System and method for configuring time related settings using a graphical interface

• US 7,065,718 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2002
• Issued: 06/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lection, David B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu, Tadesse
• Application Number:
  US10/214,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20040027396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: 715/773, 715/703, 715/863, 715761-765, 715/866, 345/179, 345/689, 368/21, 368/185, 368/187, 368/23
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials

Abstract

A system and method for configuring time related settings using a graphical interface is presented. A user is able to configure a time-of-day and select a time zone on an electronic device using a maximum of two stylus movements. The user contacts a display with the stylus and makes an hour stroke and minute stroke in one motion, without lifting the stylus from the display. The user may adjust a time value by moving the stylus in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. When the user is satisfied with a time value, the user removes the stylus from the display. If the user wishes to toggle an AM/PM indicator, the user performs a toggle stroke to instruct processing to change the AM/PM indicator. Processing also identifies a time zone corresponding to a radix point which is created during the hour stroke and minute stroke generation.

Claims

1. A method of configuring time related settings using a single stylus movement, said method comprising:

displaying a geographical map on a display;

detecting a stylus starting location and a movement of a stylus, the stylus starting location corresponding to a location where the stylus contacts the display and the movement corresponding to a plurality of second locations to which the stylus is moved while contacting the display;

determining a radix point, the radix point corresponding to a change in direction of the movement;

identifying a stylus liftoff point, the stylus liftoff point corresponding to a location where the stylus discontinues contact with the display; and

calculating a time value wherein the calculating is performed using the stylus starting location, the radix point, and the stylus liftoff point.

2. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

superimposing a clock face on the geographical map wherein the clock face includes an hour hand and a minute hand, the center of the clock face corresponding to the location of the radix point;

computing an hour stroke angle using the stylus starting location and the radix point;

deriving an hour setting based upon the hour stroke angle;

computing a minute stroke angle using the radix point and the liftoff point;

deriving a minute setting based upon the minute stroke angle; and

displaying the time value on the clock face using the minute hand and the hour hand wherein the position of the minute hand corresponds to the minute setting and the position of the hour hand corresponds to the hour setting.

3. The method as described in claim 2 further comprising:

sensing the stylus movement in a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction subsequent to the superimposing;

re-calculating the time value in response the sensing, the recalculating resulting in a changed time value; and

displaying the changed time value on the clock face using the minute hand and the hour hand.

4. The method as described in claim 2 wherein the size of the clock face corresponds to the distance between the stylus starting location and the radix point.

5. The method as described in claim 1 wherein a first time zone is selected corresponding to the radix point.

6. The method as described in claim 5 further comprising:

detecting a time zone change touch down, the time zone change touch down corresponding to a second location where the stylus contacts the display subsequent to the selection of the first time zone;

comparing the time zone change touch down location with the first time zone;

changing the time value based upon the comparing, wherein the changing results in a changed time value; and

displaying the changed time value.

7. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a toggle starting location, the toggle starting location corresponding to a second location where the stylus contacts the display subsequent to the identification of the stylus liftoff point;

identifying a toggle ending location, the toggle ending location corresponding to a location where the stylus discontinues contact with the display subsequent to the detected toggle starting location;

determining whether to toggle AM/PM indicator based upon the location of the toggle starting location and the toggle ending location; and

toggling the AM/PM indicator in response to the determination.

8. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by the processors;

one or more nonvolatile storage devices accessible by the processors;

a display accessible by the processors; and

a time setting tool to configure time using a single stylus movement, the time setting tool including;

display logic for displaying a geographical map on the display;

detection logic for detecting a stylus starting location and a movement of a stylus, the stylus starting location corresponding to a location where the stylus contacts the display and the movement corresponding to a plurality of second locations to which the stylus is moved while contacting the display;

determination logic for determining a radix point, the radix point corresponding to a change in direction of the movement;

identification logic for identifying a stylus liftoff point, the stylus liftoff point corresponding to a location where the stylus discontinues contact with the display; and

computational logic for calculating a time value wherein the calculating is performed using the stylus starting location, the radix point, and the stylus liftoff point.

