Method for active feedback

• US 20020054144A1
• Filed: 05/31/2001
• Published: 05/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Morris-Yates, Timothy Mark
• Granted Patent: US 7,111,239 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/809
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials

Abstract

A method (1200) of providing active user feedback in a graphic user interface is disclosed. The method comprises selecting (1206) a soft control currently displayed on the graphic user interface, said soft control enabling a change to be implemented, and displaying (1208) on said graphic user interface, only during said soft control selection, and dependent upon the selecting step (1206), a pop-up preview reflecting said change.

Claims

1. A method of providing active user feedback in a graphic user interface, said method comprising steps of:

selecting a soft control currently displayed on the graphic user interface, wherein said soft control enables a change to be implemented; and

displaying on said graphic user interface, only during said soft control selection and dependent upon said selecting step, a pop-up preview reflecting said change.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said change relates to an attribute of an object capable of being displayed on the graphical user interface.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said displaying step comprises superimposing said pop-up preview display on at least one of a working display area and a control display area of said graphic user interface.

4. A method according to either one of claims 1 and 3, wherein said displaying step presents a composite preview display comprising a present display state and a changed display state, said present and changed display states reflecting the change being implementable by the soft control.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said present and changed display states are applied to a symbolic representation of an object displayed on the graphical user interface.

6. A method according to claim 4, wherein said present and changed display states are applied to a literal representation of an object displayed on the graphical user interface.

7. A method according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein said composite display comprises a transition between said present and said changed display states.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said displaying step is capable of being one of enabled and inhibited.

9. A method according to any one of claims 1, 3 and 4, wherein said selection step comprises positioning a cursor in a vicinity of the soft control.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said selection step comprises a further sub-step of:

passively designating said soft control by allowing the cursor to remain in the vicinity of the soft control for a first time period.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein said selection step comprises a further sub-step of:

actively designating said soft control by activating a cursor control.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said cursor is positioned using a pointing device, and cursor control is a control means associated with said pointing device.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein said activation of the cursor control is followed by a further sub-step of:

adjusting the cursor, thereby varying a range of the soft control in relation to a current setting of the soft control.

14. A method according to claim 10, comprising a further sub-step of:

displaying a training preview comprising a transition representing a nominal change between said present display state and said changed display state, said preview being provided during said passive designation.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein said preview further comprises representation of a nominal change between a corresponding present display state and a corresponding changed display state of said soft control.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said representation of said nominal change between the corresponding present display state and the corresponding changed display state of said soft control is capable of being one of enabled and inhibited.

17. A method according to any one of claims 1, 3 and 4, wherein the pop-up preview can be customised by defining user preferences.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein said customisation comprises at least one of:

setting a nature of the change; and

setting a range of the change.

19. A method according to any one of claims 1, 3 and 4, further comprising, prior to the displaying step, steps of:

coupling another soft control to said soft control, wherein the change implementable by the soft control is dependent upon a current setting of the other soft control.

20. A method of providing active user feedback in a graphic user interface, said method comprising steps of:

selecting a soft control currently displayed on the graphic user interface, wherein said soft control enables a change to be implemented; and

presenting, on said graphic user interface, dependent upon and only during said selecting step, a pop-up preview comprising a present display state and a changed display state, said present and changed display states reflecting the change being implementable by the soft control.

21. A method of providing active user feedback in a graphic user interface, said method comprising steps of:

selecting a soft control currently displayed on the graphic user interface, wherein said soft control enables a change to be made to an attribute of an object capable of being displayed on the graphical user interface; and

presenting, on said graphic user interface, dependent upon and only during said selecting step, a pop-up preview comprising a present display state and a changed display state, said present and changed display states reflecting the change being implementable by the soft control.

