Method and data processing system for presenting items in a menu

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 , wherein the graphical indicator is a circle.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 , wherein a first portion of the circle identifies the displayed items and a second portion of the circle identifies the undisplayed items.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 , wherein the array is a linear array.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1 , wherein the user input comprises input from a pointing device positioning a pointer over the array, and the pointing device is one of a mouse, keyboard, and trackball.

Claim 7

The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of items are scrolled circularly.

Claim 8

The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of items are scrolled linearly.

Claim 9

The method of claim 1 , wherein the menu is one of a pull-down menu, a submenu, and a pop-up menu.

Claim 10

The method of claim 1 , wherein whether the array is scrollable is determined by a total number of the plurality of items.

Claim 11

The method of claim 1 further comprising: executing a process associated with an item within the plurality of items in response to selection of the item.

Claim 12

The method of claim 1 , wherein the scrolling step scrolls the items in a first direction if a pointer is located in a first portion of the array and scrolls the items in a second direction is the pointer is located in a second portion of the array.

Claim 13

The method of claim 1 , wherein the graphical indicator is displayed in a first state when circular scrolling occurs and is displayed in a second state when linear scrolling occurs.

Claim 14

The method of claim 1 , wherein a behavior of the scrolling of the plurality of items within the array occurs is governed by user defined parameters.

Claim 15

The method of claim 13 , wherein the user defined parameters include at least one of a scrolling speed, a number of displayed items, a selection of initially displayed items.

Claim 16

The method of claim 1 , wherein the scrolling step includes changing between linear scrolling and circular scrolling in response to a particular user input.

Claim 17

A data processing system comprising: a bus system; a communications unit connected to the bus system; a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes as set of instructions; and a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to present a plurality of displayed items within an array in the menu, wherein the displayed items are part of a plurality of items associated with the menu; display a graphical indicator in association with the menu, wherein the graphical indicator is representative of which items are displayed within the array; and responsive to user input directed to the menu, scroll items within the array wherein previously undisplayed items are displayed within the array and previously displayed items are hidden.

Claim 18

A data processing system comprising: a bus system; a communications unit connected to the bus system; a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes as set of instructions; and a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to present a plurality of displayed items within an array in the menu, wherein the displayed items are part of a plurality of items associated with the menu; display a graphical indicator in association with the menu, wherein the graphical indicator is representative of which items are displayed within the array; and responsive to user input directed to the menu, scroll items within the array wherein previously undisplayed items are displayed within the array and previously displayed items are hidden.

Claim 19

The data processing system of claim 16 , wherein the bus system is a single bus.

Claim 20

The data processing system of claim 16 , wherein the bus system includes a primary bus and a secondary bus.

Claim 21

The data processing system of claim 16 , wherein the processing unit includes a plurality of processors.

Claim 22

The data processing system of claim 16 , wherein the communications unit is one of a modem and Ethernet adapter.

Claim 23

The data processing system of claim 16 , wherein the data processing system is one of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, and a personal digital assistant.

Claim 24

A data processing system for presenting a menu and a plurality of items associated with the menu, the data processing system comprising: presenting means for presenting a plurality displayed items within an array in the menu, wherein the displayed items are part of the plurality of items associated with the menu; displaying means for displaying a graphical indicator in association with the menu, wherein the graphical indicator is representative of which items are displayed within the array; and scrolling means, responsive to user input directed to the menu, for scrolling items within the array wherein previously undisplayed items are displayed within the array and previously displayed items are hidden.

Claim 25

A data processing system for presenting a menu and a plurality of items associated with the menu, the data processing system comprising: presenting means for presenting a plurality displayed items within an array in the menu, wherein the displayed items are part of the plurality of items associated with the menu; displaying means for displaying a graphical indicator in association with the menu, wherein the graphical indicator is representative of which items are displayed within the array; and scrolling means, responsive to user input directed to the menu, for scrolling items within the array wherein previously undisplayed items are displayed within the array and previously displayed items are hidden.

Claim 26

The data processing system of claim 22 , wherein the graphical indicator is a circle.

Claim 27

The data processing system of claim 23 , wherein a first portion of the circle identifies the displayed items and a second portion of the circle identifies the undisplayed items.

Claim 28

The data processing system of claim 22 , wherein the array is a linear array.

Claim 29

The data processing system of claim 22 , wherein the user input device comprises input from a pointing device positioning over the array, and the pointing device is one of a mouse, keyboard, and trackball.

Claim 30

The data processing system of claim 22 , wherein the plurality of items are scrolled circularly.

Claim 31

The data processing system of claim 22 , wherein the plurality of items are scrolled linearly.

Claim 32

The data processing system of claim 22 , wherein the menu is one of a pull-down menu, a submenu, and a pop-up menu.

Claim 33

The data processing system of claim 22 , wherein whether the array is scrollable is determined by a total number of the plurality of items.

Claim 34

The data processing system of claim 22 , further comprising: executing means for executing a process associated with an item within the plurality of items in response to selection of the item.

Claim 35

The data processing system of claim 22 , wherein the scrolling means scrolls the items in a first direction if a pointer is located in a first portion of the menu and scrolls the items in a second direction is the pointer is located in a second portion of the menu.

Claim 36

The data processing system of claim 22 , wherein the graphical indicator is displayed in a first state when circular scrolling occurs and is displayed in a second state when linear scrolling occurs.

Claim 37

The data processing system of claim 22 , wherein a behavior of the scrolling of the plurality of items within the array occurs is governed by user defined parameters.

Claim 38

The data processing system of claim 34 , wherein the user defined parameters include at least one of a scrolling speed, a number of displayed items, a selection of initially displayed items.

Claim 39

The data processing system of claim 22 , wherein the scrolling means includes changing between linear scrolling and circular scrolling in response to a particular user input.

Claim 40

A computer program product in a computer readable medium for use in presenting a menu and a plurality of items associated with the menu, the computer program product comprising: first instructions for presenting a plurality of displayed items within an array in the menu, wherein the displayed items are part of the plurality of items associated with the menu; second instructions for displaying an graphical indicator in association with the menu, wherein the graphical indicator is representative of which items are displayed within the array; and third instructions, responsive to user input directed to the menu, for scrolling items within the array wherein previously undisplayed items are displayed within the array and previously displayed items are hidden.

Claim 41

A computer program product in a computer readable medium for use in presenting a menu and a plurality of items associated with the menu, the computer program product comprising: first instructions for presenting a plurality of displayed items within an array in the menu, wherein the displayed items are part of the plurality of items associated with the menu; second instructions for displaying an graphical indicator in association with the menu, wherein the graphical indicator is representative of which items are displayed within the array; and third instructions, responsive to user input directed to the menu, for scrolling items within the array wherein previously undisplayed items are displayed within the array and previously displayed items are hidden.