Method and apparatus for producing, controlling and displaying menus

• US 8,832,597 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2003
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Inventors: Kurtenbach, Gordon P.
• Primary Examiner(s): LONG, ANDREA NATAE
• Application Number:
  US10/611,960
• Publication Number:
  US 20040095395A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,086 Days
• Field of Search: 715/834, 715/841, 715/835, 715/836, 715/810, 715/837, 715/838, 715/840, 715/846, 715/863
• US Class Current: 715/834
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04807 Pen manipulated menu
• 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

A system that combines a radial marking menu portion with a linear menu portion in a single menu display. Item selection in the linear portion is performed by location selection using a pointing device. Item selection in the marker portion is determined by the pattern of a stroke made by the pointing device with the system ignoring linear menu items across which the stroke completely passes.

Claims

1. A menu selection system, comprising:

a display displaying a menu including a radial marking menu portion simultaneously displayed with a linear menu portion;

a pointing device configured to indicate a type of selection as being one of making a stroke pattern having a direction and designating a location based on an input; and

a computer connected with said display and said pointing device, and determining selection criteria for the type and a menu item selection based on selection information from the one of the stroke pattern and the location, and

wherein an item from the linear menu portion is selected when an end location of the input corresponds to a location defined by the item, otherwise an item from the radial marking menu portion is selected when determining the stroke pattern towards the direction of the input occurred within an angular range of the item from the radial marking menu portion while a moving operation is being implemented.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the menu includes at least nine selectable menu items.

3. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the menu includes at least one menu item selected based on the designating of only a location.

17. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the pointing device allowing a user to select by both making a stroke and designating a location and for indicating a type of selection by the user making one of a stroke having a direction for radial marking menu selection and designating a location.

18. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the pointing device for indicating a type of selection by one of making a stroke having a direction and designating a location local to both the display and the pointing device.

4. A menu selection system, comprising:

a display displaying a menu including a radial marking menu portion simultaneously displayed with a linear menu portion;

a pointing device configured to make a stroke pattern with an end point having a direction and to designate a location based on an input; and

a computer connected with said display and said pointing device, determining selection criteria for a menu item selection responsive to whether a menu is displayed on said display and on the end point of the stroke, and

wherein an item from the linear menu portion is selected when an end location of the input corresponds to a location defined by the item, otherwise an item from the radial marking menu portion is selected when determining the stroke pattern towards the direction of the input occurred within an angular range of the item from the radial marking menu portion while a moving operation is being implemented.

5. A menu selection system, comprising:

a display displaying a menu including a radial marking menu portion simultaneously displayed with a linear menu portion;

a pointing device configured to indicate selection criteria as being one of making either a stroke pattern having a direction and designating a location based on an input; and

a computer connected with said display and said pointing device, and determining a type and determining a menu item selection based on information of the stroke pattern for the radial portion and the location, and

wherein the menu item selection is from the linear menu portion when an end location the input corresponds to a location of defined by item, otherwise an item from the radial marking menu portion is selected when determining the stroke pattern towards the direction of the input occurred within an angular range of the item from the radial marking menu portion while a moving operation is being implemented.

6. A display process, comprising:

displaying a menu including a radial marking menu portion simultaneously displayed with a linear location menu portion;

specifying selection criteria of a radial marking menu item when a method of selection is a stroke direction in the radial marking menu portion; and

specifying selection criteria of a linear location menu item when a method of selection uses an end point of the stroke when the stroke is in a linear location selection region, said specifying indicating a selection as being one of making the stroke and designating a location based on an input, and

wherein an item from the linear menu portion is selected when an end location of the input corresponds to a location defined by the item, otherwise an item from the radial marking menu portion is selected when determining the stroke direction of the input occurred within an angular range of the item from the radial marking menu portion while a moving operation is being implemented.

7. A display process, comprising:

determining whether a menu including a radial marking menu portion simultaneously displayed with a linear location menu portion is being displayed;

determining selection criteria for a menu selection as being a stroke direction method of selection when the menu is not being displayed; and

allowing the user to determine selection criteria as being one of a stroke direction or stroke end point when a menu is being displayed, and

wherein an item from the linear menu portion is selected when an end location of an input corresponds to a location defined the item, otherwise an item from the radial marking menu portion is selected when determining the stroke direction of the input occurred within an angular range of the item from the radial marking menu portion while a moving operation is being implemented.

