TASK-ORIENTED START MENU
PRIORITY CLAIM
[0011 The present application claims priority to Indian provisional patent application serial number 1021/DEL/2006
BACKGROUND
|002| General purpose computing systems conventionally provide a wide-variety of programs that the user may initiate to accomplish a wide-variety of tasks. In order to start a given program, a user might select the program from a start menu, which is typically provided by the operating system. Conventional start menus are application oriented. For example, in order to type a new letter, the user needs to know that "Microsoft Word" is the application that is used to type a letter. The user then searches for this application on the device, launches the application and then start typing in the letter.
SUMMARY
|003| Embodiments of the invention relate to a task-oriented start menu model. At least some of the items in the start menu represent a task category describing a task-to be accomplished, rather than listing the application that accomplishes that task. For example, a user might select "Create New" from the start menu, rather than selecting a shortcut to "Microsoft Word". Upon selection of the task, a submenu might be opened showing various subcategories of tasks that might be accomplished. If there are no sub-caiegories associated with the task, the appropriate application that accomplishes the task might be opened with the appropriate configuration settings. For example, upon selection of a "Create New" task, a "Create New Letter" submenu option might appear. Upon selection of the Create New Letter icon, a word processing application may be launched with an appropriate letter writing template. [004| This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is no! intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(005| The appended drawings are used in order to more particularly describe
embodiments of the present invention. Understanding that these drawings depict only
typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be
limiting of its scope, the embodiments will be described and explained with additional
specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
|006] Figure 1A illustrates an external perspective view of a multi-mode
computing system that represents one of many suitable computing systems in which
the principles of the present invention may be employed;
|007| Figure IB illustrates an external top view of the multi-mode computing
system of Figure 1 A;
|008| Figure 2A illustrates the computer of Figures 1A and IB in device mode
with the keyboard retracted;
[009] Figure 2B illustrates the computer of Figures 1A and IB in computing
mode with the keyboard extended;
|010| Figure 3 illustrates a controller that may be used with the computing
system of Figures 1A and IB;
|OI1| Figure 4A illustrates a start menu as it may appear upon activation of a
start menu;
|012] Figure 4B illustrates the start menu as it might appear upon selection of the
"More" Icon of Figure 4A;
[013] Figure 4C illustrates the start menu as it might appear upon selection of the
"Create New" icon of the start menu of Figure 4A;
[014] Figures 5A through 5.1 illustrates the internal components of the computer of Figures 1A, IB, 2A and 2B in various incremental stages so as to allow clear visualization of the internal components on their placement within the computer.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[015] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a task-oriented start menu model that may be more intuitively used to perform a task without requiring knowledge of the identity of the underlying application used to accomplish the task. Although the principles of the present invention may be practiced on any computer that may benefit by the use of a start menu, one particular computing system will first be described below with respect to Figures 1A, IB, 2A, 2B and 3. A start menu model will then be described with respect to Figures 4A, 4B and 4C. As a peripheral matter, the various components of the computing system of Figures 1A, IB, 2A and 2B will then be described with respect to Figures 5A through 5J. [016] Figure 1A and IB illustrate external perspective and top views of a multi-mode computing system 100, which represents a suitable computing system in which the principles of the present invention may be employed. In Figures 1A and IB, the computing system 100 is illustrated in one major mode of operation in which the display and keyboard are in the retracted position. This mode will also be referred to hereinafter as the "fully retracted mode 100A". The computing system 100 may be shipped or stored in the fully retracted mode in order to conserve space and to protect the computing system 100.
|017| The computing system 100 includes three major components, a main housing 110, a fold-up display 120, and a slide-out keyboard 130. In Figures 1A and IB, the computing system 100 is its fully retracted mode 100A in which the display is folded down so as to be adjacent to and abutted against the upper surface of the main housing 110. In the retracted mode, the keyboard 130 is slid in within the main housing 110. Accordingly, the keyboard 130 is not visible in Figures 1A and IB. In
one embodiment, the main housing 110 is primarily box-shaped except for a curvature area at the front of the main housing 110.
