Graphic object manipulating tool

• US 6,448,964 B1
• Filed: 03/15/1999
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Computer Associates Think Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Myers, Robert K., Isaacs, Paul, Schaefer, Kurt J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phu K.
• Application Number:
  US09/267,351
• Time in Patent Office: 1,275 Days
• Field of Search: 345/419, 345/427, 345/355, 345/356, 345/357, 345/184
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour

Abstract

A graphic object manipulation tool includes a knob that controls a graphic object manipulation function, a planar indicator having a center point, and a linear indicator passing through the planar indicator'"'"'s center point in a direction perpendicular to the plane defined by the planar indicator. The planar indicator and the linear indicator automatically align themselves relative to a feature of the graphic object when the tool is placed on the feature.

Claims

1. A graphic object manipulation tool comprising:

a knob that controls a graphic object manipulation function;

a planar indicator having a center point; and

a linear indicator passing through the planar indicator'"'"'s center point in a direction perpendicular to the plane defined by the planar indicator, wherein the planar indicator and the linear indicator automatically align themselves relative to a feature of the graphic object when the tool is placed on the feature.

2. The manipulation tool of claim 1 wherein, when the feature comprises a polygon, the tool realigns such that the plane of the planar indicator is coplanar with a plane of the polygon.

3. The manipulation tool of claim 1 wherein, when the feature comprises an edge, the tool realigns such that the linear indicator is colinear with the edge.

4. The manipulation tool of claim 1 wherein, when the feature comprises a point, the tool realigns such that the planar indicator is coplanar with a plane whose normal is the average of plane normals for edges that touch that point.

5. The manipulation tool of claim 1 wherein the manipulation function comprises rotating a feature of a graphic object.

6. The manipulation tool of claim 1 further comprising another knob, wherein one of the knobs is for controlling scaling of a feature of a graphic object and the other knob is for controlling rotation of the feature of the graphic object.

7. The manipulation tool of claim 1 wherein the knob is positioned on the planar indicator for rotating the planar indicator to cause a corresponding rotation of the feature of the graphic object.

8. The manipulation tool of claim 1 wherein the manipulation function comprises rotating a feature of a graphic object in a dimension about the linear indicator.

9. The manipulation tool of claim 1 wherein the manipulation function comprises rotating a feature of a graphic object in three dimensions about the planar indicator'"'"'s center point.

10. The manipulation tool of claim 1 wherein the manipulation function comprises scaling a feature of a graphic object.

11.The manipulation tool of claim 10 wherein the knob is positioned at an end of the linear indicator, and wherein moving the knob causes a corresponding scaling of the feature of the graphic object.

13. The manipulation tool of claim 1 wherein the manipulation function comprises scaling a feature of a graphic object in one dimension along the linear indicator and about the planar indicator'"'"'s center.

14. The manipulation tool of claim 1 wherein the manipulation function comprises scaling a feature of a graphic object about the planar indicator'"'"'s center point in two dimensions within the plane defined by the planar indicator.

15. The manipulation tool of claim 1 wherein the manipulation function comprises scaling a feature of a graphic object in three dimensions about the planar indicator'"'"'s center.

16. The manipulation tool of claim 1 further comprising at least one spoke extending from an edge point of the planar indicator to the planar indicator'"'"'s center point.

18. The manipulation tool of claim 1 wherein the planar indicator comprises a wheel.

19. The manipulation tool of claim 1 wherein the linear indicator comprises an axle.

20. The manipulation tool of claim 1 wherein the planar indicator comprises a two-dimensional ring.

21. The manipulation tool of claim 1 wherein the planar indicator comprises a disk.

22. The manipulation tool of claim 1 wherein the planar indicator comprises a series of discrete points forming a discontinuous two-dimensional circle.

23. The manipulation tool of claim 1 wherein the planar indicator comprises a solid and continuous three-dimensional disk.

24. The manipulation tool of claim 1 wherein the planar indicator comprises a non-circular shape.

25. The manipulation tool of claim 1 wherein the linear indicator comprises a one-dimensional line.

26. The manipulation tool of claim 1 wherein the linear indicator comprises a multi-dimensional rod.

11. The manipulation tool of claim 11 wherein movement of the knob towards the planar indicator'"'"'s center causes the feature of the graphic object to shrink.

12. The manipulation tool of claim 11 wherein movement of the knob away from the planar indicator'"'"'s center causes the feature of the graphic object to enlarge.

17. The manipulation tool of claim 17 wherein the knob is positioned at an intersection formed by the at least one spoke and an edge point on the planar indicator.

27. The manipulation tool of claim 27 wherein the multi-dimensional rod comprises a cylindrical shape.