Two-dimensional radial user interface for computer software applications
First Claim
1. A method of applying two properties to a selected object in response to a single action, the method comprising:
- launching a pie-shaped user interface in response to receiving a primary selection of the selected object followed by a hold of the selected object, wherein the user interface is displayed until a user selection on the user interface is received;
dividing the pie-shaped user interface into at least two slices, where each of the at least two slices is associated with a different type of a first property, wherein the first property comprises a first set of property types to be applied to the selected object according to a context of the selected object;
further dividing the pie-shaped user interface into at least two circular sections by dividing the user interface with at least one concentric circular divider disposed between a center of the user interface and an outer edge of the user interface, where each of the at least two circular sections is associated with a different type of a second property, wherein the second property comprises a second set of property types to be applied simultaneously with the first property to the selected object according to the context of the selected object;
creating a plurality of bounded areas in the user interface by an intersection of the at least two slices with the at least one concentric circular divider;
coding each of the plurality of bounded areas with a unique color corresponding to the first property of each of the plurality of bounded areas;
designating each of the plurality of bounded areas as a selectable control which, upon the user selection of the selectable control associated with a selected bounded area of the plurality of bounded areas, causes an application of a first type of the first subset of property types of the first property and a second type of the second subset of property types of the second property to the selected object;
applying, upon the user selection of the selected bounded area of the plurality of bounded areas, the unique color associated with the selected bounded area of the plurality of bounded areas to a marker associated with the selected object; and
in response to receiving a cursor focus on a given one of the plurality of bounded areas, displaying a tool tip dialog showing the first type of the first subset of property types of the first property and the second type of the second subset of property types of the second property associated with the given one of the plurality of bounded areas.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved user interface is provided for allowing the application of two properties or pieces of metadata to an object with a single user action. A two-dimensional radial menu (user interface) is provided. The radial menu is a generally pie-shaped user interface that is divided into two or more slices associated with two or more corresponding types of a first property that may be applied to a selected object. The menu is further divided to two or more circular sections so that each slice of the pie-shaped radial menu is further divided into two or more sections. Each circular section is associated with a type of a second property that may be applied to the object. By selection of a given section in a given slice of the radial menu, one type of the first property associated with the given slice and a one type of the second property associated with the given circular section of the slice are applied to the selected object with a single user action.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of applying two properties to a selected object in response to a single action, the method comprising:
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launching a pie-shaped user interface in response to receiving a primary selection of the selected object followed by a hold of the selected object, wherein the user interface is displayed until a user selection on the user interface is received; dividing the pie-shaped user interface into at least two slices, where each of the at least two slices is associated with a different type of a first property, wherein the first property comprises a first set of property types to be applied to the selected object according to a context of the selected object; further dividing the pie-shaped user interface into at least two circular sections by dividing the user interface with at least one concentric circular divider disposed between a center of the user interface and an outer edge of the user interface, where each of the at least two circular sections is associated with a different type of a second property, wherein the second property comprises a second set of property types to be applied simultaneously with the first property to the selected object according to the context of the selected object; creating a plurality of bounded areas in the user interface by an intersection of the at least two slices with the at least one concentric circular divider; coding each of the plurality of bounded areas with a unique color corresponding to the first property of each of the plurality of bounded areas; designating each of the plurality of bounded areas as a selectable control which, upon the user selection of the selectable control associated with a selected bounded area of the plurality of bounded areas, causes an application of a first type of the first subset of property types of the first property and a second type of the second subset of property types of the second property to the selected object; applying, upon the user selection of the selected bounded area of the plurality of bounded areas, the unique color associated with the selected bounded area of the plurality of bounded areas to a marker associated with the selected object; and in response to receiving a cursor focus on a given one of the plurality of bounded areas, displaying a tool tip dialog showing the first type of the first subset of property types of the first property and the second type of the second subset of property types of the second property associated with the given one of the plurality of bounded areas. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A two-dimensional radial menu displayed by a display device operatively associated with a processing unit coupled to a memory storage having a set of instructions which, when executed by the processing unit, cause the display device to display the two-dimensional radial menu for applying two properties to a selected object in response to a single action, the two-dimensional radial menu comprising:
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a pie-shaped user interface; launched in response to receiving a primary selection of the selected object followed by a hold of the selected object for a set period of time, displayed until a user selection on the user interface is received, divided into at least two slices, where each of the at least two slices is associated with a different type of a first property, wherein the first property comprises a first subset of property types to be applied to the selected object according to the context of the selected object, and further divided into at least two circular sections by at least one concentric circular divider disposed between a center of the user interface and an outer edge of the user interface, where each of the at least two circular sections is associated with a different type of a second property, wherein the second property comprises a second subset of property types to be applied simultaneously with the first property to the selected object according to the context of the selected object; a plurality of bounded areas in the user interface formed by a intersection of the at least two slices with the at least one concentric circular divider, wherein each of the plurality of bounded areas is designated as a selectable control which, upon receiving the user selection of the selectable control, causes an application of a first type of the first subset of property types of the first property and a second type of the second subset of property types of the second property to the selected object, and wherein each of the plurality of bounded areas is coded with a unique color corresponding to the first property of each of the plurality of bounded areas; and a tool tip dialog showing the first type of the first subset of property types of the first property and the second type of the second subset of property types of the second property associated with a given one of the plurality of bounded areas displayed in response to receiving a cursor focus on the given one of the plurality of bounded areas. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 18)
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13. A computer-readable storage medium containing computer-executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method of applying two properties to a selected object in response to a single action, the method executed by the computer-executable instructions comprising:
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launching a pie-shaped user interface adjacent to the selected object in response to receiving a primary selection of the selected object by a left mouse click on the object followed by a hold of the selected object, wherein the user interface is displayed until a user selection on the user interface is received; dividing the pie-shaped user interface into at least two slices, where each of the at least two slices is associated with a different type of a first property, wherein the first property comprises a first subset of property types to be applied to the selected object according to the context of the selected object; further dividing the pie-shaped user interface into at least two circular sections by dividing the user interface with at least one concentric circular divider disposed between a center of the user interface and an outer edge of the user interface, where each of the at least two circular sections is associated with a different type of a second property, wherein the second property comprises a second subset of property types to be applied simultaneously with the first property to the selected object according to the context of the selected object; creating a plurality of bounded areas in the user interface by an intersection of the at least two slices with the at least one concentric circular divider; associating, with each of the plurality of bounded areas, a first type of the first subset of property types of the first property and a second type of the second subset of property types of the second property, wherein each of the plurality of bounded areas is associated with a different combination of the first subset of property types of the first property and the second subset of property types of the second property; coding each of the plurality of bounded areas with a unique color corresponding to the first property of each of the plurality of bounded areas; designating each of the plurality of bounded areas as a selectable control which, upon receiving the user selection of the selectable control associated with a selected bounded area of the plurality of bounded areas, causes an application of a first type of the first subset of property types of the first property and a second type of the second subset of property types of the second property to the selected object; and in response to receiving a cursor focus on a given one of the plurality of bounded areas, displaying a tool tip dialog showing the first type of the first subset of property types of the first property and the second type of the second subset of property types of the second property associated with the given one of the plurality of bounded areas. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 19)
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Specification