Selecting menu for an object in a graphical user interface (GUI) environment

• US 8,949,740 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2012
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kurosawa, Ryoji, Mamada, Kimiko, Shinkawa, Kaoru, Sugisaki, Yuriko, Tahara, Yoshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): Chow, Doon
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, TAM T
• Application Number:
  US13/402,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20120159398A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,076 Days
• Field of Search: 715/741, 715/756, 715/757, 715/841, 715/800, 715/843, 715/845, 715/858, 715/815, 715/825
• US Class Current: 715/841
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence

Abstract

Provided is a method applied to a computer system including a display device and a pointing device for operating a pointer displayed in a display region of the display device in accordance with an operation by a user. In the method, a position of the pointer is stored as a first position in response to receipt of a first operation performed by the user, a first menu including multiple items is displayed at a position corresponding to the first position, a position of the pointer is stored as a second position in response to receipt of a second operation performed by the user, and a second menu is displayed, being changed from the first menu based on a distance between the first position and the second position.

Claims

1. A method for operating a pointer in accordance with an operation by a user, the method comprising:

storing a position of a pointer displayed in a display region of a display device of a computer system as a first position in response to receipt of a first operation performed by the user, where a pointing device operates the pointer;

displaying a first menu including a plurality of items at a position corresponding to the first position;

storing a position of the pointer as a second position in response to receipt of a second operation performed by the user; and

displaying a second menu changed from the first menu based on a distance between the first position and the second position;

wherein;

the items of the first menu are displayed in a selectable manner in response to an event where the distance between the first position and the second position exceeds a first threshold;

the items of the second menu include the plurality of items from the first menu and one or more items not included in the first menu in addition to the items included in the first menu; and

the items of the second menu that are not included in the first menu are displayed in a selectable manner in response to an event where the distance between the first position and the second position exceeds a second threshold higher than the first threshold.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising designating an object in the display region by using the pointer to perform the first operation.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying a display region of the second menu larger than a display region of the first menu.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising scaling up the display region of the second menu with an increase of the distance between the first position and the second position, and scaling down the display region of the second menu with a decrease of the distance between the first position and the second position.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising displaying items in the second menu in a selectable manner in response to an event where the distance between the first position and the second position exceeds a first threshold.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing items included in the first menu that are more frequently selected than the item not included in the first menu.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

designating the first position as P1(X1, Y1) and the second position as P2(X2, Y2), and

displaying the second menu such that the second menu changed from the first menu based on a value of X2-X1 or a value of Y2-Y1.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising selecting one of the items included in the second menu in response to receipt of a third operation performed by the user.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

implementing the pointing device as a mouse having a button such that the first operation is an operation of pressing the button, the second operation is an operation of moving the mouse with the button kept pressed, and the third operation is an operation of releasing the button.

10. The method according to claim 8, further comprising corresponding the plurality of items included in the second menu to parameter values, respectively.

11. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

providing the one item as including a third menu in a lower hierarchical level, and

displaying the third menu in response to selection of the one item.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

designating the first position as P1(X1, Y1) and the second position as P2(X2, Y2),

providing the second menu with a plurality of items arranged in a Y direction,

displaying the second menu as the second menu changed from the first menu based on a value of X2-X1, and

selecting one of the plurality of items based on a value of Y2-Y1 in response to receipt of a third operation performed by the user.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

designating the first position as P1(X1, Y1) and the second position as P2(X2, Y2),

providing the second menu with a plurality of items arranged in the Y direction,

displaying the second menu as the second menu changed from the first menu based on a value of X2-X1, and

selecting none of the plurality of items on condition that a value of Y2-Y1 exceeds a third threshold, in response to receipt of a third operation performed by the user.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

designating the first position as P1(X1, Y1) and the second position as P2(X2, Y2),

providing the second menu as including a plurality of items arranged in a Y direction,

displaying the second menu such that the second menu changed from the first menu based on a value of X2-X1 is displayed,

selecting one of the plurality of items based on a value of Y2-Y1 in response to receipt of a third operation performed by the user, and

displaying a third menu in a lower hierarchical level on condition that the one item includes the third menu.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

moving the pointer in the third operation in a direction opposite to a direction from P1 to P2 in an X direction, and same as a direction from P1 to P2 in the Y direction, and

displaying the third menu at a side of the one item in the direction opposite to the direction from P1 to P2 in the X direction.

16. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

implementing the pointing device as a mouse having a button, such that the first operation is an operation of pressing the button, the second operation is an operation of moving the mouse in a certain direction with the button kept pressed, and the third operation is an operation of moving the mouse in another direction with the button kept pressed.

17. Computer-readable hardware with a program stored thereon, wherein the program instructs a processor to execute:

storing a position of a pointer as a first position in response to receipt of a first operation performed by a user;

displaying a first menu including a plurality of items at a position corresponding to the first position;

storing a position of the pointer as a second position in response to receipt of a second operation performed by the user; and

displaying a second menu changed from the first menu based on a distance between the first position and the second position;

wherein;

the items of the first menu are displayed in a selectable manner in response to an event where the distance between the first position and the second position exceeds a first threshold;

the items of the second menu include the plurality of items from the first menu and one or more items not included in the first menu in addition to the items included in the first menu; and

the items of the second menu that are not included in the first menu are displayed in a selectable manner in response to an event where the distance between the first position and the second position exceeds a second threshold higher than the first threshold.

18. A computer system comprising:

a display device;

a pointing device for operating a pointer displayed in a display region of the display device in accordance with an operation by a user;

a storage unit; and

an arithmetic and control unit, wherein;

the arithmetic and control unit is configured to cause;

the storage device to store a position of the pointer as a first position in response to receipt of a first operation performed by the user;

the display device to display a first menu including a plurality of items at a position corresponding to the first position;

the storage device to store a position of the pointer as a second position in response to receipt of a second operation performed by the user; and

the display device to display a second menu changed from the first menu based on a distance between the first position and the second position;

wherein;

the items of the first menu are displayed in a selectable manner in response to an event where the distance between the first position and the second position exceeds a first threshold;

the items of the second menu include the plurality of items from the first menu and one or more items not included in the first menu in addition to the items included in the first menu; and

the items of the second menu that are not included in the first menu are displayed in a selectable manner in response to an event where the distance between the first position and the second position exceeds a second threshold higher than the first threshold.