Valuator menu for use as a graphical user interface tool

• US 4,896,291 A
• Filed: 05/20/1988
• Issued: 01/23/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gest, Stephen B., Wymore, Farrell W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zache, Raulfe B.
• Application Number:
  US07/196,922
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200, 364/300, 364/900, 340/703, 340/709, 340/724, 340/735
• US Class Current: 715/841
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/973 Scroll tool, e.g. window scroll bar
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/974 Slider control as on-screen object in operator interface

Abstract

The system and method provides a user interface tool for simultaneously selecting a menu item and a value, from a range of values, for the menu item. The user interface tool is referred to as a valuator menu, since it allows both the selection of a value from a range of values, and the selection of a menu item from a menu list. As a user moves a cursor over a menu of selectable items on a screen display, the item underneath the cursor is highlighted. In addition, as the user moves the cursor within the highlighted menu item, a value relative to the position of the cursor within that menu item is displayed. This valuator value is dynamically updated as the cursor position changes within the menu item. When the user performs an input selection, i.e. through a mouse button or a keyboard interaction, both the selected menu item and the value, relative to the cursor position, are simultaneously returned to the application program running on the data processing system.

Claims

1. A user interface for a data processing system, comprising:

means for displaying a list having a plurality of user actions; and

means, coupled to said means for displaying, for simultaneously selecting one of said actions and a value within a range of values of said action.

2. A system for selecting an action in a data processing system, comprising:

means for displaying a list of items for a plurality of actions;

means, coupled to said means for displaying, for selecting one of said plurality of actions in response to a movement of a cursor in a first direction; and

means, coupled to said list, for selecting a value of said action in response to a second movement of the cursor in a second direction within said item.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the means for selecting a value further comprises means for displaying a dynamically updated indicator representing the value corresponding to a location of said cursor in said second direction.

4. A user interface for use with a screen display in a data processing system, said interface comprising:

means for moving a cursor in a first direction over a menu displaying a plurality of items;

means, coupled to said items, for correlating a range of values of each of said items relative to a position of said cursor within each one of said items of said menu;

means, coupled to said means for moving a cursor, for displaying a correlated value for said cursor position; and

means, coupled to said means for displaying and said means for moving a cursor, for dynamically updating a displayed value as said cursor position changes.

5. The interface of claim 4 further comprising means, coupled to said menu, for simultaneously specifying, to an application running on said processing system, a selected item and the correlated value of said selected item, relative to the position of said cursor, by a single user input interaction.

6. A user interface for use with a screen display in a data processing system, said interface comprising:

means for displaying a menu having a plurality of color items;

means, coupled to said means for displaying, for positioning a cursor over at least one of said color items;

means, coupled to said color items, for correlating a saturation value within a range of a plurality of saturation values for each of said plurality of color items to a cursor position within at least one of said color items; and

means, coupled to said menu, for simultaneously selecting one of said plurality of color items and said saturation value of said color item with a single input interaction.

7. A user interface for use with a screen display in a data processing system, said interface comprising:

means for displaying a menu having a plurality of font style items;

means, coupled to said means for displaying, for positioning a cursor over at least one of said font style items;

means, coupled to said font style items, for correlating a character pitch value within a range of a plurality of character pitch values for each of said plurality of font style items to a cursor position within said font style item; and

means, coupled to said menu, for simultaneously selecting one of said plurality of font style items and said character pitch value of said font style item with a single input interaction.

8. A user interface for use with a screen display in a data processing system, said interface comprising:

means for displaying a menu having a plurality of items;

means, coupled to said means for displaying, for positioning a cursor over at least one of said items;

means, coupled to said items, for correlating a value within a range of a plurality of values for each of said plurality of items to a cursor position within said item; and

means, coupled to said menu, for simultaneously selecting one of said plurality of items and said value of said item with a single input interaction.

9. A method for selecting an action in a data processing system, said method comprising:

displaying a menu having a plurality of user actions;

positioning a cursor within one of said actions of said menu;

selecting simultaneously said action and a value within a range of a plurality of values of said action according to a position of the cursor within said action.

10. A method for selecting an action in a data processing system, said method comprising:

displaying means having a plurality of actions;

moving a cursor within said menu for selecting one of said plurality of actions; and

moving a cursor within said action for selecting a value from a plurality of values of said action.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of moving the cursor within said action further comprises the step of displaying a dynamically updated indicator representing the value of said action relative to a location of said cursor.

12. A method for selecting an action in a data processing system, said method comprising:

moving a cursor in a first direction over a menu displaying a plurality of items;

correlating a range of values of each of said items relative to a position of said cursor within each one of said items of said menu;

displaying a correlated value for said cursor position; and

updating dynamically a displayed value as said cursor position changes.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of running simultaneously, to an application running on said processing system, a selected item and a correlated value of said selected item, relative to the position of said cursor, by a single user input interaction.

14. A method for selecting an action in a data processing system, said method comprising:

displaying a menu of a plurality of items;

positioning a cursor over at least one of said items;

correlating a value within a range of a plurality of values for each of said plurality of items to a cursor position within said item; and

selecting simultaneously one of said plurality of items and said value of said item with a single input interaction.

15. A method for selecting an action in a data processing system, said method comprising:

displaying a list having a plurality of user actions; and

selecting, simultaneously, one of said actions and a value within a range of values of said action.

16. A computer program comprising:

first instruction means for causing a display of a list having a plurality of user actions; and

second instruction means, coupled to said first instruction means, for causing a simultaneous selection of one of said actions and a value within a range of values of said action in response to a single user interaction.

18. A computer program of claim 16 further comprising fourth instruction means, coupled to said second instruction means, for causing a display of the value correlated to said cursor position;

and fifth instruction means, coupled to said fourth instruction means, for causing a dynamic update of the value displayed as said cursor position changes.

17. A computer program comprising:

first instruction means for causing a display of a menu having a plurality of items;

second instruction means, coupled to said first instruction means, for causing a correlation of a value within a range of a plurality of values for each of said plurality of items to a cursor position within said item; and

third instruction means, coupled to said second instruction means, for causing a simultaneous selection of one of said plurality of items and said value of said item in response to a single input interaction.

19. A computer program comprising:

first instruction means for causing a display of a menu having a plurality of user actions;

second instruction means, coupled to said first instruction means, for causing a simultaneous selection of one of said actions and a value within a range of a plurality of values of said action according to a position of a cursor within said action.