Action bins for computer user interface

• US 6,128,010 A
• Filed: 10/06/1997
• Issued: 10/03/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Assistive Technology, Inc. (Tobii Dynavox AB)
• Original Assignee: Assistive Technology, Inc. (Tobii Dynavox AB)
• Inventors: Koeppel, Brent, Baxter, Paul, Leban, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao H.
• Application Number:
  US09/109,149
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: 345/326, 345/333, 345/334, 345/339, 345/348, 345/349
• US Class Current: 715/846
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 3/02 Sacks or packs carried on the body by means of one strap passing over the shoulder
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04897 Special input arrangements or commands for improving display capability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A general purpose computer functions as an augmented assisted computing (AAC) system. The AAC system facilitates user access to, and control of, general purpose computer programs. In particular, the computing device is universally accessible to all users, regardless of physical ability.

Claims

1. A method of operating a computer having an object structure accessible by a user to trigger an action, the action dependent on a type of user access, the method comprising:

associating an announce bin with the object structure, the announce bin defined to store a plurality of announce actions triggerable by an announcement-type access by the user;

associating a preview bin with the object structure, the preview bin defined to store a plurality of preview actions triggerable by a preview-type access by the user;

associating an execute bin with the object structure, the execute bin defined to store a plurality of execute actions triggerable by an execute-type access by the user; and

storing a plurality of actions in at least one of the bins.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein storing a plurality of actions in a bin comprises storing an ordered list of actions.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising merging actions stored in a plurality of bins upon an access of the object structure by the user.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising assigning a plurality of object structures to an environment structure.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising displaying a representation of the environment stricture to the user on a display device, each object structure assigned to the environment being represented by an icon, each icon drawn on the environment in accordance with a draw order stored in the environment structure.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising assigning a background image to the environment structure.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising creating a new environment by copying a displayed background image to a displayed object.

8. The method of claim 5 further comprising scanning the displayed icons in accordance with a scan order stored in the environment structure.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising grouping a plurality of icons together to form a scan group of object structures.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising editing object structures through an environment structure.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising editing system preferences through an environment structure.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising accessing the object structures by an input switch device.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the announce action include a statically-defined automatic action.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprises triggering a preview action from the preview bin in response to an execute-type access to an empty execute bin.

15. A computing system having an object structure accessible by a user to trigger an action, the action dependent on a type of user access, the system comprising:

an announce bin associated with the object structure, the announce bin defined to store a plurality of announce actions triggerable by an announcement-type access by the user;

a preview bin associated with the object structure, the preview bin defined to store a plurality of preview actions triggerable by a preview-type access by the user;

an execute bin associated with the object structure, the execute bin defined to store a plurality of execute actions triggerable by an execute-type access by the user; and

storing a plurality of actions in at least one of the bins.

16. The system of claim 15 the plurality of actions stored in a bin are stored as an ordered list of actions.

17. The system of claim 15 further comprising a mechanism to merge actions stored in a plurality of bins upon an access of the object structure by the user.

18. The system of claim 15 further comprising a plurality of object structures assigned to an environment structure.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising a display device displaying a representation of the environment structure to the user, each object structure assigned to the environment being represented by an icon, each icon drawn on the environment in accordance with a draw order stored in the environment structure.

20. The system of claim 19 further comprising a background image assigned to the environment structure.

21. The system of claim 20 further comprising a new environment derived from a displayed background image copied to a displayed object.

22. The system of claim 19 further comprising a mechanism to scan the displayed icons in accordance with a scan order stored in the environment structure.

23. The system of claim 22 further comprising a plurality of icons grouped together to form a scan group of object structures.

24. The system of claim 15 further comprising an editor to edit object structures through an environment structure.

25. The system of claim 15 further comprising a mechanism to edit system preferences through an environment structure.

26. The system of claim 15 further comprising an input switch device for accessing the object structures.

27. The system of claim 15 wherein the announce action includes a statically-defined automatic action.

28. The system of claim 15 wherein the execute bin is empty and a preview action from the preview bin is triggered by an execute-type access.

29. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer-readable medium;

a computer program stored in the medium, the program including a method of operating a computer having an object structure accessible by a user to trigger an action, the action dependent on a type of user access, the method comprising;

associating an announce bin with the object structure, the announce bin defined to store a plurality of announce actions triggerable by an announcement-type access by the user;

associating a preview bin with the object structure, the preview bin defined to store a plurality of preview actions triggerable by a preview-type access by the user;

associating an execute bin with the object structure, the execute bin defined to store a plurality of execute actions triggerable by an execute-type access by the user; and

storing a plurality of actions in at least one of the bins.

30. The article of claim 29 wherein storing a plurality of actions in a bin comprises storing an ordered list of actions.

31. The article of claim 29 wherein the method further comprises merging actions stored in a plurality of bins upon an access of the object structure by the user.

32. The article of claim 29 wherein the method further comprises assigning a plurality of object structures to an environment structure.

33. The article of claim 32 wherein the method further comprises displaying a representation of the environment structure to the user on a display device, each object structure assigned to the environment being represented by an icon, each icon drawn on the environment in accordance with a draw order stored in the environment structure.

34. The article of claim 33 wherein the method further comprises assigning a background image to the environment structure.

35. The article of claim 34 wherein the method further comprises creating a new environment by copying a displayed background image to a displayed object.

36. The article of claim 33 wherein the method further comprises scanning the displayed icons in accordance with a scan order stored in the environment structure.

