Multi-user collaborative graphical user interfaces

• US 20040046784A1
• Filed: 07/03/2003
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc. (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc. (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Vernier, Frederic D., Forlines, Clifton L., Shen, Chia
• Granted Patent: US 7,327,376 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/733
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1446 display composed of modules, e.g. video walls
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/00 General purpose image data processing

Abstract

A multi-user collaborative graphical user interface has a display area with a horizontal orientation, the display surface is positioned between the multiple users. The display area also has a centroid and a circumference. The display area is partitioned into work areas so that there is one working area for each user of the multiple users. An item is displayed in a particular working area using a global polar coordinate system centered on the centroid.

Claims

1. A multi-user collaborative graphical user interface for displaying items, comprising;

a display area having a horizontal orientation, the display surface positioned between the multiple users, the display area having a centroid and a circumference;

a plurality of work areas partitioned from the display area, there being one working area for each user of the multiple users; and

means for orienting a displayed item in a particular working area using a global polar coordinate system centered on the centroid.

2. The interface of claim 1, further comprising:

means for selecting a control point for a particular displayed item; and

means for orienting the displayed item in the particular working area using a local polar coordinate system centered on the a control point.

3. The interface of claim 1, further comprising:

means for displaying a control panel in each work areas, there being one control panel for each of the plurality of users; and

means for orienting the control panel in the particular working area using the global polar coordinate system centered on the centroid.

4. The interface of claim 1, in which the display area is circular.

5. The interface of claim 1, in which the display area is rectangular.

6. The interface of claim 1, in which the control panel only controls items displayed in the corresponding work area.

7. The interface of claim 1, in which the item includes a title, a hyperlink, and an image.

8. The interface of claim 1, in which a corner of the item includes a resize area, and wherein a resizing scale factor is based on a distance from the resizing area o the control point.

9. The interface of claim 1, in which the display area is partitioned by radii extending from a centroid of the work area to a perimeter of the work area.

10. The interface of claim 1, in which each work area has associated appearance attributes.

11. The interface of claim 1, in which each work area has associated operation attributes.