Peel back user interface to show hidden functions

• US 20060284852A1
• Filed: 06/15/2005
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hofmeister, Nicholas M., Storrusten, Dane T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,676,767 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor

Abstract

A user is able to access additional functions not represented in a current image displayed by a graphical user interface. At least one function not presented on the current image is represented by a symbol on an underlying image that is at least partially covered by the current image. When the user performs a predetermined user input (e.g., selecting a corner of the current image), the underlying image and the at least one function represented thereby become accessible. When the user input is performed, a visual effect depicts the current image being at least partially removed from over the underlying image, thereby revealing and permitting access to the at least one additional function. The user input is made by the user performing an action with the user'"'"'s hand or another object adjacent to a responsive display, or by using a pointing device to manipulate a displayed image.

Claims

1. A method for receiving input in a computing device having a graphical user interface presented on a display, comprising the steps of:

(a) identifying at least one additional function of the computing device, the at least one additional function being accessible on at least a portion of an underlying image that is not currently visible to a user;

(b) presenting a current image to a user, the current image representing a current function and covering at least a portion of the underlying image such that access to the function is at least partially covered by the current image;

(c) establishing a predetermined user input for providing access to the underlying image and the function accessible thereon; and

(d) upon receiving the predetermined user input from the user, initiating a visual effect depicting the current image being at least partially removed from over the underlying image to visually expose and enable access by the user to the at least one additional function, which was previously visually hidden by the current image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the underlying image includes at least one of:

(a) an exit function for the current function represented by the current image;

(b) at least one additional menu including a plurality of additional functions not accessible via the current image;

(c) an additional application; and

(d) a control for accessing an operating system function.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the display includes an input responsive display and the predetermined action includes positioning an external object adjacent to the input responsive display to interact with the current image.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of at least one of:

(a) responding to the user positioning the external object adjacent to a predetermined area of the current image on the input responsive display;

(b) responding to the user positioning the external object adjacent to the predetermined area of the input responsive display and lifting the external object away from the input responsive display;

(c) responding to the user positioning the external object adjacent to a predetermined portion of the input responsive display;

(d) responding to the user positioning the external object adjacent to a designated portion of the current image on the input responsive display and lifting the external object away from the input responsive display; and

(e) responding to the user performing a predetermined gesture with the external object adjacent to the input responsive display, including one of;

(i) placing the external object adjacent to a corner of a predetermined area of the input responsive display, and moving the external object away from the corner of the predetermined area;

(ii) placing the external object adjacent to an edge of a predetermined area of the input responsive display, and moving the external object away from the edge of the predetermined area;

(iii) placing the external object adjacent to a corner of the current image, and moving the external object away from the corner of the current image;

(iv) placing the external object adjacent to an edge of the current image, and moving the object away from the edge of the current image;

(v) placing a plurality of external objects adjacent to the input responsive display and moving the plurality of external objects apart from each other;

(vi) placing the external object adjacent to a surface of the input responsive display and moving the external object toward an edge of the input responsive display; and

(vii) placing the external object adjacent to a surface of the input responsive display and moving at least a portion of the external object in a direction generally parallel with the surface of the input responsive display.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the external object includes at least one of:

(a) a portion of a user'"'"'s hand; and

(b) a user manipulatable object that is adapted to be recognized by the input responsive display.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the external object is configured to be recognized by the input responsive display as being associated with providing access to the underlying image, and access is provided to the underlying image upon the configuration of the external object being recognized by the input responsive display.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined action includes manipulating a pointing device to a position on the display and dragging one of a corner and an edge of a displayed window generally inwardly into the displayed window.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual effect depicting the current image being at least partially removed from over the underlying image includes one of:

(a) showing a corner of the current image being peeled back;

(b) showing an edge of the current image being peeled back;

(c) showing an opening forming in the current image, the opening including one of a hole, a rip, a cut, and a tear;

(d) showing the current image being split into a plurality of pieces;

(e) showing the current image being crumpled; and

(f) showing the current image sliding within the input responsive display to at least partially visually reveal the at least the portion of the underlying image.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein after receiving the predetermined user input permits access to the at least one additional function, further comprising the step of initiating the at least one additional function upon one of the following occurring:

(a) while the predetermined user input is being maintained, responding to the user providing an additional user input to trigger execution of the at least one additional function;

(b) after the predetermined user input has been made, responding to the user making the additional user input to trigger execution of the at least one additional function within a predetermined interval of time interval after the predetermined user input has been made; and

(c) after the predetermined user input has been made, responding to the user making the at least one additional user input before any other user input is made.

10. A memory medium on which are stored machine instructions for carrying out the steps of claim 1.

11. A memory medium having machine instructions for execution on a computing device having a graphical user interface presented on a display configured to be responsive to an input made by one of placing and moving external objects relative to a surface of the display, said machine instructions when executed by the computer device, carrying out a plurality of functions, including:

(a) associating at least one additional function of the computing device with at least a portion of an underlying image, the at least one additional function being accessible being visually hidden;

(b) presenting a current image to a user, the current image covering at least a portion of the underlying image such that access to the at least one additional function is at least partially covered by the current image;

(c) detecting a predetermined user input made for accessing the additional function on the underlying image, the predetermined user input including at least one of;

(i) the user placing an external object adjacent to a surface of the display; and

(ii) the user performing a gesture with the external object adjacent to the surface of the display;

(d) upon detecting the predetermined user input, initiating a visual effect depicting the current image being at least partially removed from the underlying image, revealing the at least one additional function and enabling access of the at least one additional function by the user; and

(e) initiating the at least one additional function upon detecting one of;

(i) while the predetermined user input is being maintained, the user making an additional user input to trigger the at least one additional function;

(ii) after predetermined the user input has been made, the user making the additional user input to trigger the at least one additional function within a predetermined interval of time after the predetermined user input was made; and

(iii) after the predetermined user input was made, the user making the at least one additional user input before any other user input is made.

12. The memory medium of claim 11, wherein the underlying image includes at least one of:

(a) an exit function for a current function represented by the current image;

(b) at least one additional menu including a plurality of additional functions not accessible via the current image;

(c) an additional application; and

(d) a control for accessing an operating system function.

13. The memory medium of claim 11, wherein the plurality of functions further include at least one of:

(a) responding to the user positioning the external object adjacent to a predetermined area of the display;

(b) responding to the user positioning the external object adjacent to the predetermined area of the display and lifting the external object away from the display;

(c) responding to the user positioning the external object adjacent to a designated portion of the current image;

(d) responding to the user positioning the external object adjacent to the display in the designated portion of the current image and lifting the external object away from the display; and

(e) responding to the user performing a predetermined gesture with the external object adjacent to the display, including one of;

(i) placing the external object adjacent to a corner of the predetermined area of the display, and moving the external object away from the corner of the predetermined area;

(ii) placing the external object adjacent to an edge of the predetermined area of the display, and moving the external object away from the edge of the predetermined area;

(iii) placing the external object adjacent to a corner of the current image, and moving the external object away from the corner of the current image;

(iv) placing the external object adjacent to an edge of the current image, and moving the external object away from the edge of the current image;

(v) placing a plurality of external objects adjacent to the display and moving each of the plurality of external objects apart from each other;

(vi) placing the external object adjacent to a surface of the display and moving the external object toward an edge of the display; and

(vii) placing the external object adjacent to the surface of the display and moving at least a portion of the external object in a direction generally parallel with the surface of the display.

14. The memory medium of claim 11, wherein the external object includes at least one of:

(a) a portion of a user'"'"'s hand; and

(b) a configuration of the external object that is recognized by the computing device using the display.

