User interface method and apparatus
First Claim
1. For use with a user interface system including a display screen and a keyboard, wherein a body member of an operator may indicate a first and a second location with respect to the display screen, a method of selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, said method comprising:
- displaying on the display screen a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences, each of the plurality of sequences having a common characteristic;
moving the body member to indicate the first location while at least five of the operator'"'"'s fingers, not including either thumb, remain on the home row of the keyboard; and
in response to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the duration of a period of intersection, the period of intersection starting in response to the first location intersecting any one of the at least selectable regions and ending in response to the second location intersecting the selectable region intersected by the first location, selecting the sequence associated with the intersected selectable region.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The apparatus and method of the invention relate to data entry and menu selection. Applications include: (a) data entry for ideographic languages, including Chinese, Japanese and Korean; (b) fast food ordering; (c) correction of documents generated by optical character recognition; and (d) computer access and speech synthesis by persons temporarily or permanently lacking normal motor capabilities. In a preferred embodiment, each option of a menu is associated respectively with a selectable region displayed adjacent an edge of a display, forming a perimeter menu and leaving a region in the center of the perimeter menu for the output of an application program. Selectable regions may be on the display, outside the display, or both. A menu option may be selected by clicking on the associated selectable region, by dwelling on it for a selection threshold period or by a cursor path toward the selectable region, or by a combination thereof. Remaining dwell time required to select a selectable region is preferably indicated by the brightness of the selectable region. Submenus of a perimeter menu may also be perimeter menus and the location of a submenu option may be foretold by the appearance of its parent menu option. Menu options may be ideographs sharing a sound, a structure or another characteristic. Ideographs, which may be homophones of one another, may be associated with colored indicating regions and selection of an ideograph may be made by speaking the name of the associated color.
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Citations
128 Claims
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1. For use with a user interface system including a display screen and a keyboard, wherein a body member of an operator may indicate a first and a second location with respect to the display screen, a method of selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, said method comprising:
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displaying on the display screen a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences, each of the plurality of sequences having a common characteristic; moving the body member to indicate the first location while at least five of the operator'"'"'s fingers, not including either thumb, remain on the home row of the keyboard; and in response to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the duration of a period of intersection, the period of intersection starting in response to the first location intersecting any one of the at least selectable regions and ending in response to the second location intersecting the selectable region intersected by the first location, selecting the sequence associated with the intersected selectable region. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. For use with a user interface system including a display screen, wherein a body member of an operator may indicate a first and a second location with respect to the display screen, a method of selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, said method comprising:
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at least partially delimiting on the display screen a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences, each of the plurality of sequences having a first common characteristic; and in response to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the duration of a period of intersection, the period of intersection starting in response to the first location intersecting any one of the selectable regions and ending in response to the second location intersecting the selectable region intersected by the first location, first selecting the sequence associated with the intersected selectable region. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of editing a document in an ideographic language, said method comprising:
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selecting a first sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, at least part of each of the plurality of sequences having a common attribute for optical recognition purposes, one or more of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs; entering the first sequence into the document; delimiting on a display a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with a sequence of the plurality of sequences; displaying on the display the at least two sequences of the plurality of sequences associated with the at least two selectable regions; receiving a movement related signal and moving a cursor on the display responsive thereto; and in response to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the duration of a period of intersection, the period of intersection starting in response to a first location of the cursor intersecting any one of the at least two selectable regions and ending in response to a second location of the cursor intersecting the selectable region intersected by the first location, entering the sequence associated with the intersected selectable region into the document. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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31. For use with a user interface system including a display screen, wherein a body member of an operator may indicate successive locations with respect to the display screen, a method of selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, said method comprising:
