Methods, systems and computer program products for visually tethering related graphical objects

• US 7,310,780 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2003
• Issued: 12/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Diering, Stephen M., Firebaugh, Joseph E., Leah, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu, Tadesse
• Application Number:
  US10/640,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20050039145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,587 Days
• Field of Search: 715862-864, 715/858, 715/861, 715/854, 715/855
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957

Abstract

Methods, systems and computer program products are configured to display graphical objects on an electronic display by providing a tether that visually relates two spaced apart graphic objects on the display, with the tether configured to be less visually prominent than the objects that it indicates are related.

Claims

1. A method for displaying graphical objects on an electronic display, the method comprising:

displaying a first object on an electronic display and an associated second object so that the second object is spaced apart a distance from the first object, wherein the first object includes an active link and/or application, and the second object includes an object identifier; and

extending a visual non-functional tether between the first and second objects to visually indicate that the first object is associated with the second object, wherein the tether has an intensity, and wherein the method further comprises dynamically adjusting the intensity of the tether as the first and/or second objects are moved toward and/or away from each other.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the object identifier is a label that identifies the first object.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the first object is an icon.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the tether has an intensity that is reduced relative to an intensity associated with the first and second objects to visually reduce its prominence to a user.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the tether is translucent and/or semi-transparent.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the intensity of the tether is increased as the length of the tether used to visually connect the first and second objects increases.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the displaying and drawing steps are repeated a plurality of times to provide a graphical user display of a plurality of first objects and a corresponding plurality of second objects with a respective tether extending between corresponding pairs of first and second objects to visually relate the corresponding first and second objects to a user.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising calculating a distance between the position of the first object and the second object and defining the tether intensity based on the calculated distance.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the defining tether intensity is carried out so that the maximum tether intensity is less than the maximum potential intensity of pixels associated with the tether image.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein any tether having a length that is over a predetermined length has the same maximum tether intensity that is semi-transparent and/or translucent.

11. A method according to claim 8, wherein calculating the distance comprises determining a substantially geometric center of the first and second objects and calculating a distance between the two centers.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein extending the tether between the first and second objects is carried out so that the tether is a line with a slope and length that includes the coordinates of the two calculated centers.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein determining the substantially geometric center of the first and second objects comprises determining a boundary perimeter using a known shape with an associated center that encloses the first object.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the tether is a translucent and/or semi-transparent line having a line width of about 1 pixel to thereby provide a tether that is able to visually blend into its topological environment allowing the first and second objects to provide an increased visual prominence relative thereto.

15. A method for displaying graphical objects on an electronic display, the method comprising:

displaying a first object on an electronic display and an associated second object so that the second object is spaced apart a distance from the first object, wherein the first object includes an active link and/or application, and the second object includes an object identifier;

extending a visual non-functional tether between the first and second objects to visually indicate that the first object is associated with the second object; and

dynamically automatically adjusting the position, intensity and/or length of the tether responsive to a movement of the first and/or second object on the display.

16. A system for providing a display of graphical objects on an electronic display comprising:

means for displaying a plurality of corresponding pairs of first and second objects on an electronic display, wherein the first object includes an active link and/or application, and the second object includes an object identifier; and

means for displaying a visual non-functional tether that extends between each of the corresponding pairs of first and second objects on the electronic display, wherein the means for displaying the tether is configured to provide a tether intensity that is reduced relative to an intensity associated with the first and second objects to reduce the tether'"'"'s visual prominence to a user.

17. A system according to claim 16, further comprising means for obtaining user input for moving a first and/or second object on the electronic display and means for automatically adjusting the position, length and/or intensity of the tether responsive to the movement.

18. A system according to claim 16, wherein the object identifier is a text label that identifies the first object.

19. A system according to claim 18, wherein the first object is an icon.

20. A system according to claim 16, wherein the means for displaying the tether is configured to generate tethers that are translucent and/or semi-transparent.

21. A system according to claim 16, wherein the tether has an intensity, and wherein the system further comprises means for dynamically adjusting the intensity of the tether as the first and/or second objects are moved toward and/or away from each other.

22. A system according to claim 21, wherein the intensity of the tether is increased as the length of the tether used to visually connect the first and second objects increases.

23. A system according to claim 16, further comprising means for calculating a distance between the position of the first object and the second object and means for defining tether intensity based on the calculated distance.

24. A system according to claim 16, further comprising means for calculating the coordinates of a substantially geometric center of the first and second objects and means for calculating a straight-line distance between the two calculated centers.

25. A system according to claim 24, wherein the means for displaying a tether is carried out to generate a respective tether between an associated pair of first and second objects so that the tether is a line with a slope and length that includes the coordinates of the two calculated centers.

26. A system according to claim 24, wherein the means for calculating the substantially geometric center of the first object is configured to size and configure a known bounding shape with an associated center to substantially enclose the first object.

27. A system according to claim 16, wherein the means for displaying the tethers is configured to generate a translucent and/or semi-transparent tether line having a line width of about 1 pixel to thereby visually blend the tether into its topological environment allowing the first and second objects to provide an increased visual prominence relative. thereto.

28. A system according to claim 16, further comprising means for dynamically automatically adjusting the position, intensity and/or length of the tether on the display responsive to a movement of the first and/or second object on the display.

29. A system for providing a display of graphical objects on an electronic display comprising:

means for displaying a plurality of corresponding pairs of first and second objects on an electronic display, wherein the first object includes an active link and/or application, and the second object includes an object identifier;

means for displaying a visual non-functional tether that extends between each of the corresponding pairs of first and second objects on the electronic display; and

means for adjusting tether intensity based on tether length and/or the distance between the associated pair of first and second objects.