37. The article of claim 36 wherein the method further comprises grouping a plurality of icons together to form a scan group of object structures.

38. The article of claim 29 wherein the method further comprises editing object structures through an environment structure.

39. The article of claim 29 wherein the method further comprises editing system preferences through an environment structure.

40. The article of claim 29 wherein the method further comprises accessing the object structures by an input switch device.

41. The article of claim 29 wherein the announce action includes a statically-defined automatic action.

42. The article of claim 29 wherein the method further comprises triggering a preview action from the preview bin in response to an execute-type access to an empty execute bin.

43. A method of operating a computer having an object structure accessible by a user to trigger an action, the action dependent on a type of user access, the method comprising:

in an announce bin, storing an announce action associated with the object structure and triggerable by an announcement-type access by the user;

in a preview bin, storing a preview action associated with the object structure and triggerable by a preview-type access by the user;

in an execute bin, storing an execute action associated with the object structure and triggerable by an execute-type access by the user; and

merging actions stored in a plurality of bins upon an access of the object structure by the user.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein storing comprises storing a plurality of actions in at least one of the bins.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein storing comprises storing a plurality of actions as an ordered list.

46. The method of claim 43 further comprising assigning a plurality of object structures to an environment structure.

47. The method of claim 46 further comprising displaying a representation of the environment structure to the user on a display device, each object structure assigned to the environment being represented by an icon, each icon drawn on the environment in accordance with a draw order stored in the environment structure.

48. The method of claim 47 further comprising assigning a background image to the environment structure.

49. The method of claim 48 further comprising creating a new environment by copying a displayed background image to a displayed object.

50. The method of claim 47 further comprising scanning the displayed icons in accordance with a scan order stored in the environment structure.

51. The method of claim 50 further comprising grouping a plurality of icons together to form a scan group of object structures.

52. The method of claim 43 further comprising editing object structures through an environment structure.

53. The method of claim 43 further comprising editing system preferences through an environment structure.

54. The method of claim 43 further comprising accessing the object structures by an input switch device.

55. The method of claim 43 wherein the announce action includes a statically-defined automatic action.

56. A computing system having an object structure accessible by a user to trigger an action, the action dependent on a type of user access, the system comprising:

an announce bin having stored therein an announce action associated with the object structure and triggerable by an announcement-type access by the user;

a preview bin having stored therein a preview action associated with the object structure and triggerable by a preview-type access by the user;

an execute bin having stored therein an execute action associated with the object structure and triggerable by an execute-type access by the user;

a mechanism to merge actions stored in a plurality of bins upon an access of the object structure by the user.

57. The system of claim 56 wherein a plurality of actions are stored in at least one of the bins.

58. The system of claim 57 wherein the plurality of actions are stored as an ordered list.

59. The system of claim 56 wherein a plurality of object structures are assigned to an environment structure.

60. The system of claim 59 further comprising a display device displaying a representation of the environment structure to the user, each object structure assigned to the environment being represented by an icon, each icon drawn on the environment in accordance with a draw order stored in the environment structure.

61. The system of claim 60 further comprising a background image assigned to the environment structure.

62. The system of claim 61 further comprising a new environment based on a displayed background image copied to a displayed object.

63. The system of claim 60 further comprising a mechanism to scan the displayed icons in accordance with a scan order stored in the environment structure.

64. The system of claim 63 further comprising a plurality of icons grouped together to form a scan group of object structures.

65. The system of claim 56 further comprising an editor to edit object structures through an environment structure.

66. The system of claim 56 further comprising mechanism to an edit system preferences through an environment structure.

67. The system of claim 56 further comprising an input switch device for accessing the object structures.

68. The system of claim 56 wherein the announce action includes a statically-defined automatic action.

69. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer-readable medium;

a computer program stored in the medium, the program including a method of operating a computer having an object structure accessible by a user to trigger an action, the action dependent on a type of user access, the method comprising the steps of;

in an announce bin, storing an announce action associated with the object structure and triggerable by an announcement-type access by the user;

in a preview bin, storing a preview action associated with the object structure and triggerable by a preview-type access by the user;

in an execute bin, storing an execute action associated with the object structure and triggerable by an execute-type access by the user; and

merging actions stored in a plurality of bins upon an access of the object structure by the user.

70. The article of claim 69 wherein storing an action comprises storing a plurality of actions in at least one of the bins.

71. The article of claim 70 wherein storing a plurality of actions comprises storing a plurality of actions as an ordered list.

72. The article of claim 69 wherein the method further comprises assigning a plurality of object structures to an environment structure.

73. The article of claim 72 wherein the method further comprises displaying a representation of the environment structure to the user on a display device, each object structure assigned to the environment being represented by an icon, each icon drawn on the environment in accordance with a draw order stored in the environment structure.

74. The article of claim 73 wherein the method further comprises assigning a background image to the environment structure.

75. The article of claim 74 wherein the method further comprises creating a new environment by copying a displayed background image to a displayed object.

76. The article of claim 73 wherein the method further comprises scanning the displayed icons in accordance with a scan order stored in the environment structure.

77. The article of claim 76 wherein the method further comprises grouping a plurality of icons together to form a scan group of object structures.

78. The article of claim 76 wherein the method further comprises editing object structures through an environment structure.

79. The article of claim 69 wherein the method further comprises editing system preferences through an environment structure.

80. The article of claim 69 wherein the method further comprises accessing the object structures by an input switch device.

81. The article of claim 69 wherein the announce action includes a statically-defined automatic action.