Hover-buttons for user interfaces

• US 20070067798A1
• Filed: 08/16/2006
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IDHL Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hillcrest Laboratories Incorporated (CEVA Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wroblewski, Frank
• Application Number:
  US11/505,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20070067798A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• 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 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72

Abstract

Systems and methods according to the present invention address these needs and others by providing systems and devices for user interfaces that employ user interface objects.

Claims

1. A method for interacting with primary and secondary user-selectable objects in a graphical user interface comprising the steps of:

associating secondary user-selectable objects with primary user-selectable objects;

displaying secondary user-selectable objects associated with a respective primary user-selectable object when said respective primary user-selectable object is selected; and

focusing upon one of said secondary user-selectable objects when a cursor is proximate of said one of said secondary user-selectable objects.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein hovering said cursor over said respective primary user-selectable object focuses upon said primary user-selectable object.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of enlarging said respective primary user-selectable object to indicate its having focus.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of outlining said respective primary user-selectable object to indicate its selection.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of deselecting said respective primary user-selectable object by moving said cursor away from said respective primary user-selectable object.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said step of deselecting said primary user-selectable object renders said secondary user-selectable objects invisible.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said secondary user-selectable objects are located proximate geographic corners of an edge of said respective primary user-selectable object.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said secondary user-selectable objects are geographically disbursed around said edge of said primary user-selectable object.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein only one of said secondary user-selectable objects is enlarged at a time.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said primary user-selectable object is either a text style primary user-selectable object or an image style primary user-selectable object.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said secondary user-selectable objects have sub-menus.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein crossing a first threshold results in display of said secondary user-selectable objects and crossing a second threshold results in display of a sub-menu associated with a closest one of said secondary user-selectable objects.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said sub-menus contain secondary user-selectable objects.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein clicking upon said secondary user-selectable object triggers graphic feedback and execution of a function.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein said secondary user-selectable objects have a translucent background.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein said secondary user-selectable objects have a transparent background.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said secondary user-selectable objects are hover-buttons.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said respective primary user-selectable object is selected when said cursor hovers over said primary user-selectable object for a predetermined amount of time.

19. A user interface for interfacing with primary and secondary user-selectable objects comprising:

primary and secondary user-selectable objects, wherein said secondary user-selectable objects are associated with a respective primary user-selectable objects;

a display, wherein said secondary user-selectable objects associated with a respective primary user-selectable object are displayed upon said display when said respective primary user-selectable object is selected; and

a cursor, wherein when said cursor is proximate of said secondary user-selectable object, said secondary user-selectable object is selected.

20. The user interface of claim 19, wherein hovering said cursor over said respective primary user-selectable object selects said primary user-selectable object.

21. The user interface of claim 20, further comprising the step of enlarging said respective primary user-selectable object to indicate its selection

22. The user interface of claim 20, further comprising the step of outlining said respective primary user-selectable object to indicate its selection.

23. The user interface of claim 19, further comprising the step of deselecting said respective primary user-selectable object by moving said cursor away from said respective primary user-selectable object.

24. The user interface of claim 23, wherein said step of deselecting said primary user-selectable object renders said secondary user-selectable objects invisible.

25. The user interface of claim 19, wherein said secondary user-selectable objects are located proximate geographic corners of an edge of said respective primary user-selectable object.

26. The user interface of claim 19, wherein said secondary user-selectable objects are geographically disbursed around said edge of said primary user-selectable object.

27. The user interface of claim 19, wherein only one of said secondary user-selectable objects is enlarged at a time.

28. The user interface of claim 19, wherein said primary user-selectable object is either a text style primary user-selectable object or an image style primary user-selectable object.

29. The user interface of claim 19, wherein said secondary user-selectable objects have sub-menus.

30. The user interface of claim 29, wherein crossing a first threshold results in display of said secondary user-selectable objects and crossing a second threshold results in display of a sub-menu associated with a closest one of said secondary user-selectable objects.

31. The user interface of claim 29, wherein said sub-menus contain secondary user-selectable objects.

32. The user interface of claim 19, wherein clicking upon said secondary user-selectable object triggers graphic feedback and execution of a function.

33. The user interface of claim 26, wherein said secondary user-selectable objects have a translucent background.

34. The user interface of claim 26, wherein said secondary user-selectable objects have a transparent background.

35. The user interface of claim 19, wherein said secondary user-selectable objects are hover-buttons.

36. The user interface of claim 19, wherein said respective primary user-selectable object is selected when said cursor hovers over said primary user-selectable object for a predetermined amount of time.