COMPOSITE CONTROL FOR A GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE
First Claim
1. A method of implementing a composite control for a graphical user interface, the method comprising:
- displaying a slidable button control on a visual display at a first location;
morphing the slidable button control into a slider control in response to a pointing device providing directional instructions to move the slidable button, wherein the slider control includes a slider configured to slide along a slider track;
displaying the slider at a desired location on the slider track in response to the pointing device; and
morphing the slider control back into the slidable button control in response to the pointing device releasing the slider control.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for manipulating computer data using a new GUI element is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the new GUI element is a composite of a traditional GUI button control and a traditional GUI slider control. In one embodiment, a composite slidable button control appears and functions similar to a traditional button control on the GUI. Dragging the composite control past its predetermined anchor distance un-anchors the composite control allowing it to travel similar to a traditional slider control, optionally constrained in direction(s) and distance(s) by predetermined settings. During the slider adjustment phase, the composite control can optionally overlap other GUI elements realizing a more compact and efficient GUI appearance. In another embodiment, a composite clickable slider control appears and functions similar to a traditional slider control on the GUI. Clicking on the composite control'"'"'s slider handle invokes the button functionality while dragging the handle invokes the slider functionality, again affording the composite control the ability to function as both a button and a slider control.
113 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of implementing a composite control for a graphical user interface, the method comprising:
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displaying a slidable button control on a visual display at a first location; morphing the slidable button control into a slider control in response to a pointing device providing directional instructions to move the slidable button, wherein the slider control includes a slider configured to slide along a slider track; displaying the slider at a desired location on the slider track in response to the pointing device; and morphing the slider control back into the slidable button control in response to the pointing device releasing the slider control. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for a composite control for a graphical user interface, the system comprising:
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a slidable button control at a first location on a visual display, wherein the slidable button control configured to morph into a slider control in response to a pointing device providing directional instructions to move the slidable button; and the slider control comprising a slider configured to slide along a slider track, wherein the slider control morphs back into the slidable button control in response to the pointing device hovering over the slider control. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A non-transitory processor readable medium having processor instructions that are executable to cause a processor to:
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display a slider control on a visual display at a first location, wherein the slider control includes a slider configured to slide along a slider track and the slider functions as a toggle on/off control when clicked and remains active until clicked again; morph the slider control into a slidable button element in response to a pointing device hovering over the slider control; morph the slidable button element back into the slider control in response to the pointing device providing directional instructions to move the slider along the slider track; display the slider at a desired location on the slider track in response to the pointing device; and move the slider control to a second location on the visual display in response to the pointing device providing moving instructions to move the slider control to a new area on the display. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification