Human-computer interface incorporating personal and application domains
First Claim
1. A method of providing a human-computer interface, using an input device having a range of motions in three dimensions, denoted x-device, y-device, and z-device, comprising:
- a) Providing a display space, having mutually orthogonal x-display and y-display dimensions, where x-display and y-display together define a plane orthogonal to a user direction of view into the display, and a z-display dimension orthogonal to both x-display and y-display;
b) Establishing a correspondence between motion of the input device and motion of a cursor relative to the display space;
c) Providing a three-dimensional application domain, having corresponding interface characteristics;
d) Providing a personal domain, having corresponding interface characteristics;
e) If the user is interacting according to the application domain characteristics, then determining if user motion of the input device corresponds to cursor motion into an application-to-personal defined range of z-display coordinates, and, if so, then providing interaction according to the personal domain characteristics;
f) If the user is interacting according to the personal domain characteristics, then determining if user motion of the input device corresponds to motion of the cursor into a personal-to-application defined range of z-display coordinates, and, if so, then providing interaction according to the application domain characteristics.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a human-computer interface. The interface includes provision of an application domain, for example corresponding to a three-dimensional application. The user is allowed to navigate and interact with the application domain. The interface also includes a personal domain, offering the user controls and interaction distinct from the application domain. The separation into two domains allows the most suitable interface methods in each: for example, three-dimensional navigation in the application domain, and two- or three-dimensional controls in the personal domain. Transitions between the application domain and the personal domain are under control of the user, and the transition method is substantially independent of the navigation in the application domain. For example, the user can fly through a three-dimensional application domain, and always move to the personal domain by moving a cursor near one extreme of the display.
-
Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A method of providing a human-computer interface, using an input device having a range of motions in three dimensions, denoted x-device, y-device, and z-device, comprising:
-
a) Providing a display space, having mutually orthogonal x-display and y-display dimensions, where x-display and y-display together define a plane orthogonal to a user direction of view into the display, and a z-display dimension orthogonal to both x-display and y-display;
b) Establishing a correspondence between motion of the input device and motion of a cursor relative to the display space;
c) Providing a three-dimensional application domain, having corresponding interface characteristics;
d) Providing a personal domain, having corresponding interface characteristics;
e) If the user is interacting according to the application domain characteristics, then determining if user motion of the input device corresponds to cursor motion into an application-to-personal defined range of z-display coordinates, and, if so, then providing interaction according to the personal domain characteristics;
f) If the user is interacting according to the personal domain characteristics, then determining if user motion of the input device corresponds to motion of the cursor into a personal-to-application defined range of z-display coordinates, and, if so, then providing interaction according to the application domain characteristics.
-
-
2. A method of providing a human-computer interface, using an input device having a range of motions in three dimensions, denoted x-device, y-device, and z-device, comprising:
-
a) Providing a display space, having mutually orthogonal x-display and y-display dimensions, where x-display and y-display define a plane orthogonal to a user direction of view into the display, and a z-display dimension orthogonal to both x-display and y-display;
b) Providing a three-dimensional application domain, having corresponding interface characteristics;
c) Providing a personal domain, having corresponding interface characteristics;
d) If the user is interacting according to the application domain characteristics, then determining if the input device has moved into an application-to-personal defined range of z-device coordinates, and, if so, then providing interaction according to the personal domain characteristics;
e) If the user is interacting according to the personal domain characteristics, then determining if the input device has moved into a personal-to-application defined range of z-device coordinates, and, if so, then providing interaction according to the application domain characteristics. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
7. A method as in claim 7, wherein the personal-to-application surface comprises a surface separating x-device, y-device, and z-device space into a personal portion and an application transition portion, wherein the volume of the personal portion is at least three times larger than the volume of the application transition portion.
-
8. A method as in claim 8, wherein the personal-to-application surface comprises a plane orthogonal to z-device at a z-device coordinate such that more that two-thirds of the z-device coordinate space is in the personal portion.
Specification