Segment ring menu
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for utilizing a segment ring menu, comprising:
- determining when to activate the segment ring menu;
wherein the segment ring menu includes four sections that are equidistant from a center of the segment ring menu;
wherein a first section is associated with a first menu;
a second section is associated with a second menu;
a third section is associated with a third menu and a fourth section is associated with a fourth menu;
selecting, based on a current context, the first menu as a default menu when the current context is a first context;
selecting the second menu as the default menu when the current context is a second context;
selecting the third menu as the default menu when the current context is a third context;
selecting the fourth menu as the default menu when the current context is a fourth context;
wherein the default menu is initially displayed, proximate to the section that is associated with the selected menu in response to activating the segment ring menu and before displaying the other menus that are not selected;
determining a location to display the segment ring menu;
determining when there is insufficient room to display the default menu at the location that is associated with the one of the four sections that is associated with the segment ring menu;
displaying the segment ring menu such that the default menu is displayed in its entirety;
determining when to update a menu to display that is selected from the first section, the second section, the third section and the fourth section; and
displaying the menu at a display location such that the menu does not overlap another menu and another one of the sections when there is insufficient room to display the menu on the display at a corresponding section for the menu.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A segment ring menu is provided that is used to easily access menu items. The segment ring menu includes a number of menus that are located equidistant from an initial mouse position from where the segment ring menu is evoked. Hovering over any of the sections of the segment ring menu displays the menu items hosted in that section. The segment ring menu layout is directed at making it easy for the user to reach any of the menu items with a small amount of mouse movement.
41 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for utilizing a segment ring menu, comprising:
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determining when to activate the segment ring menu;
wherein the segment ring menu includes four sections that are equidistant from a center of the segment ring menu;
wherein a first section is associated with a first menu;
a second section is associated with a second menu;
a third section is associated with a third menu and a fourth section is associated with a fourth menu;selecting, based on a current context, the first menu as a default menu when the current context is a first context;
selecting the second menu as the default menu when the current context is a second context;
selecting the third menu as the default menu when the current context is a third context;
selecting the fourth menu as the default menu when the current context is a fourth context;
wherein the default menu is initially displayed, proximate to the section that is associated with the selected menu in response to activating the segment ring menu and before displaying the other menus that are not selected;determining a location to display the segment ring menu; determining when there is insufficient room to display the default menu at the location that is associated with the one of the four sections that is associated with the segment ring menu; displaying the segment ring menu such that the default menu is displayed in its entirety; determining when to update a menu to display that is selected from the first section, the second section, the third section and the fourth section; and displaying the menu at a display location such that the menu does not overlap another menu and another one of the sections when there is insufficient room to display the menu on the display at a corresponding section for the menu. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for presenting a segment ring menu, that when executed perform actions, comprising:
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determining when to activate the segment ring menu;
wherein the segment ring menu includes sections that are approximately equidistant from a center of the segment ring menu;
wherein each of the sections are associated with a menu;selecting, based on a current context, one of the menus that is associated with one of the sections as a default menu when the current context is a first context;
selecting a different one of menus that is associated with a different one of the sections as the default menu when the current context is a second context;
wherein the default menu is initially displayed, proximate to the section that is associated with the selected menu in response to activating the segment ring menu and before displaying the other menus that are not selected;determining a location to display the segment ring menu; determining when there is insufficient room to display the default menu at the location that is associated with the one of four sections that is associated with the segment ring menu; changing an association of the one of four sections that is associated with the default menu and changing the association of at least one of the other sections that is associated with another menu when there is insufficient room to display the default menu at the location such that the default menu is displayed in its entirety when it is displayed; displaying the segment ring menu; displaying the default menu; determining the menu to display that is associated with one of the sections of the segment ring menu; displaying the menu such that it does not overlap another menu and another one of the sections of the segment ring menu when there is no room to display the menu on the display at the associated section of the segment ring menu. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for utilizing a segment ring menu, comprising:
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a processor and a computer-readable medium; an operating environment stored on the computer-readable medium and executing on the processor; and a segment ring menu manager operating under the control of the operating environment and operative to; determine when to activate the segment ring menu;
wherein the segment ring menu is a context menu that includes four sections that are positioned equidistant from a center of the segment ring menu;
wherein a first section is associated with a first menu;
a second section is associated with a second menu;
a third section is associated with a third menu and a fourth section is associated with a fourth menu;selecting, based on a current context, one of the menus as a default menu when the current context is a first context and selecting one of the other menus as the default menu when the current context is a second context;
wherein the default menu is initially displayed, proximate to the section that is associated with the selected menu in response to activating the segment ring menu and before displaying the other menus that are not selected;determining a location to display the segment ring menu; displaying the segment ring menu; and displaying the default menu. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification