Macro/micro control user interface element

• US 9,594,492 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allscripts Software LLC (Veradigm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Allscripts Software LLC (Veradigm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Swanson, Art, Reed, Christy Jill, Stuart, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Radtke, Mark A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ayad, Maria
• Application Number:
  US13/831,666
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: 715/974, 715/833, 715/773
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A user interface element includes a display area configured to display a value, an increment button configured to increment the displayed value, a decrement button configured to decrement the displayed value, and a slider configured to allow a user to rapidly increase or decrease the displayed value by sliding a finger across the slider.

Claims

1. A method of receiving user input comprising:

(a) displaying via a touchscreen display a user interface element comprising

(i) a display area configured to display a value,

(ii) an increment button configured to increment the displayed value,

(iii) a decrement button configured to decrement the displayed value,

(iv) a slider configured to allow a user to increase or decrease the displayed value by sliding a finger across the slider;

(b) receiving, via the touchscreen display, first input from a user corresponding to sliding a finger across the slider to a first end of the slider;

(c) electronically determining that the user input corresponds to desired user entry using the user interface element;

(d) modifying the displayed value based on the received first input from the user;

(e) receiving, via the touchscreen display, second input from the user corresponding to again sliding a finger across the slider to the first end of the slider;

(f) electronically determining that the user input corresponds to desired user entry using the user interface element; and

(g) further modifying the displayed value based on the received second input from the user;

(h) wherein the display area configured to display a value is separate from the slider such that a user can utilize his or her finger to adjust the slider without obscuring the display area configured to display a value;

(i) wherein the user can repeatedly slide a finger across the slider in the same direction to continue to increase or decrease the displayed value, even after the user has already slid a finger all the way across the slider in that direction;

(j) wherein the user interface element is configured such that engaging the increment button and sliding a finger across the slider in a first direction results in a lower rate of change than would otherwise occur if a finger was slid across the slider in the same manner at the same speed without engaging the increment button; and

(k) wherein the user interface element is configured such that engaging the increment button and sliding a finger across the slider in a second direction results in a greater rate of change than would otherwise occur if a finger was slid across the slider in the same manner at the same speed without engaging the increment button, the second direction being opposite the first direction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the slider is configured such that sliding a finger across the slider more rapidly results in a more rapid rate of change of the displayed value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the display area is configured to allow a user to directly input a value.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the method further includes displaying a virtual keyboard for user input of a value.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes displaying the user interface element together with additional user interface elements.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the additional user interface elements include one or more radio buttons.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the additional user interface elements include one or more dropdown boxes.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the additional user interface elements include one or more text boxes.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the slider includes a label.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface element is configured such that engaging the increment button for a certain period of time causes repeated incrementing of the displayed value.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface element is configured such that engaging the decrement button for a certain period of time causes repeated decrementing of the displayed value.

12. A method of receiving user input comprising:

(a) displaying via a touchscreen display a user interface element comprising

(i) a display area configured to display a value,

(ii) an increment button configured to increment the displayed value,

(iii) a decrement button configured to decrement the displayed value,

(iv) a slider configured to allow a user to increase or decrease the displayed value by sliding a finger across the slider;

(b) receiving, via the touchscreen display, first input from a user corresponding to sliding a finger across the slider to a first end of the slider;

(c) electronically determining that the user input corresponds to desired user entry using the user interface element;

(d) modifying the displayed value based on the received first input from the user;

(e) receiving, via the touchscreen display, second input from the user corresponding to again sliding a finger across the slider to the first end of the slider;

(f) electronically determining that the user input corresponds to desired user entry using the user interface element; and

(g) further modifying the displayed value based on the received second input from the user;

(h) wherein the display area configured to display a value is separate from the slider such that a user can utilize his or her finger to adjust the slider without obscuring the display area configured to display a value;

(i) wherein the user can repeatedly slide a finger across the slider in the same direction to continue to increase or decrease the displayed value, even after the user has already slid a finger all the way across the slider in that direction;

(j) wherein the user interface element is configured such that engaging the decrement button and sliding a finger across the slider in a first direction results in a greater rate of change than would otherwise occur if a finger was slid across the slider in the same manner at the same speed without engaging the decrement button; and

(k) wherein the user interface element is configured such that engaging the decrement button and sliding a finger across the slider in a second direction results in a lower rate of change than would otherwise occur if a finger was slid across the slider in the same manner at the same speed without engaging the decrement button, the second direction being opposite the first direction.