Radial menu selection with gestures
First Claim
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1. A method for selecting a menu item from a radial menu, comprising:
- receiving a predefined screen pointer event;
in response to receiving the predefined screen pointer event, displaying the radial menu on a display screen, the radial menu comprising a center and a plurality of radial menu items placed radially outward from the center as pie slices, wherein one or more of the pie slices of the radial menu are each overloaded with two or more radial menu items, and wherein the overloaded radial menu items are each displayed at a different radial distance from the center of the radial menu;
receiving a first gesture of the screen pointer, wherein the first gesture activates at least a first menu item and a second menu item, the first menu item and the second menu item both displayed in one of the overloaded pie slices as overloaded radial menu items, wherein the radial menu provides a visual indication identifying the first and second menu items as activated menu items;
while the first menu item and the second menu item are activated, receiving either a predefined second gesture or a predefined third gesture of the screen pointer from a set of available gestures, the predefined second gesture and the predefined third gesture including screen pointer movements, wherein the predefined second gesture comprises moving the screen pointer in a stroke in a clockwise direction for executing a function associated with the activated first menu item, and wherein the predefined third gesture comprises moving the screen pointer in a stroke in a counter-clockwise direction for executing a function associated with the activated second menu item;
in response to receiving the predefined second gesture while the first menu item and the second menu item are activated, executing the function associated with the activated first menu item; and
in response to receiving the predefined third gesture while the first menu item and the second menu item are activated, executing the function associated with the activated second menu item.
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention are generally related to graphical user interfaces (GUIs), and more specifically to selecting items from a radial menu. More specifically, embodiments of the invention provide a complex set of gestures which, when performed using a screen pointer, facilitate fast and accurate selection of radial menu items from a radial menu. The gestures may generally involve a first movement of the screen pointer to activate a desired radial menu item, and a second predefined movement of the screen pointer within a predefined selection zone to select the radial menu item.
33 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for selecting a menu item from a radial menu, comprising:
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receiving a predefined screen pointer event; in response to receiving the predefined screen pointer event, displaying the radial menu on a display screen, the radial menu comprising a center and a plurality of radial menu items placed radially outward from the center as pie slices, wherein one or more of the pie slices of the radial menu are each overloaded with two or more radial menu items, and wherein the overloaded radial menu items are each displayed at a different radial distance from the center of the radial menu; receiving a first gesture of the screen pointer, wherein the first gesture activates at least a first menu item and a second menu item, the first menu item and the second menu item both displayed in one of the overloaded pie slices as overloaded radial menu items, wherein the radial menu provides a visual indication identifying the first and second menu items as activated menu items; while the first menu item and the second menu item are activated, receiving either a predefined second gesture or a predefined third gesture of the screen pointer from a set of available gestures, the predefined second gesture and the predefined third gesture including screen pointer movements, wherein the predefined second gesture comprises moving the screen pointer in a stroke in a clockwise direction for executing a function associated with the activated first menu item, and wherein the predefined third gesture comprises moving the screen pointer in a stroke in a counter-clockwise direction for executing a function associated with the activated second menu item; in response to receiving the predefined second gesture while the first menu item and the second menu item are activated, executing the function associated with the activated first menu item; and in response to receiving the predefined third gesture while the first menu item and the second menu item are activated, executing the function associated with the activated second menu item. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising a program product which, when executed by a processor is configured to perform an operation for selecting a menu item from a radial menu, the operation comprising:
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receiving a predefined screen pointer event; in response to receiving the predefined screen pointer event, displaying the radial menu on a display screen, the radial menu comprising a center and a plurality of radial menu items placed radially outward from the center as pie slices, wherein one or more of the pie slices of the radial menu are each overloaded with two or more radial menu items, and wherein the overloaded radial menu items are each displayed at a different radial distance from the center of the radial menu; receiving a first gesture of the screen pointer, wherein the first gesture activates at least a first menu item and a second menu item, the first menu item and the second menu item both displayed in one of the overloaded pie slices as overloaded radial menu items, wherein the radial menu provides a visual indication identifying the first and second menu items as activated menu items; while the first menu item and the second menu item are activated, receiving either a predefined second gesture or a predefined third gesture of the screen pointer from a set of available gestures, the predefined second gesture and the predefined third gesture including screen pointer movements, wherein the predefined second gesture comprises moving the screen pointer in a stroke in a clockwise direction for executing a function associated with the activated first menu item, and wherein the predefined third gesture comprises moving the screen pointer in a stroke in a counter-clockwise direction for executing a function associated with the activated second menu item; in response to receiving the predefined second gesture while the first menu item and the second menu item are activated, executing the function associated with the activated first menu item; and in response to receiving the predefined third gesture while the first menu item and the second menu item are activated, executing the function associated with the activated second menu item. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system, comprising:
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a memory comprising a program; and a processor which, when executing the program, is configured to; receive a predefined screen pointer event, in response to receiving the predefined screen pointer event, display a radial menu on a display screen, the radial menu comprising a center and a plurality of radial menu items placed radially outward from the center as pie slices, wherein one or more of the pie slices of the radial menu are each overloaded with two or more radial menu items, and wherein the overloaded radial menu items are each displayed at a different radial distance from the center of the radial menu, receive a first gesture of the screen pointer, wherein the first gesture activates at least a first menu item and a second menu item, the first menu item and the second menu item both displayed in one of the overloaded pie slices as overloaded radial menu items, wherein the radial menu provides a visual indication identifying the first and second menu items as activated menu items, while the first menu item and the second menu item are activated, receive either a predefined second gesture or a predefined third gesture of the screen pointer from a set of available gestures, the predefined second gesture and the predefined third gesture including screen pointer movements, wherein the predefined second gesture comprises moving the screen pointer in a stroke in a clockwise direction for executing a function associated with the activated first menu item, and wherein the predefined third gesture comprises moving the screen pointer in a stroke in a counter-clockwise direction for executing a function associated with the activated second menu item, in response to receiving the predefined second gesture while the first menu item and the second menu item are activated, execute the function associated with the activated first menu item, and in response to receiving the predefined third gesture while the first menu item and the second menu item are activated, execute the function associated with the activated second menu item. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification