USER INTERFACE

• US 20130185642A1
• Filed: 09/20/2011
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Richard Gammons
• Original Assignee: Richard Gammons
• Inventors: Gammons, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 10,353,538 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/733
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04802 3D-info-object: information is displayed on the internal or external surface of a three dimensional manipulable object, e.g. on the faces of a cube that can be rotated by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars

Abstract

A user interface method comprises: causing a plurality of first objects to be displayed; causing one or more second objects to be displayed, each second object associated on the display with one or more of the first objects; and, in response to an input, causing at least one of the first objects to be displayed with decreased prominence and causing at least one second object that is associated with the first object to be displayed such that the relative decrease in prominence of the second object, if any, is less than the relative decrease in prominence of the first object.

Claims

1. A user interface method comprising:

causing a plurality of first objects to be displayed;

causing one or more second objects to be displayed, each second object associated on the display with one or more of the first objects; and

,

in response to an input, causing at least one of the first objects to be displayed with decreased prominence and causing at least one second object that is associated with the first object to be displayed such that the relative decrease in prominence of the second object, if any, is less than the relative decrease in prominence of the first object.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein causing an object to be displayed with decreased prominence comprises causing the object to appear smaller or to disappear and/or causing the object to be fully or partially obscured.

5. A method according to claim 1, comprising, in response to the input, causing at least one of the first objects to be displayed at a changed position and causing at least one second object that is associated with the first object to be displayed at a position such that the association of the first and second objects is maintained.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the association is the result of relative positions of the first and second objects and/or a display element fully or partially linking the first and second objects.

7. A method according to claim 1, comprising, in response to an input in relation to one of the second objects, causing an indication emphasising the association of the second object with the one or more associated first objects to be displayed.

10. A method according to claim 1, comprising causing the first objects to be arranged sequentially in a loop, the loop being fully or partially displayed.

12. A method according to claim 1, comprising:

causing a view of a three-dimensional arrangement of the first objects to be fully or partially displayed, the view being two- or three-dimensional; and

in response to a further input, adjusting an angle of the view such that the first objects occupy less space on the display.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein each second object provides an indication of one or more properties of the one or more associated first objects or provides an indication of a boundary between one or more first objects having one or more properties and a further one or more first objects having one or more different properties.

20. A method according to claim 1, comprising:

in response to an input in relation to one of the first or second objects, changing the state of the first or second object respectively from an unselected state to a selected state;

in response to the change in state of the first object, causing an indication thereof to be displayed in relation to the first object and/or at least one associated second object; and

,

in response to the change in state of the second object, causing an indication thereof to be displayed in relation to the second object and/or the one or more associated first objects.

21. A method according to claim 1, comprising, in response to an input in relation to one of the first or second objects, respectively causing the first object or the second object and the one or more associated first objects to be displayed with increased prominence.

23. A method according to claim 1, comprising, in response to an input in relation to one of the plurality of first objects, causing a further plurality of first objects and a further one or more second objects to be displayed.

27. A method according to claim 1, comprising causing an element to be displayed, the element comprising an ordered arrangement of items, each item corresponding to one of the second objects or one of the first objects or a property thereof, and further comprising an indication of which one of the first or second objects is being displayed with most prominence.

28. A method according to claim 15, comprising, in response to an input in relation to the element, causing at least one of the second objects and the one or more associated first objects to be displayed at a changed position.

29. A method according to claim 15, wherein the element is displayed instead of the one or more second objects.

30. A method according to claim 1, comprising causing one or more lists or assemblies of words or symbols to be displayed, each list or assembly of words or symbols comprising a plurality of items, each item corresponding to one of the first objects or a property thereof.

34. A method according to claim 20, comprising, in response to an input in relation to one of the first objects or the corresponding item:

causing a further plurality of first objects and a further one or more second objects to be displayed instead of the plurality of first objects and the one or more second objects; and

causing a further list or assembly of words or symbols corresponding to the further plurality of first objects to be displayed in addition to the list or assembly of words or symbols corresponding to the plurality of first objects.

