NATURAL INTERACTION BY FLOWER-LIKE NAVIGATION

• US 20080235627A1
• Filed: 03/21/2007
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Torning, Kristian, Dibbern, Erik Roser, Gufler, Hans, Schon, Bjarne
• Application Number:
  US11/689,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20080235627A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/841
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

An intuitive and natural menu selection pattern is provided that allows a user to quickly and easily navigate though a hierarchical menu while mitigating errors associated with making a menu selection. The hierarchical menu can be presented as a flower-like design whereby a main menu item is a central item and lower level menu items are gathered around or near its corresponding upper level menu item. As a menu item is selected, its appearance can change indicating that such item has been selected.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating natural interaction with a device, comprising:

an invocation component that accepts a prompt for a menu; and

a navigation component that provides navigation through a hierarchy of menu selections arranged in a flower-like design.

2. The system of claim 1, the navigation component directs navigation from a central selection point and progressively in an outward manner away from the central point.

3. The system of claim 1, the menu selections are presented as a series of bubbles that become smaller in size as lower level menus are invoked.

4. The system of claim 1, the navigation component changes at least one of a color or a size of at least one menu selection when the at least one menu selection is chosen.

5. The system of claim 1, when at least one menu selection is chosen, the navigation component changes at least a second menu selection to a transparent appearance.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a gesture module that distinguishes the accepted prompt from other user actions to mitigate false positives.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a selection module that displays information corresponding to each menu selection.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a placement module that determines which menu from a multitude of menus to display based on an input location of the accepted prompt.

10. The system of claim 9, the placement module makes the input location determination based on a system configurable setting.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a time-out module that cancels the menu prompt if a selection is not made within a predetermined amount of time.

12. The system of claim 1, the invocation component accepts multiple menus selections and the navigation component navigates a user through the multiple selections at substantially the same time.

8. The system of claim 8, each menu selection is presented with text information.

13. A method for natural interaction with a device, comprising:

receiving a menu selection input;

displaying a hierarchical menu that includes a plurality of menu items in a flower-like design;

receiving a selection for at least one menu item from the plurality of menu items; and

executing a command identified by the at least one menu item.

14. The method of claim 13, receiving a menu selection input further comprises distinguishing the menu selection input from other gestures.

15. The method of claim 13, displaying a hierarchical menu further comprises presenting a lower level menu item adjacent a higher level menu item.

16. The method of claim 13, executing a command further comprising receiving a selection for a lowest level menu item.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising canceling the menu selection input if a subsequent input is not received within a predetermined amount of time.

18. A computer executable system that provides a natural and intuitive menu selection through a hierarchical design, comprising:

means for receiving a menu selection invocation gesture;

means for presenting a plurality of menu items in a hierarchical manner based on the received invocation gesture; and

means for receiving an indication that a particular menu item should be executed.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising means for providing a visual representation of a selected menu item.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising presenting the plurality of menu items in a flower-like pattern.