Methods and apparatus for implementing manual and hybrid control modes in automated graphical indicators and controls

• US 20060236248A1
• Filed: 04/15/2005
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Eischeid, Todd M., Molander, Mark E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,376,469 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/751
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials

Abstract

The present invention concerns methods and apparatus for enabling manual control over selection of a value for at least one operating parameter of a computer system resource. Manual control is enabled by de-coupling a pointer of a graphical indicator and control from an automated system advisor. During automated operation, the automated system advisor selects the value for the parameter of the computer system resource as indicated on a scale of the graphical indicator and control by the pointer. When the pointer of the graphical indicator is under manual control, a user can select the value of the at least one operating parameter of the computer system resource using the pointer of the graphical indicator and control. The present invention also concerns methods and apparatus for disabling manual control over selection of a value for at least one operating parameter of a computer system resource by re-coupling the pointer to an automated system advisor. The present invention further concerns hybrid control modes that permit users to exercise a degree of control over operations of an automated selection process in a graphical indicator and control.

Claims

1. A signal-bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus of a computer system to perform operations for controlling an interactive graphical user interface, the operations comprising:

displaying a graphical indicator and control comprising a scale, where a value indicated on the scale corresponds to a setting selected for at least one parameter of a computer system resource by an automated process of the computer system; and

displaying an interactive graphical feature that under user command engages and disengages a manual control, wherein when the manual control is engaged a user is permitted to exercise at least some degree of control over the value indicated on the scale of the graphical indicator and control.

2. The signal-bearing medium of claim 1 whereby when the manual control is engaged the automated process is disabled and the manual control allows a user to change the value indicated on the scale, thereby in turn selecting the setting for the at least one parameter of the computer system resource.

3. The signal-bearing medium of claim 1 where the manual control is initially disengaged, the operations further comprising:

receiving a command entered with the interactive graphical feature to engage the manual control, whereby when the manual control is engaged the automated process is disabled and the manual control allows a user to change the value indicated on the scale; and

receiving a change to the value indicated on the scale of the graphical indicator and control entered with the manual control, whereby the computer system changes the setting selected for the at least one parameter of the computer system resource in dependence on the change made to the value indicated on the scale of the graphical indicator and control with the manual control.

4. The signal-bearing medium of claim 3 where the operations further comprise:

receiving a command entered with the interactive graphical feature to disengage the manual control, whereby when the manual control is disengaged the automated process reassumes control over the selection of the setting of the at least one parameter of the computer system resource.

5. The signal-bearing medium of claim 1 whereby when the manual control is engaged the automated process continues to control selection of the setting for the at least one parameter of the computer system resource as represented by the value indicated on the scale of the graphical indicator and control, but subject to a user-selectable moderating effect implemented when the manual control is engaged.

6. The signal-bearing medium of claim 5 where the user-selectable moderating effect prevents large-scale changes to the setting selected for the at least one parameter of the computer system resource by the automated process, but allows small-scale changes to the setting selected for the at least one parameter of the computer system resource by the automated process.

7. The signal-bearing medium of claim 6 where the manual control comprises a graphical band overlaying the scale of the graphical indicator and control, where the graphical band indicates a range over which small-scale changes to the setting selected for the at least one parameter of the computer system resource by the automated process as represented by the value indicated on the scale are allowed as falling within the range of the graphical band, but large-scale changes are not allowed as falling outside the range of the graphical band.

8. The signal-bearing medium of claim 5 where the user-selectable moderating effect prevents small-scale changes to the setting selected for the at least one parameter of the computer system resource by the automated process, but allows large-scale changes to the setting selected for the at least one parameter of the computer system resource by the automated process.

9. The signal-bearing medium of claim 8 where the manual control comprises a graphical band overlaying the scale of the graphical indicator and control, where the graphical band indicates the range over which large-scale changes to the setting selected for the at least one parameter of the computer system resource by the automated process as represented by the value indicated on the scale are allowed as falling outside the graphical band, but small-scale changes are not allowed as falling within the graphical band.

10. The signal-bearing medium of claim 5 where the user-selectable moderating effect comprises a user-selectable offset to the value selected for the at least one parameter of the computer system resource by the automated process.

11. The signal-bearing medium of claim 1 where the at least one parameter comprises a plurality of parameters of the computer system resource, whereby the value indicated on the scale of the graphical indicator and control collectively summarizes settings selected for the plurality of parameters.

