Zeroclick

• US 20030197744A1
• Filed: 04/11/2003
• Published: 10/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zeroclick, LLC (Nes Irvine)
• Original Assignee: Nes Stewart Irvine
• Inventors: Irvine, Nes Stewart
• Granted Patent: US 7,818,691 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/856
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A GUI interface, a method of programming a GUI interface, and an apparatus which enables functions of controls in the GUI to be activated by a movement to a control and then another subsequent movement related to that control. It may be defined more precisely below. A GUI in which, when a pointer 0 is immediately adjacent or passes over a control area 1, a procedure is initiated whereby subsequent movement of the pointer over a predetermined path area 3 generates a “click” event which simulates direct clicking of the control 1 and moving outside the predetermined path area 3 prior to completion of the path 3 resets the control to as if the pointer has never started along the predetermined path area 3.

Claims

1. A GUI in which, when a pointer is immediately adjacent or passes over a control area, a procedure is initiated whereby subsequent movement of the pointer over a predetermined path generates a ‘

click’

event which simulates direct clicking of the control and moving outside the predetermined path prior to completion of the path resets the control to as if the pointer has never started along the predetermined path.

2. A GUI as defined in claim 1 wherein the control area may be any size, shape, or appearance, and relates to one or more functions to be accessed via the GUI.

3. A GUI as defined in claim 1 wherein the control in claim 1 may be associated with one or more predetermined paths generating one or more different ‘

click’

events.

4. A GUI as defined in claim 1 wherein the predetermined path may extend outside the original control area and the appearance of said area outside the control area and/or the control area may be adjustable to provide feedback to the user.

5. The user feedback in claim 4 may be information how to complete the correct movement to simulate the direct ‘

clicking’

of the control and may be aided by visible subareas within the predetermined path.

6. The user feedback in claim 4 may provide the user within all the movement stages from the contact with the control area to final movement that leads to the direct clicking of the control with the appropriate user feedback that the user is provided with additional information that he may understand the significance and implications of activating the function by the simulated direct clicking of the control.

7. A GUI as defined in claim 1 wherein the predetermined path may be adjusted so that it fits on the computer screen even if the original position of the control area, would have meant that the predetermined path would have gone off the screen and not be accessible to the pointer.

8. A GUI as defined in claim 1 wherein the predetermined path may be adjusted to suit a certain screen size.

9. A GUI as defined in claim 1 wherein the predetermined path and subsequent movement within the predetermined path may be adjusted for the purposes of error prevention.

10. A GUI as defined in claim 1 wherein the predetermined path and subsequent movement within the predetermined path may be adjusted for the purposes of user preference.

11. A GUI as defined in claim 1 wherein the predetermined path and subsequent movement within the predetermined path may be adjusted for the purposes of speed of completing this simulated click.

12. A GUI as defined in claim 1 wherein all the possible clicks and multiple different clicks related to each control in a program accessed via the GUI would have an equivalent ‘

click’

as defined in claim 1.

13. A GUI as defined in claim 12 wherein the various clicks for controlling the control may be listed.

14. A GUI as defined in claim 12 wherein list of clicks for controlling the control includes a description of the function to be selected.

15. A GUI as defined in claim 1 wherein the function to be activated by the simulated click has previously only been accessed by other methods in the existing program context.

16. A GUI as defined in claim 15 wherein the previous other methods would have been by a standard click method.

17. A GUI as defined in claim 15 wherein the previous other methods would have been by the keyboard.

18. A GUI as defined in claim 1 is in the form of a HCG.

19. A GUI as defined in claim 1 is in the form of a bordergrid.

20. A GUI as defined in claim 1 is in the form of a qualifier grid.

21. A GUI as defined in claim 1 is in the form of a sequential grid.

22. A GUI as defined in claim 1 whereby the action of the simulated click or activated function may be reversed by a subsequent movement in an additional area of the control area.

23. A GUI as defined in claim 1 wherein existing programs without the functionality of claim 1 may have the functionality by means of a transforming program in the operating system.

24. A GUI as defined in claim 1 wherein the predetermined path of the simulated click activates a pattern click.

25. A GUI as defined in claim 1 which may be programmed easier by a set of procedures, functions or controls.

26. A GUI as defined in claim 1 which by programming may transform existing programs without the functionality of claim 1 to have the functionality.

27. A GUI as defined in claim 1 which by reinterpretation of the web source pages may transform existing programs without the functionality of claim 1 to have the functionality.

28. A GUI as defined in any preceding claim wherein the ‘

click’

as defined in claim 1 may be used in conjunction with standard clicks for controlling program functions through the GUI.

29. A GUI as defined in any preceding claim wherein the GUI is displayed on a touch screen.

35. A GUI as defined in any claims 30-33 wherein the ‘

click’

as defined in claim 1 may be used in conjunction with standard clicks for controlling program functions through the GUI.

46. A GUI as defined in any preceding claim wherein the GUI is displayed on a touch screen.

47. An apparatus incorporating an user-interface according to any preceding claim.

30. A method of operating a GUI in which a function related to a control area may be triggered by a pointer movement over the control area, then by further movement over an additional area comprising the steps of:

a. moving the pointer into contact with the control area

b. initiating activating the function associated with the control area by moving the pointer to an additional area related to the control area

c. moving the pointer within a certain region containing the additional area defined in b. and completing a specified movement within the additional area to complete activation of the function associated with the control area.

31. A method of operating a GUI as defined in claim 30 wherein the function to be activated may comprise generation of one or more further regions for further function activation.

32. A method of operating a GUI as defined in claim 30 wherein the control area may be a screen control of any appearance, size, shape or colour.

33. A method of operating a GUI as defined in claim 30 wherein the movement of a pointer over the control area makes another area or areas visible within the control or in an area adjacent the control area.

34. A method of operating a GUI as defined in claim 30 wherein the appearance of the control area and the certain region may be varied to provide user feedback at different parts of the movement described in b. &

c.

36. A method of operating a GUI as defined in claim 30 wherein the areas made visible may be in the form of a bordergrid.

37. A method of operating a GUI as defined in claim 30 wherein the areas made visible may be in the form of a qualifier grid.

38. A method of operating a GUI as defined in claim 30 wherein the areas made visible may be in the form of a HCG.

39. A method of operating a GUI as defined in claim 30 wherein the areas made visible may be in the form of a sequential grid.

40. A method of operating a GUI as defined in claim 30 wherein the areas made visible may be in the form of a pattern click.

44. A method of operating a GUI as defined in claim 30 wherein the additional area and subsequent movement within it may be adjusted for the purposes of error prevention.

45. A method of operating a GUI as defined in claim 30 wherein the additional area and subsequent movement within it may be adjusted for the purposes of speed of clicking.

41. A method of operating a GUT in which by pointer movement alone may activate functions, which were previously activated in existing programs by other methods.

42. A method of operating a GUI as defined in claim 41 where the other methods may be a standard click method.

43. A method of operating a GUI as defined in claim 41 where the other methods may by the keyboard.

48. An apparatus as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

49. A method as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

50. A GUI as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.