Directional focus manager

• US 20030014401A1
• Filed: 07/11/2002
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wind River Systems Incorporated (Aptiv PLC)
• Original Assignee: Alexey Goloshubin, Bjarne Geir Herland
• Inventors: Goloshubin, Alexey, Herland, Bjarne Geir
• Granted Patent: US 7,055,108 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/3
• 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 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04892 Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038

Abstract

A method for navigating a web page with directional keys is provided where the page is scanned for a next closest element along a predetermined search path in the direction of a selected arrow key. In this regard, the search path can be defined as a tunnel or a cone. If the next closest element is not found, the search path is enlarged by a certain increment and scanning is repeated. This process repeats until a next closest element is found. If a next closest element does not exist in the direction of the selected arrow key, scanning will wrap around the page and continue to the opposite side of the page in the direction of the originally selected arrow key.

Claims

1. A method for navigating a GUI web page in a browser comprising the steps of:

selecting a focus element;

determining a search direction;

defining a search tunnel in the search direction starting at the focus element,

scanning the search tunnel for a next closest GUI element to the focus element;

transferring focus to the next closest element.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

defining a larger search path when the next closest element is not found in the search tunnel;

scanning the larger search path for the next closest element;

transferring focus to the next closest element.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining step further comprises selecting a directional arrow key on a keyboard.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the defining step further comprises extending a line from an upper end and a lower end of a GUI element in the search direction to define a horizontal tunnel.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the defining step further comprises extending a line from a left side and a right side of a GUI element in the search direction to define a vertical tunnel.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein, if the step of scanning the search path for the next closest element produces a plurality of elements, the method further comprises the steps of:

determining a horizontal distance from the focus element to each of the plurality of elements;

determining a vertical distance from the focus element to each of the plurality of elements;

determining a distance from a center of the focus element to a center of each of the plurality of elements by calculating a square root of the sum of the vertical distance squared and the horizontal distance squared;

selecting a closest element from the plurality of elements, the closest element having the smallest distance.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the GUI is a virtual reality interface and the search tunnel is three-dimensional.

52. The method of claim 1, wherein the tunnel is two dimensional.

8. A web browser navigation system comprising:

a processor; and

,

a data storage device operably connected to the processor, the data storage device including a program executable by the processor to;

select a focus element;

determine a search direction;

define a search tunnel along the search direction;

scan the search tunnel for a next closest GUI element to the focus element;

transfer focus to the next closest element.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the program is further executable to:

define a larger search path when the next closest element is not found in the search path;

scan the larger search path for the next closest element;

transfer focus to the next closest element.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the determining step further comprises selecting a directional arrow key on a keyboard.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the defining step further comprises extending a line from an upper end and a lower end of a GUI element in the search direction to define a horizontal tunnel.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the defining step further comprises extending a line from a left side and a night side of a GUI element in the search direction to define a vertical tunnel.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein if scanning the search path for the next closest element produces a plurality of elements, the program is executable by the processor to:

determine a horizontal distance from the focus element to each of the plurality of elements;

determine a vertical distance from the focus element to each of the plurality of elements;

determine a distance from a center of the focus element to a center of each of the plurality of elements by calculating a square root of a sum of the vertical distance squared and the horizontal distance squared;

select a closest element from the plurality of elements, the closest element having the smallest distance.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein the GUI is a virtual reality interface and the search tunnel is three-dimensional.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15 further comprising:

defining a larger search path when the next closest element is not found in the search path;

scanning the larger search path for the next closest element;

transferring focus to the next closest element.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the determining step further comprises selecting a directional arrow key on a keyboard.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the defining step further comprises extending a line from an upper end and a lower end of a GUI element in the search direction to define a tunnel.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the defining step further comprises extending a line from a left side and a right side of a GUI element in the search direction to define a tunnel.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the step of scanning the search path for the next closest element produces a plurality of elements and further comprises the steps of:

determining a horizontal distance from the focus element to each of the plurality of elements;

determining a vertical distance from the focus element to each of the plurality of elements;

determining a distance from the center of the focus element to the center of each of the plurality of elements by calculating the square root of the sum of the vertical distance squared and the horizontal distance squared;

selecting a closest element from the plurality of elements, the closest element having the smallest distance.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the GUI is a virtual reality interface and the search tunnel is three-dimensional.

53. The system of claim 8, wherein the tunnel is two dimensional.

54. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the tunnel is two dimensional.

15. A computer readable medium, having stored thereon, computer executable process steps operative to control a computer to navigate a web page in a browser, the process steps comprising:

selecting a focus element;

determining a search direction;

defining a search tunnel along the search direction;

scanning the search tunnel for a next closest GUI element to the focus element;

transferring focus to the next closest element.

22. A method for navigating a GUI web page in a browser comprising the steps of:

selecting a focus element;

determining a search direction;

defining a search cone in the search direction starting at a midpoint of the focus element, the search cone defined by a pair of lines extending from the midpoint at a predetermined angle;

scanning the search cone for a next closest GUI element to the focus element;

transferring focus to the next closest element.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

defining a larger search path when the next closest element is not found in the search cone;

scanning the larger search path for the next closest element;

transferring focus to the next closest element.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the determining step further comprises selecting a directional arrow key on a keyboard.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of scanning the search path for the next closest element produces a plurality of elements and further comprises the steps of:

determining a horizontal distance from the focus element to each of the plurality of elements;

determining a vertical distance from the focus element to each of the plurality of elements;

determining a distance from the center of the focus element to the center of each of the plurality of elements by calculating the square root of the sum of the vertical distance squared and the horizontal distance squared;

selecting a closest element from the plurality of elements, the closest element having the smallest distance.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein the GUI is a virtual reality interface and the search cone is three-dimensional.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the program is further executable to:

define a larger search path when the next closest element is not found in the search path;

scan the larger search path for the next closest element;

transfer focus to the next closest element.

29. The system of claim 27 wherein the determining step further comprises selecting a directional arrow key on a keyboard.

30. The system of claim 27 wherein the step of scanning the search path for the next closest element produces a plurality of elements and further comprises the steps of:

determining a horizontal distance from the focus element to each of the plurality of elements;

determining a vertical distance from the focus element to each of the plurality of elements;

determining a distance from the center of the focus element to the center of each of the plurality of elements by calculating the square root of the sum of the vertical distance squared and the horizontal distance squared;

selecting a closest element from the plurality of elements, the closest element having the smallest distance.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the search cone is a three dimensional search cone.

55. The method of claim 22, wherein the cone is two dimensional.

56. The system of claim 27, wherein the cone is two is two dimensional.

27. A web browser navigation system comprising:

a processor; and

,

a data storage device operably connected to the processor, the data storage device including a program executable by the processor to;

select a focus element;

determine a search direction;

define a search cone in the search direction starting at a midpoint of the focus element, the search cone and defined by a pair of lines extending from the midpoint at a predetermined angle;

scan the search cone for a next closest GUI element to the focus element;

transfer focus to the next closest element.

32. A computer readable medium, having stored thereon, computer executable process steps operative to control a computer to navigate a web page in a browser, the process steps comprising:

selecting a focus element;

determining a search direction;

defining a search cone in the search direction starting at a midpoint of the focus element, the search cone defined by a pair of lines extending from the midpoint at a predetermined angle;

scanning the search cone for a next closest GUI element to the focus element;

transferring focus to the next closest element.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 32 further comprising:

defining a larger search path when the next closest element is not found in the search path;

scanning the larger search path for the next closest element;

transferring focus to the next closest element.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 32 wherein the determining step further comprises selecting a directional arrow key on a keyboard.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 32 wherein the step of scanning the search path for the next closest element produces a plurality of elements and further comprises the steps of:

determining a horizontal distance from the focus element to each of the plurality of elements;

determining a vertical distance from the focus element to each of the plurality of elements;

determining a distance from the center of the focus element to the center of each of the plurality of elements by calculating the square root of the sum of the vertical distance squared and the horizontal distance squared;

selecting a closest element from the plurality of elements, the closest element having the smallest distance.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 32 wherein the GUI is a virtual reality interface and the search cone is three-dimensional.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the cone is two dimensional.

39. The method of claim 37 wherein the GUI is a virtual reality interface and the cone is three dimensional.

40. The method of claim 37 wherein the determining step further comprises selecting a directional arrow key on a keyboard.

41. The method of claim 37 wherein the step of scanning the search path for the next closest element produces a plurality of elements and further comprises the steps of:

determining a horizontal distance from the focus element to each of the plurality of elements;

determining a vertical distance from the focus element to each of the plurality of elements;

determining a distance from the center of the focus element to the center of each of the plurality of elements by calculating the square root of the sum of the vertical distance squared and the horizontal distance squared;

selecting a closest element from the plurality of elements, the closest element having the smallest distance.

57. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the cone is two dimensional.

37. A method for navigating a GUI web page in a browser comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting a focus element;

(b) determining a search direction;

(c) defining a search line in the search direction starting at a midpoint of the focus element;

(d) scanning the search line for a next closest GUI element to the focus element;

(e) if the next closest element is found, transferring focus to the next closest element;

(f) defining a larger search path when the next closest element is not found in the search line, the larger search path further comprising a cone defined by a pair of lines extending from the midpoint at a predetermined angle from the search line;

(g) scanning the larger search path for the next closest element;

(h) if the next closest element is found, transferring focus to the next closest element;

(i) if the next closest element is not found in the larger search path, increase the predetermined angle and repeat steps (f) through (i).

42. A web browser navigation system comprising:

a processor; and

,

a data storage device operably connected to the processor, the data storage device including a program executable by the processor to;

(a) select a focus element;

(b) determine a search direction;

(c) defining a search line in the search direction starting at a midpoint of the focus element;

(d) scan the search line for a next closest GUI element to the focus element;

(e) if the next closest element is found, transfer focus to the next closest element;

(f) if the next closest element is found, define a larger search path comprising a cone defined by lines extending from the midpoint at a predetermined angle from the search line;

(g) scan the larger search path for the next closest element;

(h) if the next closes element is found, transfer focus to the next closest element;

(i) if the next closest element is found in the larger search path, increase the predetermined angle and repeat (f) through (i).

43. The system is claim 42, wherein the cone is two dimensional.

44. The system of claim 42 wherein the GUI is a virtual reality interface and the cone is three dimensional.

45. The system of claim 42 wherein the determining step further comprises selecting a directional arrow key on a keyboard.

46. The system of claim 42 wherein the step of scanning the search path for the next closest element produces a plurality of elements and further comprises the steps of:

determining a horizontal distance from the focus element to each of the plurality of elements;

determining a vertical distance from the focus element to each of the plurality of elements;

determining a distance from the center of the focus element to the center of each of the plurality of elements by calculating the square root of the sum of the vertical distance squared and the horizontal distance squared;

selecting a closest element from the plurality of elements, the closest element having the smallest distance.

48. The computer readable medium of claim 47, wherein the cone is two dimensional.

49. The computer readable medium of claim 47 wherein the GUI is a virtual reality interface and the cone is three dimensional.

50. The computer readable medium of claim 47 wherein the determining step further comprises selecting a directional arrow key on a keyboard.

51. The computer readable medium of claim 47 wherein the step of scanning the search path for the next closest element produces a plurality of elements and further comprises the steps of:

determining a horizontal distance from the focus element to each of the plurality of elements;

determining a vertical distance from the focus element to each of the plurality of elements;

determining a distance from the center of the focus element to the center of each of the plurality of elements by calculating the square root of the sum of the vertical distance squared and the horizontal distance squared;

selecting a closest element from the plurality of elements, the closest element having the smallest distance.

47. A computer readable medium, having stored thereon, computer executable process steps operative to control a computer to navigate a web page in a browser, the process steps comprising:

(a) selecting a focus element;

(b) determining a search direction;

(c) defining a search line in the search direction starting at a midpoint of the focus element;

(d) scanning the search line for a next closest GUI element to the focus element;

(e) if the next closest element is found, transferring focus to the next closest element;

(f) defining a larger search path when the next closest element is not found in the search line, the larger search path further comprising a cone defined by lines extending from the midpoint at a predetermined angle from the search line;

(g) scanning the larger search path for the next closest element;

(h) if the next closest element is found, transferring focus to the next closest element;

(i) if the next closest element is not found in step (h), increasing the predetermined angle and repeating step (f) through (i).