[018] Figure 2A illustrates the computing system 100 in a second of its major modes called herein the "device" mode 100B. In the device mode 100B, the display 120 is folded up into its extended position pivoting about one end that is pivotably attached to the main housing 110.
|019| Figure 2B illustrates the computing system 100 in a "computer" mode (also called herein "computer mode 100C") in which the display 120 is fully extracted, and in which the keyboard 130 is in its extracted position, being mostly slid out of the main housing 110. Accordingly, the keyboard 130 is shown to be slidably coupled to the main housing 110 so as to slide into and out of the main housing 110 proximate the lower surface of the main housing 110. In computer mode, the keyboard slides 130 out from below the main housing 110 of the device. The hinge for the display 120 is towards the front of the main housing 110. This has been done taking into account the fact that the distance between the keyboard 130 and the display 120 are to be made comfortable for reading and typing. If the hinge was placed towards the back of the main housing 110, then the total distance between the user of the computing system 100 and the display 120 would increase thereby reducing readability of text. A thin groove is left on all sides of the computing system 100, making it look like a hardbound book. The display panel 120 juts out a bit from the back of the main housing like the cover of a book. Like having a hardbound cover makes it simple to lift the cover of the book, having a groove towards the back of the computing system 100 makes it simple to lift the display housing 120. |020| The main housing 110 contains general purpose computing components, sufficient to enable the computing system 100 to behave as a general purpose
computer. The main housing 110 is of sufficient size that low cost conventional
computing components may be used, thereby allowing the computing system 100 to
be relatively inexpensive to produce from a hardware perspective.
[021] In the device mode 100B of Figure 2A, the computing system 100 acts
much like a multi-media device and/or a telephone. Control of the multi-media
device may be effected through the use of multi-media controls 211, which are built
in as a hardware component of the main housing 110. Listed from left to right, the
multi-media controls 211 include an eject control, a jump rewind control, a fast
rewind control, a play/pause control, control, a fast forward control, and a jump
forward control. Such controls may include any controls such as, for example, levers,
switches, any mechanism that responds to mechanical displacement or pressure, or the
like.
|022j By selecting the eject control, a disk within a DVD/CD drive may be
ejected.
|023] By selecting the jump rewind control, the disk is reversed to the prior track
on the CD, or the prior chapter of the DVD.
[024] By selecting the fast rewind control, the DVD or CD is rewound.
Optionally, the repeated selection of the fast rewind control may cause the rewind
operation to toggle between various rewind speeds.
|025] The play/pause control may be used to play the DVD or CD, or select a
highlighted item on the display 120. The play/pause control may also be used to
pause the current play of the DVD or CD. The pause button may be used to toggle
between the pause operation and the play operation.
[026) The fast forward control may be used to fast forward the DVD or CD.
Optionally, the repeated selections of the fast forward button may cause the forwarding operation to toggle between various forwarding speeds. |027| The jump forward control may be selected to jump to the next track of a CD, or to the next chapter of a DVD.
[028] When in device mode, when a DVD or CD disk is placed in the DVD/CD drive, the computing system 100 may be configured such that the appropriate DVD or CD application is initiated by the computing system. The application may be programmed to respond to the activation of the various multi-media controls 211 so as to provide a user interface that the user of a standard DVD or CD might expect. [029| Thus, the multi-media controls 211 may be used to navigate through certain actions of a multi-media device acting as either a DVD or CD player. The use of such navigation buttons may be intuitive to one familiar with standard DVD and CD players, as most such devices contain similar control buttons. Accordingly, the computing system 100 may be operated in device mode, without the use of the keyboard 130, in order to emulate multi-media devices to which the user had previously become accustomed, without the user necessarily knowing how to operate a general purpose computing system, and without even being aware that the computing system is, in fact, built upon general purpose computing technology. Additionally, with the display 120 being prominently positioned in the front of the main housing, the multi-media information on the display 120 may be clearly viewed without the distraction of a keyboard or other items in front of the display. Thus, in device mode, the computing system 100 truly assumes more of the look and feel of a less intimidating multi-media device, rather than that of a sometimes more intimidating computer.
