MOVEMENT REDUCTION WHEN SCROLLING FOR ITEM SELECTION DURING DIRECT MANIPULATION

• US 20120304122A1
• Filed: 05/25/2011
• Published: 11/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ibm Raleigh Iplaw (International Business Machines Corporation), International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cordes, Richard E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,146,654 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/822
• 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

Abstract

A method includes receiving a user input to cause movement of a display of a screen of a direct manipulation device, wherein the movement is in a direction away from a target item. The method includes receiving a release input to indicate that the user has released the user input at a release point on the display of the screen. The method also includes determining a location of the release point on the display of the screen relative to selectable items. The method includes determining the target item from among the selectable items, wherein the target item is at a distance from the location of the release point. The method also includes displaying a surrogate selectable item at the release point. The method includes performing an action that is the same as an action that would occur in response to a user selection of the target item.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a user input to cause movement of a display of a screen of a direct manipulation device, wherein the movement is in a direction away from a target item;

receiving a release input to indicate that the user has released the user input at a release point on the display of the screen;

determining a location of the release point on the display of the screen relative to selectable items;

determining the target item from among the selectable items, wherein the target item is at a distance from the location of the release point;

displaying a surrogate selectable item at the release point; and

responsive to the user selection of the surrogate selectable item, performing an action that is the same as an action that would occur in response to a user selection of the target item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the screen is touch sensitive, wherein the user input comprises a user touch of the screen.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the target item is viewable at least after the movement of the display of the screen.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the surrogate selectable item includes a property of the target item that includes at least one of color, shape, and text.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the surrogate selectable item is semi-transparent.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an arrow that originates at the release point from the surrogate selectable item and points to the target item.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the target item from among the selectable items comprises determining the target item based on a pattern of usage by at least one of the user and group of users.

8. A computer program product for movement reduction, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer usable program code embodied therewith, the computer usable program code comprising a computer usable program code configured to;

receive a user input to cause movement of a display of a screen of a direct manipulation device, wherein the movement is in a direction away from a target item;

receive a release input to indicate that the user has released the user input at a release point on the display of the screen;

determine a location of the release point on the display of the screen relative to selectable items;

determine the target item from among the selectable items, wherein the target item is at a distance from the location of the release point;

display a surrogate selectable item at the release point; and

responsive to the user selection of the surrogate selectable item, perform an action that is the same as an action that would occur in response to a user selection of the target item.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the screen is touch sensitive, wherein the user input comprises a user touch of the screen.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the target item is viewable at least after the movement of the display of the screen.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the surrogate selectable item includes a property of the target item that includes at least one of color, shape, and text.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the surrogate selectable item is semi-transparent.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer usable program code is configured to display an arrow that originates at the release point from the surrogate selectable item and points to the target item.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the determination of the target item from among the selectable items comprises a determination of the target item based on a pattern of usage by at least one of the user and group of users.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a screen;

a processor communicatively coupled to the screen;

a movement module executable on the processor, the movement module configured to,

receive a user input to cause movement of a display of the screen, wherein the movement is in a direction away from a target item;

receive a release input to indicate that the user has released the user input at a release point on the display of the screen;

determine a location of the release point on the display of the screen relative to selectable items;

determine the target item from among the selectable items, wherein the target item is at a distance from the location of the release point;

display a surrogate selectable item at the release point; and

responsive to the user selection of the surrogate selectable item, perform an action that is the same as an action that would occur in response to a user selection of the target item.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the screen is touch sensitive, wherein the user input comprises a user touch of the screen.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the target item is viewable at least after the movement of the display of the screen.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the surrogate selectable item includes a property of the target item that includes at least one of color, shape, and text.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the movement module is configured to display an arrow that originates at the release point from the surrogate selectable item and points to the target item.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the determination of the target item from among the selectable items comprises a determination of the target item based on a pattern of usage by at least one of the user and group of users.