Methods and arrangements for selective placement of movable objects within a graphical user interface

• US 7,506,270 B1
• Filed: 08/14/2000
• Issued: 03/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Falcon, Stephen R., Bailey, Richard St. Clair
• Primary Examiner(s): KE, PENG
• Application Number:
  US09/638,658
• Time in Patent Office: 3,137 Days
• Field of Search: 345/581, 345612-614, 345/784, 345/785, 345/786, 345/787, 345/858, 345/862, 715784-787, 715/858, 715/862
• US Class Current: 715/787
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04186 Touch location disambiguation

Abstract

Methods and arrangements are provided that allow for a gradual visual correction between a user'"'"'s input and a selected object within a graphical user interface (GUI) environment. For example, if an offset exists between a user'"'"'s input and an object'"'"'s preferred contact area, then, as the user manipulates the object (e.g., moves the object within the GUI environment) the magnitude of the offset is selectively and incrementally altered in a manner that is nearly imperceptible to the user. This corrective process is continued, until the user'"'"'s input and the object'"'"'s preferred contact area falls within a defined tolerance. Consequently, the correction process tends to be more pleasing and in some instances more realistic than an immediate correction or maintenance of a continued offset.

Claims

1. A method comprising in a graphical user interface:

determining an offset value between a selected object'"'"'s position and an input position, wherein the input position includes updated positioning information from a user input mechanism and wherein the selected object moves in proportion to a change in the positioning information; and

dynamically and gradually reducing the offset value in the object'"'"'s position by implementing a corrective function that selectively and incrementally reduces the offset in proportion to a movement of the selected object.

2. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, the computer executable instructions when executed configuring a computer to perform the method of claim 1.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the corrective function includes a linear corrective factor.

4. A method comprising in a graphical user interface:

determining an offset value between a selected object'"'"'s position and an input position, wherein the input position includes updated positioning information from a user input mechanism and wherein the selected object moves in proportion to a change in the positioning information; and

dynamically and gradually reducing the offset value in the object'"'"'s position by implementing a corrective function including a linear corrective factor that selectively and incrementally reduces the offset in proportion to a movement of the selected object.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the object position includes a preferred contact area.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the preferred contact area includes a definable point associated with an object, and the object can be selectively moved within the graphical user interface.

7. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the selectively and incrementally reduces reducing the offset is based on the updated positioning information.

8. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein implementing the corrective function that selectively and incrementally reduces the offset based on the updated positioning information is further selectively implemented based upon differences between the updated positioning information with respect to previous positioning information.

9. The method as recited in claim 4, further comprising graphically displaying the object within a graphical user interface.

10. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, the computer executable instructions when executed configuring a computer to perform the method of claim 4.

11. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing at least one processing unit to perform acts comprising:

determining an offset value between a selected object'"'"'s position and an input position, wherein the input position includes updated positioning information from a user input mechanism and wherein the selected object moves in proportion to a change in the positioning information; and

in proportion to a movement of the selected object, dynamically and gradually reducing the offset value in the object'"'"'s position by implementing a corrective function including a linear corrective factor that selectively and incrementally reduces the offset in proportion to a movement of the selected object.

12. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the object'"'"'s position includes a preferred contact area.

13. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing at least one processing unit to perform acts comprising:

determining an offset value between a selected object'"'"'s position and an input position, wherein the input position includes updated positioning information from a user input mechanism and wherein the selected object moves in proportion to a change in the positioning information; and

dynamically and gradually reducing the offset value in the object'"'"'s position using a corrective function that selectively and incrementally reduces the offset in proportion to a movement of the selected object.

14. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein an object position includes a preferred contact area.

15. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 14, wherein the preferred contact area includes a definable point associated with an object that can be selectively moved within the graphical user interface.

16. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the input position includes updated positioning information from a user input mechanism.

17. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the corrective function is based at least in part on the updated positioning information.

18. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 17, wherein the corrective function includes a linear corrective factor.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a display device having a plurality of pixels;

an input device configured to generate updated positioning information within an input position;

logic configured to determine an offset value between a selected object'"'"'s position and the input position, wherein the input position includes updated positioning information from a user input mechanism and wherein the selected object moves in proportion to a change in the positioning information, and to dynamically and gradually reduce the offset value in the object'"'"'s position using a corrective function that selectively and incrementally reduces the offset in proportion to a movement of the selected object.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a display device having a plurality of pixels;

an input device configured to generate updated positioning information within an input position;

logic operatively coupled to the display device and the input device and configured to determine an offset value between a selected object'"'"'s position and the input position, wherein the input position includes updated positioning information from a user input mechanism and wherein the selected object moves in proportion to a change in the positioning information, and to dynamically and gradually reduce the offset value using a corrective function that selectively and incrementally reduces the offset in proportion to a movement of the selected object based on the updated positioning information.

21. The apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein the object position includes a preferred contact area.

22. The apparatus as recited in claim 21, wherein the preferred contact area includes a definable point associated with an object that can be selectively moved within the graphical user interface.

23. The apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein the corrective function includes a linear corrective factor.

24. The apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein the input device includes a pointing device.

25. The apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein the pointing device includes a mouse.

26. The apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein the input device includes a touch screen device.

27. The apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein the logic is operatively configured within a computer.