[030] The device mode 100B of Figure 2A also allows the computing system 100 to behave as a telephone. The main housing 110 has associated therewith a Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) connection and/or a wireless telephone transceiver such as is enabled by Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) wireless communication networks, or other wireless communication networks. Control of the telephone device may be accomplished using the media buttons, navigation, dialing and/or other miscellaneous control buttons as will be described further below. [031] For example, making a telephone call using a conventional computer involves the user knowing what application is used on the computer to make a call, starting the application and figuring out how to use it the input devices attached to the computer like keyboard and mouse. Instead, if the device had a hardware dialing keypad similar to that that is normally used in a telephone along with appropriate software, then dialing a call would just involve pressing the "Dial" button followed by the numbers to be dialed on the hardware keypad and the required software would come up and complete the call for the user. In this way, the interaction of the user with the device would be the same as the interaction with a special purpose device for making a telephone call. The underlying components used in the computing system 100 may be similar to those used in a general purpose personal computer. However through the use of proper interface to the general purpose hardware, the device can act as a consumer electronics entertainment center, a communication center or an information center.
|032j In order to allow the computing system 100 to take on the feeling of a multi-media device or telephone in the device mode, the bottom end of the display 120 is pivotably attached to the upper surface of the main housing 110 so that the
pivoting connection is more than 50% (hut possibly more than 80%) of the way from
the hack surface of the main housing to the front surface of the main housing.
|()33| Referring to Figure 2B, with the keyboard 130 slidably extracted from the
main housing 1 10, the keyboard 130 may now be viewed as including keyboard keys
in the standard QWERTY configuration, with an associated touchpad and left and
right touchpad buttons. The touchpad and touchpad keys behave as a mouse selection
device much as is now common in laptop computers.
(034) In tlie computing mode 100C, the computing system 100 feels much like a
laptop computer with some tolerable variances.
|035| A first variance is that the display 120 is positioned a little higher
vertically from the keyboard than a standard laptop would be. However, a user may
easily become accustomed to such a variance by simply averting the user's eyes a
little upwards as compared to a laptop, which requires only a minor user behavior
change.
[036] A second variance is that the main housing containing the computing
components is largely positioned below and behind the display 120, rather than
beneath the keyboard as with a standard laptop. Nevertheless, this is an acceptable
variance in many situations as the main housing is largely hidden behind the display
120. While it might be difficult to have the computing system in computer mode
within coach class of an airplane, the main point is that the computing system 100 in
computer mode 100C has the user interface feel and behavior of a standard general
purpose computing system.
[037] S hus. the computing system 100 is a multi-mode computing system which
can change from a device mode 100B of Figure 2A to a computing mode 100C of
Figure 2B. A user can thus treat the computing system 100 as a multi-media or
telephone device in its entirety, or the user may treat the computing system 100 as a computer in its entirety, or the user may take full advantage of the multi-modality of the computing system 100 by treating the computing system 100 as a device at some times and as a computer at others. Furthermore, since the main housing 110 is large enough to permit low-cost components to enable the general purpose functionality, the computing system 100 may be a relatively low cost computing solution. |038| Figure IB also illustrates that the main housing 110 has thereon one or more media dialing pad controls 142. Such dialing controls 142 will be familiar to those that use standard telephone calls. They include alphanumeric controls 0-9, an asterisk control "*", and a pound control "#". The dialing controls also include a dial initiation control and a call hang-up control for initiating and terminating a telephone call. In device mode 100B, when a user selects the dialing pad controls, the computing system 100 initiates a telephone application and responds as expected. For instance, when dialing a telephone number, the numbers may be displayed on the display 120. When the call is placed, the telephone application may display the progress of the call (e.g., "dialing", "connecting", "ringing", and the like). When the call is terminated, the user interface of the telephone application may display an indication that the call is being terminated. When a telephone number is dialed, the telephone application interfaces with the appropriate communication protocol to complete the connection using any one or numerous mechanisms for placing a telephone call.
|039] Figure IB also includes navigation controls 143. Such controls permit the
user to navigate left-ward, right-ward, upward, and down-ward through a particular user interlace rendered on the display 120, and to select a highlighted item. The controls 143 also include start, context menu controls, and back/cancel controls. The
selection of the start control activates a start menu. The selection of the context menu
control may be the same as right-clicking using a mouse (when the left mouse button
is the primary selection button for the mouse) or left-clicking using a mouse (when
the right mouse button is the primary selection button for the mouse).
|040| Figure IB also shows controls including a QuickMode control 144
(marked with a "Q") and a SwitchTask control 145 (marked with an "S"). The
function of each of the Quick Mode control 144 buttons will be described further
below. The front panel also includes speakers, and Infra-Red transceiver port.
[041] Figure 3 illustrates a controller 300 that may serve as a remote input
device for the computing system 100. The controller 300 includes navigation controls
301, which may be similar to the navigation controls that form part of the main
housing 110 of the computing system 100. Specifically, the navigation controls 301
include upward direction navigation control 301 A, downward direction navigation
control 301B, leftward direction navigation control 301C, rightward direction
navigation button 30ID, and navigation selection control 301E.
