User interface widget for selecting a point or range

• US 8,560,966 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2010
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Cotterill, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Matt
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pan, Yongjia
• Application Number:
  US12/836,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20100306704A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,188 Days
• Field of Search: 715/700, 715720-722, 715/764, 715/772, 715/781, 715783-787, 715/833, 715/856, 715/863, 345/156, 345/157, 345159-163
• US Class Current: 715/833
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

A technique for selecting and/or displaying an exact point or a range is provided wherein a slider widget comprising a thumb with a left edge and a right edge lying in proximity to the left and right edges of the thumb is provided such that a user may utilize the widget to display an exact point or a range.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying a slider tool corresponding to a fixed range, the slider tool comprising a track, a thumb element, a first edge element, and a second edge element, the first edge element disposed at a first distance along the track from the thumb element, the second edge element disposed at a second distance along the track from the thumb element; and

in response to input that moves the first edge element from a first position on the track to a second position on the track without moving the second edge element, adjusting a position of the thumb element along the track such that a distance between the second edge element and the thumb element is substantially equal to a distance between the first edge element and the thumb element;

wherein said adjusting does not increase a size of the thumb element;

wherein the method is performed by one or more processors.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting occurs as the first edge element is being moved.

3. A method comprising:

displaying a slider tool corresponding to a fixed range, the slider tool comprising a track, a thumb element, a first edge element, and a second edge element, the first edge element disposed at a first distance along the track from the thumb element, the second edge element disposed at a second distance along the track from the thumb element; and

in response to input that changes a distance between the first edge element and the thumb element due to a move of the first edge element from a first position on the track to a second position on the track without moving the second edge element, adjusting a position of the second edge element along the track such that a distance between the second edge element and the thumb element is substantially equal to the changed distance between the first edge element and the thumb element as;

wherein said thumb element remains fixed in size throughout said adjusting;

wherein the method is performed by one or more processors.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the adjusting occurs as the first edge element is being moved.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

obtaining selection of a sub-range of said fixed range corresponding to the positions of the first and second edge elements when the first edge element is at the second position; and

causing visual feedback to be provided to a user indicating the selected sub-range.

6. A non-transitory machine-readable memory storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause a device to:

display a slider tool corresponding to a fixed range, the slider tool comprising a track, a thumb element, a first edge element, and a second edge element, the first edge element disposed at a first distance along the track from the thumb element, the second edge element disposed at a second distance along the track from the thumb element; and

in response to input that moves the first edge element from a first position on the track to a second position on the track without moving the second edge element, adjust a position of the thumb element along the track such that a distance between the second edge element and the thumb element is substantially equal to a distance between the first edge element and the thumb element;

wherein the adjustment does not increase a size of the thumb element.

7. The machine-readable memory of claim 6, wherein the adjustment occurs as the first edge element is being moved.

8. A non-transitory machine-readable memory storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed, cause a device to:

display a slider tool corresponding to a fixed range, the slider tool comprising a track, a thumb element, a first edge element, and a second edge element, the first edge element disposed at a first distance along the track from the thumb element, the second edge element disposed at a second distance along the track from the thumb element; and

in response to input that that changes a distance between the first edge element and the thumb element due to a move of the first edge element from a first position on the track to a second position on the track without moving the second edge element, adjust a position of the second edge element along the track such that a distance between the second edge element and the thumb element is substantially equal to the changed distance between the first edge element and the thumb element;

wherein said thumb element remains fixed in size throughout said adjustment.

9. The machine-readable memory of claim 8, wherein the adjustment occurs as the first edge element is being moved.

10. The machine-readable memory of claim 8, wherein the processor-readable instructions further comprise instructions that, when executed, cause the device to:

obtain selection of a sub-range of said fixed range corresponding to the positions of the first and second edge elements when the first edge element is at the second position; and

cause visual feedback to be provided to a user indicating the selected sub-range.