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at least partially delimiting a plurality of selectable regions, each of the selectable regions including an invisible subregion adjacent the display screen and a visible subregion on the display screen, the plurality of visible subregions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences, each of the plurality of sequences having a common characteristic; and responsive to the duration of a period of intersection equalling or exceeding a predetermined period, the period of intersection starting in response to a starting location intersecting any one of the invisible subregions included in one of the at least two selectable regions and ending in response to an ending location intersecting the invisible subregion intersected by the starting location, the starting and the ending locations each being one of the successive locations, selecting the sequence associated with the selectable region including the invisible subregion intersected by the starting location. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33. For use with a user interface system including a display screen, wherein a body member of an operator may indicate successive locations with respect to the display screen, a method of selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, said method comprising:
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displaying on the display screen a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences, each of the plurality of sequences having a common characteristic; and responsive to a quantity equalling or exceeding a selection threshold period, said quantity being a function of the durations of a first and a second period of intersection, said first period of intersection starting in response to a first starting location intersecting any one of the at least two selectable regions and ending in response to a first ending location intersecting the selectable region intersected by the first starting location, said second period of intersection starting in response to a second starting location intersecting the selectable region intersected by the first starting location and ending in response to a second ending location intersecting the selectable region intersected by the first starting location, the first starting location, the second starting location, the first ending location and the second ending location each comprising one of the successive locations, selecting the sequence associated with the selectable region intersected by the first starting location. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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36. A method of selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, said method comprising:
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delimiting with respect to a display screen a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, each of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences, each of the plurality of sequences having a common characteristic; receiving a movement related signal and moving a cursor on the display screen responsive thereto; and selecting the sequence associated with a particular one of the plurality of selectable regions responsive to either one of; (a) a cursor path most nearly along a path indicated by a cursor location and the movement related signal in advance of an intersection of the cursor and the particular selectable region; and (b) only an intersection of the cursor and the particular selectable region.
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37. A method of selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, said method comprising:
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delimiting with respect to a display screen a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, each of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences, each of the plurality of sequences having a common characteristic; receiving a movement related signal and moving a cursor on the display screen responsive thereto; and responsive to; (a) an intersection of the cursor and one of the selectable regions, and (b) a cursor path toward the intersected selectable region, selecting the sequence associated with the intersected selectable region. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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39. For use with a user interface system including a display screen, wherein a body member of an operator may indicate a first, second, third, and fourth location with respect to the display screen, a method of selecting an undo function, said method comprising:
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first displaying on the display screen a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of a plurality of sequences of graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, each of the plurality of sequences having a common characteristic; in response to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a first predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the duration of a first period of intersection, the period of intersection starting in response to the first location intersecting any one of the at least two selectable regions and ending in response to the second location intersecting the selectable region intersected by the first location, selecting the sequence associated with the intersected selectable region; performing a function with the selected sequence; second displaying on the display screen a selectable region associated with the undo function; and in response to a second quantity equalling or exceeding a second predetermined quantity, said second quantity being a function of the duration of a second period of intersection, the period of intersection starting in response to the third location intersecting the selectable region associated with the undo function and ending in response to the fourth location intersecting the selectable region associated with the undo function, undoing the function performed with the selected sequence.
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40. A method of data entry in an ideographic language, said method comprising:
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displaying on a display a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of a plurality of sequences of graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, each of the plurality of sequences having a common characteristic; receiving a movement related signal and moving a cursor on the display responsive thereto; responsive to a cursor path toward any one of the at least two selectable regions, changing a selection threshold period associated or to be associated with said selectable region; and responsive to the duration of a period of intersection of the cursor and said selectable region equalling or exceeding the selection threshold period, entering into the at least partially circumscribed region the sequence associated with said selectable region.
