GUI selector control

• US 6,369,837 B1
• Filed: 07/17/1998
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lotus Development Corporation (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Schirmer, Andrew L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao H.
• Application Number:
  US09/118,024
• Time in Patent Office: 1,362 Days
• Field of Search: 345/419, 345/115, 345/133, 345/174, 345/145, 345/156, 345/152, 345/334, 345/349, 345/249, 345/355, 345/357, 345/339, 345/764, 345/765, 345/784, 345/839, 345/848, 345/854
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

An improved graphical control for desktop computing systems utilizes one or more control devices with adjustable opacity and size to allow an operator to perform desired operations or edit object properties while also minimizing screen clutter. According to the illustrative embodiment, the graphical control is implemented as one or more “rollerballs” having a peripheral border defining a central interior region. The speed with which the selected value scrolls is dependent upon the active region of the rollerball currently selected. Values associated with the data entity may be scrolled at a rate, which increases nonlinearly as the selected portion of the active region progresses from the central interior region toward the peripheral border. A group of rollerballs, each representing a different entity may be moved collectively about the desktop and ordered in accordance with a predefined criteria, such as frequency of user selection.

Claims

1. A computer program product for use with a computer system having a display apparatus, a graphic user interface and an input device, the computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon for creating a control device to enable selection and control of a data entity, the control device having at least one operational state and a plurality of visual characteristics, including the opacity of the control device, the computer program code comprising;

program code for maintaining the operational state of the control device;

program code, responsive to the program code for maintaining the operational state, for generating a graphic display of the control device;

program code for defining an active region of said graphic display and responsive to selection of a portion of the active region;

program code for displaying a value associated with a data entity to which the control device relates;

program code, responsive to the program code for defining the active region and the program code for displaying a value associated with the data entity, for selectively scrolling through displayed values of the data entity at a rate which varies in response to the portion of the active region selected; and

program code, responsive to the operational state of the control device, for selectively changing the opacity of the control device in relation to changes in the operational state of the control device.

2. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the control device has an inactive operational state and wherein the program code for modifying the opacity of the control device further comprises:

program code for reducing the opacity of the control when the control device is in an inactive operational state.

3. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the control device has an active operational state and wherein the program code for modifying the opacity of the control device further comprises:

program code for increasing the opacity of the control device when the control device is in an active operational state.

4. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein one of the visual characteristics of the control device is the size of the control device and wherein the program code for generating a graphical display of the control device comprises:

program code, responsive to an operational state of the control device, for modifying the size of the control device in response to changes in the operational state of the control device.

5. The computer program product of claim 4 wherein the control device has an inactive operational state and wherein the program code for modifying the size of the control device further comprises:

program code for reducing the size of the control device when the control device is in an inactive operational state.

6. The computer program product of claim 4 wherein the control device has an active operational state and wherein the program code for modifying the size of the control device further comprises:

program code for increasing the size of the control device when the control device is in an active operational state.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising:

program code for creating a group of control devices, selected of the control devices each representing a different data entity; and

program code for arranging the group of control devices based on a predetermined criteria.

8. A computer program product of claim 7 wherein the program code for ordering the group of control devices based on a predetermined criteria comprises:

program code for arranging the group of control devices in an ordered configuration based on frequency of user-selection.

9. The computer product program of claim 7, wherein the program code for creating a group of control devices comprises:

a program code for allowing movement of the group of control devices as a collective entity about the graphic user interface.

10. The computer product program of claim 7, wherein the program code for ordering the group of control devices further comprises:

a program code for arranging the group of control devices in a spiral configuration.

11. The computer product program of claim 10, wherein the program code for arranging the group of control devices further comprises:

program code for positioning a most frequently used control device of the group at the center of the spiral configuration and for positioning a least frequently used control device of the group at the distal end of the spiral configuration.

25. The method of claim 3, wherein the control device has an inactive operational state and the step of modifying the opacity of the control device comprises:

decreasing the opacity of the control device when the control device is in an inactive operational state.

