Augmenting user interface elements based on timing information

• US 9,710,124 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2011
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Mitchell, April Slayden, Wong, Glenn A, Wee, Susie, Solomon, Mark C
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiener, Eric
• Application Number:
  US14/007,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20140019894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,301 Days
• 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 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

An example method includes determining a region of interest of an interactive display. The method also includes determining a time since utilization of a user interface element exceeds a threshold. The method includes determining timing information for content in a region of the interactive display other than the region of interest, determining the content is stale based on the timing information exceeding a threshold, and removing the content from the interactive display based on the content being stale. The method includes automatically moving the user interface element progressively over a period of time from an initial location to the region other than the region of interest. The method further includes providing another user interface element capable of selecting a previous time since utilization, receiving input selecting the previous time since utilization, and moving the user interface element to a historic location associated with the previous time since utilization.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a region of interest of an interactive display based on a usage of the interactive display;

determining a time since utilization of a user interface element displayed on the interactive display exceeds a threshold;

determining timing information for content in a region of the interactive display other than the region of interest, wherein the timing information is based on utilization of the content;

determining the content is stale based on the timing information exceeding a threshold time;

removing the content from the interactive display based on the content being stale;

automatically moving the user interface element progressively over a period of time from an initial location to the region other than the region of interest;

providing another user interface element capable of selecting a previous time since utilization of the user interface element;

receiving input selecting the previous time since utilization of the user interface element; and

moving the user interface element to a historic location associated with the previous time since utilization of the user interface element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface element is augmented based on the time since utilization.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the augmentation includes:

reducing a size of the user interface element as a function of the time since utilization, fading the user interface element as a function of the time since utilization, or a combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

associating the user interface element with a topic,

wherein the augmentation of the user interface element includes migrating the user interface element towards other user interface elements associated with the topic.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

saving the user interface element based on a determination that the time since utilization has met a threshold time; and

removing the user interface element from the interactive display.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user input associated with the region of interest;

determining that the user input corresponds to a request for additional workspace; and

generating the additional workspace at the region of interest.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the utilization corresponds to a creation action of the user interface element.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating recall information with the user interface element;

receiving an input to recall the user interface element to another region of interest associated with the interactive display; and

moving the user interface element to the other region of interest.

9. A device comprising:

an interactive display;

a selection module to;

determine a region of interest on the interactive display based on a usage of the interactive display, and

select a user interface element displayed in the region of interest;

a space manager module to;

determine a time since utilization of the user interface element exceeds a threshold,

determine timing information for content in a region of the interactive display other than the region of interest, wherein the timing information is based on utilization of the content,

determine the content is stale based on the timing information exceeding a threshold time,

remove the content from the interactive display based on the content being stale,

automatically move the user interface element progressively over a period of time from an initial location to the region other than the region of interest; and

a history module to;

provide another user interface element capable of selecting a previous time since utilization of the user interface element,

receive a user input selecting the previous time since utilization of the user interface element, and

move the user interface element to a historic location associated with the previous time since utilization of the user interface element.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising:

a topic manager module to associate the user interface element with a topic, wherein the other region is associated with the topic.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the user interface element is incrementally moved to the other region as a function of the time count.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, if executed by at least one processor of a device, cause the at least one processor to:

determine a region of interest of an interactive display based on a usage of the interactive display;

determine a time since utilization of a user interface element displayed on the interactive display exceeds a threshold;

determine timing information for content in a region of the interactive display other than the region of interest, wherein the timing information is based on utilization of the content;

determine the content is stale based on the timing information exceeding a threshold time;

remove the content from the interactive display based on the content being stale;

automatically move the user interface element progressively over a period of time from an initial location to the region other than the region of interest;

provide another user interface element capable of selecting a previous time since utilization of the user interface element;

receive input selecting the previous time since utilization of the user interface element; and

move the user interface element to a historic location associated with the previous time since utilization of the user interface element.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12,

wherein the user interface element includes generated content, and

wherein the moving further includes fading the user interface element to a background layer of the interactive display.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the selection of a previous time since utilization comprises a gesture.