one of a plurality of functions that can be initiated within the application, the list not including at least one other of the plurality of functions that can be initiated within the application; and 
 then, responsive to a user input selecting a function from said application summary, open the application and initiate the selected function within the opened application without requiring an intervening further user input. 
   
     
     
         22 . The mobile telephone of  claim 21 , wherein each of the plurality of items comprises at least one of a name representing an application and an icon representing the application. 
     
     
         23 . The mobile telephone of  claim 21 , wherein the user input of the second type comprises a press and hold relating to the item. 
     
     
         24 . The mobile telephone of  claim 23 , wherein the user input of the first type comprises use of a select function of the mobile telephone relating to the item;
 and wherein the user input of the second type comprises a press and hold of the select function of the mobile telephone relating to the item.   
     
     
         25 . The mobile telephone of  claim 21 , wherein the displayed application summary for the application overlies at least one other item in the main view. 
     
     
         26 . A method comprising:
 displaying, on a screen of a mobile telephone, a main view comprising a plurality of items, each item representing an application;   receiving a user input selecting one of the plurality of items from the main view;   responsive to the received user input being of a first type, opening the application corresponding to the selected item; and   responsive to the received user input being of a second type:
 without opening the application, displaying on the screen an application summary for the application corresponding to the selected item, the application summary comprising a list of at least one of a plurality of functions that can be initiated within the application, the list not including at least one other of the plurality of functions that can be initiated within the application; and 
 then, responsive to a user input selecting a function from said application summary, opening the application and initiating the selected function within the opened application without requiring an intervening further user input. 
   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein each of the plurality of items comprises at least one of a name representing an application and an icon representing the application. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the user input of the second type comprises a press and hold relating to the item. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the user input of the first type comprises use of a select function of the mobile telephone relating to the item;
 and wherein the user input of the second type comprises a press and hold of the select function of the mobile telephone relating to the item.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the displayed application summary for the application overlies at least one other item in the main view.