Method and apparatus for determining font attributes

• US 7,117,450 B1
• Filed: 03/18/2002
• Issued: 10/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Chaudhri, Imran
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bonshock, Dennis G
• Application Number:
  US10/100,878
• Time in Patent Office: 1,660 Days
• Field of Search: 715/784, 715/783, 715/786, 715/800, 715/828, 715/830, 715/815, 715/843, 715/542, 715/529, 715/833, 715/803, 715/787, 345/471, 345/472, 345/472.1, 345/472.2
• US Class Current: 715/787
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials

Abstract

A method to determine a font attribute includes: determining a first number and a second number; receiving input resulting from repositioning of a thumb of a slider to a position; and determining a value for the font attribute from the position relative to the first and second numbers. A font attribute is one of: a) font size; b) boldness; c) italic angle; d) baseline offset; e) line spacing; and f) character spacing. In one example, when the thumb is pushed against one end of the slider, at least one of the first number or the second number is adjusted. Another example shows at least one of the first number or the second number is updated when an input such as selecting a value from a list or typing in a value or pushing a thumb against one end of a slider is received.

Claims

1. A method to determine a font attribute, the method comprising:

receiving input switching from a first mode to a second mode;

replacing, in response to the receiving of the input, a representation of a command which when activated causes the display of a list which allows selection of a value, which specifies a font attribute, from the list, with a slider displaying a thumb at a position along the slider;

determining a first number and a second number in response to a user input;

receiving input resulting from a sliding of the thumb of the slider to a position along the slider; and

determining, after the sliding, a value for the font attribute from the position relative to the slider and the first and second numbers, wherein the position of the thumb selects a font attribute from the list.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the font attribute is one of:

a) font size;

b) boldness;

c) italic angle;

d) baseline offset;

e) line spacing; and

f) character spacing.

3. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

updating at least one of the first number and the second number when receiving a first input which determines said at least one of the first and second number.

4. A method as in claim 3 wherein the first input is one of:

a) selecting a value from a list;

b) typing in a value; and

c) pushing a thumb against one end of said slider.

5. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

adjusting at least one of the first number and the second number when receiving input pushing the thumb against one end of the slider.

6. A method as in claim 1 wherein the representation of the command is one of:

a) a combination box;

b) a pop-up menu; and

c) a selection list.

7. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

displaying currently selected values or entering type-in values in a field located near the top of the slider.

8. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

displaying inputs which determine both the first and the second numbers, one located near the top of the slider and another located near the bottom of the slider.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the command which is replaced is a button which is not displayed in the second mode.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the list is the same in both modes.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the input for switching comprises resizing a window.

12. A machine readable medium containing executable computer program instructions which when executed by a digital processing system cause said system to perform a method to determine a font attribute, the method comprising:

receiving input switching from a first mode to a second mode;

replacing, in response to the receiving of the input, a representation of a command which when activated causes the display of a list which allows selection of a value, which specifies a font attribute, from the list, with a slider displaying a thumb at a position along the slider;

determining a first number and a second number in response to a user input;

receiving input resulting from a sliding of the thumb of the slider to a position along the slider; and

determining, after the sliding, a value for the font attribute from the position relative to the slider and the first and second numbers, wherein the position of the thumb selects a font attribute from the list.

13. A medium as in claim 12 wherein the font attribute is one of:

a) font size;

b) boldness;

c) italic angle;

d) baseline offset;

e) line spacing; and

f) character spacing.

14. A medium as in claim 12 wherein the method further comprises:

updating at least one of the first number and the second number when receiving a first input which determines said at least one of the first and second number.

15. A medium as in claim 14 wherein the first input is one of:

a) selecting a value from a list;

b) typing in a value; and

c) pushing a thumb against one end of said slider.

16. A medium as in claim 12 wherein the method further comprises:

adjusting at least one of the first number and the second number when receiving input pushing the thumb against one end of the slider.

