Graphical cursor navigation methods

• US 20060020905A1
• Filed: 07/19/2005
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DRNC Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hillcrest Communications, Inc. (CEVA Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wroblewski, Frank J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,484,184 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/860
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• 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 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A method for actuating a button on a graphical user interface (GUI) is disclosed. The method includes navigating a graphical cursor corresponding to an input device onto the button, activating a fence around a border of the button if the navigation occurs via a pre-defined portion of the border and navigating the graphical cursor away from the button via a pre-defined area of the button.

Claims

1. A method of actuating a button on a graphical user interface (GUI), said method comprising the steps of:

navigating a graphical cursor corresponding to an input device onto the button;

activating a fence around a border of said button if the navigation onto the button occurs via a pre-defined portion of the border; and

navigating the graphical cursor away from said button via a pre-defined area of the button.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the border of the button comprises at least the fence and the pre-defined portion.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the pre-defined portion is an opening and excludes the fence.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-defined area corresponds to an area formed by the fence and a gate, said gate being formed a junction of the fence and the pre-defined portion.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the navigation of the graphical cursor via the pre-defined area causes an execution of a function associated with said button.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a navigation path of said graphical cursor via said pre-defined area of the button corresponds to a user gesture approximating a clockwise movement.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical cursor is navigated onto the button via a border portion not corresponding to the pre-defined portion to activate the fence.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the fence activation prevents the graphical cursor from leaving the button.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the fence is not activated if the navigation onto the button occurs outside the pre-defined portion of the border.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a navigation of the graphical cursor from the button via a path not including the pre-defined area of the button causes a deactivation of the fence.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the input device is a free space pointing device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the button is an icon.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the buttons on said widget bar is actuated by navigating the graphical cursor from the button via a pre-defined area of the widget bar.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the pre-defined user area is defined by the fence and a gate formed at the junction of the fence and the pre-defined location.

13. A method for controlling a widget bar on a display, said method comprising the steps of:

navigating a graphical cursor corresponding to an input device to a pre-defined location of the display to make visible a widget bar;

activating a fence around the border of said widget bar; and

actuating at least one of a plurality of buttons on the widget bar wherein the pre-defined location corresponds to an opening along a border of said widget bar.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein at least one of the buttons is actuated by a user click.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the buttons represent functionality associated with an entertainment system.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the entertainment system includes at least one of a DVD player and DVR.