9. The information handling system as described in claim 8 further comprising:

imaging logic for superimposing a clock face on the geographical map wherein the clock face includes an hour hand and a minute hand, the center of the clock face corresponding to the location of the radix point;

computational logic for computing an hour stroke angle using the stylus starting location and the radix point;

derivation logic for deriving an hour setting based upon the hour stroke angle;

computational logic for computing a minute stroke angle using the radix point and the liftoff point;

derivation logic for deriving a minute setting based upon the minute stroke angle; and

display logic for displaying the time value on the clock face using the minute hand and the hour hand wherein the position of the minute hand corresponds to the minute setting and the position of the hour hand corresponds to the hour setting.

10. The information handling system as described in claim 9 further comprising:

detection logic for sensing the stylus movement in a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction subsequent to the superimposing;

calculation logic for recalculating the time value in response the sensing, the recalculating resulting in a changed time value; and

display logic for displaying the changed time value on the clock face using the minute hand and the hour hand.

11. The information handling system as described in claim 8 wherein a first time zone is selected corresponding to the radix point.

12. The information handling system as described in claim 11 further comprising:

detection logic for detecting a time zone change touch down, the time zone change touch down corresponding to a second location where the stylus contacts the display subsequent to the selection of the first time zone;

comparison logic for comparing the time zone change touch down location with the first time zone;

change logic for changing the time value based upon the comparing, wherein the changing results in a changed time value; and

display logic for displaying the changed time value.

13. The information handling system as described in claim 8 further comprising:

detection logic for detecting a toggle starting location, the toggle starting location corresponding to a second location where the stylus contacts the display subsequent to the identification of the stylus liftoff point;

identification logic for identifying a toggle ending location, the toggle ending location corresponding to a location where the stylus discontinues contact with the display subsequent to the detected toggle starting location;

determination logic for determining whether to toggle an AM/PM indicator based upon the location of the toggle starting location and the toggle ending location; and

toggle logic for toggling the AM/PM indicator in response to the determination.

14. A computer program product stored in a computer operable media for configuring time related settings, said computer program product comprising:

means for displaying a geographical map on a display;

means for detecting a stylus starting location and a movement of a stylus, the stylus starting location corresponding to a location where the stylus contacts the display and the movement corresponding to a plurality of second locations to which the stylus is moved while contacting the display;

means for determining a radix point, the radix point corresponding to a change in direction of the movement;

means for identifying a stylus liftoff point, the stylus liftoff point corresponding to a location where the stylus discontinues contact with the display; and

means for calculating a time value wherein the calculating is performed using the stylus starting location, the radix point, and the stylus liftoff point.

15. The computer program product as described in claim 14 further comprising:

means for superimposing a clock face on the geographical map wherein the clock face includes an hour hand and a minute hand, the center of the clock face corresponding to the location of the radix point;

means for computing an hour stroke angle using the stylus starting location and the radix point;

means for deriving an hour setting based upon the hour stroke angle;

means for computing a minute stroke angle using the radix point and the liftoff point;

means for deriving a minute setting based upon the minute stroke angle; and

means for displaying the time value on the clock face using the minute hand and the hour hand wherein the position of the minute hand corresponds to the minute setting and the position of the hour hand corresponds to the hour setting.

16. The computer program product as described in claim 15 further comprising:

means for sensing the stylus movement in a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction subsequent to the superimposing;

means for re-calculating the time value in response the sensing, the re-calculating resulting in a changed time value; and

means for displaying the changed time value on the clock face using the minute hand and the hour hand.

17. The computer program product as described in claim 15 wherein the size of the clock face corresponds to the distance between the stylus starting location and the radix point.

18. The computer program product as described in claim 14 wherein a first time zone is selected corresponding to the radix point.

19. The computer program product as described in claim 18 further comprising:

means for detecting a time zone change touch down, the time zone change touch down corresponding to a second location where the stylus contacts the display subsequent to the selection of the first time zone;

means for comparing the time zone change touch down location with the first time zone;

means for changing the time value based upon the comparing, wherein the changing results in a changed time value; and

means for displaying the changed time value.

20. The computer program product as described in claim 14 further comprising:

means for detecting a toggle starting location, the toggle starting location corresponding to a second location where the stylus contacts the display subsequent to the identification of the stylus liftoff point;

means for identifying a toggle ending location, the toggle ending location corresponding to a location where the stylus discontinues contact with the display subsequent to the detected toggle starting location;

means for determining whether to toggle an AM/PM indicator based upon the location of the toggle starting location and the toggle ending location; and

means for toggling the AM/PM indicator in response to the determination.