17. A medium as in claim 12 wherein the representation of the command is one of:

a) a combination box;

b) a pop-up menu; and

c) a selection list.

18. A medium as in claim 12 further comprising:

displaying currently selected values or entering type-in values in a field located near the top of the slider.

19. A medium as in claim 12 further comprising:

displaying inputs which determine both the first and the second numbers, one located near the top of the slider and another located near the bottom of the slider.

20. The machine readable medium of claim 12 wherein the command which is replaced is a button which is not displayed in the second mode.

21. The machine readable medium of claim 12 wherein the list is the same in both modes.

22. The machine readable medium of claim 12 wherein the input for switching comprises resizing a window.

23. A digital processing system to determine a font attribute, the processing system comprising:

means for receiving input switching from a first mode to a second mode;

means for replacing, in response to the receiving of the input, a representation of a command which when activated causes the display of a list which allows selection of a value, which specifies a font attribute, from the list, with a slider displaying a thumb at a position along the slider;

means for determining a first number and a second number in response to a user input;

means for receiving input resulting from a sliding of the thumb of the slider to a position along the slider; and

means for determining, after the sliding, a value for the font attribute from the position relative to the slider and the first and second numbers, wherein the position of the thumb selects a font attribute from the list.

24. A processing system as in claim 23 wherein the font attribute is one of:

a) font size;

b) boldness;

c) italic angle;

d) baseline offset;

e) line spacing; and

f) character spacing.

25. A processing system as in claim 23 further comprising:

means for updating at least one of the first number and the second number when receiving a first input which determines said at least one of the first and second number.

26. A processing system as in claim 25 wherein the first input is one of:

a) selecting a value from a list;

b) typing in a value; and

c) pushing a thumb against one end of said slider.

27. A processing system as in claim 23 further comprising:

means for adjusting at least one of the first number and the second number when receiving input pushing the thumb against one end of the slider.

28. A processing system as in claim 23 wherein the representation of the command is one of:

a) a combination box;

b) a pop-up menu; and

c) a selection list.

29. A processing system as in claim 23 further comprising:

displaying currently selected values or entering type-in values in a field located near the top of the slider.

30. A processing system as in claim 23 further comprising:

displaying inputs which determine both the first and the second numbers, one located near the top of the slider and another located near the bottom of the slider.

31. The processing system of claim 23 wherein the command which is replaced is a button which is not displayed in the second mode.

32. The processing system of claim 23 wherein the list is the same in both modes.

33. The processing system of claim 23 wherein the input for switching comprises resizing a window.

34. A slider control for controlling a font attribute, said slider control comprising:

a display, displaying a same list of font attribute in a first mode of the slider control as in a second mode of a user interface which includes a representation of a command which when activated causes the display of a list which allows selection of a value, which specifies a font attribute, from the list, the representation of the command being replaced by the slider when switching from the second mode to the first mode;

a slider control, corresponding to the list, displayed on said display, said slider control having;

a first end which corresponds to a minimum attribute which is set in response to a user input;

a second end which corresponds to a maximum attribute which is set in response to a user input;

a linear region disposed between said first end and said second end;

a moveable thumb disposed along said linear region, wherein a value for the font attribute, from the list, is determined from the position of the moveable thumb relative to said first and said second ends.

35. A slider control as in claim 34 wherein the font attribute is one of:

a) font size;

b) boldness of a font;

c) italic angle;

d) baseline offset;

e) line spacing; and

f) character spacing.

36. A slider control as in claim 34 wherein said moveable thumb is moved by at least one of:

a) dragging said moveable thumb along said linear region;

b) pressing at least one key; and

c) selecting with a cursor a position along said linear region.

37. A slider control as in claim 34 further comprising:

a display for displaying currently selected values or entering type-in values in a field located near the top of the slider.

38. A slider control as in claim 34 further comprising:

two fields for inputs which determine both the first and the second numbers, one located near the top of the slider and another located near the bottom of the slider.

