Setting next destination of pointer to each of multiple objects

• US 7,554,525 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2006
• Issued: 06/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Square Enix
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Square Enix
• Inventors: Aoyama, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang; Regina
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mandeville; Jason M
• Application Number:
  US11/420,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20060277502A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-162, 345168-172, 715/767, 715/802, 715856-862
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04892 Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038

Abstract

A menu screen includes multiple buttons. Assigned to each button for each direction is another button to which an anchor is moved according to a directional user input of up, down, right or left. A button B and a button C both located downstream of a button A are candidates to which the anchor is moved when the down direction key is input with the anchor pointing to the button A. Scores of positional relationships of the position between points of the shortest distance from an anchor position of the button A within the range of the button B and the button C to the anchor position are calculated. According to the calculated scores, the next destination of the anchor when the down direction key is input with the anchor pointing to the button A is set to either button B or button C.

Claims

1. A destination information setting device for setting destination information indicating a display object to which a selection pointer is to be moved, the selection pointer moving in a two dimensional display space, defined by coordinates (x, y) of an orthogonal x-y coordinate system, to a plurality of display objects displayed in the displayed space on a display device, one of the plurality of display objects being selected by a user with the selection pointer, when one item of direction information is input through an input device capable of inputting the direction information according to a positive x direction, a negative x direction, a positive y direction, or a negative y direction, the destination information setting device comprising:

a positional information storage that prestores positional information indicating the coordinates in the display space, for each of the plurality of display objects;

a destination information storage that stores the destination information indicating a destination of the selection pointer, in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, for each of the plurality of display objects, when the direction information is input through the input device while the selection pointer is positioned thereat;

a positional score calculator that calculates scores of positional relationships in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, for each of the plurality of display objects, in accordance with the positional information stored in the positional information storage, when difference between an x coordinate of a display object from which a score of a positional relationship to another display object is calculated and an x coordinate of the other display object is dx, and when a difference between a y coordinate of the display object from which the score of the positional relationship to the other display object is calculated and a y coordinate of the other display object is dy, by adding a value that a coefficient a is multiplied by a calculation according to dx, and a value that a coefficient β

is multiplied by a calculation according to dy; and

a destination information setting device that sets destination information indicating another display object having a smallest positional relationship score, as the destination in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, for each of the plurality of display objects, according to the scores of the positional relationship calculated by the positional score calculator, and for storing the destination information in the destination information storage,

wherein a correlation between magnitudes of α and

β

is inverted when a positional score in the positive x direction or the negative x direction is calculated and when a positional score in the positive y direction or the negative y direction is calculated,

wherein the destination information setting device further comprises;

a moved information storage that stores information indicating whether each of the plurality of display objects is set as the destination of the selection pointer indicated by the destination information, the information being a number of times that each of the plurality of display objects is set as the destination of the selection pointer indicated by the destination information;

a movement disable display object determiner that determines whether information indicating a display object not set as the destination of the selection pointer is stored in the moved information storage, when destination information for all of the display objects and all of the directions is stored in the destination information storage; and

a destination information change processor that performs processing for setting the display object not set as the destination, when the movement disable display object determiner determines that the information, indicating the display object not set as the destination of the selection pointer, is stored in the moved information storage, the procesor setting the display object not set as the destination as the destination of the selection pointer from one of the display objects other than the display object not set as the destination,

wherein the destination information change processor comprises;

a changeable information extractor that extracts destination information of a display object where a display object having at least two destinations stored in the moved information storage is set as the destination of the selection pointer, as changeable destination information among the destination information stored in the destination information storage, when the movement disable display object determiner determines that the information indicating the display object not set as the destination of the selection pointer is stored in the moved information storage;

a second positional score calculator that calculates, when the movement disable display object determiner determines that the information indicating the display object not set as the destination of the selection pointer is stored in the moved information storage, scores of positional relationships between the display object not set as the destination of the selection pointer and each of display objects other than the display object in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, in accordance with the positional information stored in the positional information storage; and

a destination information changer that changes one item of the destination information extracted by the changeable information extractor, to another item of destination information indicating the display object not set as the destination of the selection pointer, which is indicated by the information stored in the moved information storage, as the destination of the selection pointer, and for storing the changed destination information in the destination information storage, according to the scores of the positional relationships calculated by the second positional score calculator.

