Dynamic presentation of frequently changing values

• US 6,094,195 A
• Filed: 02/11/1998
• Issued: 07/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Clark, David John, Smith, Andrew John, Dobson, Adam Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, David E.
• Application Number:
  US09/022,099
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 345/333, 345/334, 345/335, 345/348, 345/349, 345/350, 345/351, 345/352, 345/353, 345/354, 345/977, 345/970, 709/303, 709/302
• US Class Current: 715/839
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/97 Instrumentation and component modelling, e.g. interactive control panel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/977 Dynamic icon, e.g. animated or live action

Abstract

A user interface component, gauge, is adapted to present a changing value according to a pre-determined behavioral and presentational characteristic. The component includes a kernel which is adapted to display a presentation value; a control interface through which an external system communicates the changing value to the kernel; a presentation interface through which the presentation characteristic of the user interface component is determined; and a behavior interface through which an external system communicates with said kernel to determine the behavioral characteristic of the user interface component.

Claims

1. A user interface component for presenting a changing value according to a pre-determined behavioural and presentational characteristic, said component comprising:

a kernel that displays a presentation value;

a control interface through which an external system communicates the changing value to the kernel, wherein said presentation value is derived from said changing value;

a presentation interface through which the presentation characteristic of the user interface component is determined; and

a behaviour interface through which an external system communicates with said kernel to determine the behavioural characteristic of the user interface component, wherein said behaviour interface receives said changing value and said presentation value, wherein said interface communicates a next presentation value to a behaviour customisation, and wherein said behaviour interface determines said next presentation value according to an inertial behavioural model.

2. The user interface component of claim 1, wherein said behaviour interface enables said behaviour customisation to indicate to the kernel if the presentation value is synchronised with said changing value.

3. The user interface component of claim 1, wherein said behaviour interface enables said behaviour customisation to control when the kernel will next communicate with said customisation to determine said next presentation value.

4. The user interface component of claim 1, wherein the behaviour interface indicates said presentation value is synchronised with said changing value when said presentation value is equal to said changing value.

5. The user interface component of claim 1, wherein the behaviour interface indicates said presentation value is synchronised with said changing value when said presentation value is substantially equal to said changing value and the rate of change of said presentation value is substantially zero.

6. A method of presenting a changing value in a user interface component, wherein a behaviour interface communicates with a behaviour customisation to determine the behavioural characteristic of the user interface component, comprising the steps of:

consulting the behaviour customisation to determine a next presentation value;

submitting the next presentation value for presentation to a user;

consulting the behaviour customisation to determine whether or not the presentation value is synchronised;

if the presentation value is synchronised, issuing any required notifications of this, via a control interface;

consulting the behaviour customisation to determine, according to whether or not the user interface component is synchronised, a time delay after which the behaviour customisation is to be consulted;

in response to a change in said value before said specified time delay elapses, said steps are executed again; and

when no change in said value occurs, waiting until said specified time delay elapses to commence said steps again.