Control apparatus and method of selecting a graphical object and changing display attributes thereof

• US 6,337,700 B1
• Filed: 05/07/1999
• Issued: 01/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Activision Publishing Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kinoe, Yohsuke, Hama, Toshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Application Number:
  US09/307,463
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 345/854, 345/863, 345/856, 345/850, 345/630, 345/420, 345/964, 345/621, 345/421, 345/419, 345/766, 345/767, 345/768, 345/833, 345/848, 345/851, 345/852, 345/853
• US Class Current: 715/854
• 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: Y10S 715/964 CAD or CAM, e.g. interactive design tools

Abstract

A method of quickly displaying a truly intended graphical object among graphical objects hidden in complex in the screen by a simple mouse operation. A group of graphical objects which are a set of a plurality of graphical objects is displayed on a display screen. Each graphical object is managed by a hierarchical structure and displayed in the display screen based on graphical definition data. When an operator selects one graphical object from a group of graphical objects, an operation tablet is generated. When the operator moves a pointer to the right on the operation tablet, graphical objects positioned fore side are changed to non-display one after another and a graphical object hiding behind them is revealed. By moving the pointer downwardly after the operator clicks the left button of a mouse, graphical objects of the same hierarchy as the focused graphical object are changed to non-display in unison so that a desired graphical object can be efficiently searched for selection.

Claims

1. A method of selecting one graphical object among a group of graphical objects displayed in a display screen based on graphic definition information of multiple graphical objects which are managed by hierarchical attribute information on a graphical objects display control apparatus having a display screen and an input device, said method comprising:

(a) a step of displaying a group of graphical objects on said display screen;

(b) a step of displaying on said display screen an operation tablet in which an operable pointer is positioned by said input device;

(c) a step of detecting the movement of said pointer in a first direction on said operation tablet;

(d) a step of modifying a display attribute of a second graphical object ordered next to a first graphical object depending on said graphic definition information in response to the detection of the movement of said pointer in the first direction;

(e) a step of detecting the movement of said pointer in a second direction on said operation tablet;

(f) a step of modifying a display attribute of a third and a fourth graphical object having a common hierarchical attribute information to said second graphical object in response to the detection of the movement of said pointer in the second direction to recognizably display a fifth graphical object on said display screen; and

(g) a step of detecting an operator input selecting said fifth graphical object.

2. A method of selecting one graphical object among a group of graphical objects displayed in a display screen based on graphic definition information of multiple graphical objects which are managed by a group relationship on a graphical objects display control apparatus having a display screen and an input device, said method comprising:

(a) a step of modifying a display attribute of a second graphical object ordered next to a first graphical object depending on said graphic definition information in response to an operator input which is classified into a first category and uses said input device; and

(b) a step of modifying a display attribute of a third graphical object belonging to a group common to said second graphical object in response to an operator input which is classified into a second category which is different from said first category and uses said input device.

3. A graphical object display control apparatus having a display screen and an input device, said apparatus comprising:

(a) graphic definition data defining a graphical object displayed on said display screen;

(b) graphical object hierarchy definition data for managing hierarchical attribute information of said graphical object;

(c) a display part for displaying a group of graphical objects on said display screen;

(d) a display processing part for generating an operation tablet in which is positioned a pointer which is operable by said input device;

(e) a display status modifying range determination part

(e-1) for modifying a display attribute of a second graphical object ordered next to a first graphical object depending on said graphic definition information in response to the detection of the movement of said pointer in a first direction, and

(e-2) for modifying a display attribute of a third and a fourth graphical object having a common hierarchical attribute information to said second graphical object in response to the detection of the movement of said pointer in a second direction to recognizably display a fifth graphical object on said display screen; and

(f) an event detection part for detecting an operator input selecting said fifth graphical object.

4. A graphical object display control apparatus having a display screen and an input device, said apparatus comprising:

(a) graphic definition data defining a graphical object displayed on said display screen;

(b) graphical object hierarchy definition data for managing a group relationship between said graphical objects;

(c) a display status modifying range determination part

(c-1) for modifying a display attribute of a second graphical object ordered next to a first graphical object depending on said graphic definition information in response to an operator input which is classified into a first category and uses said input device, and

(c-2) for modifying a display attribute of a third graphical object belonging to a group common to said second graphical object in response to an operator input which is classified into a second category which is different from said first category and uses said input device.

5. A recording medium for storing a program for controlling selection of one graphical object among a group of graphical objects displayed in a display screen based on graphic definition information of multiple graphical objects which are managed by hierarchical attribute information on a graphical objects display control apparatus having a display screen and an input device, said control program comprising:

(a) a program code indicating said display control apparatus to display a group of graphical objects on said display screen;

(b) a program code indicating said display control apparatus to display on said display screen an operation tablet in which an operable pointer is positioned by said input device;

(c) a program code indicating said display control apparatus to detect the movement of said pointer in a first direction on said operation tablet;

(d) a program code indicating said display control apparatus to modify a display attribute of a second graphical object ordered next to a first graphical object depending on said graphic definition information in response to the detection of the movement of said pointer in the first direction;

(e) a program code indicating said display control apparatus to detect the movement of said pointer in a second direction on said operation tablet;

(f) a program code indicating said display control apparatus to modify a display attribute of a third and a fourth graphical object having a common hierarchical attribute information to said second graphical object in response to the detection of the movement of said pointer in the second direction to recognizably display a fifth graphical object on said display screen; and

(g) a program code indicating said display control apparatus to detect an operator input selecting said fifth graphical object.

6. A recording medium for storing a program for controlling selection of one graphical object among a group of graphical objects displayed in a display screen based on graphic definition information of multiple graphical objects which are managed by a group relationship on a graphical objects display control apparatus having a display screen and an input device, said control program comprising:

(a) a program code indicating said display control apparatus to modify a display attribute of a second graphical object ordered next to a first graphical object depending on said graphic definition information in response to an operator input which is classified into a first category and uses said input device; and

(b) a program code indicating said display control apparatus to modify a display attribute of a third graphical object belonging to a group common to said second graphical object in response to an operator input which is classified into a second category which is different from said first category and uses said input device.