2. The destination information setting device according to claim 1, wherein the positional score calculator calculates the score of the positional relationship in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction according to the following relationship

α

×

dx×

dx+β

×

dy×

dy

where α and

β

are constants greater than 0, α

>

β

when a score of a positional relationship in the positive x direction or the negative x direction is calculated, and α

<

β

when a score of a positional relationship in the positive y direction or the negative y direction is calculated.

3. The destination information setting device according to claims 1, further comprising a shape information storage that prestores shape information capable of specifying a shape occupying a predetermined range in the display space with the positional information stored in the positional information storage, on each of the plurality of display objects,

wherein the positional score calculator calculates the scores of the positional relationships between the display object and each of the display objects other than the display object in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, in accordance with a shortest distance between display objects that is specified according to the positional information stored in the positional information storage and the shape information stored in the shape information storage, for each of the plurality of display objects.

4. The destination information setting device according to claims 1, wherein the positional score calculator calculates the scores of the positional relationships between the display object and each of the display objects other than the display object in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, in accordance with coordinates of a position where the selection pointer is pointed to the display object and positional information of another display object stored in the positional information storage, for each of the plurality of display objects.

5. The destination information setting device according to claim 4, further comprising a shape information storage that prestores shape information capable of specifying a shape occupying a predetermined range in the display space with the positional information stored in the positional information storage, for each of the plurality of display objects,

wherein the positional score calculator calculates the scores of the positional relationships between the display object and each of the display objects other than the display object in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, in accordance with the coordinates of the position where the selection pointer is pointed to the display object, and a shortest between the selection pointer and the display object that is specified according to the positional information and shape information of the other display object, for each of the plurality of display objects.

6. The destination information setting device according to claim 1, further comprising a positional information changer that changes the positional information of the plurality of display objects stored in the positional information storage,

wherein, when the positional information changer changes positional information of at least one display object, the positional score calculator calculates the scores of the positional relationships between the display object and each of the display objects other than the display object in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, according to the changed positional information, for each of the plurality of display objects.

7. The destination information setting device according to claim 1, further comprising an external information inputter that externally inputs the destination information indicating the destination of the selection pointer in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, for each of the plurality of display objects at the time that the direction information is input through the input device before the positional score is calculated by the positional score calculator, and for prestoring the destination information in the destination information storage,

wherein the positional score calculator calculates the score of the positional relationship between a display object and a direction of the destination information which is not stored in the destination information storage by the external information inputter and another display object.

8. The destination information setting device according to claim 1, further comprising a destination information updater that externally inputs the destination information indicating the destination of the selection pointer in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, when the direction information is input through the input device after the destination information set for each direction of each display object by the destination information setter is stored in the destination information storage, and for updating the destination information stored in the destination information storage to the input destination information.

9. The destination information setting device according to claim 1, further comprising a display object display that displays each of the plurality of display objects on the display device in accordance with the positional information stored in the positional information storage,

wherein the positional score calculator calculates the scores of the positional relationships between the display object and each of the display objects other than the display object in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, for each of the plurality of display objects, when the display object display displays the plurality of display objects on the display device.

10. The destination information setting device according to claim 9, further comprising a selectable object setter that sets a display object which the user can select by moving the selection pointer from the plurality of display objects the positional information of which is stored in the positional information storage,

wherein the display object display displays the plurality of display objects to be discriminable in accordance with whether the plurality of display objects are set to be selectable by the user by the selectable object setter,

wherein the positional score calculator calculates the score of the positional relationship between the display object set to be selectable by the user by the selectable object setter and another display object set to be selectable by the user other than the display object.

11. The destination information setting device according to claim 9, further comprising a positional information changer that changes the positional information of the plurality of display objects stored in the positional information storage,

wherein, when the positional information changer changes positional information of at least one display object, the display object display displays the plurality of display objects on the display device according to the changed positional information.

15. The destination information setting device according to claims 2, further comprising a shape information storage that prestores shape information capable of specifying a shape occupying a predetermined range in the display space with the positional information stored in the positional information storage, on each of the plurality of display objects,

wherein the positional score calculator calculates the scores of the positional relationships between the display object and each of the display objects other than the display object in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, in accordance with a shortest distance between display objects that is specified according to the positional information stored in the positional information storage and the shape information stored in the shape information storage, for each of the plurality of display objects.

