Drag operation gesture controller

• US 6,057,844 A
• Filed: 04/28/1997
• Issued: 05/02/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Inventors: Strauss, Randolph A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thai, Cuong T.
• Application Number:
  US08/847,815
• Time in Patent Office: 1,100 Days
• Field of Search: 345/145, 345/348, 345/354, 345/347, 345/352, 345/339, 345/346, 345/358
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop

Abstract

A method and system for refining the function performed by a drag operation during the drag operation. After a drag operation begins, a "Drag Toolbar" appears with controls that change the current function of the drag operation when the cursor is moved over a selected control. In the preferred embodiment, the controls are mutually exclusive "radio buttons". However, the controls may be cumulative "check boxes", or incrementing/decrementing, or allow navigation, or otherwise permit object manipulation. The Drag Toolbar may be fixed in place or be a floating palette, may be of various shapes and forms. Selection of a control from the Drag Toolbar may be indicated in any of various manners. The depiction of the cursor may be changed as controls are selected during the drag operation to further indicate which control has been selected. In another embodiment, the Drag Toolbar may be floating and have a "follow me" characteristic, where the Drag Toolbar moves so as to always be within a certain distance from the cursor. The invention provides an unambiguous way for a user to change the drag functionality of a cursor during a drag operation. Thus, a user need not memorize different keyboard modifier combinations. Further, the graphical user interface is not cluttered, since the Drag Toolbar only appears when a drag operation is initiated. The invention can be used for other applications as well, such as drawing mode changes.

Claims

1. In a graphical user interface of a computer system, a method for changing a current function of a cursor during a drag operation on an object, including the steps of:

(a) displaying after initiation of a drag operation, a toolbar containing at least one selectable control button, at least one control button defining an associated cursor function;

(b) monitoring, during the drag operation, for selection by the cursor of at least one such control buttons having an associated cursor function; and

(c) changing, during the drag operation, the current function of the cursor to the cursor function associated with at least one selected control button,

wherein the toolbar indicates options available upon release of the dragged object for each area of the graphic user interface underlying a current position of the cursor.

2. In a graphical user interface of a computer system, a method for changing a current function of a cursor during a drag operation on an object, including the steps of:

(a) displaying after initiation of a drag operation, a toolbar containing at least one selectable control button, at least one control button defining an associated cursor function;

(b) monitoring, during the drag operation, for selection by the cursor of at least one such control buttons having an associated cursor function;

(c) changing, during the drag operation, the current function of the cursor to the cursor function associated with at least one selected control button; and

(d) removing the displayed toolbar after completion of the drag operation.

3. A method for controlling a graphical user interface of a computer system, including the steps of:

(a) initiating a drag operation on an object by a cursor, the cursor having a current function;

(b) displaying a toolbar containing at least one selectable control button, at least one control button defining an associated cursor function;

(c) monitoring, during the drag operation, for selection by the cursor of at least one of such control buttons having an associated cursor function;

(d) changing, during the drag operation, the current function of the cursor to the cursor function associated with at least one selected control button; and

(e) applying the current function of the cursor to the object upon releasing the object,

wherein the toolbar indicates options available upon release of the dragged object for each area of the graphic user interface underlying a current position of the cursor.

4. A method for controlling a graphical user interface of a computer system, including the steps of:

(a) initiating a drag operation on an object by a cursor, the cursor having a current function;

(b) displaying a toolbar containing at least one selectable control button, at least one control button defining an associated cursor function;

(c) monitoring, during the drag operation, for selection by the cursor of at least one of such control buttons having an associated cursor function;

(d) changing, during the drag operation, the current function of the cursor to the cursor function associated with at least one selected control button;

(e) applying the current function of the cursor to the object upon releasing the object; and

(f) removing the displayed toolbar after completion of the drag operation.

5. A method for controlling a graphical user interface of a computer system, including the steps of:

(a) initiating a drag operation on an object by a cursor, the object having a current characteristic;

(b) displaying, after initiation of the drag operation, a toolbar containing at least one selectable control button, at least one control button defining an associated object characteristic;

(c) monitoring, during the drag operation, for selection by the cursor of at least one such control buttons having an associated object characteristic; and

(d) applying to the object the object characteristic associated with at least one selected control button,

wherein the toolbar indicates options available upon release of the dragged object for each area of the graphic user interface underlying a current position of the cursor.

