Area frequency radial menus

• US 7,644,372 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2006
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Russo, Thomas P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh; Ba
• Assistant Examiner(s): Salomon; Phenuel S
• Application Number:
  US11/340,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20070180392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 715/764, 715/810, 715/811, 715/835, 715/866, 715/834, 715/815, 715/863
• 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

System and method of adjusting selection areas of menu options in a radial menu utilize the frequency of selection of each of the menu options to adjust the size of various selection areas over time. The sizes of menu options or selection areas with relatively high frequency of use may increase, while the sizes of the selection areas of the remaining menu options may decrease. In addition, the size of the menu options may be further adjusted to return to the original arrangement, e.g., in which the size of each of the selection areas is equal or occupies some predetermined area. The user may hold an electronic pen over the radial menu or select an icon from the radial menu to resize the selection areas to return to the original arrangement.

Claims

1. A display process comprising:

activating, on a display, a first radially configured user interface having a first plurality of selection areas, each of the first plurality of selection areas having a first respective size;

positioning the radially configured user interface on the display interface such that the radially configured user interface is visible in relation to the handedness of a particular user such that the particular user'"'"'s hand does not block the user'"'"'s view of the first plurality of selection areas when the particular user makes selections;

monitoring a frequency of use of each of the first plurality of selection areas by the particular user;

responsive to monitoring the frequency of use of each of the first plurality of selection areas by the particular user, changing the first size of at least one of the first plurality of selection areas to a second size based, at least in part, on the frequency of use of each of the first selection areas, wherein changing the first size of at least one of the first plurality of selection areas to a second size comprises;

increasing the first size of the first selection area within the first radially configured user interface; and

proportionately decreasing a first size of another one of the first plurality of selection areas to a third size responsive to the increasing while maintaining a consistent size of the first radially configured user interface;

upon activation of at least one of the selection areas, activating a second radially configured user interface having a second plurality of selection areas, each of the second plurality of selection areas having a respective first size, wherein the second radially configured user interface has a different center than the first radially configured user interface;

monitoring a frequency of use of each of the second plurality of selection areas by the particular user;

responsive to monitoring the frequency of use of each of the second plurality of selection areas by the particular user, changing the respective first size of at least one of the second plurality of selection areas to a second size based, at least in part, on the frequency of use of each of the second selection areas;

displaying a resize icon on the second radially configured user interface; and

performing a sequence of menu options responsive to a gesture associating at least one selection area of the first plurality of selection areas and at least one selection area of the second plurality of selection areas, wherein;

the gesture comprises dragging a stylus in a manner corresponding to the positions of the at least one selection area of the first plurality of selection areas and the at least one selection area of the second plurality of selection areas; and

at least one of the menu options in the sequence is performed without being displayed on the display interface.

2. The display process of claim 1, wherein the second size of the second plurality of selection areas of the second radially configured interface is greater than its respective first size based, at least in part, on a high frequency of use of the at least one of the second plurality of selection areas as compared to at least one other selection area of the second radially configured interface.

3. The display process of claim 1, wherein the second size of the second plurality of selection areas of the second radially configured interface is less than its respective first size based, at least in part, on a low frequency of use of the at least one of the second plurality of selection areas as compared to at least one other selection area of the second radially configured interface.

4. The display process of claim 1, further comprising activating a resize action wherein each of the selection areas of the second radially configured interface is returned to its respective first size.

5. The display process of claim 1, wherein the resize icon is displayed in a center of the second radially configured user interface.

6. The display process of claim 1, wherein the resize icon is one of the selection areas of the second radially configured user interface.

10. The display process of claim 1, wherein each of the first plurality of selection areas has a maximum size proportionate to the total available area.

11. The display process of claim 1, wherein each of the first plurality of selection areas has a minimum size proportionate to the total available area.

