PLACEMENT OF ITEMS IN RADIAL MENUS

• US 20110066980A1
• Filed: 09/16/2009
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: CRAGUN, Brian J., CHMIELEWSKI, Paul R., FORK, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,632,662 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/834
• 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

Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture for placing menu items in a radial menu. A radial menu may be displayed in response to receiving a predefined gesture made with a screen pointer. A plurality of global menu items may be placed at predefined locations in the radial menu. A set of local menu items that are to be displayed in the radial menu be determined and displayed in the radial menu based on one or more predefined relationships between the local or global radial menu items.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for displaying radial menu items in a radial menu, comprising configuring one or more processors to perform an operation comprising:

displaying a radial menu in response to receiving a predefined gesture;

displaying a first set of radial menu items in the radial menu, wherein each radial menu item in the first set is displayed at a respective predefined location in the radial menu;

determining a second set of radial menu items to be displayed in the radial menu; and

displaying the second set of radial menu items at available locations in the radial menu based on at least one predefined relationship between at least two radial menu items in the first set and the second set.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two radial menu items comprise at least a first radial menu item and a second radial menu item, wherein the predefined relationship indicates that the first radial menu item should not be placed near the second radial menu item.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two radial menu items includes at least a third radial menu item and a fourth radial menu item, wherein the predefined relationship indicates that the third radial menu item should be placed in close proximity to the fourth radial menu item.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two radial menu items includes at least a fifth radial menu item and a sixth radial menu item, wherein the predefined relationship indicates that the fifth radial menu item should be placed at a location that is symmetrically opposite to a location at which the sixth radial menu item is placed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second set of radial menu items comprises at least a first subset of radial menu items and a second subset of radial menu items, wherein placement of the first subset of radial menu items and the second subset of radial menu items in the radial menu is determined based on a predefined relationship between the first subset of radial menu items and the second subset of radial menu items.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the predefined relationship between the first subset of radial menu items and the second subset of radial menu items indicates that the first subset of radial menu items and the second subset of radial menu items should be placed in close proximity to each other in the radial menu.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the predefined relationship between the first subset of radial menu items and the second subset of radial menu items indicates that the first subset of radial menu items and the second subset of radial menu items should not be placed in close proximity to each other in the radial menu.

8. A computer readable storage medium comprising a program product which, when executed, is configured to perform an operation for displaying radial menu items in a radial menu, comprising:

displaying a radial menu in response to receiving a predefined gesture;

displaying a first set of radial menu items in the radial menu, wherein each radial menu item in the first set is displayed at a respective predefined location in the radial menu;

determining a second set of radial menu items to be displayed in the radial menu; and

displaying the second set of radial menu items at available locations in the radial menu based on at least one predefined relationship between at least two radial menu items in the second set.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the at least two radial menu items comprise at least a first radial menu item and a second radial menu item, wherein the predefined relationship indicates that the first radial menu item should not be placed near the second radial menu item.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the at least two radial menu items includes at least a third radial menu item and a fourth radial menu item, wherein the predefined relationship indicates that the third radial menu item should be placed in close proximity to the fourth radial menu item.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the at least two radial menu items includes at least a fifth radial menu item and a sixth radial menu item, wherein the predefined relationship indicates that the fifth radial menu item should be placed at a location that is symmetrically opposite to a location at which the sixth radial menu item is placed.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the second set of radial menu items comprises at least a first subset of radial menu items and a second subset of radial menu items, wherein placement of the first subset of radial menu items and the second subset of radial menu items in the radial menu is determined based on a predefined relationship between the first subset of radial menu items and the second subset of radial menu items.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the predefined relationship between the first subset of radial menu items and the second subset of radial menu items indicates that the first subset of radial menu items and the second subset of radial menu items should be placed in close proximity to each other in the radial menu.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the predefined relationship between the first subset of radial menu items and the second subset of radial menu items indicates that the first subset of radial menu items and the second subset of radial menu items should not be placed in close proximity to each other in the radial menu.

15. A system, comprising:

a memory comprising a program; and

a processor which, when executing the program, is configured to;

display a radial menu in response to receiving a predefined gesture;

display a first set of radial menu items in the radial menu, wherein each radial menu item in the first set is displayed at a respective predefined location in the radial menu;

determine a second set of radial menu items to be displayed in the radial menu; and

display the second set of radial menu items at available locations in the radial menu based on at least one predefined relationship between at least two radial menu items in the first set and the second set.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least two radial menu items comprise at least a first radial menu item and a second radial menu item, wherein the predefined relationship indicates that the first radial menu item should not be placed near the second radial menu item.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least two radial menu items includes at least a third radial menu item and a fourth radial menu item, wherein the predefined relationship indicates that the third radial menu item should be placed in close proximity to the fourth radial menu item.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least two radial menu items includes at least a fifth radial menu item and a sixth radial menu item, wherein the predefined relationship indicates that the fifth radial menu item should be placed at a location that is symmetrically opposite to a location at which the sixth radial menu item is placed.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the second set of radial menu items comprises at least a first subset of radial menu items and a second subset of radial menu items, wherein placement of the first subset of radial menu items and the second subset of radial menu items in the radial menu is determined based on a predefined relationship between the first subset of radial menu items and the second subset of radial menu items.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the predefined relationship between the first subset of radial menu items and the second subset of radial menu items indicates that the first subset of radial menu items and the second subset of radial menu items should not be placed in close proximity to each other in the radial menu.