6. A computer program, residing on a computer-readable medium, for changing a current function of a cursor during a drag operation on an object in a graphical user interface of a computer system system, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

(a) display, after initiation of the drag operation, a toolbar containing at least one selectable control button, at least one control button defining an associated cursor function;

(b) monitor, during the drag operation, for selection by the cursor of at least one of such control buttons having an associated cursor function; and

(c) change, during the drag operation, the current function of the cursor to the cursor function associated with at least one selected control button,

wherein the toolbar indicates options available upon release of the dragged object for each area of the graphic user interface underlying a current position of the cursor.

7. A computer program, residing on a computer-readable medium, for changing a current function of a cursor during a drag operation on an object in a graphical user interface of a computer system, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

(a) display, after initiation of the drag operation, a toolbar containing at least one selectable control button, at least one control button defining an associated cursor function;

(b) monitor, during the drag operation, for selection by the cursor of at least one of such control buttons having an associated cursor function;

(c) change, during the drag operation, the current function of the cursor to the cursor function associated with at least one selected control button; and

(d) remove the displayed toolbar after completion of the drag operation.

8. A computer program, residing on a computer-readable medium, for controlling a graphical user interface of a computer system, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

(a) initiate a drag operation on an object by a cursor, the cursor having a current function;

(b) display a toolbar containing at least one selectable control button, at least one of such control button defining an associated cursor function;

(c) monitor, during the drag operation, for selection by the cursor of at least one of such control buttons having an associated cursor function;

(d) change, during the drag operation, the current function of the cursor to the cursor function associated with at least one selected control button; and

(e) apply the current function of the cursor to the object upon releasing the object,

wherein the toolbar indicates options available upon release of the dragged object for each area of the graphic user interface underlying a current position of the cursor.

9. A computer program, residing on a computer-readable medium, for controlling a graphical user interface of a computer system, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

(a) initiate or drag operation on an object by a cursor, the cursor having a current function;

(b) display a toolbar containing at least one selectable control button, at least one control button defining an associated cursor function;

(c) monitor, during the drag operation, for selection by the cursor of at least one of such control buttons having an associated cursor function;

(d) change, during the drag operation, the current function of the cursor to the cursor function associated with at least one selected control button;

(e) apply the current function of the cursor to the object upon releasing the object; and

(f) remove the displayed toolbar after completion of the drag operation.

10. A computer program, residing on a computer-readable medium, for controlling a graphical user interface of a computer system, the computer program comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

(a) initiate a drag operation on an object by a cursor, the object having a current characteristic;

(b) display, after initiation of the drag operation, a toolbar containing at least one selectable control button, at least one control button defining an associated object characteristic;

(c) monitor, during the drag operation, for selection by the cursor of at least one of such control buttons having an associated object characteristics; and

(d) apply to the object the object characteristic associated with at least one selected control button,

wherein the toolbar indicates options available upon release of the dragged object for each area of the graphic user interface underlying a current position of the cursor.

11. A drag and drop method of dynamically augmenting drag and drop functions initiated, with respect to a presently displayed object, in response to dragging of a pointing device on a graphical user interface, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) identifying a drag operation gesture of the pointing device relative to the presently displayed object; and

(b) initiating a drag and drop operation in response to the drag operation gesture, the drag and drop operation including the steps of;

(1) identifying possible drag and drop functions operable on the presently displayed object;

(2) identifying among the possible drag and drop functions any initial default drag and drop functions;

(3) displaying a toolbar containing at least one of the possible drag and drop functions, including highlighting at least one of the any initial default drag and drop functions;

(4) identifying one or more of the drag and drop functions selected fro the displayed toolbar by the pointing device;

(5) designating the selected drag and drop functions as default drag and drop functions, including deselecting at least one initial default drag and drop function not presently selected; and

(6) performing the currently designated default drag and drop functions on the presently displayed object upon occurrence of a drop event.