System and method for generating a user interface for text and item selection

• US 9,195,317 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2009
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OpenTV, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Original Assignee: OpenTV, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Inventors: Doerring, Nicholas D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chuang, Jessica
• Application Number:
  US12/366,293
• Publication Number:
  US 20100199224A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,483 Days
• Field of Search: 715/856
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour

Abstract

A system and method for generating a user interface for text and item selection is disclosed. As described for various embodiments, a system and process is disclosed for providing an arrangement of selectable items, a mechanism for selection from the arrangement of selectable items, and a mechanism for adjusting the granularity of control of the selector. In one embodiment, the granularity control can be a zooming mechanism to modify the size and/or position of items in a selection set. In another embodiment, the granularity control can be a modification of the motion vector based on a distance from a reference point and the speed or quantity of deflection of a pointing device. Thus, as a selection point approaches the selection set, the motion of the selection point becomes less responsive to movement of the pointing device, so the user has more control over the positioning of the selection point relative to an item in the selection set.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying a selection set in a linear orientation laterally on a display, the selection set including a plurality of selectable items;

displaying a stationary selection marker on the display;

receiving an input from a single pointing device, the input indicating movement right, left, upward, or downward;

moving the selection set right relative to the stationary selection marker in response to movement of the single pointing device to the right, and moving the selection set left relative to the stationary selection marker in response to movement of the single pointing device to the left;

zooming the selection set outward in response to the movement of the single pointing device downward, and zooming the selection set inward in response to the movement of the single pointing device upward, an amount of the zooming inward or outward of the selection set determined based on a combination of an amount of deflection and length of time of the deflection of the single pointing device that is also used to move the selection set to the right and left, zooming of the selection set outward causing reduced spacing between the plurality of items and quicker movement of the selection set left and right after the zooming of the selection set outward, and the zooming of the selection set inward causing increased spacing between the plurality of items and more accurate movement of the selection set left and right after zooming the selection set inward;

displaying a copy of one of the selectable items of the selection set based on the one of the selectable items being positioned in proximity to the selection marker;

receiving a selection input to select the one of the selectable items of the selection set that is located at the stationary selection marker; and

performing an action corresponding to the one of the selectable items based on the selection of the one of the selectable items.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the selection set comprises letters of an alphabet.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the selection set comprises representations of physical or logical entities.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a first speed at which the selection set is moved to the right is controlled by a degree of deflection of the single pointing device to the right, and a second speed at which the selection set is moved to the left is controlled by a degree of deflection of the single pointing device to the left.

5. An apparatus comprising:

a pointing device interface;

a memory comprising instructions for execution by one or more processors; and

one or more processors, coupled to the memory, the one or more processors being operable when executing the instructions to;

display a selection set in a linear orientation laterally on a display, the selection set including a plurality of selectable items,

display a stationary selection marker on the display,

receive an input from a single pointing device via the pointing device interface, the input indicating movement right, left, upward, or downward,

move the selection set to the right relative to the stationary selection marker in response to the movement of the single pointing device to the right, to move the selection set relative to the stationary selection marker to the left in response to the movement of the single pointing device to the left,

zoom the selection set outward in response to the movement of the single pointing device downward, and

zoom the selection set inward in response to the movement of the single pointing device upward, an amount of the zooming of the selection set inward or outward determined based on a combination of an amount of deflection and length of time of the deflection of the single pointing device that is also used to move the selection set to the right and left;

reduce spacing between the plurality of items and move the selection set left and right more quickly based on the zooming of the selection set outward;

increase spacing between the plurality of items and move the selection set left and right more accurately based on the zooming of the selection set inward;

display a copy of one of the selectable items of the selection set based on the one of the selectable items being positioned in proximity to the selection marker;

receive a selection input to select the one of the selectable items of the selection set that is located at the stationary selection marker; and

performing an action corresponding to the one of the selectable items based on the selection of the one of the selectable items.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 being further configured to save a copy of a selected item in an item string created and saved in a separate display area.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the selection comprises letters of an alphabet.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the selection set comprises representations of physical or logical entities.