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41. For use with a user interface system including:
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(1) a menu including a plurality of menu options, wherein each menu option represents a sequence of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, each of the plurality of sequences having a common characteristic; and (2) a display screen with respect to which may be at least partially delimited a plurality of selectable regions, each selectable region associated respectively with one of the plurality of menu options; a method of selecting one of the menu options, said method comprising; (a) at least partially delimiting the selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen; (b) displaying each menu option on the display screen, wherein each displayed menu option indicates the location of the associated selectable region and wherein none of the displayed menu options intersects the selectable region associated therewith; and (c) in response to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the duration of a first period of intersection, the first period of intersection starting in response to a first location indicated by a user intersecting any one of the selectable regions and ending in response to a second location indicated by the user intersecting the selectable region intersected by the first location, selecting the menu option associated with the intersected selectable region. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. For use with a general purpose computer system including:
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(1) a display; and (2) a movement related signal receiver capable of receiving a movement related signal indicating a first and a second location with respect to the display responsive to user movement indicating a potential user selection; an apparatus for selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including an ideograph, said apparatus comprising; (a) a medium readable by the general purpose computer system; and (b) a first program, stored on the medium and executable by the general purpose computer system, for; (1) at least partially delimiting on the display a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences, each of the at least two associated sequences having a common characteristic; and (2) in response to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the duration of a period of intersection, the period of intersection starting in response to the first location intersecting a particular one of the at least two selectable regions and ending in response to the second location intersecting the particular selectable region, selecting the sequence associated with the particular selectable region. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57)
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58. For use with a user interface system comprising a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, each of the plurality of sequences having a first common characteristic, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, and wherein:
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(1) a body member of an operator may indicate a first, a second, a third, and a fourth location with respect to a display screen; (2) a plurality of selectable regions may be at least partially delimited on the display screen, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences; and (3) one of the at least two sequences of the plurality of sequences may be selected responsive to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a first predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the duration of a first period of intersection, the first period of intersection starting in response to the first location intersecting the selectable region associated with the one of the at least two sequences and ending in response to the second location intersecting the selectable region intersected by the first location; a method of preventing the selection of the one of the at least two sequences of the plurality of sequences, said method comprising; in response to a second quantity equalling or exceeding a second predetermined quantity, said second quantity being a function of the duration of a second period of intersection, the second period of intersection starting in response to the third location intersecting any one of the selectable regions other than the selectable region associated with the one of the at least two sequences and ending in response to the fourth location intersecting the selectable region intersected by the third location, preventing the selection of the one of the at least two sequences of the plurality of sequences while maintaining a power supply to the user interface system. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60)
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61. A method of data entry in an ideographic language for use with a computer system including a keyboard and a display including an application area with a periphery, the application area capable of displaying at least part of the output of an application program capable of execution on the computer system, said method allowing a user of the computer system having hands each with four fingers and a thumb to keep both the hands on the keyboard at all times during data entry, said method comprising:
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receiving a keyboard signal indicating a characteristic common to each of a plurality of sequences of graphic symbols in the ideographic language, at least one of the sequences of graphic symbols including an ideograph; delimiting a plurality of selectable regions with respect to the display, each of the plurality of selectable regions outside the application area and adjacent the periphery of the application area, at least one of the plurality of selectable regions associated respectively with one of the sequences of graphic symbols; receiving a movement related signal indicating a location with respect to the display, the movement related signal responsive to movement of a body member of the user and indicating a potential user selection, the movement of the body member allowing the user to keep at least five of the fingers, not including either thumb, on the home row of the keyboard while moving the body member; and inputting the sequence of graphic symbols associated with the at least one of the plurality of selectable regions to the application program responsive to either one of; (a) an intersection of the movement related signal and the at least one of the plurality of selectable regions; and (b) a path of the movement related signal moving toward the at least one of the plurality of selectable regions in accordance with a predetermined quantity prior to an intersection of the movement related signal and the at least one of the plurality of selectable regions.
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62. For use with a user interface system including a display screen, wherein a body member of a user may indicate a location with respect to the display screen overshooting a desired location, a method of selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, said method comprising:
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delimiting on the display screen a working region having a periphery; at least partially delimiting with respect to the display screen a plurality of selectable regions, each of the selectable regions outside the working region and adjacent the periphery of the working region, each of the selectable regions selectable by the user, each of the selectable regions associated respectively with and simultaneously displaying on the display screen a sequence of the plurality of sequences of graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences of graphic symbols including one or more ideographs; and selecting the sequence of one or more graphic symbols associated with a particular one of the selectable regions in response to a period of intersection equalling or exceeding a predetermined period, the period of intersection starting with a first location and ending with a second location, each of the first and second locations indicated by the user and intersecting the particular selectable region, either the first and the second locations confined to a portion of the particular selectable region on the display screen or either one or both of the first and the second locations intersecting a portion of the particular selectable region beyond the display screen.