16. The destination information setting device according to claims 2, wherein the positional score calculator calculates the scores of the positional relationships between the display object and each of the display objects other than the display object in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, in accordance with coordinates of a position where the selection pointer is pointed to the display object and positional information of another display object stored in the positional information storage, for each of the plurality of display objects.

17. The destination information setting device according to claim 2, further comprising a positional information changer that changes the positional information of the plurality of display objects stored in the positional information storage,

wherein, when the positional information changer changes positional information of at least one display object, the positional score calculator calculates the scores of the positional relationships between the display object and each of the display objects other than the display object in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, according to the changed positional information, for each of the plurality of display objects.

18. The destination information setting device according to claims 2, further comprising an external information inputter that externally inputs the destination information indicating the destination of the selection pointer in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, for each of the plurality of display objects at the time that the direction information is input through the input device before the positional score is calculated by the positional score calculator, and for prestoring the destination information in the destination information storage,

wherein the positional score calculator calculates the score of the positional relationship between a display object and a direction of the destination information which is not stored in the destination information storage by the external information inputter and another display object.

19. The destination information setting device according to claim 2, further comprising a destination information updater that externally inputs the destination information indicating the destination of the selection pointer in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, when the direction information is input through the input device after the destination information set for each direction of each display object by the destination information setter is stored in the destination information storage, and for updating the destination information stored in the destination information storage to the input destination information.

20. The destination information setting device according to claims 2, further comprising a display object display that displays each of the plurality of display objects on the display device in accordance with the positional information stored in the positional information storage,

wherein the positional score calculator calculates the scores of the positional relationships between the display object and each of the display objects other than the display object in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, for each of the plurality of display objects, when the display object display displays the plurality of display objects on the display device.

21. The destination information setting device according to claims 3, further comprising a display object display that displays each of the plurality of display objects on the display device in accordance with the positional information stored in the positional information storage,

wherein the positional score calculator calculates the scores of the positional relationships between the display object and each of the display objects other than the display object in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, for each of the plurality of display objects, when the display object display displays the plurality of display objects on the display device.

22. The destination information setting device according to claim 3, further comprising a destination information updater that externally inputs the destination information indicating the destination of the selection pointer in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, when the direction information is input through the input device after the destination information set for each direction of each display object by the destination information setter is stored in the destination information storage, and for updating the destination information stored in the destination information storage to the input destination information.

23. The destination information setting device according to claims 3, further comprising an external information inputter that externally inputs the destination information indicating the destination of the selection pointer in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, for each of the plurality of display objects at the time that the direction information is input through the input device before the positional score is calculated by the positional score calculator, and for prestoring the destination information in the destination information storage,

wherein the positional score calculator calculates the score of the positional relationship between a display object and a direction of the destination information which is not stored in the destination information storage by the external information inputter and another display object.

24. The destination information setting device according to claim 3, further comprising a positional information changer that changes the positional information of the plurality of display objects stored in the positional information storage,

wherein, when the positional information changer changes positional information of at least one display object, the positional score calculator calculates the scores of the positional relationships between the display object and each of the display objects other than the display object in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, according to the changed positional information, for each of the plurality of display objects.

25. The destination information setting device according to claims 4, further comprising a display object display that displays each of the plurality of display objects on the display device in accordance with the positional information stored in the positional information storage,

wherein the positional score calculator calculates the scores of the positional relationships between the display object and each of the display objects other than the display object in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, for each of the plurality of display objects, when the display object display displays the plurality of display objects on the display device.

12. A destination information setting method for setting destination information indicating a display object to which a selection pointer is to be moved, the selection pointer moving in a two dimensional display space, defined by coordinates (x, y) of an orthogonal x-y coordinate system, to a plurality of display objects displayed in the display space on a display device, one of the plurality of display objects being selected by a user with the selection pointer, when one item of direction information is input to each of the plurality of display objects through an input device capable of inputting the direction information according to a positive x direction, a negative x direction, a positive y direction, or a negative y direction, the destination information setting method being performed by a computer device having a storage device prestoring positional information indicating the coordinates in the display space, the method comprising:

calculating scores of positional relationships in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, for each of the plurality of display objects, in accordance with the positional information stored in the storage device, when a difference between an x coordinate of a display object from which a score of a positional relationship to another display object is calculated and an x coordinate of the other display object is dx, and when a difference between a y coordinate of the display object from which the score of the positional relationship to the other display object is calculated and a y coordinate of the other display object is dy, by adding a value that a coefficient α