9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein a first speed at which the selection set is moved to the right is controlled by a degree of deflection of the single pointing device to the right, and a second speed at which the selection set is moved to the left is controlled by a degree of deflection of the single pointing device to the left.

10. An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having machine executable instructions embedded thereon, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

displaying a selection set in a linear orientation laterally on a display, the selection set including a plurality of selectable items;

displaying a stationary selection marker on the display;

receiving an input from a single pointing device, the input indicating movement right, left upward, or downward;

moving the selection set to the right relative to the stationary selection marker in response to movement of the single pointing device to the right, and moving the selection set to the left relative to the stationary selection marker in response to movement of the single pointing device to the left; and

zooming the selection set outward in response to the movement of the single pointing device downward, and zooming the selection set inward in response to the movement of the single pointing device upward, an amount of the zooming inward or outward of the selection set determined based on a combination of an amount of deflection and length of time of the deflection of the single point device that is also used to move the selection set to the right and left, the zooming of the selection set outward causing reduced spacing between the plurality of items and quicker movement of the selection set left and right after the zooming of the selection set outward, and the zooming of the selection set inward causing increased spacing between the plurality of items and more accurate movement of the selection set left and right after zooming the selection set inward;

displaying a copy of one of the selectable items of the selection set based on the one of the selectable items being positioned in proximity to the selection marker;

receiving a selection input to select the one of the selectable items of the selection set that is located at the stationary selection marker; and

performing an action corresponding to the one of the selectable items based on the selection of the one of the selectable items.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein a first speed at which the selection set is moved to the right is controlled by a degree of deflection of the single pointing device to the right, and a second speed at which the selection set is moved to the left is controlled by a degree of deflection of the single pointing device to the left.

12. A method comprising:

displaying a stationary selection set in a circular orientation, the stationary selection set including a plurality of items;

receiving an input from a single pointing device, the input indicating a deflection movement of the single pointing device in a two-dimensional direction;

in response to receiving the input, moving an endpoint of a selection pointer to indicate one of the plurality of items in the stationary selection set, wherein the moving of the endpoint automatically varies in speed based on a first location of the endpoint relative to a second location near a center of the stationary selection set in the circular orientation, the moving of the endpoint becoming slower as the endpoint moves from the second location near the center of the stationary selection set in the circular orientation towards the one of the plurality of items in the stationary selection set, and as a distance of the endpoint from the second location near the center of the stationary selection set the circular orientation increases;

receiving a selection of the one of the plurality of items in the stationary selection set; and

in response to receiving of the selection of the one of the plurality of items in the stationary selection set, saving a copy of the one of the plurality of items of the stationary selection set in an item string created and saved in a display area.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a pointing device interface;

a memory comprising instructions for execution by one or more processors; and

one or more processors, coupled to the memory, the one or more processors being operable when executing the instructions to;

display a stationary selection set in a circular orientation, the stationary selection set including a plurality of items,

receive an input from a single pointing device, the input indicating a deflection movement of the single pointing device in a two-dimensional direction,

in response to receiving the input, move an endpoint of a selection pointer to indicate one of items in the stationary selection set, wherein the moving of the endpoint automatically varies in speed based on a first location of the endpoint relative to a second location near a center of the stationary selection set in the circular orientation, the moving of the endpoint becoming slower as the endpoint moves from the second location near the center of the stationary selection set in the circular orientation towards the one of the plurality of items in the stationary selection set, and as a distance of the endpoint from the second location near the center of the stationary selection set in the circular orientation increases,

receive a selection of the one of the plurality of items in the stationary selection set; and

in response to receiving the selection of the one of the plurality of items in the stationary selection set, save a copy of a selected item of the selection set in an item string created and saved in a display area.