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63. A user interface allowing a user to overshoot a target and still select the target, said user interface comprising:
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(a) a display screen including a working region with a periphery; (b) a movement related signal receiver capable of receiving a movement related signal indicating each of a first and a second location with respect to the display screen responsive to user movement indicating a potential user selection; (c) a delimit device capable of delimiting a first plurality of selectable regions outside the working region and adjacent the periphery of the working region, each of the first plurality of selectable regions selectable by the user and having an external boundary wherein the external boundary includes the side of the selectable region furthest from the working region, each of the first plurality of selectable regions having either a confiner capable of preventing the movement related signal indicating the first and the second locations from moving beyond the external boundary of the selectable region or having an activation area extending beyond the external boundary of the selectable region and beyond the display screen, each of the first plurality of selectable regions associated respectively with and simultaneously displaying on the display screen a sequence of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences of graphic symbols including one or more ideographs; and (d) a selection device capable of selecting the sequence associated with a first particular one of the first plurality of selectable regions responsive to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a first predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the duration of a first period of intersection, the first period of intersection starting in response to the first location intersecting the first particular selectable region or the activation area associated therewith and ending in response to the second location intersecting the first particular selectable region or the activation area associated therewith, thereby providing the user with the ability to select the first particular sequence while overshooting the first particular selectable region with the movement related signal. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
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69. A user interface including a display screen and wherein a body member of a user may indicate successive locations with respect to the display screen, the user interface for selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a first plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, said user interface comprising:
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a delimit device for at least partially delimiting a first plurality of selectable regions, each of the first plurality of selectable regions including a first invisible subregion adjacent the display screen and a first visible subregion on the display screen, the plurality of first visible subregions together at least partially circumscribing a first region on the display screen, at least two of the first plurality of selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the first plurality of sequences, one or more sequences of the at least two associated sequences including one or more ideographs; and a selection device, responsive to the duration of a first period of intersection equalling or exceeding a first predetermined period, the first period of intersection starting in response to a first starting location intersecting any one of the first invisible subregions included in one of the at least two of the first plurality of selectable regions and ending in response to a first ending location intersecting the invisible subregion intersected by the first starting location, the first starting and the first ending locations each being one of the successive locations, for selecting the sequence associated with the one of the first plurality of selectable regions including the invisible subregion intersected by the first starting location. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71, 72)
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73. For use with a user interface system including a display screen, and wherein a body member of an operator may indicate a first and a second location with respect to the display screen, an apparatus for selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, said apparatus comprising:
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a delimit device for at least partially delimiting on the display screen a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences, each of the at least two associated sequences having a first common characteristic; and in response to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the duration of a period of intersection, the period of intersection starting in response to the first location intersecting a particular one of the at least two selectable regions and ending in response to the second location intersecting the particular selectable region, a selection device for selecting the particular sequence associated with the particular selectable region. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96)
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97. For use with a user interface system including a display screen and wherein a body member of an operator may indicate successive locations with respect to the display screen, an apparatus for selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, said apparatus comprising:
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a delimit device for at least partially delimiting a plurality of selectable regions, each of the selectable regions including an invisible subregion outside the display screen and a visible subregion on the display screen, the plurality of visible subregions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences, each of the at least two associated sequences having a common characteristic; and responsive to the duration of a first period of intersection equalling or exceeding a predetermined period, the first period of intersection starting in response to a starting location intersecting a particular one of the invisible subregions included in one of the at least two selectable regions and ending in response to an ending location intersecting the particular subregion, the starting and the ending locations each being one of the successive locations, a selection device for selecting the particular sequence associated with the particular selectable region including the particular invisible subregion. - View Dependent Claims (98, 99, 100, 101)
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102. For use with a user interface system including a display screen, wherein a body member of an operator may indicate successive locations with respect to the display screen, an apparatus for selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, said apparatus comprising:
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a display device for displaying on the display screen a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences, each of the at least two associated sequences having a common characteristic; and responsive to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the durations of a first and a second period of intersection, said first period of intersection starting in response to a first starting location intersecting a particular one of the at least two selectable regions and ending in response to a first ending location intersecting the particular selectable region, said second period of intersection starting in response to a second starting location intersecting the particular selectable region and ending in response to a second ending location intersecting the particular selectable region, the first starting location, the second starting location, the first ending location and the second ending location each being one of the successive locations, a selection device for selecting the sequence associated with the particular selectable region. - View Dependent Claims (103, 104)
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105. An apparatus for selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, said apparatus comprising:
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a delimit device for delimiting with respect to a display screen a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, each of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences, each of the plurality of sequences having a common characteristic; a movement related signal receiver for receiving a movement related signal and moving a cursor on the display screen responsive thereto; and a selection device for selecting the sequence associated with a particular one of the plurality of selectable regions responsive to either one of; (a) a cursor path most nearly along a path indicated by a cursor location and the movement related signal in advance of an intersection of the cursor and the particular selectable region; and (b) only an intersection of the cursor and the particular selectable region.
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106. An apparatus for selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, said apparatus comprising:
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a delimit device for delimiting with respect to a display screen a plurality of selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, each of the selectable regions associated respectively with one sequence of the plurality of sequences, each of the plurality of sequences having a common characteristic; a movement related signal receiver for receiving a movement related signal and moving a cursor on the display screen responsive thereto; and responsive to; (a) an intersection of the cursor and a particular one of the selectable regions; and (b) a cursor path toward the particular selectable region, a selection device for selecting the sequence associated with the particular selectable region. - View Dependent Claims (107)
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108. A user interface allowing a user to overshoot a target and still select the target, said user interface comprising:
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(a) a medium readable by a general purpose computer system including; (1) a display screen including a working region with a periphery; and (2) a movement related signal receiver capable of receiving a movement related signal indicating a location with respect to the display screen responsive to user movement indicating a potential user selection; and (b) a program, stored on the medium and executable by the general purpose computer system, for; (1) delimiting a first plurality of selectable regions outside the working region and adjacent the periphery of the working region, each of the first plurality of selectable regions selectable by the user and having an external boundary wherein the external boundary includes the side of the selectable region furthest from the working region, each of the first plurality of selectable regions having either a confiner capable of preventing the movement related signal indicating the location from moving beyond the external boundary of the selectable region or having an activation area extending beyond the external boundary of the selectable region and beyond the display screen, each of the first plurality of selectable regions associated respectively with and simultaneously displaying a sequence of one or more graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences of graphic symbols including one or more ideographs; and (2) selecting the first particular sequence associated with a first particular one of the first plurality of selectable regions responsive to a first intersection of the movement related signal and the first particular selectable region or the activation area associated therewith, thereby providing the user with the ability to select the first particular sequence while overshooting the first particular selectable region with the movement related signal.
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109. For use with a user interface system including a display screen, wherein a body member of a user may indicate successive locations with respect to the display screen, the successive locations including a first, a second, a third, and a fourth location, the display screen including a working region having a periphery, an apparatus for doing and then undoing a function, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a display device for delimiting on the display screen a plurality of selectable regions, each of the selectable regions outside the working region and adjacent the periphery of the working region, each of the selectable regions selectable by the user, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with and simultaneously displaying one sequence of a plurality of sequences of graphic symbols, one of the at least two associated sequences including one or more ideographs, each of the at least two associated sequences having a common characteristic, one of the at least two associated sequences representing a function, another of the sequences representing an undo function; and (b) a selection device for; (1) in response to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a first predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the duration of a first period of intersection, the first period of intersection starting in response to the first location intersecting the selectable region associated with the function and ending in response to the second location intersecting the selectable region associated with the function, performing the function; and (2) in response to a second quantity equalling or exceeding a second predetermined quantity, said second quantity being a function of the duration of a second period of intersection, the second period of intersection starting in response to the third location intersecting the selectable region associated with the undo function and ending in response to the fourth location intersecting the selectable region associated with the undo function, undoing the function.