30. A system for displaying graphical objects on an electronic display comprising:

a display circuit configured to display a plurality of corresponding pairs of first objects with associated labels on an electronic display, wherein the first object includes an active link and/or application; and

a non-functional visual tether display circuit configured to display a respective tether that visually extends between and relates each corresponding first object and associated label pair displayed on the electronic display, wherein a plurality of the corresponding pairs of first objects and labels are configured so that a respective label is positioned spaced apart a distance from the corresponding object, and wherein the tether display circuit is configured to provide a tether intensity that is reduced relative to an intensity associated with the first object and label to reduce the tether'"'"'s visual prominence to a user.

31. A system according to claim 30, wherein the tether display circuit is configured to provide tethers that are translucent and/or semi-transparent.

32. A system according to claim 30, further comprising means for obtaining user input for selectively moving a desired first object and/or label on the electronic display and means for automatically adjusting the position, length and/or intensity of a corresponding tether responsive to the movement thereof.

33. A system according to claim 30, wherein the tether display circuit is configured to adjust tether intensity based on tether length and/or the distance between the associated pair of first object and associated label.

34. A system according to claim 30, wherein the tether display circuit dynamically adjusts tether intensity as the first object and/or associated label are moved toward and/or away from each other.

35. A system according to claim 30, wherein the first objects are icons.

36. A system according to claim 30, wherein the tether display circuit is configured to calculate a distance between the position of the first object and label pair and define tether intensity of a respective tether based on the calculated distance.

37. A system according to claim 30, wherein the tether display circuit is configured to calculate a substantially geometric center of the first object and the label and to calculate a straight-line distance between the two calculated centers.

38. A system according to claim 37, wherein the tether display circuit is configured to generate a respective tether between a respective object and label pair so that the tether is a line with a slope and length that includes the coordinates of the two calculated centers.

39. A system according to claim 38, wherein the tether display circuit is configured to generate a translucent and/or semi-transparent tether line having a line width of about 1 pixel to thereby visually blend the tether into its topological environment allowing the object and associated label to provide an increased visual prominence relative thereto.

40. A system according to claim 30, wherein the tether display circuit is configured to dynamically automatically adjust the position, intensity and/or length of a tether on the display responsive to a movement of a corresponding label and/or object on the display.

41. A system for displaying graphical objects on an electronic display comprising:

a display circuit configured to display a plurality of corresponding pairs of first objects with associated labels on an electronic display, wherein the first object includes an active link and/or application; and

a non-functional visual tether display circuit configured to display a respective tether that visually extends between and relates each corresponding first object and associated label pair displayed on the electronic display, wherein the tether display circuit is configured to increase tether intensity as the length of the tether used to visually connect the first object and associated label increases.

42. A computer program product for displaying graphical objects on an electronic display comprising:

a computer readable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to display a plurality of corresponding pairs of first and second objects on an electronic display, wherein the first object includes an active link and/or application, and the second object includes an object identifier;

computer readable program code configured to display a visual non-functional tether that extends between each of the corresponding pairs of first and second objects on the electronic display; and

computer readable program code that is configured to adjust tether intensity based on tether length and/or the distance between the associated first and second object pair.

43. A computer program product according to claim 42, further comprising computer readable program code for obtaining user input that allows a user to selectively move one or both of the first and/or second object in a corresponding pair on the display and computer readable program code that automatically dynamically reconfigures the tether in response thereto.

44. A computer program product according to claim 42, wherein the computer readable program code that displays a tether for each of the corresponding pairs of objects is configured to provide tethers that are translucent and/or semi-transparent.

45. A computer program product according to claim 42, further comprising computer readable program code for automatically adjusting the position, length and/or intensity of a corresponding tether responsive to the movement thereof on the display.

46. A computer program product according to claim 42, further comprising computer readable program code that is configured to provide a tether intensity that is reduced relative to an intensity associated with the first and second object pair to reduce the tether'"'"'s visual prominence to a user.

47. A computer program product according to claim 42, wherein the computer readable program code that is configured to adjust tether intensity is configured to increase tether intensity as the length of the tether used to visually connect the first and second object pair increases.

48. A computer program product according to claim 42, wherein the first objects are icons, and wherein the second objects are labels.

49. A computer program product according to claim 42, further comprising computer readable program code configured to calculate a distance between the position of the first object and second object pair and define tether intensity of the respective tether based on the calculated distance.

50. A computer program product according to claim 42, further comprising computer readable program code that is configured to calculate coordinates of a substantially geometric center of the first object and of the second object and to calculate a straight-line distance between the two calculated centers.

51. A computer program product according to claim 50, further comprising computer readable program code that is configured to generate a tether between an object pair so that the tether is a line with a slope and length that includes the coordinates of the two calculated centers.

52. A computer program product according to claim 42, wherein the computer program code that configured to display a tether that extends between each of the corresponding pairs of first and second objects on the electronic display comprises computer program code that is configured to generate a translucent and/or semi-transparent tether line having a line width of about 1 pixel to thereby visually blend the tether into its topological environment allowing the first and second objects to provide an increased visual prominence relative thereto.

53. A computer program product according to claim 42, wherein the computer readable program code configured to display a tether that extends between each of the corresponding pairs of first and second objects on the electronic display comprises computer readable program code configured to dynamically automatically adjust the position, intensity and/or length of a tether on the display responsive to a movement of a corresponding first and/or second object on the display.

54. A computer program product according to claim 42, wherein the first object is an icon, and wherein the second object is a label for same.