Input to interface element

• US 20060174202A1
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Bonner, Matthew Ryan
• Application Number:
  US11/046,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20060174202A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/750
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method determines whether a first input is directed at a first interface element defined in a hierarchical structure and a second input is directed at a second interface element defined in the hierarchical structure.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining whether a first input is directed at a first interface element defined in a hierarchical structure and a second input is directed at a second interface element defined in the hierarchical structure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the definition of the first and second interface elements in the hierarchical structure indicates that the first and second interface elements are displayed in a same portion of a graphical user interface.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the same portion of the graphical user interface is a window.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the graphical user interface comprises a plurality of windows.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one of the plurality of windows is active.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein for each user one window is active.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second interface elements share at least one item selected from a group comprising a same parent interface element, a same grandparent interface element, and a same shell interface element.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second interface elements are selected from a group comprising a label, a button, a menu, a dialog box, a scrollbar, a text-entry area, and a display area.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second interface elements are widgets in a graphical user interface environment.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising indicating an error condition if it is determined that the first input is directed at the first interface element and the second input is directed at the second interface element.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first input and the second input are received from a source selected from a group comprising a single user and multiple users.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first input and the second input are received substantially simultaneously.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising ignoring one or more inputs received from one or more unauthorized sources.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the hierarchical structure is a structure in an object-oriented environment.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing the first and second inputs if the first and second interface elements are not defined in the hierarchical structure.

16. A system comprising:

a display to display a first interface element defined in a hierarchical structure and a second interface element defined in the hierarchical structure;

at least two input devices to receive a first input and a second input; and

a computing device configured to determine whether the first input is directed at the first interface element and the second input is directed at the second interface element.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the definition of the first and second interface elements in the hierarchical structure indicates that the first and second interface elements are displayed in a same portion of a graphical user interface.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the first and second interface elements share at least one item selected from a group comprising a same parent interface element, a same grandparent interface element, and a same shell interface element.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the first and second interface elements are selected from a group comprising a label, a button, a menu, a dialog box, a scrollbar, a text-entry area, and a display area.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more input devices are controlled by one or more users.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the first input and the second input are received substantially simultaneously.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein one or more inputs received from unauthorized sources are ignored.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the display comprises a plurality of displays.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the hierarchical structure is a structure in an object-oriented environment.

25. A computer-readable medium comprising:

stored instructions to determine whether a first input is directed at a first interface element defined in a hierarchical structure and a second input is directed at a second interface element defined in the hierarchical structure.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the definition of the first and second interface elements in the hierarchical structure indicates that the first and second interface elements are displayed in a same portion of a graphical user interface.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, further comprising stored instructions to indicate an error condition if it is determined that the first input is directed at the first interface element and the second input is directed at the second interface element.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, further comprising stored instructions to ignore one or more inputs received from one or more unauthorized sources.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, further comprising stored instructions to process the first and second inputs if the first and second interface elements are not defined in the hierarchical structure.

30. A method of resolving conflicts between a plurality of inputs to a graphical user interface, comprising:

step for determining whether a plurality of inputs are directed at interface elements; and

step for determining whether the interface elements are defined in a hierarchical structure.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the step for determining whether the interface elements are defined in the hierarchical structure indicates that the interface elements are displayed in a same portion of a graphical user interface.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising step for indicating an error condition if the plurality of inputs are directed at the interface elements.

33. The method of claim 30, further comprising step for ignoring one or more inputs received from one or more unauthorized sources.

34. An apparatus comprising:

means for determining whether a first input is directed at a first interface element and a second input is directed at a second interface element, and

means for defining the first and second interface elements in a hierarchical structure.

35. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising means for indicating an error condition if it is determined that the first input is directed at the first interface element and the second input is directed at the second interface element.

36. The apparatus of claim 34, further comprising means for ignoring one or more inputs received from one or more unauthorized sources.