ACCESSING REMOTE SCREEN CONTENT

• US 20070192749A1
• Filed: 03/23/2007
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Baudisch, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 7,770,120 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1462 with means for detecting differences between the image stored in the host and the images displayed on the remote displays

Abstract

A system and method for facilitating user access to remote content from a current location is presented. The method comprises the following steps. An activation gesture is detected. The activation gesture includes a location. At least one base icon on the display screen located at a distance greater than a predetermined distance from the activation gesture'"'"'s location is selected. A target icon for each selected base icon is generated. The target icons are output for display in proximity to the activation gesture'"'"'s location until an action dismissing the target icons is detected.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating user access to remote icons on a display screen, the method comprising:

detecting an activation gesture, the activation gesture including a location;

selecting at least one base icon on the display screen located at a distance greater than a predetermined distance from the activation gesture'"'"'s location;

generating a target icon for each selected base icon; and

displaying the target icons in proximity to the activation gesture'"'"'s location until an action dismissing the target icons is detected.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the activation gesture further includes an origin and a direction, and wherein selecting at least one base icon on the display screen located at a distance greater than the predetermined distance from the activation gesture'"'"'s location comprises:

determining a vector originating at the activation gesture'"'"'s origin and extending to the limits of the display screen along the activation gesture'"'"'s direction;

determining a target region defined by two boundary lines originating at the activation gesture'"'"'s origin and diverging away from and on either side of the vector and extending to the limits of the display screen; and

selecting base icons from only those icons located within the target region.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the activation gesture further includes a selection, and wherein selecting at least one base icon on the display screen located at a distance greater than the predetermined distance from the activation gesture'"'"'s location comprises:

determining whether the activation gesture'"'"'s selection includes a source icon and, if so, selecting at least one base icon on the display screen located at a distance greater than the predetermined distance from the activation gesture'"'"'s location and representing content compatible with the source icon.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

detecting an action dismissing the target icons;

determining whether the action dismissing the target icons is made on a target icon, and if so, activating the content associated with the target icon on which the action dismissing the target icons is made with the contents of the activation gesture'"'"'s selection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the target icons in proximity to the activation gesture'"'"'s location until an action dismissing the target icons is detected comprises displaying the target icons and the base icons simultaneously on the display screen until an action dismissing the target icons is detected.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising displaying a connection between each target icon and a corresponding base icon.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein displaying a connection between a target icon and a corresponding base icon comprises displaying a band between each target icon in the target cluster and a corresponding base icon, and wherein the band displayed between a target icon and a corresponding base icon narrows as the band approaches a midpoint between the target icon and its base icon.

8. A method for accessing remotely located icons on a display screen, comprising:

detecting an activation gesture, the activation gesture including a location;

selecting at least one base icon remotely located on the display screen;

generating a target icon for each selected base icon; and

displaying the target icons in proximity to the activation gesture'"'"'s location simultaneously with the selected at least one base icon until an action dismissing the target icons is detected.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein selecting at least one base icon remotely located on the display screen comprises selecting at least one base icon located on the display screen at a distance greater than a predetermined distance from the activation gesture'"'"'s location.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the activation gesture further includes an origin and a direction, and wherein selecting at least one base icon remotely located on the display screen comprises:

determining a vector originating at the activation gesture'"'"'s origin and extending to the limits of the display screen along the activation gesture'"'"'s direction;

determining a target region defined by two boundary lines originating at the activation gesture'"'"'s origin and diverging away from and on either side of the vector and extending to the limits of the display screen; and

selecting base icons from only those icons located within the target region.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the activation gesture further includes a selection, and wherein selecting at least one base icon remotely located on the display screen comprises:

determining whether the activation gesture'"'"'s selection includes a source icon and, if so, selecting at least one base icon remotely located on the display screen representing content compatible with the source icon.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

detecting an action dismissing the target icons;

determining whether the action dismissing the target icons is made on a target icon and, if so, activating the content associated with the target icon on which the action dismissing the target icons is made with the contents of the activation gesture'"'"'s selection.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising displaying a band between each target icon and a corresponding base icon, and wherein the band displayed between a target icon and a corresponding base icon narrows as the band approaches a midpoint between the target icon and its base icon.

14. A computer system for facilitating user access to remote icons on a display device, the system comprising:

a display device capable of displaying a plurality of icons;

a user input device for interfacing with and interacting with the user; and

a computing device, communicatively coupled to the display device and to the user input device, and configured to;

output a plurality of icons for display on the display device;

detect an activation gesture including a location; and

upon detecting the activation gesture;

select at least one base icon on the display screen located at a distance greater than a predetermined distance from the activation gesture'"'"'s location;

generate a target icon for each selected base icon; and

output the target icons in proximity to the activation gesture'"'"'s location to the display device until an action dismissing the target icons is detected.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the activation gesture further includes an origin and a direction, and wherein selecting at least one base icon on the display screen located at a distance greater than the predetermined distance from the activation gesture'"'"'s location comprises:

determining a vector originating at the activation gesture'"'"'s origin and extending to the limits of the display screen along the activation gesture'"'"'s direction;

determining a target region defined by two boundary lines originating at the activation gesture'"'"'s origin and diverging away from and on either side of the vector and extending to the limits of the display screen; and

selecting base icons from only those icons located within the target region.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the activation gesture further includes a selection, and wherein selecting at least one base icon on the display screen located at a distance greater than the predetermined distance from the activation gesture'"'"'s location comprises:

determining whether the activation gesture'"'"'s selection includes a source icon and, if so, selecting at least one base icon on the display screen located at a distance greater than the predetermined distance from the activation gesture'"'"'s location and representing content compatible with the source icon.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the computing device is further configured to:

detect an action dismissing the target icons;

determine whether the action dismissing the target icons is made on a target icon and, if so, activate the content associated with the target icon on which the action dismissing the target icons is made with the contents of the activation gesture'"'"'s selection.

18. The computer system of claim 14, wherein displaying the target icons in proximity to the activation gesture'"'"'s location until an action dismissing the target icons is detected comprises displaying the target icons and the base icons simultaneously on the display screen until an action dismissing the target icons is detected.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the computer system is further configured to output for display to the display device a connection between each target icon and a corresponding base icon.

20. The computer system of claim 19, wherein outputting for display to a display device a connection between a target icon and a corresponding base icon comprises displaying a band between each target icon in the target cluster and a corresponding base icon, and wherein the band displayed between a target icon and a corresponding base icon narrows as the band approaches a midpoint between the target icon and its base icon.