is multiplied by a calculation according to dx, and a value that a coefficient β

is multiplied by a calculation according to dy;

setting destination information indicating another display object having a smallest positional relationship score, as the destination in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, for each of the plurality of display objects, according to the calculated scores of the positional relationships; and

storing the destination information set in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, in a destination information storage area of the storage device, for each of the plurality of display objects,

wherein a correlation between magnitudes of α and

β

is inverted when a positional score in the positive x direction or the negative x direction is calculated and when a positional score in the positive y direction or the negative y direction is calculated,

wherein the destination information setting comprises;

storing information indicating whether each of the plurality of display objects is set as the destination of the selection pointer indicated by the destination information, the information being a number of times that each of the plurality of display objects is set as the destination of the selection pointer indicated by the destination information, in a moved information storage area of the storage device;

determining whether information indicating a display object not set as the destination of the selection pointer is stored in the moved information storage area, when destination information for all of the display objects and all of the directions is stored in the destination information storage area; and

performing processing for setting the display object not set as the destination, when it is determined that the information indicating the display object not set as the destination of the selection pointer is stored in the moved information storage area, the processing setting the display object not set as the destination as the destination of the selection pointer from one of the display objects other than the display object not set as the destination,

wherein the processing comprises;

extracting destination information of a display object where a display object having at least two destinations stored in the moved information storage area is set as the destination of the selection pointer, as changeable destination information among the destination information stored in the destination information storage area, when it is determined that the information indicating the display object not set as the destination of the selection pointer is stored in the moved information storage area;

calculating a second positional score, when the determining determines that the information indicating the display object not set as the destination of the selection pointer is stored in the moved information storage area, the calculation of the second positional score calculating scores of positional relationships between the display object not set as the destination of the selection pointer and each of display objects other than the display object in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, in accordance with the positional information stored in the positional information storage area; and

changing one item of the destination information extracted in the extracting, to another item of destination information indicating the display object not set as the destination of the selection pointer, which is indicated by the information stored in the moved information storage area, as the destination of the selection pointer, and for storing the changed destination information in the destination information storage area, according to the scores of the positional relationships calculated in the second positional score calculating.

13. A computer-readable recording medium containing a program for setting destination information indicating a display object to which a selection pointer is to be moved, the selection pointer moving in a two dimensional display space, defined by coordinates (x;

y) of an orthogonal x-y coordinate system, to a plurality of display objects displayed in the display space on a display device, one of the plurality of display objects being selected by a user with the selection pointer, when one item of direction information is input to each of the plurality of display objects through an input device capable of inputting the direction information according to a positive x direction, a negative x direction, a positive y direction, or a negative y direction, the program being executed by a processing unit of a computer having a storage device prestoring positional information indicating the coordinates in the display space, the program causing the computer to;

calculate scores of positional relationships in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, for each of the plurality of display objects, in accordance with the positional information stored in the storage device, when a difference between an x coordinate of a display object from which a score of a positional relationship to another display object is calculated and an x coordinate of the other display object is dx, and that a difference between a y coordinate of the display object from which the score of the positional relationship to the other display object is calculated and a y coordinate of the other display object is dy, by adding a value that a coefficient a is multiplied by a calculation according to dx, and a value that a coefficient β

is multiplied by a calculation according to dy;

set destination information indicating another display object having a smallest positional relationship score as the destination in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, for each of the plurality of display objects, according to the calculated scores of the positional relationships; and

store the destination information set in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, in a destination information storage area of the storage device, for each of the plurality of display objects,

wherein a correlation between magnitudes of α and

β

is inverted when a positional score in the positive x direction or the negative x direction is calculated and when a positional score in the positive y direction or the negative y direction is calculated,

wherein the program further causes the computer to;

store information indicating whether each of the plurality of display objects is set as the destination of the selection pointer indicated by the destination information, the information being a number of times that each of the plurality of display objects is set as the destination of the selection pointer indicated by the destination information, in a moved information storage area of the storage device;

determine whether information indicating a display object not set as the destination of the selection pointer is stored in the moved information storage area, when destination information for all of the display objects and all of the directions is stored in the destination information storage area; and

perform processing for setting the display object not set as the destination, when it is determined that the information indicating the display object not set as the destination of the selection pointer is stored in the moved information storage area, the processing setting the display object not set as the destination as the destination of the selection pointer from one of the display objects other than the display object not set as the destination,

