Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-01
2001-06-12
Bayerl, Raymond J. (Department: 2173)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C345S182000, C345S215000, C345S215000, C345S215000, C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06246411
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to computer interfaces, and more particularly to a gesture control system for improved drag operation of a pointing device used with a graphical user interface.
2. Description of Related Art
Graphical user interfaces (“GUIs”) typically use a pointing device (such as a mouse, light pen, or stylus on a touch-sensitive display screen) to select an object (e.g., text, figures, areas of a display screen, files, folders or directories, object tools, parts of figures or other objects such as vertices and edges, etc.) under a cursor and then “drag” the selected object to a different location or orientation on a display screen. The user may then “drop” or release the object at a desired new location or orientation indicated by the position of the cursor.
Selecting is usually a first step, generally initiated by holding down a button associated with the pointing device (e.g., a mouse button) and gesturing with the pointing device to indicate the bounds of the object to be selected (as in text selection), or simply by “clicking” on the object under the cursor (as in selecting a graphical image or icon). Selection is typically indicated by a change in the visual display of the selected object (e.g., by using reverse video, displaying a frame around the object, displaying selection handles around the object, etc.).
Dragging is usually a separate step distinct from selection, and is usually initiated by clicking on a selected object and holding a control button down (e.g., holding a mouse button in a depressed state). The object is then dragged while holding the control button.
However, in some applications, initiating dragging also selects the object under the cursor. The operation is completed by dropping the selected object.
For many applications, a drag operation may be used to initiate several possible functions relative to an object. For example, in a text application, a selected section of text may be moved or copied by a drag operation. As another example, in a page layout program such as Adobe Framemaker®, a selected file may be inserted into a document by embedding (i.e., copying the content of the object), by linking (i.e., referencing the content of the object such that changes to the original appear in the linking document), or by reference (e.g., establishing a hypertext link to the object).
Normally, if multiple functions are possible, one such function (e.g., moving) is a “default” function of a drag operation, while the other functions must be selected by some combination of modifiers (e.g., pressing keys like “SHIFT”, “ALT”, and “CTRL”) while operating the pointing device. However, there are a finite number of such combinations available, and none are particularly intuitive. Indeed, some applications have adopted contrary or confusing combinations. For example, in Microsoft Windows95®, dragging a file object to a directory icon on the same storage device initiates a MOVE function by default, but can be changed to a COPY function if the CTRL key is pressed before dropping the file object. However, dragging a file object to a directory icon on a different storage device initiates a COPY function by default, but can be changed to a MOVE function if the SHIFT key is pressed before dropping the file object.
In some applications, after completing the drag operation, a menu automatically pops up to allow a user to choose a specific “drop” function. However, such menus do not allow changing the nature of the drag operation before dropping.
Accordingly, the inventor has concluded that it would be desirable if a more intuitive method and system existed for selecting among multiple functions during a drag operation, allowing a user to change a gesture after it has begun. The present invention provides such a method and system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is a method and system for refining the function performed by a drag operation during the drag operation. After a drag operation begins, a “Drag Toolbar” appears with icon or button controls that change the current function of the drag operation when the cursor is moved over a selected control. In the preferred embodiment, the controls are radio button controls, and thus are mutually exclusive. However, in an alternative embodiment, the controls may be cumulative (i.e., multiple controls may be active, similar to check box controls), or incrementing/decrementing (e.g., a control may cause the displayed page in a document to change up or down each time the control is activated, or while the cursor remains over the control), or allow navigation (e.g., “screen down”, “page up”, “end of document”, “next column”, etc.), or otherwise permit object manipulation.
The Drag Toolbar may be fixed in place or be a floating palette, may be of various shapes, and may comprise simple text labeled buttons, labeled or unlabeled icons, or unlabeled icons with a “tool tip” help display (a tool tip is a small pop-up field of help text that appears near the cursor if the cursor lingers over a control or active area). Selection of a control from the Drag Toolbar may be indicated in any of various manners, such as by highlighting, setting or clearing of check boxes and radio buttons, display of a status line for the Drag Toolbar, etc. If desired, the depiction of the cursor is changed as controls are selected during the drag operation to further indicate which control has been selected. In another embodiment, the Drag Toolbar may be floating and have a “follow me” characteristic, where the Drag Toolbar moves so as to always be within a certain distance from the cursor, for convenience of close access.
One of the principal advantages of the invention is that it provides an unambiguous way for a user to change the drag functionality of a cursor during a drag operation. Thus, a user need not memorize different keyboard modifier combinations, as in the prior art. Further, the graphical user interface is not cluttered, since the Drag Toolbar only appears when a drag operation is initiated. The invention can be used for other applications as well, such as drawing mode changes.
The details of the preferred embodiment of the present invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Once the details of the invention are known, numerous additional innovations and changes will become obvious to one skilled in the art.
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Kabbash, Paul, et al. “Two-Handed Input in a Compound Task”, unpublished paper to appear in theProceedings of CHI '94.
Adobe Systems Incorporated
Bayerl Raymond J.
Fish & Richardson P.C.
Thai Cuong T.
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