[042| The controller 300 also includes volume control controls 302 including
mute control 302A, volume down control 302B and volume up control 302C.
[043] The controller 300 includes several miscellaneous controls. For instance,
the start control 303 generates a command to display the start menu on the display
120. The context menu control 304 generates a context menu command and is
equivalent to selection of the right mouse button. The back/cancel control 305
generates a backward navigation command or a cancel command.
[044] Once one of the navigation buttons, windows button, context menu
button, backward navigation button, or one of the volume control buttons is selected,
the relevant command is communicated to the computing system 100. This communication may be accomplished via Infra-Red (IR) or via Radio Frequency (RF) channels.
[045| The controller 300 also includes alphanumeric controls 305 including alphanumeric controls, asterisk control, and pound control, as one might find on a standard telephone. These controls 305 may be used to send dialing instructions to the computing system 100 when the computing system 100 is acting as a telephone. The associated commands for controls 305 may be placed to the computing system using RF communication.
[046| Even if the computing system 100 is not acting as a telephone, the alphanumeric controls 305 may be used to select menu items displayed on the computing system 200. If the computing system 200 limits the number of menu items to 10 options, such a mechanism permits for rapid and convenient selection of a menu item even remotely by simply selecting a number corresponding to the menu item desired. The computing system 100 may be configured and/or programmed to comprehend RF control signals from another remote control. For instance, the computing system 100 could recognize RF signals from a cordless telephone to thereby allow the cordless telephone to act essentially as a remote control for purposes of selecting menu items or placing a telephone call using the computing system.
|047| The controller 300 also includes call initiation button 306A and call termination button 306B for use in initiating and terminating a telephone call. The associated commands may be communicated with the computing system 100 using RF signals. Thus, the controller 300 may be used to directionally navigate through the displayed user interface on the display 220. The controller 300 may also be used to interface with a displayed telephone application using hardware controls that would
be familiar to the user of a typical telephone. Finally, the alphanumeric controls may be used to quickly negotiate a displayed menu.
[048| Furthermore, a standard telephone that includes an RF transmitter (such as a cordless phone) may be used to interface with the display. The RF transmitter of the cordless phone may interface with an RF receiver in the main housing 110 to allow the cordless phone to behave as a remote control, either for purposes of making a telephone call through the computing system 100, or for purposes of selecting a menu item displayed on the display 120.
[049J Once again, however, although a unique computing system in which the principles of the present invention may be employed will be described with respect to Figures 1A, IB, 2A and 2B, embodiments of the principles of the present invention may be employed in the context of any computing system that is modified to include the inventive concepts as claimed herein.
[050] Embodiments of the present invention may involve software. Accordingly, embodiments within the scope of the present invention also include computer-readable media for carrying or having computer-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code means in the form of computer-executable instructions or data structures and which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer. When information is transferred or provided over a network or another communications connection (either hardwired, wireless, or a
combination of hardwired or wireless) to a computer, the computer properly views the connection as a computer-readable medium. Thus, any such connection is properly termed a computer-readable medium. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.
[051] Computer-executable instructions comprise, for example, instructions and data which cause a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purpose processing device to perform a certain function or group of functions. Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.
[052] Figure 4A illustrates a user interface 400A that shows a start menu 402A that may be displayed upon selection of a start icon 401. The start menu 402A might also be displayed upon selection of the windows control, either on the main housing 110 or the controller 300. The start menu 402A includes an initial list of ten application items. In each case, the application item is represented as a corresponding task category, although an application item may also represent a specific application. In this case, the initial list is limited to ten application items, each having a corresponding single digit number for convenient and fast selection of the menu item. [053] The start menu 402A is illustrated as including the contacts task category corresponding to the digit "1", the phone task category corresponding to the digit "2", the pictures task category corresponding to the digit "3", the music/video task category corresponding to the digit "4", the documents task category corresponding to the digit "5", the student task category corresponding to the digit "6", the games task

category corresponding to the digit "7", the internet task category corresponding to the digit "8", the e-mail task category corresponding to the digit "9", and the create new task category corresponding to the digit "0". Of course, as with any of the start menus, the principles of the present invention are not limited to particular numbers being assigned to a particular category, nor to any identity of any particular category. For instance, after doing a user study, it may be that the digit "1" should be assigned to the phone task category or some other category in order to maximize consumer satisfaction. The start menu 402A also includes a more list expander icon 403 to allow for more application items to be displayed.
