Value specification in a responsive interface control

• US 9,201,562 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2012
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Isensee, Scott H., Lentz, James L., Proulx, Andree
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Amy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cabrera, Michael J
• Application Number:
  US13/485,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20130326394A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,279 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars

Abstract

A responsive interface control system includes a display device and a control modification engine. The display device displays an interface control in a section of a user interface on the display device. The interface control is an interactive interface element configured to set an interface value. The control modification engine detects a size of the section of the user interface. The control modification engine also automatically sets an interface control mode by selecting one of a plurality of predetermined interface control modes to specify an appearance of the interface control and a function of the interface control based on the size of the section of the user interface.

Claims

1. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium to store a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program, when executed by a processor within a computer, causes the computer to perform operations for value specification in a responsive interface control, the operations comprising;

displaying the interface control in a section of a user interface on a display device, wherein the interface control is an interactive interface element configured to set an interface value;

detecting a size of the section of the user interface; and

automatically setting an interface control mode by selecting one of a plurality of predetermined interface control modes to specify an appearance of the interface control and a function of the interface control based on the size of the section of the user interface, wherein the interface control mode is configured to adjust dynamically through the plurality of predetermined interface control modes based on an adjustment of the size of the section of the user interface, and wherein the plurality of predetermined interface control modes comprising at least a first mode, a second mode, and a third mode, wherein the first mode comprises a first visual element not included in the second mode, the second mode comprises a second visual element not included in the first mode, and the third mode comprises the first visual element and the second visual element;

wherein the first mode comprises a slider mode, the second mode comprises a spin mode, and the third mode comprises a spin-slider mode;

wherein automatically setting the interface control mode further comprises setting the interface control to a spin-slider mode in response to determining that the size of the section of the user interface is between a slider threshold and a spin threshold;

wherein the interface control is configured to perform a slider function and a spin function to alter the interface value in the spin-slider mode, wherein the slider function comprises a slider element that is moveable by a user and the spin function comprises at least one roller positioned over a track of the slider element to facilitate a swiping motion to roll the at least one roller.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein automatically setting the interface control mode further comprises setting the interface control to a spin mode in response to determining that the size of the section of the user interface is smaller than a spin threshold.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein automatically setting the interface control mode further comprises setting the interface control to a slider mode in response to determining that the size of the section of the user interface is greater than a slider threshold.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein automatically setting the interface control mode further comprises increasing a gain for a user action on the interface control in response to a decrease in the size of the section of the user interface and decreasing the gain in response to an increase in the size of the section of the user interface.

5. A responsive interface control system, comprising:

a display device configured to display an interface control in a section of a user interface on the display device, wherein the interface control is an interactive interface element configured to set an interface value; and

a control modification engine configured to;

detect a size of the section of the user interface; and

automatically set an interface control mode by selecting one of a plurality of predetermined interface control modes to specify an appearance of the interface control and a function of the interface control based on the size of the section of the user interface, wherein the interface control mode is configured to adjust dynamically through the plurality of predetermined interface control modes based on an adjustment of the size of the section of the user interface, and wherein the plurality of predetermined interface control modes comprising at least a first mode, a second mode, and a third mode, wherein the first mode comprises a first visual element not included in the second mode, the second mode comprises a second visual element not included in the first mode, and the third mode comprises the first visual element and the second visual element;

wherein the first mode comprises a slider mode, the second mode comprises a spin mode, and the third mode comprises a spin-slider mode;

wherein the control modification engine is further configured to set the interface control mode of the interface control to a spin-slider mode in response to determining that the size of the section of the user interface is between a slider threshold and a spin threshold;

wherein the interface control is configured to perform a slider function and a spin function to alter the interface value in the spin-slider mode, wherein the slider function comprises a slider element that is moveable by a user and the spin function comprises at least one roller positioned over a track of the slider element to facilitate a swiping motion to roll the at least one roller.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the control modification engine is further configured to set the interface control mode of the interface control to a spin mode in response to determining that the size of the section of the user interface is smaller than a spin threshold.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the control modification engine is further configured to setting the interface control mode of the interface control to a slider mode in response to determining that the size of the section of the user interface is greater than a slider threshold.