Method and apparatus for producing, controlling and displaying menus

• US 6,618,063 B1
• Filed: 03/08/1999
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Silicon Graphics Incorporated (Graphics Properties Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kurtenbach, Gordon P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Mylinh T
• Application Number:
  US09/263,958
• Time in Patent Office: 1,646 Days
• Field of Search: 345/353, 345/352, 345/339, 345/764, 345/810, 345/812, 345/817, 345/818, 345/819, 345/820, 345/825, 345/828, 345/829, 345/834, 345/845
• US Class Current: 715/834
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04807 Pen manipulated menu
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A system that combines a radial marking menu portion with a linear menu portion in a single menu display. Item selection in the linear portion is performed by location selection using a pointing device. Item selection in the marker portion is determined by the pattern of a stroke made by the pointing device with the system ignoring linear menu items across which the stroke completely passes.

Claims

1. A display, comprising:

a menu pattern selection portion comprising regions where a method of selection based on a pattern of a mark made by a pointing device indicates selection criteria for a selected menu item; and

a menu location selection portion spatially associated with and simultaneously displayed with the pattern selection portion and where a method of selection based on a location indicated by the pointing device indicates selection criteria for a selected menu item.

2. A display as recited in claim 1, wherein a stroke pattern that crosses completely over a location selection region selects only a menu item that is selected by the pattern of the stroke.

3. A display as recited in claim 1, wherein said pattern selection portion comprises a radial spatial layout of the regions and said location selection portion comprises a linear spatial layout of locations.

4. A display as recited in claim 1, wherein said menu pattern selection portion includes eight menu items and said menu location selection portion includes at least one menu item.

5. A display, comprising:

a menu pattern selection portion comprising regions where only a method of selection using a pattern of a mark made by a pointing device indicates selection criteria for a selected menu item; and

a menu location selection portion spatially associated with and simultaneously displayed with the pattern selection portion and where only a method of selection using a location indicated by the pointing device indicates selection criteria for a selected menu item.