GB2410662A - Activation of an operation by cursor movement - Google Patents
Activation of an operation by cursor movement Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2410662A GB2410662A GB0401883A GB0401883A GB2410662A GB 2410662 A GB2410662 A GB 2410662A GB 0401883 A GB0401883 A GB 0401883A GB 0401883 A GB0401883 A GB 0401883A GB 2410662 A GB2410662 A GB 2410662A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- activation
- cursor
- boundary
- operations
- zone
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
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Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
- G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
- G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
- G06F3/048—Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
- G06F3/0487—Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
- G06F3/0488—Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
- G06F3/04883—Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
- G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
- G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
- G06F3/048—Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
- G06F3/0481—Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
- G06F3/04812—Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
- Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Digital Computer Display Output (AREA)
Abstract
The direction in which a mouse or other input device or cursor is moved is used in a computer to control the selection of further operations.
Description
1 2410662 A method and apparatus for activation of an operation This
invention relates to a method and apparatus for activation of an operation in a computer.
Computers provide operations which may be selected by the use of a variety of input devices. Such input devices include keyboards, touch sensitive screens and the familiar computer mouse. The computer provides an output to a screen or visual display unit (VDU).
The mouse is used to move a cursor that appears on the screen. This is often used to allow the selection of items or operations. For example, in w, ord processing applications it is known to provide a toolbar. By moving the cursor to the toolbar and placing it over an icon on the bar the range of operations indicated by that icon may be accessed by a click of a button on the mouse. Such packages also permit the highlighting of text by placing the cursor over the text and clicking and dragging the cursor.
In a further type of operation a set of pop-up menus can be made to appear on a screen by allowing the cursor to remain or "hover" over a particular location.
The present invention arose in an attempt by the inventor to provide a further way to select an operation using a computer mouse or other cursor moving device.
According to the invention there is provided a method for the activation of an operation in a computer comprising the steps of: defining an activation zone on a screen; determining when a user moveable cursor is within the activation zone; determining the cursor movement in the activation zone to select activation of an operation.
By employing the above defined method a mouse or other cursor moving device may be used to select a number of operations without the need to press additional buttons. For example, considering the movement relative to lo an imaginary clock-face, movement to each of the hour positions could be used to activate different operations.
Preferably, activation is determined by the cursor being moved to cross a feature displayed on the screen. In the specific embodiment this is a polygon shape with the sides of the polygon providing an indicator of the number of operations available.
The invention also provides apparatus.
A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a computer in block diagram form which computer being configured to provide a method and apparatus in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows the blocks of functionality provided by the apparatus shown in figure 1; Figure 3 shows a screen with activation locations and a user moveable cursor.
As is shown in figure 1, a computer 2 in accordance with the invention comprises a processor 2, a memory 3, a display 4, a keyboard 5 and a mouse lo 6. The memory 3 holds a program which is accessed by the processor 2 and executed. All the blocks are connected to the processor 2 by control and data buses.
By operating the program, the processor is configured to provide a number of functions the pertinent ones of which are shown in figure 2. A key aspect to the invention is the provision of functionality that can determine the motion of an input device whilst it is present in a particular region of a screen displayed on the display 4. The processor 2 is thus configured to provide a location monitor 7. The location monitor 7 determines a current position of a user moveable cursor on the screen. It compares this with locations of activation zones held in memory 8. In the result of a match the location monitor 7 provides an output to a boundary generator 9. This generates a boundary on the screen which will be described later. The location monitor also activates a direction determinator 10. This monitors the input from the mouse or other device used to move the cursor and determines therefrom the direction of movement and speed of the mouse.
The direction is output to an operation selector 11 which determines from the direction the operation to be selected with reference to a set of possible operations held in memory 12. The operation 13 is then activated. (The selection of an operation may be influenced by the speed of the movement in alternative embodiments.) In figure 3 we have a depiction of the screen 14 seen by a user. A cursor 15 is movable about the screen using the mouse 6. When the cursor 15 moves to activation zones shown in broken outline 16 to 19 (these zones may or may not be visible to the user) a boundary shape will be displayed.
The simplest of these shapes is shown as a single straight line 20 shown in zone 18. The arrows depict the six operations that may now be activated.
These arrows are not normally part of the display to the user. If the user moves in one of these directions for example in direction of arrow 21 the is motion will be detected by the direction determinator 10 and the appropriate operation selected.