22. A computer readable medium for storing a program for apparatus providing active user feedback in a graphic user interface, said program comprising:

code for a selecting step for selecting a soft control currently displayed on the graphic user interface, wherein said soft control enables a change to be implemented; and

code for a displaying step for displaying on said graphic user interface, only during said soft control selection and dependent upon said selecting step, a pop-up preview reflecting said change.

24. A computer program according to claim 23, wherein said change relates to an attribute of an object capable of being displayed on the graphical user interface.

25. A computer program according to claim 23, wherein said code for the displaying step includes code for superimposing said pop-up preview display on at least one of a working display area and a control display area of said graphic user interface.

27. A computer program according to claim 26, wherein said present and changed display states are applied to a symbolic representation of an object displayed on the graphical user interface.

28. A computer program according to claim 26, wherein said present and changed display states are applied to a literal representation of an object displayed on the graphical user interface.

30. A computer program according to claim 23, wherein execution of said code for the displaying step is capable of being one of enabled and inhibited.

23. A computer program for apparatus providing active user feedback in a graphic user interface, said program comprising:

code for selecting a soft control currently displayed on the graphic user interface, wherein said soft control enables a change to be implemented; and

code for displaying on said graphic user interface, only during said soft control selection and dependent upon said selecting step, a pop-up preview reflecting said change.

26. A computer program according to either one of claims 23 and 25, wherein said code for the displaying step presents a composite preview display comprising a present display state and a changed display state, said present and changed display states reflecting the change being implementable by the soft control.

29. A computer program according to any one of claims 26 to 28, wherein said composite display comprises a transition between said present and said changed display states.

31. A computer program according to any one of claims 23, 25 and 26, wherein said code for the selection step includes code for positioning a cursor in a vicinity of the soft control.

32. A computer program according to claim 31, wherein said code for the selection step includes:

code for passively designating said soft control by allowing the cursor to remain in the vicinity of the soft control for a first time period.

33. A computer program according to claim 31, wherein said code for the selection step includes:

code for actively designating said soft control by activating a cursor control.

34. A computer program according to claim 33, wherein said cursor is positioned using a pointing device, and cursor control is a control means associated with said pointing device.

35. A computer program according to claim 33, wherein said activation of the cursor control is followed by a further sub-step of:

adjusting the cursor, thereby varying a range of the soft control in relation to a current setting of the soft control.

36. A computer program according to claim 32, further comprising:

code for displaying a training preview comprising a transition representing a nominal change between said present display state and said changed display state, said preview being provided during said passive designation.

37. A computer program according to claim 36, wherein said preview further comprises representation of a nominal change between a corresponding present display state and a corresponding changed display state of said soft control.

38. A computer program according to claim 37, wherein said representation of said nominal change between the corresponding present display state and the corresponding changed display state of said soft control is capable of being one of enabled and inhibited.

39. A computer program according to any one of claims 23, 25 and 26, further comprising:

code wherein the pop-up preview can be customised by defining user preferences.

40. A computer program according to claim 39, wherein said customisation comprises at least one of:

setting a nature of the change; and

setting a range of the change.

41. A computer program according to any one of claims 23, 25 and 26, further comprising:

code for coupling another soft control to said soft control, wherein the change implementable by the soft control is dependent upon a current setting of the other soft control.

42. A computer program for apparatus providing active user feedback in a graphic user interface, said program comprising:

code for a selecting step for selecting a soft control currently displayed on the graphic user interface, wherein said soft control enables a change to be implemented; and

code for a presenting step for presenting, on said graphic user interface, dependent upon and only during said selecting step, a pop-up preview comprising a present display state and a changed display state, said present and changed display states reflecting the change being implementable by the soft control.

43. A computer program for apparatus providing active user feedback in a graphic user interface, said program comprising:

code for a selecting step for selecting a soft control currently displayed on the graphic user interface, wherein said soft control enables a change to be made to an attribute of an object capable of being displayed on the graphical user interface; and

code for a presenting step for presenting, on said graphic user interface, dependent upon and only during said selecting step, a pop-up preview comprising a present display state and a changed display state, said present and changed display states reflecting the change being implementable by the soft control.

