Simplified method for setting time using a graphical representation of an analog clock face

• US 6,601,988 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2001
• Issued: 08/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Molander, Mark E.
• Primary Examiner(s): MISKA, VIT W
• Application Number:
  US09/811,926
• Publication Number:
  US 20020131331A1
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 368/10, 368/69, 368/82-84, 368/185-187, 368/223, 368/239, 368/242, 345/156, 345/159, 345/160, 345/163
• US Class Current: 368/187
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/00 Input or output devices integrated in time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials

Abstract

Time values (hour, minute, AM/PM parameter) can be simply and quickly set in a computer system using a graphical representation of a circular analog clock face. Time setting zones (hour-indicative sectors and minute-indicative subsectors) are defined on the displayed clock face. A user selects an hour and a minute value in a single point-and-click operation by moving a cursor into the appropriate subsector within the appropriate sector and then performing a cursor select operation. Two different approaches are described for choosing an AM or a PM parameter to be associated with the selected time value.

Claims

1. For use in a computer system that includes a display screen and a user-controlled pointing device for positioning a cursor on the display screen and providing position input in response to a user-initiated pointing device select operation, a method of establishing a time value comprising the steps of:

a) displaying an analog clock face on the display screen with an hour hand and a minute hand set to initial time values;

b) creating a time setting zone centered on the clock face and divided into a number of sectors equal to the number of hours represented on the clock face;

c) detecting a cursor position input resulting from a select operation while the cursor is in the time setting zone; and

d) setting the hour hand to a time value associated with the sector within which the position input is detected and the minute hand to a time value dependent upon the location of the position input within said sector.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 including the additional steps of

a) creating input zones on the display screen associated with AM or PM parameters; and

b) detecting a cursor position input occurring in one of said input zones and assigning the associated time parameter to the set time.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2 including the additional step of accepting the set time value and associated parameter into the computer system.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the time setting zone is an annular area divided into arcuate sectors, each sector having a first radial boundary coincident with a first hour-indicating indicia on the clock face and a second radial boundary coincident with an adjacent hour-indicating indicia.

5. A method as set forth in claim 4 wherein each arcuate sector is subdivided into subsectors associated with different minute values and the detection of the position input in one of the subsectors causes the minute hand to be set to a time value associated with that sector.

6. A method as set forth in claim 5 wherein the subsectors within a sector are associated with minute values 15, 30 and 45.

7. For use in a computer system that includes a display screen, a user-controlled pointing device for positioning a cursor on the display screen, and means for generating an input signal indicative of the position of the cursor, a method of establishing a time value comprising the steps of:

a) displaying a graphical representation of an analog clock face on the display screen, said clock face including hour-indicating indicia, an hour hand set to an initial hour time value and a minute hand set to an initial minute time value;

b) creating at least one time setting zone centered on the displayed analog clock face, said at least one time setting zone being divided into a number of sectors equal to the number of hours represented on the clock face, each sector having one boundary coincident with a first hour-indicating indicia and another boundary coincident with an adjacent hour-indicating indicia;

c) creating two zones on the display screen, one of said two zones being associated with an AM parameter and the other of said two zones being associated with a PM parameter;

d) detecting an input signal resulting from a user-initiated cursor-select operation occuring while the cursor is the time setting zone;

e) setting the hour hand to a time value associated with the sector within which the cursor is positioned when the input signal is detected and the minute hand to a time value dependent upon the location of the cursor within the sector;

f) detecting an input signal resulting from a user-initiated cursor-select operation occuring while the cursor is in one of said two zones;

g) assigning either an AM or a PM parameter depending on which of said two zones the cursor was in; and

h) accepting the set time value, including the assigned parameter, in the computer system.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7 wherein said two zones are polygonal buttons appearing on the display screen adjacent the clock face.

9. A method as set forth in claim 7 wherein said two zones are concentric annular zones centered on the clock face, each of said zones also constituting a time setting zone.