8. A menu selection system, comprising:

a display displaying a menu including a radial marking menu portion simultaneously displayed with a linear menu portion;

a pointing device configured to make a stroke with an end point; and

a computer connected with said display and said pointing device, determining selection criteria for a radial or linear menu type responsive to whether a menu is displayed on said display before the stroke occurs, and

wherein an item from the linear menu portion is selected when an end location of an input corresponds to a location defined by the item, otherwise an item from the radial marking menu portion is selected when determining a stroke pattern towards a direction of the input occurred within an angular range of the item from the radial marking menu portion while a moving operation is being implemented.

9. A menu selection system, comprising:

a display displaying a menu including a radial marking menu portion simultaneously displayed with a linear menu portion;

a pointing device configured to indicate a type of selection as being one of making a stroke pattern having a direction and designating a location based on an input; and

a computer connected with said display and said pointing device, and determining the type and determining a menu item selection based on information from the stroke pattern for the radial portion and the location for the linear portion, and

wherein an item from the linear menu portion is selected when an end location of the input corresponds to a location defined by the item, otherwise an item from the radial marking menu portion is selected when determining the stroke pattern towards the direction of the input occurred within an angular range of the item from the radial marking menu portion while a moving operation is being implemented.

10. A display selection process, comprising:

specifying selection criteria for a menu including a linear menu portion provided with a radial marking menu portion based on information of a selection, the information of the selection indicating stroke direction and location based on an input, and

selecting an item from the linear menu portion when an end location of the input corresponds to a location defined by the item, otherwise selecting an item from the radial marking menu portion when determining the stroke direction of the input occurred within an angular range of the item from the radial marking menu portion while a moving operation is being implemented.

11. A method of selecting a menu selection, comprising:

receiving an input in a menu including a radial marking menu portion simultaneously displayed with a linear menu portion;

selecting a first item or a second item of the menu relative to one of the radial marking menu portion displayed with the linear menu portion based on the input; and

wherein the radial marking menu portion represents a grouping of menu items based upon frequency of selection, and

an item from the linear menu portion is selected when an end location of the input corresponds to a location defined by the item, otherwise an item from the radial marking menu portion is selected when determining a stroke pattern towards a direction of the input occurred within an angular range of the item from the radial marking menu portion while a moving operation is being implemented.

12. A method of selecting a menu selection, comprising:

making a stroke in a menu including a radial marking menu portion simultaneously displayed with a linear menu portion;

selecting a displayed first item or a second item of the menu relative to one of the radial marking menu portion displayed with the linear menu portion; and

wherein the radial marking menu portion represents a grouping of menu items based upon frequency of selection and the first item and the second item are selected based on an input, and

an item from the linear menu portion is selected when an end location of the input corresponds to a location defined by the item, otherwise an item from the radial marking menu portion is selected when determining a stroke pattern towards a direction of the input occurred within an angular range of the item from the radial marking menu portion while a moving operation is being implemented.

13. A menu selection system, comprising:

a display displaying;

a radial portion in which a menu selection is based on a stroke; and

a linear portion associated with and simultaneously displayed with the radial portion, where selection of a radial menu item of the radial portion is suppressed when a pointer location is in the linear portion based on an input, and

wherein the menu selection is determined to be from the linear portion when an end location of the input corresponds to a location defined by the item, otherwise an item from the radial portion is selected when determining a stroke pattern towards a direction of the input occurred within an angular range of the item from the radial portion while a moving operation is being implemented.

14. A menu as recited in claim 13, wherein the radial menu item selection is reactivated when the pointer location exits a linear item in the linear portion.

15. A menu as recited in claim 13, wherein the radial menu item selection is reactivated when the pointer location crosses a radial portion boundary line extending across the menu.

16. A menu selection system, comprising:

a display displaying a menu including a radial portion in which a menu selection is based on a stroke, and a linear portion associated with and simultaneously displayed with the radial portion;

a pointing device for indicating a type of selection by one of making a stroke having a direction and designating a location based on an input relative; and

a computer connected with said display and said pointing device, and determining selection criteria for the type and a menu item selection based on a method of selection from the one of the stroke and the location, and

wherein the menu selection is made from the linear portion when an end location of the input corresponds to a location defined by the item displayed in an array of items, otherwise an item from the radial marking menu selected when determining a stroke pattern towards the direction of the input occurred within an angular range of the item from the radial marking menu while a moving operation is being implemented.

19. A menu selection system, comprising:

a display displaying a menu with selectable items, the menu including a radial marking menu sub-menu and a linear menu sub-menu, where selectable items in the radial marking menu sub-menu are included based on a priority; and

a computer accepting a selection of an item from the linear menu sub-menu when an end location of an input corresponds to a location defined by the item, otherwise an item from the radial marking menu sub-menu is selected when determining a stroke pattern towards a direction of the input occurred within an angular range of the item from the radial marking menu while a moving operation is being implemented.