44. An apparatus providing active user feedback in a graphic user interface, said apparatus comprising:

means for selecting a soft control currently displayed on the graphic user interface, wherein said soft control enables a change to be implemented; and

means for displaying on said graphic user interface, only during said soft control selection and dependent upon said selecting step, a pop-up preview reflecting said change.

45. An apparatus according to claim 44, wherein said change relates to an attribute of an object capable of being displayed on the graphical user interface.

46. An apparatus according to claim 44, wherein said means for the displaying step includes means for superimposing said pop-up preview display on at least one of a working display area and a control display area of said graphic user interface.

47. An apparatus according to either one of claims 44 and 46, wherein said means for the displaying step presents a composite preview display comprising a present display state and a changed display state, said present and changed display states reflecting the change being implementable by the soft control.

48. An apparatus according to claim 47, wherein said present and changed display states are applied to a symbolic representation of an object displayed on the graphical user interface.

49. An apparatus according to claim 47, wherein said present and changed display states are applied to a literal representation of an object displayed on the graphical user interface.

50. An apparatus according to any one of claims 47 to 49, wherein said composite display comprises a transition between said present and said changed display states.

51. An apparatus according to claim 44, wherein said means for the displaying step is capable of being one of enabled and inhibited.

52. An apparatus according to any one of claims 44, 46 and 47, wherein said means for the selection step includes means for positioning a cursor in a vicinity of the soft control.

53. An apparatus according to claim 52, wherein said means for the selection step includes:

means for passively designating said soft control by allowing the cursor to remain in the vicinity of the soft control for a first time period.

54. An apparatus according to claim 52, wherein said means for the selection step includes:

means for actively designating said soft control by activating a cursor control.

55. An apparatus according to claim 54, wherein said cursor is positioned using a pointing device, and cursor control is a control means associated with said pointing device.

56. An apparatus according to claim 54, wherein said activation of the cursor control is followed by a further sub-step of:

adjusting the cursor, thereby varying a range of the soft control in relation to a current setting of the soft control.

57. An apparatus according to claim 53, further comprising:

means for displaying a training preview comprising a transition representing a nominal change between said present display state and said changed display state, said preview being provided during said passive designation.

58. An apparatus according to claim 57, wherein said preview further comprises representation of a nominal change between a corresponding present display state and a corresponding changed display state of said soft control.

59. An apparatus according to claim 58, wherein said representation of said nominal change between the corresponding present display state and the corresponding changed display state of said soft control is capable of being one of enabled and inhibited.

60. An apparatus according to any one of claims 44, 46 and 47, further comprising:

means wherein the pop-up preview can be customised by defining user preferences.

61. An apparatus according to claim 60, wherein said customisation comprises at least one of:

setting a nature of the change; and

setting a range of the change.

62. An apparatus according to any one of claims 44, 46 and 47, further comprising:

means for coupling another soft control to said soft control, wherein the change implementable by the soft control is dependent upon a current setting of the other soft control.

63. An apparatus providing active user feedback in a graphic user interface, said apparatus comprising:

means for a selecting step for selecting a soft control currently displayed on the graphic user interface, wherein said soft control enables a change to be implemented; and

means for a presenting step for presenting, on said graphic user interface, dependent upon and only during said selecting step, a pop-up preview comprising a present display state and a changed display state, said present and changed display states reflecting the change being implementable by the soft control.

64. An apparatus providing active user feedback in a graphic user interface, said apparatus comprising:

means for a selecting step for selecting a soft control currently displayed on the graphic user interface, wherein said soft control enables a change to be made to an attribute of an object capable of being displayed on the graphical user interface; and

means for a presenting step for presenting, on said graphic user interface, dependent upon and only during said selecting step, a pop-up preview comprising a present display state and a changed display state, said present and changed display states reflecting the change being implementable by the soft control.