10. For use in a computer system that includes a display screen, a user-controlled pointing device for positioning a cursor on the display screen, and means for generating a first input signal indicative of the position of the cursor when a button on the user-controlled pointing device is depressed and a second input signal indicative of the position of the cursor when the button is released, a method of establishing a time value comprising the steps of:

a) displaying a graphical representation of an analog clock face on the display screen, said clock face including hour-indicating indicia, an hour hand set to an initial hour time value and a minute hand set to an initial minute time value;

b) creating at least one time setting zone centered on the displayed analog clock face, said at least one time setting zone being divided into a number of sectors equal to the number of hours represented on the clock face, each sector having one boundary coincident with a first hour-indicating indicia and another boundary coincident with an adjacent hour-indicating indicia;

c) creating two zones on the display screen, one of said two zones being associated with an AM parameter and the other of said two zones being associated with a PM parameter;

d) detecting a first input signal occuring while the cursor is the time setting zone;

e) upon detection of the first input signal, setting the hour hand to a time value associated with the sector within which the cursor is positioned and the minute hand to a time value dependent upon the location of the cursor within the sector;

f) detecting a second input signal occurring while the cursor is in the time setting zone;

g) setting the minute hand to a time value dependent upon the change in cursor position occuring between the detection of the first and second input signals;

h) detecting an input signal resulting from a user-initiated cursor-select operation occuring while the cursor is in one of said two zones;

i) assigning either an AM or a PM parameter depending on which of said two zones the cursor was in; and

j) accepting the set time value, including the assigned parameter, in the computer system.

11. A computer system having a display with a display screen, a user-controlled pointing device for positioning a cursor on the display screen, cursor position logic for providing an input signal representing the current cursor position and a subsystem for setting time values, said subsystem comprising:

a) display logic for generating a representation of an analog clock face on the display screen, said analog clock face including hour-representing indicia, an hour hand and a minute hand;

b) definitional logic for defining a time setting zone on the display screen, said time setting zone being centered on the clock face and being divided into a number of sectors equal to the number of hours represented on the clock face;

c) time setting logic responsive to the occurrence of an input signal generated while the cursor is positioned in the time setting zone to set the hour hand to a time value associated with the sector in which the cursor is positioned at the time of the input signal and the minute hand to a time value associated within the position of the cursor within the sector; and

d) system logic for entering the set time values into the computer system.

12. A computer system as set forth in claim 11 wherein said display logic is further capable of displaying indicia on the display screen which indicate whether the set time value is an AM value or a PM value, said definitional logic is further capable of defining AM/PM setting areas coincident with the displayed indicia and said time setting logic responds to the occurrence of an input signal while the cursor is positioned in one of the AM/PM setting areas to assign an AM or PM parameter to the set time.

13. A computer system as set forth in claim 12 wherein the definitional logic defines the time setting zone as an annular area divided into arcuate sectors, each sector having a first radial boundary coincident with a first hour-indicating indicia on the clock face and a second radial boundary coincident with an adjacent hour-indicating indicia.

14. A computer system as set forth in claim 13 wherein the definitional logic defines each of the arcuate sectors as being subdivided into a plurality of subsectors with each of subsector being associated with a different minute value, said time setting logic being response to a cursor being located in one of said sub sectors at the time of an input signal to set the minute hand to the minute value associated with the subsector.

15. A computer system as set forth in claim 14 wherein the definitional logic defines a first annular area as a time setting zone and AM setting area and a second concentric annular area as a time setting zone and PM setting area.

16. A computer system having a display with a display screen, a user-controlled pointing device for positioning a cursor on the display screen, cursor position logic for providing a first input signal representing the cursor position when a button on the pointing device is pressed and second input signal representing the cursor position when the button is released and a subsystem for setting time values, said subsystem comprising:

a) display logic for generating a representation of an analog clock face on the display screen, said analog clock face including hour-representing indicia, an hour hand and a minute hand;

b) definitional logic for defining a time setting zone on the display screen, said time setting zone being centered on the clock face and being divided into a number of sectors equal to the number of hours represented on the clock face;

c) time setting logic responsive to the occurrence of a first input signal generated while the cursor is positioned in the time setting zone to set the hour hand to a time value associated with the sector in which the cursor is positioned at the time of the input signal and the minute hand to a time value associated within the position of the cursor within the sector, said time setting logic further being responsive to the occurrence of a second input signal to set the minute hand to a time value dependent upon the change in cursor position occurring between the first and second signals; and

d) system logic for entering the set time values into the computer system.

17. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having a computer readable program embodied in said medium, wherein the computer readable readable program when executed on a computer system having a display screen and a user-controlled pointing devices causes the computer system to:

a) display an analog clock face with an hour hand and a minute hand set to initial time values;

b) define a time setting zone centered on the clock face and divided into a number of sectors equal to the number of hours represented on the clock face;

c) detect a cursor position input resulting from a select operation while the cursor is in the time setting zone; and

d) set the hour hand to a time value associated with the sector within which the position input is detected and the minute hand to a time value dependent upon the location of the position input within said sector.

18. A program product as defined in claim 17 which also causes the computer system to

a) create input zones on the display screen associated with AM or PM parameters; and

b) detect a cursor position input occurring in one of said input zones and assign the associated time parameter to the set time.

19. A program product as defined in claim 18 which also causes the computer system to accept the set time value and associated parameter.

20. A program product as defined in claim 19 wherein the the computer system is caused to define the time setting zone as an annular area divided into arcuate sectors, each sector having a first radial boundary coincident with a first hour-indicating indicia on the clock face and a second radial boundary coincident with an adjacent hour-indicating indicia.

21. A program product as defined in claim 20 wherein the computer system is caused to define each arcuate sector as being subdivided into subsectors associated with different minute values and to respond to the detection of the position input in one of the subsectors by setting the minute hand to a time value associated with that sector.

22. A program product as defined in claim 21 wherein the computer system is caused to associate subsectors within a sector with minute values 15, 30 and 45.

23. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having a computer readable program embodied in said medium, wherein the computer readable readable program when executed on a computer system having a display screen and a user-controlled pointing devices causes the computer system to:

a) display a graphical representation of an analog clock face on the display screen, said clock face including hour-indicating indicia, an hour hand set to an initial hour time value and a minute hand set to an initial minute time value;

b) create at least one time setting zone centered on the displayed analog clock face, said at least one time setting zone being divided into a number of sectors equal to the number of hours represented on the clock face, each sector having one boundary coincident with a first hour-indicating indicia and another boundary coincident with an adjacent hour-indicating indicia;

c) create two zones on the display screen, one of said two zones being associated with an AM parameter and the other of said two zones being associated with a PM parameter;

d) detect an input signal resulting from a user-initiated cursor-select operation occuring while the cursor is the time setting zone;

e) set the hour hand to a time value associated with the sector within which the cursor is positioned when the input signal is detected and the minute hand to a time value dependent upon the location of the cursor within the sector;

f) detect an input signal resulting from a user-initiated cursor-select operation occuring while the cursor is in one of said two zones;

g) assign either an AM or a PM parameter depending on which of said two zones the cursor was in; and

h) accept the set time value, including the assigned parameter.

24. A program product as defined in claim 23 wherein said computer system is caused to define said two zones as polygonal buttons appearing on the display screen adjacent the clock face.

25. A program product as defined in claim 24 wherein said computer system is caused to define said two zones as concentric annular zones centered on the clock face, each of said zones also being defined as constituting a time setting zone.

26. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program embodied in said medium, wherein the computer readable readable program when executed on a computer system having a display screen and a user-controlled pointing devices causes the computer system to:

a) display a graphical representation of an analog clock face on the display screen, said clock face including hour-indicating indicia, an hour hand set to an initial hour time value and a minute hand set to an initial minute time value;

b) create at least one time setting zone centered on the displayed analog clock face, said at least one time setting zone being divided into a number of sectors equal to the number of hours represented on the clock face, each sector having one boundary coincident with a first hour-indicating indicia and another boundary coincident with an adjacent hour-indicating indicia;

c) create two zones on the display screen, one of said two zones being associated with an AM parameter and the other of said two zones being associated with a PM parameter;

d) detect a first input signal occuring while the cursor is the time setting zone;

e) respond to detection of the first input signal by setting the hour hand to a time value associated with the sector within which the cursor is positioned and the minute hand to a time value dependent upon the location of the cursor within the sector;

f) detect a second input signal occurring while the cursor is in the time setting zone;

g) respond to detection of the second input signal by setting the minute hand to a time value dependent upon the change in cursor position occuring between the detection of the first and second input signals;

h) detect an input signal resulting from a user-initiated cursor-select operation occuring while the cursor is in one of said two zones;

i) respond to detection of said input signal by assigning either an AM or a PM parameter depending on which of said two zones the cursor was in; and

j) accept the set time value, including the assigned parameter, in the computer system.