Segment ring menu

• US 8,869,065 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Mandic, Mirko, Dukhon, Marina, Pearson, Mark, Satterfield, Clay
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Kieu
• Assistant Examiner(s): BASOM, BLAINE T
• Application Number:
  US11/823,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20090007015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,671 Days
• Field of Search: 715/837, 715/834, 715/812, 715/813, 715/828, 715/841, 715/808
• US Class Current: 715/813
• 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 3/0486 Drag-and-drop

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.

Claims

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.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining when to update the menu to display comprises determining when a pointer is over one of the sections and displaying a corresponding menu that is associated with the section when the pointer is over the section.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining when the pointer is over one of the sections comprises displaying the menu when the pointer is outside a portion of around the center of the segment ring menu and over the section.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the segment ring menu is a context menu.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two of the menus that are each associated with a section of the segment ring menu are consistent across applications.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein at least one of the menus associated with a section of the segment ring menu includes cut, copy and paste tools.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein at least one of the menus associated with a section of the segment ring menu includes formatting tools.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the menu comprises displaying the menu over a different section of the segment ring menu when the menu can not be drawn completely within the menu'"'"'s associated section.

9. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for presenting a segment ring menu, that when executed perform actions, comprising:

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.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein determining the menu to display comprises determining when a pointer is over one of the sections and displaying a corresponding menu that is associated with the section when the pointer is over the section.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, further comprising dismissing the segment ring menu when either a selection is made outside of the segment ring menu or when an option contained in the menu, wherein the option is set to close the menu when executed, is selected.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the segment ring menu is a context menu and wherein displaying the segment ring menu comprises locating the segment ring menu around a location of a pointer.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein segment ring menu includes at least three sections but no more than six sections.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein one of the menus includes cut, copy and paste tools and wherein another one of the menus includes formatting tools.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein each of the menus that are each associated with a section of the segment ring menu are consistent across applications.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein displaying the menu comprises associating a different section of the segment ring menu with the menu such that the menu is displayed over the different section when the menu can not be drawn completely when it is associated with the section with which it is originally associated.

17. A system for utilizing a segment ring menu, comprising:

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.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising determining a menu to display in response to determining when a pointer is over one of the sections and displaying a corresponding menu that is associated with the section when the pointer is over the section.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein determining when the pointer is over one of the sections comprises displaying the menu when the pointer is outside of a portion of around the center of the segment ring menu and inside one of the sections.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein at least three of the menus that are each associated with a section of the segment ring menu are consistent across applications;

wherein a first one of the menus includes cut, copy and paste tools;

wherein a second one of the menus includes formatting tools; and

wherein a third one of the menus includes a selection change gallery.