7. A display process on a notebook type computer system comprising:

using an electronic pen to activate, on a display interface, a first radially configured user interface having a first plurality of selection areas, each of the first plurality of selection areas having a first respective size;

positioning the radially configured user interface on the display interface such that the radially configured user interface is visible in relation to the handedness of a particular user such that the particular user'"'"'s hand does not block the user'"'"'s view of the first plurality of selection areas when the particular user makes selections;

monitoring a frequency of use of each of the first plurality of selection areas by the particular user;

responsive to monitoring the frequency of use of each of the first plurality of selection areas by the particular user, changing the first size of at least one of the first plurality of selection areas to a second size based, at least in part, on the frequency of use of each of the first selection areas, wherein changing the first size of at least one of the first plurality of selection areas to a second size comprises;

increasing the first size of the first selection area within the first radially configured user interface; and

proportionately decreasing a first size of another one of the first plurality of selection areas to a third size responsive to the increasing while maintaining a consistent size of the first radially configured user interface;

upon activation of at least one of the selection areas, activating a second radially configured user interface having a second plurality of selection areas, each of the second plurality of selection areas having a respective first size, wherein the second radially configured user interface has a different center than the first radially configured user interface;

monitoring a frequency of use of each of the second plurality of selection areas by the particular user;

responsive to monitoring the frequency of use of each of the second plurality of selection areas by the particular user, changing the respective first size of at least one of the second plurality of selection areas to a second size based, at least in part, on the frequency of use of each of the second selection areas;

displaying a resize icon on the second radially configured user interface; and

performing a sequence of menu options responsive to a gesture associating at least one selection area of the first plurality of selection areas and at least one selection area of the second plurality of selection areas, wherein;

the gesture comprises dragging a stylus in a manner corresponding to the positions of the at least one selection area of the first plurality of selection areas and the at least one selection area of the second plurality of selection areas; and

at least one of the menu options in the sequence is performed without being displayed on the display interface.

8. The display process of claim 7, further comprising selecting one of the menu options of the second radially configured user interface using the electronic pen.

9. The display process of claim 7, wherein the sizes of the menu options of the first and second radially configured user interfaces may be returned to its respective first size using an electronic pen.

12. One or more computer-readable storage media comprising processor-executable instructions that perform acts comprising:

activating, on a display interface, a first radially configured user interface having a first plurality of selection areas, each of the first plurality of selection areas having a first respective size;

positioning the radially configured user interface on the display interface such that the radially configured user interface is visible in relation to the handedness of a particular user such that the particular user'"'"'s hand does not block the user'"'"'s view of the first plurality of selection areas when the particular user makes selections;

monitoring a frequency of use of each of the first plurality of selection areas by the particular user;

responsive to monitoring the frequency of use of each of the first plurality of selection areas by the particular user, changing the first size of at least one of the first plurality of selection areas to a second size based, at least in part, on the frequency of use of each of the first selection areas, wherein changing the first size of at least one of the first plurality of selection areas to a second size comprises;

increasing the first size of the first selection area within the first radially configured user interface; and

proportionately decreasing a first size of another one of the first plurality of selection areas to a third size responsive to the increasing while maintaining a consistent size of the first radially configured user interface;

upon activation of at least one of the selection areas, activating a second radially configured user interface having a second plurality of selection areas, each of the second plurality of selection areas having a respective first size, wherein the second radially configured user interface has a different center than the first radially configured user interface;

monitoring a frequency of use of each of the second plurality of selection areas by the particular user;

responsive to monitoring the frequency of use of each of the second plurality of selection areas by the particular user, changing the respective first size of at least one of the second plurality of selection areas to a second size based, at least in part, on the frequency of use of each of the second selection areas;

displaying a resize icon on the second radially configured user interface; and

performing a sequence of menu options responsive to a gesture associating at least one selection area of the first plurality of selection areas and at least one selection area of the second plurality of selection areas, wherein;

the gesture comprises dragging a stylus in a manner corresponding to the positions of the at least one selection area of the first plurality of selection areas and the at least one selection area of the second plurality of selection areas; and

at least one of the menu options in the sequence is performed without being displayed on the display interface.