wherein the processing comprises;

extracting destination information of a display object where a display object having at least two destinations stored in the moved information storage area is set as the destination of the selection pointer, as changeable destination information among the destination information stored in the destination information storage area, when it is determined that the information indicating the display object not set as the destination of the selection pointer is stored in the moved information storage area;

calculating a second positional score, when it is determined that the information indicating the display object not set as the destination of the selection pointer is stored in the moved information storage area, scores of positional relationships between the display object not set as the destination of the selection pointer and each of display objects other than the display object in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, in accordance with the positional information stored in the positional information storage area; and

changing one item of the destination information extracted in the extracting, to another item of destination information indicating the display object not set as the destination of the selection pointer, which is indicated by the information stored in the moved information storage area, as the destination of the selection pointer, and for storing the changed destination information in the destination information storage area, according to the scores of the positional relationships calculated in the second positional score calculating.

14. A computer-readable recording medium that stores a program for setting destination information indicating a display object to which a selection pointer is to be moved, the selection pointer moving in a two dimensional display space, defined by coordinates (x, y) of an orthogonal x-y coordinate system, to a plurality of display objects displayed in the display space on a display device, one of the plurality of display objects being selected by a user with the selection pointer, when one item of direction information is input to each of the plurality of display objects through an input device capable of inputting the direction information according to a positive x direction, a negative x direction, a positive y direction, or a negative y direction, the program being executed by a processing unit of a computer having a storage device prestoring positional information indicating the coordinates in the display space, the computer readable recording medium comprising:

a calculating code segment that calculates scores of positional relationships in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, for each of the plurality of display objects, in accordance with the positional information stored in the storage device, when a difference between an x coordinate of a display object from which a score of a positional relationship to another display object is calculated and an x coordinate of the other display object is dx, and that a difference between a y coordinate of the display object from which the score of the positional relationship to the other display object is calculated and a y coordinate of the other display object is dy, by adding a value that a coefficient α

is multiplied by a calculation according to dx, and a value that a coefficient β

is multiplied by a calculation according to dy;

a setting destination information code segment that indicates another display object having a smallest positional relationship score as the destination in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, for each of the plurality of display objects, according to the calculated scores of the positional relationships; and

a storing code segment that stores the destination information set in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction , in a destination information storage area of the storage device, for each of the plurality of display objects,

wherein a correlation between magnitudes α and

β

is inverted when a positional score in the positive x direction or the negative x direction is calculated and when a positional score in the positive y direction or the negative y direction is calculated,

wherein the computer readable recording medium further comprises;

a information storing code segment that stores information whether each of the plurality of display objects is set as the destination of the selection pointer indicated by the destination information, the information being a number of times that each of the plurality of display objects is set as the destination of the selection pointer indicated by the destination information, in a moved information storage area of the storage device;

a determining code segment that determines whether information indicating a display object not set as the destination of the selection pointer is stored in the moved information storage area, when destination information for all of the display objects and all of the directions is stored in the destination information storage area; and

a change processing code segment which executes processing for setting the display object not set as the destination, when it is determined that the information indicating the display object not set as the destination of the selection pointer is stored in the moved information storage area, the change processing code segment setting the display object not set as the destination as the destination of the selection pointer from one of the display objects other than the display object not set as the destination,

wherein change processing code segment comprises;

an extracting code segment that extracts destination information of a display object when a display object having at least two destinations stored in the moved information storage area is set as the destination of the selection pointer, as changeable destination information among the destination information stored in the destination information storage area, when it is determined that the information indicating the display object not set as the destination of the selection pointer is stored in the moved information storage area;

a second calculating code segment that calculates, when the determining code segment determines that the information indicating the display object not set as the destination of the selection pointer is stored in the moved information storage area, scores of positional relationships between the display object not set as the destination of the selection pointer and each of display objects other than the display object in each of the positive x direction, the negative x direction, the positive y direction, and the negative y direction, in accordance with the positional information stored in the positional information storage area; and

a destination information changing code segment that changes one item of the destination information extracted by the extracting code segment, to another item of destination information indicating the display object not set as the destination of the selection pointer, which is indicated by the information stored in the moved information storage area, as the destination of the selection pointer, and for storing the changed destination information in the destination information storage area, according to the scores of the positional relationships calculated by the second calculating code segment.