Method and system for software applications using a tiled user interface

• US 20030016247A1
• Filed: 07/18/2001
• Published: 01/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Yoshihama, Sachiko, Podlaseck, Mark E., Lai, Jennifer C., Levas, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 7,765,490 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04802 3D-info-object: information is displayed on the internal or external surface of a three dimensional manipulable object, e.g. on the faces of a cube that can be rotated by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

A method and structure for a tiled interface system provides a Tiled User Interface (TUI) in which a tile manager manages at least one tile cluster on a display device and translates an input event into a tile cluster event and at least one tile cluster controlled by the tile manager to be displayed on the display device. Each tile cluster includes at least one tile, each tile cluster corresponds to one or more predefined functions for a specific application, each tile cluster provides a complete interaction of all the predefined functions for the specific application respectively corresponding to that tile cluster, and each tile cluster can be presented in its entirety on a single frame of the display device using at most one input event.

Claims

1. A tiled interface system, comprising:

at least one tile cluster to be displayed on a display device; and

a tile manager to manage said at least one tile cluster on said display device and to translate any of an input event into a tile cluster event,

wherein each said tile cluster comprises at least one tile and each said tile cluster corresponds to one or more predefined functions for one or more specific applications,

wherein each said tile cluster provides a user interaction of said one or more predefined functions for said one or more specific applications respectively corresponding to that tile cluster, and

wherein each said at least one tile cluster is selectively presented in its entirety on a single frame of said display device using at most one said input event.

2. The tiled interface system of claim 1, wherein said input event comprises an interaction with one of said tiles on said display device.

3. The tiled interface system of claim 1, wherein said one or more predefined functions for a specific application comprises:

at least one of displaying information related to said specific application; and

controlling at least one parameter related to said specific application.

4. The tiled interface system of claim 2, wherein each said tile cluster that requires said one input event further comprises at least one “

OPEN/CLOSE”

tile to cause said tile cluster to expand into its said entire presentation and said one input event comprises an interaction with said at least one “

OPEN/CLOSE”

tile.

5. The tiled interface system of claim 4, wherein at least one tile has a “

CLOSE ALL”

function to cause all said tile clusters that are currently expanded to contract.

6. The tiled interface system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of said tile clusters, each said tile cluster having a respective said corresponding specific application, wherein said plurality of tile clusters and said corresponding specific applications are related to a common theme.

7. The tiled interface system of claim 6, wherein said common theme comprises an office environment.

8. The tiled interface system of claim 7, wherein said corresponding specific applications comprises at least one of the following:

a user status;

a lighting status and control;

at least one of outside weather conditions;

at least one of indoor air conditions;

an ambient temperature status and control;

a buddy list;

an ambient noise level indication;

a noise deadening control;

a projector control;

a video display and control;

a personal calendar; and

a “

to-do”

list.

9. The tiled interface system of claim 1, wherein said system is implemented as a dedicated applicance.

10. The tiled interface system of claim 1, wherein said system is implemented as an applications program on a computer.

11. The tiled interface system of claim 1, further comprising:

a user interface permitting a user to modify said at least one tile cluster.

12. The tiled interface system of claim 11, wherein said user interface comprises a module for adding new tile clusters along with said corresponding functions.

13. The tiled interface system of claim 12, wherein said additional tile clusters can be selected from a data file library.

14. The tiled interface system of claim 11, wherein said user interface comprises a module for formulating a plurality of said tile clusters to generate a new tile user interface (TUI).

15. The tiled interface system of claim 11, wherein said user interface further comprises a module for generating a series of instructions to define a function not available in a library of functions.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

a plurality of said applications with said corresponding tile clusters,

wherein said plurality of applications is related to a common theme and

wherein each of said plurality of said tile clusters has at least one tile unit visible on said display when said tile cluster is in a closed mode presentation.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said common theme is an office environment.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said plurality of applications comprises at least one of the following:

a user status;

a lighting status and control;

at least one of outside weather conditions;

at least one of indoor air conditions;

an ambient temperature status and control;

a buddy list;

an ambient noise level indication;

a noise deadening control;

a projector control;

a video display and control;

a personal calendar; and

a “

to-do”

list.

25. A tiled interface system of claim 1 for an office worker'"'"'s environment, said tiled interface system containing a plurality of applications comprising at least one of the following:

a user status;

a lighting status and control;

at least one of outside weather conditions;

at least one of indoor air conditions;

an ambient temperature status and control;

a buddy list;

an ambient noise level indication;

a noise deadening control;

a projector control;

a video display and control;

a personal calendar; and

a “

to-do”

list.

26. A tiled interface system of claim 1, wherein said one input event comprises a “

single click”

on a user input device.

27. The method of claim 17, wherein said one tile cluster event comprises a “

single click”

on a user input device.

28. The method of claim 18, wherein said one tile cluster event comprises a “

single click”

on a user input device.

16. A method of interfacing a user with at least one application, said application comprising at least one function, said method comprising:

for each said application, generating at least one corresponding tile cluster for a display device, each said at least one corresponding tile cluster comprising at least one tile;

providing an interface allowing said user to provide input events by selecting one of said tiles; and

translating any of said user tile selections into a tile cluster event,

wherein each said at least one tile cluster can be entirely displayed on said display device using no more than one said tile cluster event.

17. A method of using a display device to interface a user with at least one application, said at least one application comprising at least one function, said method comprising:

dividing a display of said display device into tile units;

for each said at least one application, developing at least one corresponding tile cluster, each said tile cluster comprising at least one said tile unit, said tile cluster comprising graphic representation of said at least one function of said corresponding application;

providing an input entry for said user to select one of said tile units of said display; and

translating any of said user input entries into a tile cluster event.

21. An apparatus for a tiled interface system, said apparatus comprising:

a display unit;

at least one user input device; and

a device executing instructions for said tiled interface system, wherein said instructions comprise;

at least one tile cluster to be displayed on said display device; and

a tile manager to manage said at least one tile cluster on said display device and to translate any of an input event from said user input device into a tile cluster event.

29. The tiled interface system of claim 21, wherein said one input event comprises a “

single click”

on a user input device.

22. A computer executing a set of instructions for a tiled interface system, said computer comprising:

a display unit;

at least one user input device; and

a CPU executing said instructions for said tiled interface system, wherein said instructions comprise;

at least one tile cluster to be displayed on said display device; and

a tile manager to manage said at least one tile cluster on said display device and to translate any of an input event from said user input device into a tile cluster event.

24. The storage medium of claim 23, wherein said instructions further comprise at least one of the following:

a user interface permitting said user to modify said tile clusters;

a user interface permitting said user to add new tile clusters along with corresponding functions;

a user interface permitting said user to add new tile clusters and corresponding functions from a data file library;

a user interface permitting said user to generate a new tile user interface by formulating a plurality of tile clusters for said new tile user interface; and

a user interface permitting said user to generate a series of instructions for at least one function not available in a library.

30. The computer of claim 22, wherein said one input event comprises a “

single click”

on a user input device.

31. The storage medium of claim 23, wherein said one input event comprises a “

single click”

on a user input device.

23. A storage medium tangibly containing a set of computer executable instructions for a tiled interface system comprising:

at least one tile cluster to be displayed on said display device; and

a tile manager to manage said at least one tile cluster on a display device and to translate any of an input event into a tile cluster event.

32. A storage medium tangibly containing a set of computer executable instructions for a method of using a display device to interface a user with at least one application, said application comprising at least one function, said method comprising:

dividing a display of said display device into tile units;

for each said at least one application, developing at least one corresponding tile cluster, each said tile cluster comprising at least one said tile unit;

providing an input entry for said user based on a capability for said user to select one of said tile units of said display; and

translating any of said user input entries into a tile cluster event.

33. The storage medium of claim 32, wherein said method further comprising:

a plurality of said applications with said corresponding tile clusters,

wherein said plurality of applications is related to a common theme and

wherein each of said plurality of said tile clusters has at least one tile unit visible on said display when said tile cluster is in a closed mode presentation.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein said one tile cluster event comprises a “

single click”

of a user input device.

34. A Graphic User Interface (GUI) method of interfacing a user with at least one application, said application comprising at least one function, said method comprising:

for each said application, generating at least one corresponding tile cluster for a display device, each said at least one corresponding tile cluster comprising at least one tile;

providing an interface allowing said user to provide input events by selecting one of said tiles; and

translating any of said user tile selections into a tile cluster event.

35. A Graphic User Interface (GUI) method of presenting information to a user for at least one application, said application comprising at least one function, said method comprising:

dividing a display of said display device into tile units;

for each said at least one application, developing at least one corresponding tile cluster, each comprising at least one said tile unit;

providing an input entry for said user based on a capability for said user to select one of said tile units of said display; and

translating any of said user input entries into a tile cluster event.

36. A method of presenting information for an application, said application comprising at least one function, said method comprising:

generating at least one corresponding tile cluster for a display device, each said corresponding tile cluster comprising at least one tile;

providing an interface allowing a user to provide input events by selecting one of said tiles; and

translating any of said user tile selections into a tile cluster event.