Computer controlled user interactive display interface for accessing graphic tools with a minimum of display pointer movement

• US 8,250,486 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2006
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Herman Rodriguez, International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lentz, James Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Pesin, Boris
• Assistant Examiner(s): HEFFINGTON, JOHN M
• Application Number:
  US11/335,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20070168873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,406 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 715/828
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A computer controlled graphical user interface implementation comprising displaying a set of graphic tools in a primary container location on the display in combination with an implement for using a selected tool to create a graphic object at a selected display location that is changeable as the object is being created in which there are provided functions responsive to the creation of the graphic object for displaying a secondary container containing a duplicate of the selected tool proximate the location of the graphic object, the secondary container being dynamically moveable responsive to the graphics object creation.

Claims

1. In a computer controlled user interactive display system, a display interface implementation for accessing graphic tools for creating graphic objects with minimal display pointer movement comprising:

means for displaying a set of graphic tools in a primary container location on the display;

means responsive to the creation of said graphic object providing a secondary container containing a duplicate of said selected tool proximate the location of the graphic object, said secondary container being displayed during the creation of said graphic object and dynamically moveable responsive to said graphic object creation;

means for determining the center of activity of said creation of said graphic object;

said changeable display location of said graphic object is determined by the center of activity of said creation of said graphic object;

means for establishing an exclusion perimeter enclosing the graphic object being created; and

means for preventing said secondary container containing the duplicate of said selected tool from crossing said perimeter, whereby said secondary container does not encroach upon said object being created.

2. The display interface implementation of claim 1 wherein said means for determining said center of activity includes means for tracking the sequence of display locations of the most recent movement of said display pointer.

3. The display interface implementation of claim 1 further including means responsive to the creation of said graphic object providing at least one additional secondary container containing a duplicate of at least one additional selected tool for creating said graphic object proximate the location of the graphic object, said at least one additional secondary container being dynamically moveable responsive to said graphics object creation.

4. The display interface implementation of claim 3 wherein said means for determining said center of activity includes means for tracking the sequence of display locations of the most recent movement of said display pointer in the activity of said at least one additional graphic tool in the creation of said graphic object.

5. A method for accessing graphic tools with minimal display pointer movement on an interactive display interface for creating graphic objects comprising:

displaying a set of graphic tools in a primary container location on the display;

using a selected tool to create a graphic object at a selected display location that is changeable as the object is being created; and

in response to the creation of said graphic object, providing a secondary container containing a duplicate of said selected tool proximate the location of the graphic object, said secondary container being dynamically moveable responsive to said graphics object creation;

determining the center of activity of said creation of said graphic object;

said changeable display location of said graphic object is determined by the center of activity of said creation of said graphic object;

establishing an exclusion perimeter enclosing the graphic object being created; and

preventing said secondary container containing the duplicate of said selected tool from crossing said perimeter, whereby said secondary container does not encroach upon said object being created.

6. The display interface implementation of claim 5 wherein said center of activity is determined by tracking the sequence of display locations of the most recent movement of said display pointer.

7. The method of claim 5 further including providing responsive to the creation of said graphic object, at least one additional secondary container containing a duplicate of at least one additional selected tool for creating said graphic object proximate the location of the graphic object, said at least one additional secondary container being dynamically moveable responsive to said graphics object creation.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said determining said center of activity includes tracking the sequence of display locations of the most recent movement of said display pointer in the activity of said at least one additional graphic tool in the creation of said graphic object.

9. A computer usable medium having stored thereon, a computer program for accessing graphic tools with minimal display pointer movement on an interactive display interface for creating graphic objects, wherein the computer program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

display a set of graphic tools in a primary container location on the display;

use a selected tool to create a graphic object at a selected display location that is changeable as the object is being created; and

In response to the creation of said graphic object, provide a secondary container containing a duplicate of said selected tool proximate the location of the graphic object, said secondary container being displayed during the creation of said graphic object and dynamically moveable responsive to said graphics object creation;

said computer program when executed further causes the computer to determine the center of activity of said creation of said graphic object;

wherein said computer program when executed causes the computer to determine said changeable display location of said graphic object by the center of activity of said creation of said graphic object;

wherein said computer program when executed further causes the computer to;

establish an exclusion perimeter enclosing the graphic object being created; and

prevent said secondary container containing the duplicate of said selected tool from crossing said perimeter, wherein said secondary container does not encroach upon said object being created.

10. The computer usable medium of claim 9 wherein said computer program when executed causes the computer to determine said center of activity by tracking the sequence of display locations of the most recent movement of said display pointer.

11. The computer usable medium of claim 9 wherein said computer program when executed further causes the computer to:

in response to the creation of said graphic object, provide at least one additional secondary container containing a duplicate of at least one additional selected tool for creating said graphic object proximate the location of the graphic object, said at least one additional secondary container being dynamically moveable responsive to said graphics object creation.