Visual feedback display

• US 8,074,178 B2
• Filed: 06/12/2007
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hudson, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu, Tadeese
• Assistant Examiner(s): ULRICH, NICHOLAS S
• Application Number:
  US11/761,412
• Publication Number:
  US 20080313538A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,638 Days
• Field of Search: 715/702, 715/810, 715/808, 715/789, 715/764, 715/842, 715/841, 715/974, 715/77, 715/834, 715/786, 715/788, 715/815, 715/800, 715/865, 715/833, 715/719, 715/722, 345/179, 345/173
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/974 Slider control as on-screen object in operator interface

Abstract

Visual feedback may be provided. First, a continuous contact with a first point on a surface may be detected. The surface may comprise, for example, a touch screen or a touch pad. The continuous contact may be caused by a selecting element comprising, for example, a stylus or a digit of a subject. Then a menu may be displayed in response to the detected continuous contact. The menu may comprise a plurality of menu selectable elements. Next it may be detected that the continuous contact has moved from the first point on the surface to a second point on the surface. The second point may correspond to a one of the plurality of menu selectable elements. Then a control may be displayed corresponding the one of the plurality of menu selectable elements.

Claims

1. A method for providing visual feedback, the method comprising:

detecting a contact with a first point on a surface;

displaying a menu in response to the detected contact, the menu comprising a plurality of menu selectable elements;

detecting that the contact has moved from the first point on the surface to a second point on the surface, the second point corresponding to a one of the plurality of menu selectable elements; and

displaying a control corresponding to the one of the plurality of menu selectable elements, wherein displaying the control corresponding to the one of the plurality of menu selectable elements comprises displaying a slider relative to the second point, wherein a thumb of the slider is displayed at the second point.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the contact with the first point on the surface comprises detecting the contact with the first point on the surface comprising one of the following:

a touch screen and a touch pad.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the contact comprises detecting the contact being caused by a selecting element comprising one of the following:

a stylus and a digit of a subject.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the menu comprises displaying the menu on the surface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the menu comprises displaying the menu on the surface relative to the first point.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the menu comprises:

determining a first amount of space on the surface in proximity to the first point; and

displaying the plurality of menu selectable elements in the determined first amount of space.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the control comprises displaying the control in a first area on the surface when it is determined that a user is right-handed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the control comprises displaying the control in a second area on the surface when it is determined that a user is left-handed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the control comprises displaying a volume control associated with the slider.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the slider comprises displaying, in proximity to the control, indications corresponding to at least one direction in which the control is movable.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the control further comprises:

determining a second amount of space on the surface in proximity to the second point; and

displaying the control in the determined second amount of space.

12. A computer-readable medium which stores a set of instructions which when executed performs a method for providing visual feedback, the method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

receiving a selecting element hovering over a touch screen at a first point;

displaying a menu in response to the selecting element hovering over the touch screen at the first point, the menu comprising a plurality of menu selectable elements displayed relative to the first point;

determining that the selecting element has moved across the screen from the first point to a second point, the second point corresponding to a one of the plurality of menu selectable elements;

displaying a control corresponding to the one of the plurality of menu selectable elements, the control being displayed relative to the second point wherein a control selectable element corresponding to the control is displayed at the second point, the control comprising a volume adjustment slider; and

displaying indicators in proximity to the control, the indicators being indicative of at least one direction in which the control selectable element is movable.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein displaying the menu in response to the selecting element comprises displaying the menu in response to the selecting element comprising one of the following:

a stylus and a digit of a subject.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein displaying the menu further comprises:

determining a first amount of space on the touch screen in proximity to the first point; and

displaying the plurality of menu selectable elements in the determined first amount of space.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein displaying the control comprises displaying the control in a first area on the touch screen when it is determined that a user corresponding to the selecting element is right-handed.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein displaying the control comprises displaying the control in a first area on the screen when it is determined that a user corresponding to the selecting element is right-handed wherein at least a portion of the first area is to the left of the second point.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein displaying the control comprises displaying the control in a second area on the screen when it is determined that a user corresponding to the selecting element is left-handed.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein displaying the control comprises displaying the control in a second area on the screen when it is determined that a user corresponding to the selecting element is left-handed wherein at least a portion of the second area is to the right of the second point.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein displaying the control further comprises:

determining a second amount of space on the screen in proximity to the second point; and

displaying the control in the determined second amount of space.

20. A system for providing visual feedback, the system comprising:

a memory storage; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to;

detect a digit of a user hovering at a first point on a surface;

display, relative to the first point, a first menu in response to the detected hovering digit, the first menu comprising a plurality of first menu selectable elements;

determine that the detected hovering digit has moved from the first point on the surface to a second point on the surface, the second point corresponding to a one of the plurality of first menu selectable elements;

remove, in response to determining that the detected hovering digit has moved, the first menu from the screen; and

display, relative to the second point

a control corresponding to the plurality of first menu selectable elements, the control comprising a slider relative to the second point, wherein a thumb of the slider is displayed at the second point.