Using icons to represent physical keys in navigation aids

A method of using icons as visual cues to aid in the operation of a device, comprising:

• providing a device having a central processing unit, a display in operable communication with said central processing unit, a memory in operable communication with said central processing unit, and an input device in operable communication with said central processing unit, said input device including at least one physical key;
• storing graphical images of said at least one physical key as an icon in said memory of said device;
• monitoring said device to determine an available user-executable function stored in said memory of said device or said central processing unit of said device;
• determining which at least one physical key corresponds to said available user-executable function;
• and
• displaying said icon of at least one physical key corresponding to said available user-executable function.

A method of improving the user-friendliness of data navigation using a display having a limited area, comprising:

• providing a device having a display, a first navigation key, a second navigation key, and a memory;
• storing graphical images of said first navigation key and said second navigation key in said memory of said device;
• displaying at least one data value of a set of data values on said display, said set of data values having a first data value and a last data value;
• and
• displaying said graphical images of said first navigation key and said second navigation key on said display.

A display system, comprising:

• a display device;
• at least one navigation key;
• a central processing unit in communication with said display device;
• a memory in communication with said central processing unit;
• a graphical image of said at least one navigation key for storing in said memory;
• a first executable function for storing in said memory to determine if said at least one navigation key is active;
• and
• a second executable function for storing in said memory to retrieve said graphical image of an active said at least one navigation key and display said graphical image of said at least one navigation key on said display device.

A printer display device, comprising:

• a bit map display;
• a memory;
• at least one navigation key;
• at least one command key;
• at least one graphical image stored in said memory;
• a central processing unit in communication with said bit map display and said memory to retrieve said at least one graphical image for storing in said memory and display said at least one graphical image on said bit map display;
• and
• an executable function for prompting said central processing unit for retrieving said at least one graphical image and displaying said at least one graphical image on said bit map display.

A display system, comprising:

• an up key;
• a down key;
• a command key;
• a display device;
• a memory;
• an up key graphical image for storing in said memory;
• a down key graphical image for storing in said memory;
• a command key graphical image for storing in said memory;
• a central processing unit in communication with said display device and said memory for displaying graphical images from said memory on said display device;
• and
• a first executable function for determining if said up key, said down key, or said command key is active and for displaying said up key graphical image on said display device if said up key is active, and for displaying said down key graphical image on said display device if said down key is active, and for displaying said command key graphical image on said display device if said command key is active.