The boundary may be shaped to provide a visual indication of the number of directions that can be cursor may be moved to select and operation in an intuitive manner. For example the boundary in zone 17 is depicted as a triangle. By moving the cursor to cross one of the sides of the triangle one of three operations may be selected. The boundary in zone 19 is a rectangle and provides for selection of four operations whilst the polygon of zone 16 provides eight operations. 2s
It will be appreciated that one of the operations may be used to deselect the zone. This will be required to cater for the situation where none of the other s operations are required, for example, where the user has moved the cursor 15 into a zone by mistake. Alternatively, the keyboard 5 or mouse button may be used to cancel the zone or the zone may self cancel after a period of no use.
In the described embodiment the cursor is moved out of the shapes in zones 17 to 19 but the selection could also be carried out by inwards motion or indeed both inwards and outwards motion. By using both inwards and outwards motion the number of operations that may be selected will be lo doubled.
Claims (9)
- Claims s 1. A method for the activation of an operation in a computercomprising the steps of: defining an activation zone on a screen; determining when a user moveable cursor is within the activation zone; and 0 determining the cursor movement in the activation zone to select activation of an operation.
- 2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein an operation is allocated to each of a number of directions.
- 3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the determination of the direction of cursor movement is made by reference to a boundary.
- 4. A method as claimed in claims wherein the boundary is displayed.
- 5. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the boundary is shaped to indicate a number of directions in which the cursor is moveable to select an operation. 2s
- 6. A method for the activation of an operation in a computer substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by the drawings.s
- 7. A data carrier comprising a program for enabling the method as claimed in any preceding claim.
- 8. Apparatus for enabling the selection of operations on a computer comprising: an activation zone; a cursor location monitor to determine whether a cursor is within the activation zone; a direction determinator to determine the direction of motion of an input device when the cursor is in the activation zone; and an operation selector to select an operation for activation in accordance with the determined.direction.
- 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein a boundary is displayed in the activation zone.lO.Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein the boundary is shaped to indicate directions of motion which will activate operations.1 l.Apparatus for enabling the selection of operations on a computer substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by the drawings.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0401883A GB2410662A (en) | 2004-01-29 | 2004-01-29 | Activation of an operation by cursor movement |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0401883A GB2410662A (en) | 2004-01-29 | 2004-01-29 | Activation of an operation by cursor movement |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB0401883D0 GB0401883D0 (en) | 2004-03-03 |
| GB2410662A true GB2410662A (en) | 2005-08-03 |
Family
ID=31971625
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0401883A Withdrawn GB2410662A (en) | 2004-01-29 | 2004-01-29 | Activation of an operation by cursor movement |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2410662A (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2007148210A2 (en) * | 2006-06-23 | 2007-12-27 | Nokia Corporation | Device feature activation |
| US8015508B2 (en) * | 2007-04-02 | 2011-09-06 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Method for executing user command according to spatial movement of user input device and image apparatus thereof |
Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2002005081A1 (en) * | 2000-05-11 | 2002-01-17 | Nes Stewart Irvine | Zeroclick |
-
2004
- 2004-01-29 GB GB0401883A patent/GB2410662A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2002005081A1 (en) * | 2000-05-11 | 2002-01-17 | Nes Stewart Irvine | Zeroclick |
Cited By (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2007148210A2 (en) * | 2006-06-23 | 2007-12-27 | Nokia Corporation | Device feature activation |
| WO2007148210A3 (en) * | 2006-06-23 | 2008-04-24 | Nokia Corp | Device feature activation |
| US8015508B2 (en) * | 2007-04-02 | 2011-09-06 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Method for executing user command according to spatial movement of user input device and image apparatus thereof |
| US8819595B2 (en) | 2007-04-02 | 2014-08-26 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Method for executing user command according to spatial movement of user input device and image apparatus thereof |
| US8826186B2 (en) | 2007-04-02 | 2014-09-02 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Method for executing user command according to spatial movement of user input device and image apparatus thereof |
| US9131259B2 (en) | 2007-04-02 | 2015-09-08 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Method for executing user command according to spatial movement of user input device and image apparatus thereof |
| US9386337B2 (en) | 2007-04-02 | 2016-07-05 | Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. | Method for executing user command according to spatial movement of user input device and image apparatus thereof |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB0401883D0 (en) | 2004-03-03 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |