MOVING RADIAL MENUS

• US 20090327964A1
• Filed: 06/28/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Mouilleseaux, Jean-Pierre M., Migos, Charles J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,826,181 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/834
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04807 Pen manipulated menu
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A computer readable medium storing a computer program for execution by at least one processor is disclosed. The computer program is for determining that a first identified location is too close to an edge of a window of a graphical user interface to display a radial display area. The computer program is also for identifying a second location far enough from the edge to fully display the radial display area within the window. The computer program is also for displaying the radial display area at the second location.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium storing a computer program for execution by at least one processor, the computer program comprising sets of instructions for:

a) determining that a first identified location is too close to an edge of a window of a graphical user interface to display a radial display area;

b) identifying a second location far enough from the edge to fully display the radial display area within the window; and

c) displaying the radial display area at the second location.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first identified location is a location of a cursor.

3. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions for determining that the first identified location is too close to the edge of the window comprises a set of instructions for comparing a distance from the first location to an edge of the window to a size of the radial display area.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first identified location is a predicted location at which a moving cursor is expected to stop moving.

5. The computer readable medium of claim 4, wherein the second location lies along a path taken by the cursor while moving.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions for displaying the radial display area at the second location comprises sets of instructions for:

(i) displaying part of the radial display area at the first location; and

(ii) moving the radial display area to the second location.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the set of instructions for moving the radial display area to the second location comprises a set of instructions for successively displaying the radial display area at locations between the first location and the second location.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the set of instructions for successively displaying the radial display area comprises a set of instructions for displaying a larger part of the radial display area at each successive location.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the set of instructions for displaying part of the radial display area at the first location comprises a set of instructions for displaying as much of the radial display area as fits within the window when the radial display area is at the first location.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the computer program further comprises a set of instructions for identifying a third location to display a cursor.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the third location is within the radial display area when the radial display area is displayed at the second location.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the cursor is displayed at the third location prior to the display of the radial display area at the second location.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the computer program further comprises a set of instructions for moving the cursor to the third location as the radial display area is moved from the first location to the second location.

14. The computer readable of claim 1, wherein the set of instructions for displaying the radial display area at the second location comprises sets of instructions for:

(i) displaying the radial display area at the first location at a reduced size such that the radial display area fits within the window; and

(ii) expanding the radial display area while moving the center of the radial display area away from the edge.

15. A method comprising:

a) identifying a first location of a cursor within a window of a graphical user interface (GUI);

b) determining that a radial display area cannot be fully displayed around the cursor and within the window;

c) moving the cursor to a second location where the radial display area can be fully displayed around the cursor and within the window; and

d) displaying the radial display area around the cursor.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein moving the cursor comprises moving the cursor directly away from an edge of the window.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein moving the cursor comprises moving the cursor in an opposite direction from a direction the cursor moved to get to the first location.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the first location is an initial location of the cursor, and wherein moving the cursor to the second location comprises:

a) erasing the cursor at the first location; and

b) displaying the cursor at the second location after erasing the cursor at the initial location.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the first location is an initial location of the cursor and wherein displaying moving the cursor to the second location comprises sliding the cursor in the GUI from the first location to the second location.

20. A method comprising:

a) defining a display area for display in a window of a graphical user interface (GUI); and

b) defining a set of modules for (i) identifying a command to display the menu around a moving cursor once the cursor stops moving, and (ii) preventing the cursor from entering a portion of the window in which the display area cannot be fully displayed around the cursor while remaining within the window.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein preventing the cursor from entering the portion of the window comprises ignoring received signals from a cursor controller indicating a command to move the cursor into the portion of the window.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein preventing the cursor from entering the portion of the window comprises moving the cursor with speed reduced by a predetermined factor in response to receiving signals from a cursor controller to move a cursor into the portion of the window.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the predetermined factor increases as the cursor approaches an edge of the window.

24. A method comprising:

a) defining a display area for display at a first location in a window of a graphical user interface; and

b) defining a set of modules for (i) determining that at least a portion of the display area does not fit within the window when the display area is displayed at the first location, and (ii) sliding the display area to a second location such that the entire display area is displayed within the window.

25. A method comprising:

a) identifying a cursor movement that represents a command to open a display area;

b) identifying a direction of the cursor movement;

c) identifying a first location in a window of a graphical user interface for displaying a display area;

d) determining that the display area cannot be fully displayed in the window at the first location; and

e) displaying the display area at a second location, the second location located in a direction opposite the direction of the cursor movement relative to the first location.

26. A method comprising:

a) displaying a radial display area comprising a plurality of selectable items arranged about an internal point of the radial display area; and

b) upon displaying the radial display area, automatically moving a cursor to a location within the radial display area.

27. A method comprising:

a) defining a radial display area comprising a plurality of selectable items arranged about an internal point of the radial display area; and

b) defining a set of modules for (i) determining a first location to display the radial display area, and (ii) determining a second location within the display area to which a cursor is automatically moved.