Selection paradigm for displayed user interface
First Claim
1. A method of presenting a computer user interface for performing one of a plurality of operations on displayed items, the method comprising:
- receiving an indication that a particular function is to be performed;
responsive to receiving the indication that a particular function is to be performed, displaying a moveable displayed user interface element for performing the particular function and configured to be dragged by a graphical pointer, the moveable displayed user interface element displaying an indicator of the particular function as well as at least one activation area for initiating the particular function to be performed in the moveable displayed user interface element is defined to include a pointer separate from the activation area;
responsive to determining that the pointer of the moveable displayed user interface element has been moved over a displayed item, selecting the displayed item; and
after selection of the displayed item, receiving an initiation indication via activation of the activation area; and
responsive to the initiation indication via activation of the activation area, performing the particular function on the displayed item selected via the pointer that is separate from the activation area.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A moveable displayed user interface element can be used to select an item displayed on a user interface. Once the proper item or items are selected, an area of the moveable displayed user interface element can be activated to perform an operation on the selected item or items. The moveable displayed user interface element can additionally display information about a selected item, and, in some cases, the displayed information can be edited to modify the selected item. A versatile lightweight system can be used to determine when a moveable object is over any of a number of regions associated with specified targets. The lightweight system can be used to implement moveable displayed user interface elements.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method of presenting a computer user interface for performing one of a plurality of operations on displayed items, the method comprising:
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receiving an indication that a particular function is to be performed; responsive to receiving the indication that a particular function is to be performed, displaying a moveable displayed user interface element for performing the particular function and configured to be dragged by a graphical pointer, the moveable displayed user interface element displaying an indicator of the particular function as well as at least one activation area for initiating the particular function to be performed in the moveable displayed user interface element is defined to include a pointer separate from the activation area; responsive to determining that the pointer of the moveable displayed user interface element has been moved over a displayed item, selecting the displayed item; and after selection of the displayed item, receiving an initiation indication via activation of the activation area; and responsive to the initiation indication via activation of the activation area, performing the particular function on the displayed item selected via the pointer that is separate from the activation area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. One or more computer-readable storage media having stored thereon data structures and computer-executable instructions comprising:
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a region list data structure containing a list of a plurality of displayed regions; a moveable displayed item software object comprising data describing an activation area and data defining a designated hot point as a point within a moveable displayed item; computer-executable acquire-target instructions for acquire-target functionality, the acquire-target instructions designated for execution when the moveable displayed item acquires a target by selecting one of a plurality of potential targets when the hot point is moved over one of a plurality of displayed regions, wherein the regions are associated with the targets, the acquire-target instructions operable to visually indicate that the target is selected such that, after selection, when the moveable displayed item is activated by activation of the activation area, a function indicated on the moveable displayed item before selection of the target is initiated on the target; computer-executable release-target instructions for release-target functionality, the release-target instructions designated for execution when the moveable displayed item releases the target and operable to de-select the target; and computer-executable consulting instructions for consulting the region list data structure to determine whether the designated hot point of the moveable displayed item enters or exits any of the regions when being dragged by a graphical pointer other than the moveable displayed item, the consulting instructions further operable to invoke the acquire-target and release-target functionality with respect to a target associated with a region into which or out of which the designated hot point of the moveable displayed item enters or exits; wherein the hot point is separate from the activation area on the moveable displayed item. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A computer-implemented method for determining over which of a set of potential targets displayed on a display a moveable displayed item has been dragged, the method comprising:
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assembling a list of regions comprising a region list object corresponding to display regions associated with the potential targets; upon receiving a request to display a user-selected moveable displayed item to perform a function, displaying the moveable displayed item, the moveable displayed item comprising; a description of the function; a designated hot point, the designated hot point including an X-Y coordinate specifying a point within the moveable displayed item as a location of the designated hot point; an activation area configured to cause initiation of the function when the activation area is activated, wherein the activation area is separate from the designated hot point; and a cancellation area configured to prevent initiation of the function when the cancellation area is activated; upon determining the moveable displayed item has been dragged by a graphical pointer to a location, consulting the list of regions to determine whether the designated hot point of the moveable displayed item has been dragged over two or more of the potential targets; and upon determining the designated hot point of the moveable displayed item has been dragged over two or more of the potential targets, taking an action with respect to the two or more of the potential targets, the action comprising selecting the two or more of the potential targets such that; when the activation area is activated with the graphical pointer on the moveable displayed item, the function associated with the moveable displayed item is initiated on the two or more of the potential targets; and when the cancellation area is activated with the graphical pointer on the moveable displayed item, the function associated with the moveable displayed item is not initiated on the two or more of the potential targets.
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Specification