Radial menu with overshoot, fade away, and undo capabilities

• US 8,627,233 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2009
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cragun, Brian J., Erickson, Bradley J., Fork, Michael J., Rapp, William C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sax, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): VARGA, WILSON V
• Application Number:
  US12/412,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20100251179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,747 Days
• Field of Search: 715/834, 715/863, 715/823
• US Class Current: 715/834
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

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 to select the radial menu item.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for selecting a radial 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 being bounded by a visible boundary;

receiving a first gesture of the screen pointer;

determining whether the first gesture places the screen pointer within a predefined selection zone of the radial menu item, wherein the radial menu item is overloaded to present at least a first selectable element and a second selectable element for the radial menu item, the predefined selection zone extending outside the visible boundary of the radial menu, and the predefined selection zone being associated exclusively with the radial menu item, as distinct from other items of the radial menu;

upon determining that the screen pointer is within the predefined selection zone of the radial menu item, activating the radial menu item;

receiving one of a predefined second gesture of the screen pointer and a predefined third gesture of the screen pointer, the received gesture performed within the predefined selection zone of the radial menu item;

upon determining the second gesture of the screen pointer was received, executing a function associated with the first selectable element of the activated radial menu item;

upon determining the third gesture of the screen pointer was received, executing a function associated with the second selectable element of the activated radial menu item, wherein, after executing the function associated with the first selectable element or the function associated with the second selectable element and before the radial menu is removed from the display screen, the radial menu is faded away on the display screen;

receiving a fourth gesture of the screen pointer before the radial menu is removed from the display screen, wherein the radial menu is removed a predefined period of time after executing the function associated with the first selectable element or executing the function associated with the second selectable element; and

upon receiving the fourth gesture, terminating the execution of either the function associated with the first selectable element or the function associated with the second selectable element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined selection zone of the radial menu item is defined at least in part by a perimeter around the radial menu, the perimeter encompassing the radial menu.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the perimeter is circular, and wherein the circular perimeter has a first radius from a center of the radial menu, the first radius being greater than a radius of the radial menu.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first gesture comprises moving the screen pointer in and out of the selection zones of one or more radial menu items.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the display screen is a monitor and the screen pointer is a mouse pointer operated by one of a mouse and a trackball.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the display screen is a touch screen and the screen pointer comprises one of a stylus pen and a human finger.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, closing the radial menu in response to receiving a predefined fourth gesture.

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:

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 being bounded by a visible boundary;

receiving a first gesture of the screen pointer;

determining whether the first gesture places the screen pointer within a predefined selection zone of the radial menu item, wherein the radial menu item is overloaded to present at least a first selectable element and a second selectable element for the radial menu item, the predefined selection zone extending outside the visible boundary of the radial menu, and the predefined selection zone being associated exclusively with the radial menu item, as distinct from other items of the radial menu;

upon determining that the screen pointer is within the predefined selection zone of the radial menu item, activating the radial menu item;

receiving one of a predefined second gesture of the screen pointer and a predefined third gesture of the screen pointer, the received gesture performed within the predefined selection zone of the radial menu item;

upon determining the second gesture of the screen pointer was received, executing a function associated with the first selectable element of the activated radial menu item;

upon determining the third gesture of the screen pointer was received, executing a function associated with the second selectable element of the activated radial menu item, wherein, after executing the function associated with the first selectable element or the function associated with the second selectable element and before the radial menu is removed from the display screen, the radial menu is faded away on the display screen;

receiving a fourth gesture of the screen pointer before the radial menu is removed from the display screen, wherein the radial menu is removed a predefined period of time after executing the function associated with the first selectable element or executing the function associated with the second selectable element; and

upon receiving the fourth gesture, terminating the execution of either the function associated with the first selectable element or the function associated with the second selectable element.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the predefined selection zone of the radial menu item is defined at least in part by a perimeter around the radial menu, the perimeter encompassing the radial menu.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the perimeter is circular, and wherein the circular perimeter has a first radius from a center of the radial menu, the first radius being greater than a radius of the radial menu.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the first gesture comprises moving the screen pointer in and out of the selection zones of one or more radial menu items.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the display screen is a monitor and the screen pointer is a mouse pointer operated by one of a mouse and a trackball.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the display screen is a touch screen and the screen pointer comprises one of a stylus pen and a human finger.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 8, further comprising, closing the radial menu in response to receiving the predefined second gesture.

15. A system, comprising:

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 being bounded by a visible boundary,

receive a first gesture of the screen pointer,

determine whether the first gesture places the screen pointer within a predefined selection zone of the radial menu item, wherein the radial menu item is overloaded to present at least a first selectable element and a second selectable element for the radial menu item, the predefined selection zone extending outside the visible boundary of the radial menu, and the predefined selection zone being associated exclusively with the radial menu item, as distinct from other items of the radial menu,

upon determining that the screen pointer is within the predefined selection zone of the radial menu item, activate the radial menu item,

receive one of a predefined second gesture of the screen pointer and a predefined third gesture of the screen pointer, the received gesture performed within the predefined selection zone of the radial menu item,

upon determining the second gesture of the screen pointer was received, execute a function associated with the first selectable element of the activated radial menu item,

upon determining the third gesture of the screen pointer was received, execute a function associated with the second selectable element of the activated radial menu item, wherein, after executing the function associated with the first selectable element or the function associated with the second selectable element and before the radial menu is removed from the display screen, the radial menu is faded away on the display screen,

receiving a fourth gesture of the screen pointer before the radial menu is removed from the display screen, wherein the radial menu is removed a predefined period of time after executing the function associated with the first selectable element or executing the function associated with the second selectable element, and

upon receiving the fourth gesture, terminating the execution of either the function associated with the first selectable element or the function associated with the second selectable element.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the predefined selection zone of the radial menu item is defined at least in part by a perimeter around the radial menu, the perimeter encompassing the radial menu.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the perimeter is circular, and wherein the circular perimeter has a first radius from a center of the radial menu, the first radius being greater than a radius of the radial menu.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the first gesture comprises moving the screen pointer in and out of the selection zones of one or more radial menu items.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the display screen is a monitor and the screen pointer is a mouse pointer operated by one of a mouse and a trackball.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the display screen is a touch screen and the screen pointer comprises one of a stylus pen and a human finger.