Selecting moving objects on a system

• US 20040119744A1
• Filed: 12/19/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Chan, Sammy
• Granted Patent: US 7,451,408 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/763
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence

Abstract

A method of selecting a GUI object (118) in a display space (402) using a user controlled pointing device (104) is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of establishing an initial range mapping between the pointing device and the display space, and defining an initial Selected Display Region (SDR) in the display space dependent on the initial range mapping. Then the method involves receiving (304), from the pointing device, a set of coordinates in the initial SDR, updating (306) the range mapping dependent upon the received set of coordinates, and redefining the SDR dependent upon the updated range mapping. The method then determines (308) the presence of any GUI object within the redefined SDR, and if a GUI object is present in the redefined SDR, selecting (310) the GUI object.

Claims

1. A method of selecting a GUI object in a display space using a user controlled pointing device, the method comprising the steps of:

(i) establishing an initial range mapping between the pointing device and the display space;

(ii) defining an initial Selected Display Region (SDR) in the display space dependent on the initial range mapping;

(iii) receiving, from the pointing device, a set of coordinates in the initial SDR;

(iv) updating the range mapping dependent upon the received set of coordinates;

(v) redefining the SDR dependent upon the updated range mapping;

(vi) determining a presence of any GUI object within the redefined SDR;

(vii) if one GUI object is present in the redefined SDR, selecting the GUI object; and

(viii) if more than one GUI object is present in the redefined SDR, repeating steps (iii)-(viii).

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

step (vii) has an additional sub-step of providing a feedback signal to thereby identify the selected GUI object; and

the method comprises a further step of;

(ix) if no GUI objects are present in the redefined SDR, repeating steps (i) to (ix).

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the GUI object in the step (vii) is the only GUI object in the redefined SDR.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (v) has an additional sub-step of providing a feedback signal to thereby identify the redefined SDR.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (iii) comprises an initial sub-step of:

freezing motion of GUI objects in the display space until a coordinate position is received from the pointing device.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the SDR is displayed in a magnified format in the display space.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the display space is N-dimensional.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein:

N=2; and

said pointing device is a touch pads.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein the display space is N-dimensional.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein:

N=2; and

said pointing device is a touch pad.

9. A method of selecting a GUI object in a display space using a pointing device, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a coordinate position from the pointing device; and

(b) if a directional signal is received from the pointing device, selecting a closest GUI object in a direction dependent upon the directional signal.

12. A method according to claim 9, wherein at least one of step (a) and step (b) comprises an initial sub-step of freezing motion of GUI objects in the display space until a respective coordinate position and directional signal is received from the pointing device.

13. A method according to claim 9, wherein when a new GUI object is selected, a previously selected GUI object is de-selected.

14. A method according to claim 9, wherein when a new GUI object is selected, a previously selected GUI object is not de-selected.

15. An apparatus for selecting a GUI object in a display space using a user controlled pointing device, the apparatus comprising:

(i) means for establishing an initial range mapping between the pointing device and the display space;

(ii) means for defining an initial Selected Display Region (SDR) in the display space dependent on the initial range mapping;

(iii) means for receiving, from the pointing device, a set of coordinates in the initial SDR;

(iv) means for updating the range mapping dependent upon the received set of coordinates;

(v) means for redefining the SDR dependent upon the updated range mapping;

(vi) means for determining a presence of any GUI object within the redefined SDR;

(vii) means for selecting, if one GUI object is present in the redefined SDR, the GUI object; and

(viii) means for repeating, if more than one GUI object is present in the redefined SDR, steps (iii)-(viii).

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the GUI object in the step (vii) is the only GUI object in the redefined SDR.

17. An apparatus for selecting a GUI object in a display space using a pointing device, the apparatus comprising:

(a) means for receiving a coordinate position from the pointing device; and

(b) means for selecting, if a directional signal is received from the pointing device, a closest GUI object in a direction dependent upon the directional signal.

18. A computer program for directing a processor to execute a procedure for selecting a GUI object in a display space using a user controlled pointing device, the program comprising:

(i) code for establishing an initial range mapping between the pointing device and the display space;

(ii) code for defining an initial Selected Display Region (SDR) in the display space dependent on the initial range mapping;

(iii) code for receiving, from the pointing device, a set of coordinates in the initial SDR;

(iv) code for updating the range mapping dependent upon the received set of coordinates;

(v) code for redefining the SDR dependent upon the updated range mapping;

(vi) code for determining a presence of any GUI object within the redefined SDR;

(vii) code for selecting, if one GUI object is present in the redefined SDR, the GUI object; and

(viii) code for repeating, if more than one GUI object is present in the redefined SDR, steps (iii)-(viii).

19. A computer program according to claim 18, wherein the GUI object in the step (vii) is the only GUI object in the redefined SDR.

20. A computer program for directing a processor to execute a procedure for selecting a GUI object in a display space using a pointing device, the program comprising:

(a) code for receiving a coordinate position from the pointing device; and

(b) code for selecting, if a directional signal is received from the pointing device, a closest GUI object in a direction dependent upon the directional signal.

21. A computer program product including a computer readable medium having recorded thereon a computer program for directing a processor to execute a procedure for selecting a GUI object in a display space using a user controlled pointing device, the program comprising:

(i) code for establishing an initial range mapping between the pointing device and the display space;

(ii) code for defining an initial Selected Display Region (SDR) in the display space dependent on the initial range mapping;

(iii) code for receiving, from the pointing device, a set of coordinates in the initial SDR;

(iv) code for updating the range mapping dependent upon the received set of coordinates;

(v) code for redefining the SDR dependent upon the updated range mapping,

(vi) code for determining a presence of any GUI object within the redefined SDR;

(vii) code for selecting, if one GUI object is present in the redefined SDR, the GUI object; and

(viii) code for repeating, if more than one GUI object is present in the redefined SDR, steps (iii)-(viii).

22. A computer program product according to claim 21, wherein the GUI object in the step (vii) is the only GUI object in the redefined SDR.

23. A computer program product including a computer readable medium having recorded thereon a computer program for directing a processor to execute a procedure for selecting a GUI object in a display space using a pointing device, the program comprising:

(a) code for receiving a coordinate position from the pointing device; and

(b) code for selecting, if a directional signal is received from the pointing device, a closest GUI object in a direction dependent upon the directional signal.