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110. For use with a user interface system including:
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(1) a menu including a plurality of menu options, wherein each menu option represents a sequence of one or more graphic symbols, at least two sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, each of the at least two sequences having a common characteristic; and (2) a display screen with respect to which nay be at least partially delimited a plurality of selectable regions, each selectable region associated respectively with one of the menu options; and wherein a body member of a user may indicate a first and a second location with respect to the display screen, an apparatus for selecting a particular one of the menu options, said apparatus comprising; (a) a delimit device for at least partially delimiting the selectable regions, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen; (b) a display device for displaying the menu options on the display screen, wherein each displayed menu option indicates the location of the associated selectable region and wherein the particular displayed menu option to be selected does not intersect the particular selectable region associated therewith; and (c) a selection device for selecting the particular menu option responsive to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the duration of a first period of intersection, the first period of intersection starting in response to the first location intersecting the particular selectable region and ending in response to the second location intersecting the particular selectable region. - View Dependent Claims (111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124)
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125. For use with a user interface system including a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, at least two sequences of the plurality of sequences including one or more ideographs, each of the at least two sequences having a common characteristic, and wherein:
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(1) a body member of a user may indicate a first, a second, a third, and a fourth location with respect to a display screen; (2) a plurality of selectable regions may be at least partially delimited on the display screen, the plurality of selectable regions together at least partially circumscribing a region on the display screen, at least two of the selectable regions associated respectively with one of the at least two sequences; and (3) a particular one of the at least two sequences may be selected responsive to a first quantity equalling or exceeding a first predetermined quantity, said first quantity being a function of the duration of a first period of intersection, the first period of intersection starting in response to the first location intersecting the particular selectable region associated with the particular one of the at least two sequences and ending in response to the second location intersecting the particular selectable region; an apparatus for preventing the selection of the particular sequence, said apparatus comprising; a disabling device for preventing, in response to a second quantity equalling or exceeding a second predetermined quantity, said second quantity being a function of the duration of a second period of intersection, the second period of intersection starting in response to the third location intersecting any one of the selectable regions other than the particular selectable region and ending in response to the fourth location intersecting the selectable region intersected by the third location, the selection of the particular sequence while maintaining a power supply to the user interface system. - View Dependent Claims (126, 127)
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128. For use with a user interface system including a display screen, wherein a body member of a user may indicate a location on with respect to the display screen overshooting a desired location on the display screen, an apparatus for selecting a sequence of one or more graphic symbols from a plurality of sequences of one or more graphic symbols, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a delimit device for; (1) delimiting on the display screen a working region having a periphery; and (2) at least partially delimiting with respect to the display screen a plurality of selectable regions, each of the selectable regions outside the working region and adjacent the periphery of the working region, each of the selectable regions selectable by the user, each of the selectable regions associated respectively with and simultaneously displaying on the display screen a sequence of the plurality of sequences of graphic symbols, one or more sequences of the plurality of sequences of graphic symbols including one or more ideographs; and (b) a selection device for selecting the sequence of one or more graphic symbols associated with a particular one of the selectable regions in response to a period of intersection equalling or exceeding a predetermined period, the period of intersection starting with a first location and ending with a second location, each of the first and second locations indicated by the user and intersecting the particular selectable region, either the first and the second locations confined to a portion of the particular selectable region on the display screen or either one or both of the first and the second locations intersecting a portion of the particular selectable region beyond the display screen.
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Specification