Specialized Calculator with Graphical Element and User Interfaces

Abstract

A specialized mortgage constant calculator may include at least four different modes, each mode associated with a graphical user interface tailored to the mode and displayed on an electronic display. In addition, the mortgage constant calculator may include an adjustable table with a persistent, adjustable frame of reference and other navigational tools that facilitate use of a table that may be far larger than a display area of the electronic display.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable specialized mortgage constant calculator comprising:
 an electronic display;   at least one processor coupled to the electronic display; and   at least one input coupled to the processor to provide one or more user inputs;   the at least one processor being programmed to provide at least four different modes, each mode associated with a graphical user interface tailored to the mode and displayed on the electronic display, including:   a first mode for calculation of a payment, the graphical user interface comprising a loan amount input, an amortization period input, and an interest rate input and a payment output;   a second mode for calculation of a mortgage constant, the graphical user interface comprising an interest rate input and an amortization period input, and a mortgage constant output;   a third mode for calculation of an interest rate, the graphical user interface comprising an amortization period input and a mortgage constant input, and an interest rate output; and   a fourth mode for calculation of a period, the graphical user interface comprising an interest rate input and a mortgage constant input, and an amortization period output.   
     
     
         2 . The portable specialized mortgage constant calculator according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the modes comprises a first calculation mode on a 30/360 basis and a second calculation mode on an actual days/360 basis, and each of the graphical user interfaces comprises a calculation mode input to select between the first and second calculation modes. 
     
     
         3 . The portable specialized mortgage constant calculator according to  claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface of the first mode includes a graphical element in tabular form that displays one or more of a payment amount, a portion of the payment attributable to interest, a portion of the payment attributable to principal repayment, a total interest paid to a specific point in time, a total principal paid to a specific point in time, and a total payment made to a specific point in time. 
     
     
         4 . The portable specialized mortgage constant calculator according to  claim 3 , wherein the graphical element of the graphical user interface of the first mode is divided into a plurality of time increments, each time increment associated with a header row, and one of the header rows having a highlighting relative to the other header rows. 
     
     
         5 . The portable specialized mortgage constant calculator according to  claim 4 , wherein the highlighting varies with movement of the header rows. 
     
     
         6 . The portable specialized mortgage constant calculator according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is programmed:
 to provide a chart mode, the chart mode including a graphical element comprising a plurality of cells arranged in a plurality of rows and columns, each of the cells containing a numeric or alphanumeric character; and   to provide a graphical user interface comprising a first control to select a range of the rows and a range of the columns of the graphical element to define a subset with a subset area smaller than a total area of the graphical element; and   to display a portion of the graphical element or the subset on the electronic display during the chart mode.   
     
     
         7 . The portable specialized mortgage constant calculator according to  claim 6 , wherein each row is associated with a different amortization period and each column is associated with a different interest rate. 
     
     
         8 . The portable specialized mortgage constant calculator according to  claim 6 , wherein the electronic display comprises a display area, the display area being smaller than the total area of the graphical element. 
     
     
         9 . The portable specialized mortgage constant calculator according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a moveable window in which an area of the graphical element is visible, the window being moveable relative to the rows and columns of the graphical element to display a different range of rows, a different range of columns or a different range of rows and a different range of columns on the electronic display in response to a first user input, and   the processor programmed to display the subset on the electronic display during the chart mode and to discontinue the moveable window if the subset area is smaller than the moveable window.   
     
     
         10 . The portable specialized mortgage constant calculator according to  claim 1 , wherein the electronic display, at least one of the at least one processor and the at least one input are disposed in on mounted on a hand-held device. 
     
     
         11 . The portable specialized mortgage constant calculator according to  claim 10 , wherein the hand-held device is a mobile or cellular device. 
     
     
         12 . The portable specialized mortgage constant calculator according to  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the at least one processor is disposed external to the hand-held device. 
     
     
         13 . A portable specialized mortgage constant calculator comprising:
 an electronic display;   at least one processor coupled to the electronic display; and   at least one input coupled to the processor to provide one or more user inputs;   the at least one processor being configured to provide at least four different modes, each mode associated with a graphical user interface tailored to the mode and displayed on the electronic display, including:   a first mode for calculation of a payment, the graphical user interface comprising a loan amount input, an amortization period input, and an interest rate input and a payment output, a mortgage constant output, and an effective annual interest rate output;   a second mode for calculation of a mortgage constant, the graphical user interface comprising an interest rate input and an amortization period input, and a mortgage constant output;   a third mode for calculation of an interest rate, the graphical user interface comprising an amortization period input and a mortgage constant input, and an interest rate output; and   a fourth mode for calculation of a period, the graphical user interface comprising an interest rate input and a mortgage constant input, and an amortization period output.   
     
     
         14 . A portable specialized mortgage constant calculator comprising:
 an electronic display;   at least one processor coupled to the electronic display; and   at least one input coupled to the processor to provide one or more user inputs;   the at least one processor being programmed to control the electronic display to display an adjustable table with an adjustable, persistent frame of reference, the adjustable table and adjustable frame of reference comprising:
 a graphical element comprising a plurality of cells arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, each of the cells containing a numeric or alphanumeric character; 
 a moveable window in which an area of the graphical element is visible, the window being moveable relative to the rows and columns of the graphical element to display a different range of rows, a different range of columns or a different range of rows and a different range of columns on the electronic display in response to a first user input; 
 a first graphical user interface comprising a first control to select only a cell of interest from the plurality of cells, a row highlight responsive to the first control to maintain selection of a first row from the plurality of rows, the row comprising the cell, and a column highlight responsive to the first control to maintain selection of a first column from the plurality of columns, the column comprising the cell, 
 the row highlight and column highlight being visible in the moveable window when any cell in the first row or the first column is visible within the moveable window; and 
 a second graphical user interface comprising a second control to select a range of the rows and a range of the columns of the graphical element to define a subset with a subset area smaller than a total area of the graphical element, 
 the processor programmed to display the subset on the electronic display and to discontinue the moveable window if the subset area is smaller than the moveable window. 
   
     
     
         15 . The portable specialized mortgage constant calculator according to  claim 14 , wherein the processor is programmed to discontinue display of the subset in response to a third control. 
     
     
         16 . The portable specialized mortgage constant calculator according to  claim 14 , wherein the graphical element comprises at least one row and at least one column that vary spatially from other rows and columns of the graphical element in an operational state, the row highlight and the column highlight also varying spatially in the at least one row and at least one column relative to the other rows and columns of the graphical element. 
     
     
         17 . The portable specialized mortgage constant calculator according to  claim 16 , wherein the at least one row and at least one column that are offset from other rows and columns of the graphical element in an operational state, the row highlight and the column highlight also offset in the at least one row and at least one column relative to the other rows and columns of the graphical element 
     
     
         18 . The portable specialized mortgage constant calculator according to  claim 14 , wherein the electronic display, the at least one processor and the at least one input are disposed in or mounted on a hand-held device. 
     
     
         19 . The portable specialized mortgage constant calculator according to  claim 18 , wherein the hand-held device is a mobile or cellular device.