15. The memory medium of claim 14, wherein the external object is configured to be recognized by the computing device as being associated with providing access to the underlying image, and access is provided to the underlying image upon the configuration of the external object being recognized by the computing device.

16. The memory medium of claim 11, wherein the visual effect depicting the current image being at least partially removed from over the underlying image includes one of:

(a) showing a corner of the current image being peeled back;

(b) showing an edge of the current image being peeled back;

(c) showing an opening forming in the current image, the opening including one of a hole, rip, cut, or tear;

(d) showing the current image being split into pieces;

(e) showing the current image being crumpled; and

(f) showing the current image sliding within the display to at least partially visually reveal the at least the portion of the underlying image.

17. The memory medium of claim 11, wherein after receiving the predetermined user input, the machine instructions cause the computing device to permit access to the at least one additional function, initiating the at least one additional function upon one of:

(a) while the predetermined user input is being maintained, responding to the user making an additional user input to trigger execution of the at least one additional function;

(b) after the predetermined user input has been made, responding to the user making the additional user input to trigger execution of the at least one additional function within a predetermined interval of time interval after the predetermined user input has been made; and

(c) after the predetermined user input has been made, responding to the user making the at least one additional user input before any other user input is made.

18. A system for providing an input to an application that is being executed, comprising:

(a) an interactive display surface adjacent to which a plurality of physical objects are manipulated, said interactive display surface presenting visual entities;

(b) a sensor that detects a location of the physical objects that are adjacent to the interactive display surface;

(c) a processor in communication with the light sensor and the display device; and

(d) a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing data and machine instructions that cause the processor to carry out a plurality of functions, including;

(i) associating at least one additional function of the computing device with at least a portion of an underlying image that is initially at least partially hidden;

(ii) presenting a current image to a user, the current image being associated with a current function and covering at least a portion of the underlying image so that the at least one additional function is at least partially covered and obscured by the current image;

(iii) detecting a predetermined user input for providing access to the underlying image; and

(iv) upon detecting the predetermined user input, initiating a visual effect depicting the current image being at least partially removed from over the underlying image to visually expose and enable access by a user to the at least one additional function, which was previously at least partially hidden by the current image.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising at least one external object, wherein the predetermined user input includes at least one of:

(a) positioning the at least one external object adjacent to a predetermined area of the display;

(b) positioning the at least one external object adjacent to the predetermined area of the display and lifting at least one external object away from the display;

(c) positioning the at least one external object adjacent to a designated portion of the current image;

(d) positioning the at least one external object adjacent to the designated portion of the current image and lifting at least one external object away from the display; and

(e) performing a predetermined gesture with the external object adjacent to the display, including one of;

(i) placing the at least one external object adjacent to a corner of the predetermined area of the display, and moving at least one external object away from the corner of the predetermined area;

(ii) placing the at least one external object adjacent to an edge of the predetermined area of the display, and moving at least one external object away from the edge of the predetermined area;

(iii) placing the at least one external object adjacent to a corner of the current image, and moving at least one external object away from the corner of the current image;

(iv) placing the at least one external object adjacent to an edge of the current image, and moving at least one external object away from the edge of the current image;

(v) placing a plurality of external objects adjacent to the display and moving at least some of the plurality of external objects apart from each other,

(vi) placing the at least one external object adjacent to a surface of the display and moving at least one external object toward an edge of the display; and

(vii) placing the external object adjacent to the surface of the display and moving at least a portion of at least one external object in a direction generally parallel with the surface of the display.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the visual effect depicting the current image being at least partially removed from over the underlying image includes one of:

(a) showing a corner of the current image being peeled back;

(b) showing an edge of the current image being peeled back;

(c) showing an opening forming in the current image, the opening including one of a hole, a rip, a cut, and a tear;

(d) showing the current image being split into a plurality of pieces;

(e) showing the current image being crumpled; and

(f) showing the current image sliding within the display to at least partially visually reveal the at least the portion of the underlying image.