37. A method according to claim 1, comprising, in response to an input in relation to one of the first objects, determining a query based upon one or more properties of the first object and causing a further plurality of first objects and a further one or more second objects to be displayed, wherein the further plurality of first objects have one or more properties that match the query, wherein the plurality of first objects and the further plurality of first objects correspond to different levels in a hierarchical organisation of the data elements.

42. A method according to claim 1, comprising:

causing a plurality of the first objects to be displayed, wherein the first objects are arranged in accordance with one or more properties of the first objects;

causing the one or more second objects to be displayed, each second object associated with one or more of the first objects, wherein each second object provides an indication of a further one or more properties of the one or more associated first objects; and

in response to the input, causing at least one of the first objects to be displayed at a changed position and causing at least one second object that is associated with the first object to be displayed at a position such that the association of the first and second objects is maintained.

44. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a computer program comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method according to claim 1.

3. A user interface method comprising:

causing a plurality of first objects to be displayed;

causing one or more second objects to be displayed, each second object associated on the display with one or more of the first objects; and

,

in response to an input, causing the display of objects to change, wherein at least one of the second objects remains fully or partially displayed regardless of whether or not the one or more first objects associated with the second object remain displayed.

4. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

22. A method according to claim 11, wherein causing an object to be displayed with increased prominence comprises causing the object to appear or to appear larger, causing the object to be fully or partly unobscured, causing the object to be displayed more centrally, and/or causing the object to be displayed more in a foreground.

13. (canceled)

26. A method according to claim 13, comprising causing the plurality and each further plurality of first objects to be displayed concurrently in respective loops, wherein the loops are concentric or coaxial or have parallel axes, wherein, in the case of parallel axes, the axis of the loop corresponding to the further plurality of first objects is aligned with the first object in relation to which the input was made.

14. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

31. A method according to claim 18, comprising, in response to an indication being displayed in relation to one of the first objects, causing an indication to be displayed in relation to the corresponding item.

33. A method according to claim 18, comprising, in response to an input in relation to one of the items, taking the same action as the action to be taken in response to an input in relation to the corresponding first object.

19. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

49. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein each second object provides an indication of one or more properties of the one or more associated first objects.

50. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the at least one processor and the memory and the computer program are configured to make the apparatus, in response to an input in relation to one of the first or second objects, respectively cause the first object or the second object and the one or more associated first objects to be displayed with increased prominence.

51. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the at least one processor and the memory and the computer program are configured to make the apparatus, in response to an input in relation to one of the plurality of first objects, cause a further plurality of first objects and a further one or more second objects to be displayed.

52. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the at least one processor and the memory and the computer program are configured to make the apparatus cause one or more lists or assemblies of words or symbols to be displayed, each list or assembly of words or symbols comprising a plurality of items, each item corresponding to one of the first objects or a property thereof.

32. (canceled)

35. (canceled)

36. (canceled)

38. (canceled)

39. (canceled)

40. (canceled)

41. (canceled)

43. (canceled)

45. (canceled)

46. User interface apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

memory comprising a computer program,

wherein the at least one processor and the memory and the computer program are configured to make the apparatus;

cause a plurality of first objects to be displayed;

cause one or more second objects to be displayed, each second object associated on the display with one or more of the first objects; and

,

in response to an input, cause at least one of the first objects to be displayed with decreased prominence and causing at least one second object that is associated with the first object to be displayed such that the relative decrease in prominence of the second object, if any, is less than the relative decrease in prominence of the first object.

47. (canceled)

48. (canceled)

53. (canceled)

54. (canceled)

55. (canceled)

56. A system comprising:

a server comprising a user interface apparatus comprising;

at least one processor; and

memory comprising a computer program,

wherein the at least one processor and the memory and the computer program are configured to make the apparatus;

cause a plurality of first objects to be displayed

cause one or more second objects to be displayed, each second object associated on the display with one or more of the first objects; and

,

in response to an input, cause at least one of the first objects to be displayed with decreased prominence and causing at least one second object that is associated with the first object to be displayed such that the relative decrease in prominence of the second object, if any, is less than the relative decrease in prominence of the first object; and

a client device configured to communicate with the server via a network.

57. (canceled)