39. A machine readable medium containing executable computer program instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause said system to perform a method of controlling a font attribute, said method comprising:

displaying a same list of font attribute in a first mode of a slider control on a display device as in a second mode of a user interface which includes a representation of a command which when activated causes the display of a list which allows selection of a value, which specifies a font attribute, from the list, the representation of the command being replaced by the slider when switching from the second mode to the first mode, said slider control, corresponding to the list, having,

a first end which corresponds to a minimum attribute which is set in response to a user input,

a second end which corresponds to a maximum attribute which is set in response to a user input,

a linear region disposed between said first end and said second end, and

a moveable thumb disposed along said linear region; and

repositioning said movable thumb along said linear region and determining a value for the font attribute from the position of the moveable thumb relative to said first and second ends.

40. A machine readable medium as in claim 39 wherein the font attribute is one of:

a) font size;

b) boldness;

c) italic angle;

d) baseline offset;

e) line spacing; and

f) character spacing.

41. A machine readable medium as in claim 39 wherein said moveable thumb is moved by at least one of:

a) dragging said moveable thumb along said linear region;

b) pressing at least one key; and

c) selecting with a cursor a position along said linear region.

42. A machine readable medium as in claim 39 further comprising:

displaying currently selected values or entering type-in values in a field located near the top of the slider.

43. A machine readable medium as in claim 39 further comprising:

displaying inputs which determine both the first and the second numbers, one located near the top of the slider and another located near the bottom of the slider.

44. A method to determine a font attribute, the method comprising:

receiving input switching from a first mode to a second mode;

replacing, in response to the receiving of the input, a representation of a command which when activated causes the display of a list which allows selection of a value, which specifies an attribute, from the list, with a slider displaying a thumb at a position along the slider;

determining a first number and a second number in response to a user input;

receiving input resulting from a sliding of the thumb of the slider to a position along the slider; and

determining, after the sliding, a value for the attribute from the position relative to the slider and the first and second numbers, wherein the position of the thumb selects an attribute from the list.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein the input for switching comprises resizing a window.

46. A machine readable medium containing executable computer program instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause said system to perform a method to determine a font attribute, the method comprising:

receiving input switching from a first mode to a second mode;

replacing, in response to the receiving of the input, a representation of a command which when activated causes the display of a list which allows selection of a value, which specifies an attribute, from the list, with a slider displaying a thumb at a position along the slider;

determining a first number and a second number in response to a user input;

receiving input resulting from a sliding of the thumb of the slider to a position along the slider; and

determining, after the sliding, a value for the attribute from the position relative to the slider and the first and second numbers, wherein the position of the thumb selects an attribute from the list.

47. The machine readable medium of claim 46 wherein the input for switching comprises resizing a window.

48. A machine implemented method to determine a parameter, the method comprising:

displaying a user interface in a first mode in which a representation of a command is displayed, the representation of the command, when activated, causing the display of a list from which a parameter is selected;

receiving an input to switch from either the first mode to a second mode or to switch from the second mode to the first mode;

displaying a user interface in a second mode in which a slider is displayed with a thumb having a position along the slider, the thumb being movable relative to the slider and the position of the thumb determining a selection of a parameter from the list, the selection in the list being relative to a maximum and a minimum font attribute, the list having maximum and minimum font attributes which are set in response to a user input.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the input to switch comprises resizing a window.

50. A machine readable medium containing executable computer program instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause the system to perform a method comprising:

displaying a user interface in a first mode in which a representation of a command is displayed, the representation of the command, when activated, causing the display of a list from which a parameter is selected;

receiving an input to switch from either the first mode to a second mode or to switch from the second mode to the first mode;

displaying a user interface in a second mode in which a slider is displayed with a thumb having a position along the slider, the thumb being movable relative to the slider and the position of the thumb determining a selection of a parameter from the list, the selection in the list being relative to a maximum and a minimum font attribute, the list having maximum and minimum font attributes which are set in response to a user input.

51. The machine readable medium of claim 50 wherein the input to switch comprises resizing a window.