12. In a computer system having a display device with a graphical user interface and an input device, a graphical control device for selecting and controlling user selectable parameters, the control device having one or more operational states and visual characteristics, including the opacity of the control device, comprising:

program logic for displaying the control device;

program logic for displaying a value related to the parameter associated with the control device;

program logic for defining an active region of the control device and for enabling selection of a portion of the active region, each portion of the active region having associated therewith a scrolling rate; and

program logic for modifying the opacity of the control device in response to changes in the operational state of the control device.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the control device has an active operational state and the program logic for modifying the opacity of the control device comprises:

program logic for increasing the opacity of the control device when the control device is in an active operational state.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the control device has an inactive operational state and the program logic for modifying the opacity of the control device comprises:

program logic for decreasing the opacity of the control device when the control device is in an inactive operational state.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the program logic for modifying the visual characteristics of the control device comprises:

program logic for modifying the size of the control device in response to changes in the operational state of the control device.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the control device has an active operational state and the program logic for modifying the size of the control device comprises:

program logic for increasing the size of the control device when the control device is in an active operational state.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the control device has an inactive operational state and the program logic for modifying the size of the control device comprises:

program logic for decreasing the size of the control device when the frequency of user selection.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

program logic, responsive to the portion of the active region selected, for selectively scrolling through displayed predefined values of the associated parameter at a rate associated with the portion of the active region selected.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the active region is characterized by a peripheral border surrounding a central interior region and wherein the program logic for selectively scrolling displays values of the associated parameter at a rate which is slower when the selected portion of the active region is in the central interior region than the rate when the selected portion of the active region is proximate the peripheral border.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the active region is characterized by a peripheral border surrounding a central interior region and wherein the program logic for scrolling displays values of the associated parameter at a rate which is faster when the selected portion of the active region is in the central interior region than the rate when the selected portion of the active region is proximate the peripheral border.

21. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

a program logic for creating and displaying a plurality of graphical control devices, selected of each of the control device being associated with a different user selectable parameter.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

a program logic for displaying the plurality of control devices in an ordered configuration based on frequency of user-selection.

23. In a computer system having a display device with a graphical user interface and an input device, a method for selecting and controlling user selectable parameters with a graphic control device having one or more operational states and visual characteristics, including the opacity of the control device, the method comprising:

generating and displaying a control device;

displaying a value related to the parameter associated with the control device;

defining an active region of the control device and enabling selection of a portion of the active region, each portion of the active region having associated therewith a scrolling rate; and

modifying the opacity of the control device in response to changes in the operational state of the control device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the control device has an active operational state and the step of modifying the opacity of the control device comprises:

increasing the opacity of the control device when the control device is in an active operational state.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of modifying the visual characteristics of the control device comprises:

modifying the size of the control device in response to changes in the operational state of the control device.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the control device has an active operational state and the step of modifying the size of the control device comprises:

increasing the size of the control device when the control device is in an active operational state.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the control device has an inactive operational state and the step of modifying the size of the control device comprises:

decreasing the size of the control device when the frequency of user selection.

29. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

selectively scrolling through displayed predefined values of the associated parameter at a rate associated with the portion of the active region selected, in responsive to selection of a portion of the active region.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the active region is characterized by a peripheral border surrounding a central interior region and wherein the step of selectively scrolling displays values of the associated parameter at a rate which is slower when the selected portion of the active region is in the central interior region than the rate when the selected portion of the active region is proximate the peripheral border.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein the active region is characterized by a peripheral border surrounding a central interior region and wherein the step of scrolling displays values of the associated parameter at a rate which is faster when the selected portion of the active region is in the central interior region than the rate when the selected portion of the active region is proximate the peripheral border.

32. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

creating and displaying a plurality of graphical control devices, selected of each of the control device being associated with a different user selectable parameter.

33. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

displaying the plurality of control devices in an ordered configuration based on frequency of user-selection.