System, method and apparatus for displaying a non-biasing and self-adjusting visual analog scale on a computing device

• US 10,296,196 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2018
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eResearchTechnology, Inc. (Explorer Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: eResearchTechnology, Inc. (Explorer Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Calderwood, William A., Raymond, Stephen A., Saricali, Gulden, Vis, Batya
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoang, Peter
• Application Number:
  US15/955,461
• Publication Number:
  US 20180300049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 399 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4007 based on interpolation, e.g. bilinear interpolation image demosaicing G06T3/4015; edge-driven or edge-based scaling G06T3/403
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/14 Solving problems related to the presentation of information to be displayed
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/32 with means for controlling the display position see provisionally G09G5/42

Abstract

A system and method for displaying a non-biasing VAS that automatically adjusts to different screen aspect ratios/resolutions of a computing device, while preserving the reliability of the VAS. The system and method can calculate a number of pixels available on a screen display to display a VAS. Further, the system and method can generate a VAS comprising equally sized intervals of distance to fit the available screen display. In addition, the system and method can include an anchor line at each end of the VAS that indicates an upper and lower value of a range of values measured by the VAS. The system and method can also include a unit cursor on the VAS that allows a subject to indicate, by pixel, interval or target area, a position on the VAS.

Claims

1. A system for displaying a visual analog scale comprising:

a screen display;

one or more computer processors; and

non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions operable, when executed by the one or more computer processors, cause the system to;

generate the visual analog scale based on a number of pixels on the screen display, wherein the visual analog scale comprises equal intervals of distance to fit the number of pixels, wherein the visual analog scale comprises a first target area and a second target area, wherein the first target area and the second target area are equally sized.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the visual analog scale is displayed on the screen display in a vertical orientation or a horizontal orientation.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first target area or the second target area corresponds to a value on the visual analog scale.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computer processors, further cause the system to generate a unit cursor.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the unit cursor indicates a position on the visual analog scale.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the position corresponds to a target area on the visual analog scale.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the visual analog scale comprises a range across a continuum between a first extreme and a second extreme.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first extreme is represented as a first endpoint on the visual analog scale and the second extreme is represented as a second endpoint on the visual analog scale.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein a first anchor line indicates a value at the first endpoint of the visual analog scale.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein a second anchor line indicates a value at the second endpoint of the visual analog scale.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the visual analog scale comprises 100 equal intervals of distance.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the screen display comprises a touch screen.

13. A computer-implemented method for displaying a visual analog scale on a screen display comprising:

generating the visual analog scale based on a number of pixels on the screen display, wherein the visual analog scale comprises equal intervals of distance to fit the number of pixels, wherein the visual analog scale comprises a first target area and a second target area, wherein the first target area and the second target area are equally sized.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the visual analog scale is displayed on the screen display in a vertical orientation or a horizontal orientation.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the first target area or the second target area corresponds to a value on the visual analog scale.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising generating a unit cursor.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein the unit cursor indicates a position on the visual analog scale.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, wherein the position corresponds to a target area on the visual analog scale.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the visual analog scale comprises a range across a continuum between a first extreme and a second extreme.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein the first extreme is represented as a first endpoint on the visual analog scale and the second extreme is represented as a second endpoint on the visual analog scale.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 20, wherein a first anchor line indicates a value at the first endpoint of the visual analog scale.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein a second anchor line indicates a value at the second endpoint of the visual analog scale.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the visual analog scale comprises 100 equal intervals of distance.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the screen display comprises a touch screen.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions operable, when executed by one or more computer processors of a computer system, cause the computer system to:

generate a visual analog scale based on a number of pixels on a screen display, wherein the visual analog scale comprises equal intervals of distance to fit the number of pixels on the screen display, wherein the visual analog scale comprises a first target area and a second target area, wherein the first target area and the second target area are equally sized.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the visual analog scale is displayed on the screen display in a vertical orientation or a horizontal orientation.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein each target area of the target areas corresponds to a value on the visual analog scale.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more computer processors, further cause the system to generate a unit cursor.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the unit cursor indicates a position on the visual analog scale.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the position corresponds to a target area on the visual analog scale.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the visual analog scale comprises a range across a continuum between a first extreme and a second extreme.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 31, wherein the first extreme is represented as a first endpoint on the visual analog scale and the second extreme is represented as a second endpoint on the visual analog scale.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein a first anchor line indicates a value at the first endpoint of the visual analog scale.

34. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 32, wherein a second anchor line indicates a value at the second endpoint of the visual analog scale.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the visual analog scale comprises 100 equal intervals of distance.

36. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the screen display comprises a touch screen.