12. The signal-bearing medium of claim 3 where the at least one parameter comprises a plurality of parameters of the computer system resource, whereby the value indicated on the scale of the graphical indicator and control collectively summarizes settings selected for the plurality of parameters, and where the computer system changes a setting for at least one of the plurality of parameters in dependence on the change made to the value indicated on the scale of the graphical indicator and control with the manual control.

13. A computer system for displaying an interactive graphical user interface on a display device of a computer system, the computer system comprising:

at least one memory to store at least one program of machine-readable instructions, where the at least one program performs operations to display the interactive graphical user interface when executed;

at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory, where the at least one processor performs at least the following operations when the at least one program is executed;

displaying a graphical indicator and control comprising a scale, where a value indicated on the scale corresponds to a setting selected for at least one parameter of a computer system resource by an automated process of the computer system; and

displaying an interactive graphical feature that under user command engages and disengages a manual control, wherein when the manual control is engaged a user is permitted to exercise at least some degree of control over the value indicated on the scale of the graphical indicator and control, thereby also exercising at least some degree of control over the setting selected for the at least one parameter of the computer system resource.

14. The computer system of claim 13 whereby when the manual control is engaged the automated process is disabled and the manual control allows a user to change the value indicated on the scale, thereby in turn selecting the setting for the at least one parameter of the computer system resource.

15. The computer system of claim 13 where the processor can execute the following additional operations when the manual control is initially disengaged, the operations further comprising:

receiving a command entered with the interactive graphical feature to engage the manual control, whereby when the manual control is engaged the automated process is disabled and the manual control allows a user to change the value indicated on the scale; and

receiving a change to the value indicated on the scale of the graphical indicator and control entered with the manual control, whereby the computer system changes the setting selected for the at least one parameter of the computer system resource in dependence on the change made to the value indicated on the scale of the graphical indicator and control with the manual control.

16. The computer system of claim 15 where the operations further comprise:

receiving a command entered with the interactive graphical feature to disengage the manual control, whereby when the manual control is disengaged the automated process reassumes control over the selection of the setting of the at least one parameter of the computer system resource.

17. The computer system of claim 13 whereby when the manual control is engaged the automated process continues to control selection of the setting for the at least one parameter of the computer system resource as represented by the value indicated on the scale of the graphical indicator and control, but subject to a user-selectable moderating effect implemented when the manual control is engaged.

18. The computer system of claim 17 where the user-selectable moderating effect prevents large-scale changes to the setting selected for the at least one parameter of the computer system resource by the automated process, but allows small-scale changes to the setting selected for the at least one parameter of the computer system resource by the automated process.

19. The computer system of claim 18 where the manual control comprises a graphical band overlaying the scale of the graphical indicator and control, where the graphical band indicates a range over which small-scale changes to the setting selected for the at least one parameter of the computer system resource by the automated process as represented by the value indicated on the scale are allowed as falling within the range of the graphical band, but large-scale changes are not allowed as falling outside the range of the graphical band.

20. The computer system of claim 17 where the user-selectable moderating effect prevents small-scale changes to the setting selected for the at least one parameter of the computer system resource by the automated process, but allows large-scale changes to the setting selected for the at least one parameter of the computer system resource by the automated process.

21. The computer system of claim 20 where the manual control comprises a graphical band overlaying the scale of the graphical indicator and control, where the graphical band indicates the range over which large-scale changes to the setting selected for the at least one parameter of the computer system resource by the automated process as represented by the value indicated on the scale are allowed as falling outside the graphical band, but small-scale changes are not allowed as falling within the graphical band.

22. The computer system of claim 17 where the user-selectable moderating effect comprises a user-selectable offset to the value selected for the at least one parameter of the computer system resource by the automated process.

23. The computer system of claim 13 where the at least one memory comprises memory means to store at least one program of machine-readable instructions, and where the at least one processor comprises processor means coupled to the memory means.

24. A graphical user interface control system method comprising:

displaying a graphical indicator and control comprising at least in part a scale on a display device of a computer system, where a value indicated on the scale corresponds to a setting selected for at least one parameter of a computer system resource by an automated process of the computer system; and

displaying an interactive graphical feature that under user command engages and disengages a manual control, wherein when the manual control is engaged a user is permitted to exercise at least some degree of control over the value indicated on the scale of the graphical indicator and control.