[054] By representing the applications by the task category, a user need not be aware of the underlying application that accomplishes the task. This simplifies the accomplishment of the task since it is often the task that the user cares most about, and not about the identity of the application that accomplishes the task. For instance, a user who want to create a document would know that the user wants to create something new (corresponding to item 0 in the task menu 402A), but may not know of the best application or available applications to accomplish the task, nor perhaps how to access the application.
[055] The user may select one of the items in the initial start menu 402A by navigating up or down using the upward and downward direction navigation controls (either on the main housing 110 of the computing system 100, or on the controller 300). Once the desired task category is highlighted, the navigation selection control may be selected. Alternatively, since each menu item has a corresponding single-digit number, the user could instead select a number on the alphanumeric keypad (once again, on the main housing 110 or on the controller 300).
[056] If the desired task category was not in the first task menu 402A, the user could instead select the more list expander icon 403. In the description and in the claims, a "more list expander icon" is any selectable icon that, when selected, extends the list of application items. For instance, upon selection of the more list expander icon 403, a second start menu 402B might appear as represented with Figure 4B, along with the first start menu 402A disappearing. In one embodiment, the second start menu 402B may appear in approximately or even exactly the same display position as the first start menu 402A. For instance, the second start menu 402B might overlap the majority of the area that the first start menu 402A, or may even by sized the same as the first start menu 402A, and overlap the exact same area as the first start menu 402A. This presents a clean mental model for the user. The user would cognitively recognize that this same portion of the screen is dedicated for navigation through the start menu regardless of where in the navigation the user is. |057| The user may select the more list expander icon 403 by navigating to the icon using the upward and downward direction navigation controls and selecting the navigation selection control, or alternatively by simply pressing the rightward navigation control. The start menu 402B of Figure 4B shows a back list icon that may be selected by navigating a cursor position to the back list icon and selecting, or by simply selecting the backward navigation control (either on the main housing 110 or on the controller 300). Alternatively, the more list expander 403 and back list icon may instead be selected by using the navigation and enter buttons on the keyboard, or using the mouse present on the keyboard. Upon selecting back, the start menu 402A of Figure 4A may once again appear. While using the start menu 402B, the user may select a particular task category in the second start menu 402B in the same manner as described above for the first start menu 402A. Accordingly, the user is provided with
a mechanism to quickly navigate through the start menu, and select a particular item. If there were yet more application items than could be displayed in the second start menu 402B, a more list expander icon could be provided for the second start menu 402B as well. This concept may be extended to permit backwards and forwards navigation through a number of start menu lists.
[058] Figure 4C illustrates a submenu 402C that may appear if the user selected, for example, the create new task category of the first start menu 402A. This menu illustrates more specific tasks under the "create new" category. For instance, the user might create a new letter (corresponding to item "1"), resume (corresponding to item "2"), budget (corresponding to item "3"), fax (corresponding to item "4"), report (corresponding to item "5"), proposal (corresponding to item "6"), presentation (corresponding to item "7"), drawing (corresponding to item "8"), website (corresponding to item "9"), or voice note (corresponding to item "0"). Once again, the same controls may be used to select one of the items, or to select to view more. Thus, convenient navigation forwards and backwards at the second sub-menu level is also enabled.
[059] It is possible that one of the task categories even at the submenu level may further be selected to reveal a deeper level of submenus. The principles of navigation explained above with respect to the start menu and submenu levels may apply to one or more even deeper levels of submenus.
|060j Whenever a menu appears at any level of the start menu, submenus, or deeper level submenus, the menu may appear in substantially the same portion of the screen. Thus, there are no cascading menus that require the user to look at different parts of the screen in order to evaluate the menu. Instead, the menu may appear in substantially or exactly the same portion of screen regarding of its level in the start
menu hierarchy. Furthermore, convenient menu selection and navigation mechanism are provided that permit navigation using a single key for each step in the navigation. Furthermore, the start menu may be organized by task desired, rather than application. Thus, convenient and intuitive start menu navigation is employed, permitting the user to quite intuitively navigate to accomplish the desired task.
|0611 The operating system may come with a predetermined start menu hierarchy. In addition, when new applications are installed, the operating system may automatically identify the tasks that may be accomplished by the application, and automatically categorize the task in the appropriate portion of the start menu hierarchy.
