Graphical user interface with optimal transparency thresholds for maximizing user performance and system efficiency
First Claim
1. A system having a graphical user interface in which variably-transparent objects are displayed thereon, the system comprising:
- a generator for generating variably-transparent foreground and background objects for display on the graphical user interface;
a controller for controlling a transparency level of said foreground objects, wherein said controller presets said transparency level at a minimum of approximately 50 percent transparency; and
a limiter for setting a plurality of transparency level upper limits, wherein each of said upper limits sets a maximum transparency level for objects associated with an application type.
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Abstract
A system and method for providing a graphical user interface (GUI) for maximized user performance and system efficiency. The GUI utilizes variable-transparency to merge images (or layers) of objects onto a graphical display. For example, "see through" objects (such as menus, tool palettes, windows, dialogue boxes, or screens) are superimposed over similar objects or different background content (such as text, wire-frame or line art images, or solid images). A critical factor in the usability of variably-transparent GUI is the effect of visual interference on user performance. That is, the interaction between superimposed objects of varying types measurably alters performance to unacceptable levels in terms of user selection error rates and response times. The present invention provides a system and method of using optimal threshold transparency levels for user performance optimization. Correspondingly, the present invention does not substantially rely on visual enhancement techniques within the transparency ranges delineated by the optimal thresholds, thereby providing enhanced system efficiency. Additionally, the present invention provides hybrid windows having both variably-transparent regions and opaque regions for further performance gains.
254 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A system having a graphical user interface in which variably-transparent objects are displayed thereon, the system comprising:
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a generator for generating variably-transparent foreground and background objects for display on the graphical user interface; a controller for controlling a transparency level of said foreground objects, wherein said controller presets said transparency level at a minimum of approximately 50 percent transparency; and a limiter for setting a plurality of transparency level upper limits, wherein each of said upper limits sets a maximum transparency level for objects associated with an application type. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer program product for displaying objects on the monitor, the computer program product comprising:
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a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied in said medium for enabling the computer system to provide the variably-transparent objects, said computer readable program code comprising; a generator for enabling the computer system to generate variably-transparent foreground and background objects for display on the graphical user interface; a controller for enabling the computer system to control a transparency level of said foreground objects, wherein said controller presets said transparency level at a minimum of approximately 50 percent transparency; and a limiter for enabling the computer system to set a plurality of transparency level upper limits, wherein each of said upper limits sets a maximum transparency level for objects associated with an application type. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method providing variably-transparent objects, the method comprising steps of:
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generating variably-transparent foreground and background objects for display on a graphical user interface; controlling a transparency level of said foreground objects, including presetting said transparency level to a minimum of approximately 50 percent transparency; and setting a plurality of transparency level upper limits, wherein each of said upper limits sets a maximum transparency level for objects associated with an application type.
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24. A system having a graphical user interface in which variably-transparent objects are displayed thereon, the system comprising:
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generating means for generating variably-transparent foreground and background objects for display on the graphical user interface; controlling means for controlling a transparency level of said foreground objects, wherein said controlling means presets said transparency level at a minimum of approximately 50 percent transparency; and limiting means for setting a plurality of transparency level upper limits, wherein each of said upper limits sets a maximum transparency level for objects associated with an application type.
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Specification