21. A method of configuring time related settings using a single stylus movement, said method comprising:

displaying a geographical map on a display;

detecting a stylus starting location and a movement of a stylus, the stylus starting location corresponding to a location where the stylus contacts the display and the movement corresponding to a plurality of second locations to which the stylus is moved while contacting the display;

determining a radix point, the radix point corresponding to a change in direction of the movement;

identifying a stylus liftoff point, the stylus liftoff point corresponding to a location where the stylus discontinues contact with the display; and

calculating a time value wherein the calculating further comprises;

superimposing a clock face on the geographical map wherein the clock face includes an hour hand and a minute hand, the center of the clock face corresponding to the location of the radix point;

computing an hour stroke angle using the stylus starting location and the radix point;

deriving an hour setting based upon the hour stroke angle;

computing a minute stroke angle using the radix point and the liftoff point; and

deriving a minute setting based upon the minute stroke angle.

22. A method of configuring time related settings using a single stylus movement, said method comprising:

displaying a geographical map on a display;

detecting a stylus starting location and a movement of a stylus, the stylus starting location corresponding to a location where the stylus contacts the display and the movement corresponding to a plurality of second locations to which the stylus is moved while contacting the display;

determining a radix point, the radix point corresponding to a change in direction of the movement;

identifying a stylus liftoff point, the stylus liftoff point corresponding to a location where the stylus discontinues contact with the display;

calculating a time value wherein the calculating is performed using the stylus starting location, the radix point, and the stylus liftoff point;

superimposing a clock face on the geographical map, the center of the clock face corresponding to the location of the radix point;

displaying the time value on the clock face using a minute hand and an hour hand;

detecting a toggle starting location, the toggle starting location corresponding to a second location where the stylus contacts the display subsequent to the identification of the stylus liftoff point;

identifying a toggle ending location, the toggle ending location corresponding to a location where the stylus discontinues contact with the display subsequent to the detected toggle starting location;

determining whether to toggle an AM/PM indicator based upon the location of the toggle starting location and the toggle ending location; and

toggling the AM/PM indicator in response to the determination.

23. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by the processors;

one or more nonvolatile storage devices accessible by the processors;

a display accessible by the processors; and

a time setting tool to configure time using a single stylus movement, the time setting tool including;

display logic for displaying a geographical map on the display;

detection logic for detecting a stylus starting location and a movement of a stylus, the stylus starting location corresponding to a location where the stylus contacts the display and the movement corresponding to a plurality of second locations to which the stylus is moved while contacting the display;

determination logic for determining a radix point, the radix point corresponding to a change in direction of the movement;

identification logic for identifying a stylus liftoff point, the stylus liftoff point corresponding to a location where the stylus discontinues contact with the display; and

computational logic for calculating a time value wherein the calculating further comprises;

imaging logic for superimposing a clock face on the geographical map wherein the clock face includes an hour hand and a minute hand, the center of the clock face corresponding to the location of the radix point;

computational logic for computing an hour stroke angle using the stylus starting location and the radix point;

derivation logic for deriving an hour setting based upon the hour stroke angle;

computational logic for computing a minute stroke angle using the radix point and the liftoff point; and

derivation logic for deriving a minute setting based upon the minute stroke angle.

24. A computer program product stored in a computer operable media for configuring time related settings, said computer program product comprising:

means for displaying a geographical map on a display;

means for detecting a stylus starting location and a movement of a stylus, the stylus starting location corresponding to a location where the stylus contacts the display and the movement corresponding to a plurality of second locations to which the stylus is moved while contacting the display;

means for determining a radix point, the radix point corresponding to a change in direction of the movement;

means for identifying a stylus liftoff point, the stylus liftoff point corresponding to a location where the stylus discontinues contact with the display; and

means for calculating a time value wherein the means for calculating further comprises;

means for superimposing a clock face on the geographical map wherein the clock face includes an hour hand and a minute hand, the center of the clock face corresponding to the location of the radix point;

means for computing an hour stroke angle using the stylus starting location and the radix point;

means for deriving an hour setting based upon the hour stroke angle;

means for computing a minute stroke angle using the radix point and the liftoff point; and

means for deriving a minute setting based upon the minute stroke angle.