[062] In one embodiment, the association of the signal digit numbers (0 through 9) to the task category items remains fixed. This permits the user to quickly navigate to commonly used tasks by memorizing the key sequence used to get to that task. Thus, as new tasks are added to the start menu, that task may be added to the end of the task list, thereby leaving the memorized key sequence unaffected. [0631 In order to provide a sense for the internal structure of the computing system 100, Figures 5A through 5J are shown illustrating various components introduced from the bottom of the structure to the top of the structure, and represents just one example of how such general purpose computing components may be arranged and oriented within the main housing 110. In each case, an imaginary box defined by dashed lines is illustrated, which represents a three dimensional space that the components would fit into in order to be properly contained within the main housing 110 of the computing system. In Figures 5A through 5J, some of the components orientations are not explained such as, for example, the button panel for media controls or the controller circuitry for the display. However, such components
may simply be placed in the main housing 110 proximate where the relative external components arc placed. For instance, the dial pad would be placed within the main housing 110 just behind the dial buttons. The display controller may be placed within or proximate the display 110.
|064| Figure 5 A illustrates a front view of the contents of the main housing once the keyboard 130 only is present. The keyboard 130 fits very low in the main housing 110 or perhaps even underneath the main housing. Accordingly, when the keyboard 130 is slid out of the main housing 110, the keyboard will be closed to or abut against the same surface that the main housing 110 is resting upon. Figure 5B illustrates a top view of the contents of the main housing 110 once the keyboard 130 only is present, and is the same as Figure 5A, except from a different perspective to provide clarity. [065| Figure 5C is a top view of the contents of the main housing 110 once a motherboard 501 is placed above the keyboard 130. In this embodiment, the motherboard 501 is approximately 170 millimeters (mm) by 170 mm. The motherboard 501 is placed immediately above any packing that is used to mechanically support the motherboard 501 and separate the motherboard 501 from the keyboard 130 so as to allow the keyboard 130 to slide into and out of the main housing 110 without mechanically contacting or harming the motherboard 501. The motherboard 501 may be oriented so that the connectors are at the back side of the main housing.
|066] Figure 5D is a top view of the contents of the main housing 110 once a battery 502 and a hard disk drive 503 are placed at about the same level as, but at the left of, the motherboard 501 within the main housing 110. The battery 502 with the dimension of 97mm by 43mm by 52 mm is at the extreme left and at the back side. The hard disk drive 503 is at the extreme left but in front of the battery 502. The hard
disk drive 503 has dimensions of about 100 mm by 150 mm by 25 mm and is oriented such that its connectors are at the front side of the main housing 110. [067] Figure 5E illustrates a top view of the contents of the main housing 110 once a power supply board 504 (also referred to herein as a "power supply 504") is added to the contents shown in Figure 5D. The power supply 504 fits neatly in front of the motherboard 501 above the keyboard 130. The power connector at the back of the main housing 110 lets power in to a right side pin on the power supply 504. From the left side of the power supply 504, a power pin will be supplied to the any components thai require power such as, for example, the motherboard 501, the hard disk drive 503, a DVD/CD drive (illustrated later in the assembly), the display, and any other component that requires external power. Figure 5F illustrates a front perspective view of the contents shown in Figure 5E for clarity. [068] Figure 5G illustrates a top view of the contents of the main housing 110 once a DVD/CD drive 505 is added to the left of the motherboard 501 and above the hard disk drive 503. The DVD/CD drive 505 is oriented so that the disk insertion port is at the front. The disk will come out from the left portion of the curvature area of the main housing. Figure 5H illustrates a front view of the contents of the main housing 110 of Figure 5G. This view makes the orientation of the hard disk drive 503 and DVD/CD drive 505 more clear, and more clearly shows the power supply placed in front of the motherboard 501. In another embodiment, the DVD/CD drive 505 conies out of some other portion (e.g., a center portion) of the curvature area of the main housing.
[069] Figure 51 illustrates a top view of the contents of the main housing 110 once a modem card 506 is placed at the back and right corner of the main housing 110 above the motherboard 501. The connectors for the modem are oriented towards the
back of the main housing so that the connectors of the modem 506 are above the connectors of the motherboard 501 at the back side of the main housing 110. [070| Figure 5J illustrates a front view of the contents of the main housing. In one embodiment, showing the height dimension may be about 70 mm. That height would allow for less expensive general-purpose computing components to be placed within the main housing 110 while allowing adequate leeway for cables and other interconnecting infrastructure.
