User-machine interface
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A user-machine communication method that receives user inputs and performs actions based on the user inputs, the machine including a display, the method comprising:
- displaying at least two objects including data objects and command objects;
receiving an ink line input by a user, the ink line connecting the a first object to a sink location on the display and crossing a second object, the first object being one of the data objects and the second object being one of the command objects performing a command when the ink line crosses the second object; and
displaying a result of the command at the sink location, wherein the data objects and the command objects are displayed before the receiving of the ink line input by the user.
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Abstract
A user-machine interface is disclosed that uses a line to connect and/or to intersect various objects displayed on a screen. A start of the line may identify a source, an end of the line may identify a sink, and line shapes and/or objects intersected by the line may identify commands.
16 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A user-machine communication method that receives user inputs and performs actions based on the user inputs, the machine including a display, the method comprising:
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displaying at least two objects including data objects and command objects; receiving an ink line input by a user, the ink line connecting the a first object to a sink location on the display and crossing a second object, the first object being one of the data objects and the second object being one of the command objects performing a command when the ink line crosses the second object; and displaying a result of the command at the sink location, wherein the data objects and the command objects are displayed before the receiving of the ink line input by the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18)
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17. A machine, comprising:
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a display screen for displaying objects; a line forming means for drawing a line having a start at a first displayed object and an end at a second displayed object and substantially crossing a displayed command object along a path from the first displayed object to the second displayed object, the first displayed object and the displayed command object being displayed on the display screen prior to input of the line; a command identifying means for associating the displayed command object with a corresponding command; a line shape identifying means for associating line shapes at the start, the end and a portion of the line between the start and the end of the line with corresponding commands; and a hardware means for executing the commands that correspond to one or more of the line shapes and to the displayed command object, wherein a line shape at the end of the line further indicates placement of a result of the commands at the second displayed object.
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19. A method for performing a function at a machine including a display, the method comprising:
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displaying objects including data objects and command objects on the display; receiving only one ink line as user input, the ink line starting at a first object and crossing one or more third objects before ending at a sink location on the display, wherein the first Object is one of the data objects and the one or more third objects is one or more of the command objects; performing the function on the first object, the function commanded by the third objects; and displaying a result of the function substantially at the sink location, wherein the data objects and the command objects are displayed on the display before the receiving of the only one ink line as the user input. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification