Radial graphical user interface

• US 8,707,211 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2011
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Yasui, Nozomu, Liu, Ko-Kuang
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Orr, Henry
• Application Number:
  US13/278,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20130104079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 715/834
• US Class Current: 715/834
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

Systems, methods, and machine-readable and executable instructions are provided for displaying a radial graphical user interface. The radial graphical user interface can include displaying a first layer radial menu item as a circular shape and displaying a second layer radial menu of a number of first menu sub-items related to the first layer menu item grouped concentrically around the first layer radial menu in response to a user selecting the first menu item. The graphical user interface can also include replacing the first layer menu with a user selected first menu sub-item and replacing the second layer radial menu with a number of second menu sub-items related to the selected first menu sub-item in response to a user selecting one of the number of first menu sub-items, wherein the second layer is rotatable by a user.

Claims

1. A method for providing a radial graphical user interface on a computing device display comprising:

providing a first layer radial menu by displaying a menu item as a circular shape;

providing a second layer radial menu by displaying a number of first menu sub-items related to the first layer radial menu item grouped concentrically around the first layer radial menu in response to a user selecting the first layer radial menu, wherein the second layer radial menu is rotatable by a user;

replacing the first layer radial menu item with the user selected first menu sub-item in response to a user selecting one of the number of first menu sub-items, wherein replacing the first layer radial menu item includes populating the first layer radial menu with the user selected first menu sub-item;

replacing the number of first menu sub-items with a number of second menu sub-items related to the selected first menu sub-item, wherein the number of second menu sub-items include a number of values of a function of the selected first menu sub-item;

performing a value of the function of the selected first menu sub-item, in response to a user rotating the second layer radial menu.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes launching an application in response to the user selecting one of the number of second menu sub-items related to the selected first menu sub-item.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the first and second layer radial menus further includes:

concurrently providing the first and second layer radial menus in response to an input from a user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes:

providing a third layer radial menu by displaying a number of values corresponding to a function of a selected second menu sub-item grouped concentrically around the second layer radial menu in response to a user selecting one of the number of second menu sub-items, wherein the third layer is rotatable by a user; and

in response to rotation of the third layer radial menu, changing a value of the function of the selected second menu sub-item.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions executable by a processor to cause a computing device to:

display a first layer radial application launch menu on a graphical user interface as a circular shape;

in response to a selection of the application launch by a user, display a second layer radial menu concentrically around the first layer on the graphical user interface, wherein the second layer radial menu includes a number of menu sub-items related to the first layer application launch menu;

in response to a selection of a second layer menu sub-item by a user, display a third layer radial menu concentrically around the second layer radial menu on the graphical user interface, wherein the third layer radial menu includes a number of values of a function of the selected second layer menu sub-item; and

in response to a user rotating the third layer radial menu, perform a value among the number of values of the function of the selected second layer menu sub-item.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the instructions are executable to rotate the third layer radial menu of a number of values of the selected second layer menu sub-item in response to an input by a user.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein the instructions executable to perform the value includes instructions to change a physical value of the function of the selected second layer menu sub-item in response to the user rotating the third layer radial menu of values.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the instructions are executable to display the selected second layer menu sub-item in the first layer radial menu in response to a user selecting the second layer menu sub-item.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the instructions are executable to:

concurrently display the first layer radial application launch menu and the second layer radial menu in response to a first input from a user;

display the first, second, and third layer radial menus wherein an entire circular menu comprises a smaller area than the computing device display area;

display the entire circular menu at a different location on the computing device display area in response to a second input from a user; and

resize the entire circular menu in response to a third input from a user.

10. A system for providing a radial graphical user interface comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to direct the processor to;

populate a first layer radial menu with a menu item;

display the populated first layer radial menu as a single circular shape on a user interface;

in response to user selection of the first layer radial menu, populate a second layer radial menu with menu sub-items of the first layer menu item;

display the populated second layer radial menu concentrically grouped around the first layer radial menu on the user interface, wherein the second layer is a number of annular sections forming an annulus;

in response to user selection of a second layer radial menu sub-item, populate a third layer radial menu with a group of values of a function of the selected second layer menu sub-item; and

display the populated third layer radial menu concentrically grouped around the second layer radial menu on the user interface, wherein the third layer is a number of annular sections forming an annulus; and

in response to a user rotating the third layer radial menu, perform a value among the group of values of the function of the selected second layer menu sub-item.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a touch sensitive screen for a user to select the first layer and second layer radial menu items and rotate the third layer radial menu.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising a hardware device for a user to select the first layer and second layer radial menu items and rotate the third layer radial menu.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the memory further directs the processor to display the performed value of the function as rotated by a user in the first layer radial menu.