[071] Having illustrated one particular hardware embodiment of the invention, the principles of the present invention are not limited to any one particular choice for dimensions of the main housing. In one embodiment, the dimensions of the main housing may be, for example, approximately 240 mm by 290 mm by 70 mm. In other cases, the dimensions may be as small as, for example, 200 mm by 250 mm by 50 mm, or even smaller.
[072] The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

CLAIMS
What is claimed is:
1. A method for displaying an application start menu comprising:
an act of displaying a start menu showing at least an initial list of a plurality of application items, at least one of the application items representing a task category of applications by a task accomplished by each of the applications; and
an act of receiving a user selection of the task category represented in the initial list of the plurality of application items.
2. A method in accordance with Claim 1, further comprising:
in response to the act of receiving, an act of displaying at least an initial submenu list of application items associated with the task category.
3. A method in accordance with Claim 1, wherein at least one of the
application items in the initial submenu list represents a task rather than an application
that accomplishes the task.
4. A method in accordance with Claim 1, further comprising:
in response to the act of receiving, an act of identifying an application and associated application configuration associated with the task; and
launching the identified application with the identified application configuration to thereby initiate the task.
5. A method in accordance with Claim 1, further comprising:
an act of adding a new application item to the start menu.
6. A method in accordance with Claim 5, wherein the act of adding the
new application item to the start menu comprises:
an act of adding the application item to the start menu in a manner that the order of pre-existing application items in start menu are not affected.
7. A method in accordance with Claim 6, wherein the act of adding the
new application item to the start menu comprises:
an act of adding the application item at the end of the pre-existing application items in the start menu.
8. A method in accordance with Claim 6, wherein the act of adding the
new application item comprises:
an act of identifying a task category into which the new application item belongs; and
an act of placing the application item in the start menu under the identified task category associated with the application item.
9. A method in accordance with Claim 1, wherein the plurality of
application items corresponding to single digit numbers.
10. A computer program product comprising one or more computer-
readable media having thereon computer-executable instructions that are structured
such that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, the
computing system is caused to perform a method for displaying an application start
menu comprising:
an act of displaying a start menu showing at least an initial list of a plurality of application items, at least one of the application items representing a task category of applications by a task accomplished by each of the applications; and
an act of receiving a user selection of the task category represented in the initial list of the plurality of application items.
11. A computer program product in accordance with Claim 10, wherein
the one or more computer-readable media comprises physical memory and/or storage
media.
12. A computer program product in accordance with Claim 10, wherein
the method further comprises:
in response to the act of receiving, an act of displaying at least an initial submenu list of application items associated with the task category.
13. A computer program product in accordance with Claim 10, wherein at
least one of the application items in the initial submenu list represents a task rather
than an application that accomplishes the task.
14. A computer program product in accordance with Claim 10, wherein
the method further comprises:
in response to the act of receiving, an act of identifying an application and associated application configuration associated with the task; and
launching the identified application with the identified application configuration to thereby initiate the task.
15. A computer program product in accordance with Claim 10, wherein
the method further comprises:
an act of adding a new application item to the start menu.
16. A computer program product in accordance with Claim 15, wherein
the act of adding the new application item to the start menu comprises:
an act of adding the application item to the start menu in a manner that the order of pre-existing application items in start menu are not affected.
17. A computer program product in accordance with Claim 16, wherein
the act of adding the new application item to the start menu comprises:
an act of adding the application item at the end of the pre-existing application items in the start menu.
18. A computer program product in accordance with Claim 16, wherein
the act of adding the new application item comprises:
an act of identifying a task category into which the new application item belongs; and
an act of placing the application item in the start menu under the identified task category associated with the application item.
19. A computer program product in accordance with Claim 10, wherein the plurality of application items corresponding to single digit numbers.
20. A computing system comprising:
one or more processors;
one or more computer-readable media having thereon computer-executable instructions that are structured such that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, the computing system is caused to perform a method for displaying an application start menu comprising:
an act of displaying a start menu showing at least an initial list of a
plurality of application items, at least one of the application items representing
a task category of applications by a task accomplished by each of the
applications; and
an act of receiving a user selection of the task category represented in
the initial list of the plurality of application items.