WO2008044163A2 - A method and a system for navigating between buttons displayed on a user interface - Google Patents
A method and a system for navigating between buttons displayed on a user interface Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2008044163A2 WO2008044163A2 PCT/IB2007/053946 IB2007053946W WO2008044163A2 WO 2008044163 A2 WO2008044163 A2 WO 2008044163A2 IB 2007053946 W IB2007053946 W IB 2007053946W WO 2008044163 A2 WO2008044163 A2 WO 2008044163A2
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- button
- buttons
- user interface
- predetermined navigation
- given
- Prior art date
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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]
- G06F3/0481—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
- G06F3/0482—Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
Abstract
A method of navigating between buttons displayed on a user interface via directional instructions, said directional instructions being characterized by a set of predetermined navigation directions, said method comprising the steps of generating a set of spatial relationships between a given button and other buttons displayed on said user interface, by calculating a spatial relationship between said given button and each of said other buttons; and, for each predetermined navigation direction of said set of predetermined navigation directions, determining a neighbour button intended to be accessed from said given button during navigation, according to said set of spatial relationships.
Description
A METHOD AND A SYSTEM FOR NAVIGATING BETWEEN BUTTONS DISPLAYED ON A USER INTERFACE.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and a system for navigating between buttons displayed on a user interface.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Interactive multimedia presentation is proposed, for example, BD-ROM, HD-DVD, MHP and SVD. Usually, the interaction between a user and content is done through several click-able objects/ buttons within a user interface presented to a user. In particular, when the buttons on the user interface are dynamically displayed and sometimes can move within the screen, the navigation of those (moving) buttons may become ambiguous and non-intuitive if the prior-art (?) navigation system is used.
For example, in a typical four-directional navigation system, the user has 4 arrow keys at his disposal: up, down, left and right. In the presentation description, the author uses the fixed descriptions that specify to what button the focus moves when each of the possible keys is pressed, using a default system similar to that used in DVD-Video/BD-ROM spec. The fixed relationshipship of each button to other buttons (?) is described as four button id references in four directions (upper, lower, left, right).
However, in some typical scenarios, a button may appear above another one in the first part of a scene, and hence navigation proceeds through pressing the up (and down) keys; while a few moments later the same buttons move around and may appear side by side, suggesting navigation through the use of right (and left) keys. In this case, a fixed relationshipship of buttons becomes ambiguous and non-intuitive to an end user. Also, some buttons may enter and leave the visible scene during the presentation, while others are basically fixed in certain places within the scene, i.e. buttons may have a lifetime that is not synchronous with other buttons. It is not easy and flexible for the four-directional fixed relationshipship of buttons to be adopted and used.
For example, as is shown in Figure 1, Button A and Button B appear from the beginning of the movie. Button C appears after ten minutes, and disappears after twelve minutes. When Button C appears, Button A should establish the relationshipship with Button C, and two minutes later, the relationshipship should be destroyed. The fixed relationshipship description can thus hardly satisfy the requirement.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and a system for dynamically navigating between buttons displayed on a user interface.
To this end, a method is proposed for navigating between buttons displayed on a user interface via directional instructions. Said directional instructions are characterized by a set of predetermined navigation directions, and said method comprises the steps of:
-generating a set of spatial relationships between a given button and other buttons displayed on said user interface, by calculating a spatial relationship between said given button and each of said other buttons; and
- for each of said set of predetermined navigation directions, determining a neighbour button intended to be accessed from said given button during navigation, according to said set of spatial relationships.
Also proposed is a system comprising elements having functionalities of various steps of the method according to the invention.
By determining a neighbour button for each of the predetermined navigation directions, the spatial relationships between all buttons could be established. Therefore, navigating from a given button to any other button becomes possible.
These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiment(s) described hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig.l is a schematic diagram showing a change of button layout on a user interface.
Fig.2 is a schematic diagram showing the spatial relationships between a button and the other four buttons in a user interface according to one embodiment of the invention.
Fig.3 illustrates a set of regions centred on a given button according to one embodiment of the invention.
Fig.4 illustrates three buttons having the same small distance from a given button according to one embodiment of the invention.
Fig.5 A is a schematic flowchart showing a method of button navigation according to one embodiment of the invention.
Fig.5B is a schematic flowchart showing a method of determining a neighbour button according to one embodiment of the invention.
Fig.6 is a schematic diagram showing a system of button navigation according to one embodiment of the invention.
In the above drawings, the same reference numeral indicates the same, similar or corresponding element or function.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The technical measures of the present invention will be described in detail hereinafter by way of embodiments with reference to the drawings.
Fig.5A illustrates a schematic flowchart showing a method of button navigation according to one embodiment of the invention.
This invention provides a method of navigating between buttons displayed on a user interface via directional instructions, said directional instructions being characterized by a set of predetermined navigation directions, said method comprising a step of generating 510 a set of spatial relationships between a given button and other buttons displayed on said user interface, by calculating a spatial relationship between said given button and each of said other buttons.
For example, in the case of a four-directional button navigation system, the directional instructions are characterized by four predetermined navigation directions: up/right/down/left. As shown by way of example in Fig.2, there are five buttons (1,2,3,4,5) randomly located on a user interface, of which the geometric centre coordinates are (xl, Jl), (x2, yl), (*3, y3), (x4, y4) and (x5, y5) _
It is assumed that Button 1 is said given button. Starting from Button 1, the step of generating 510 first calculates the spatial relationship from Button 1 to the other four buttons (2,3,4,5). For example, the spatial relationship corresponds to a distance from Button 1 to the other four buttons (2,3,4,5) and the angles formed between the line, with starting point '**' yι' ^ ~ 2^'4'5-* and endpoint '■* ' y > , and the X-axis. For example, R12 represents the distance from Button 1 to Button2, θ 2 represents the angle. R12 and θ 2 may be calculated using the formulas:
R12 = ^](Xl - x2)2 + (yl - y2)2 yl - yl θ2 = arctg(— -)
XL - Xl
In this manner, a spatial relationship between Button 1 and button 2 is generated. Similarly, the spatial relationships between Button 1 and the other four buttons are also generated at step 510.
Subsequently, for each predetermined navigation direction of said set of predetermined navigation directions, this invention provides a step of determining 520 a neighbour button intended to be accessed from said given button during navigation, according to said set of spatial relationships.
Next, in the example, at this step of determining 520, for each predetermined navigation direction of said set of predetermined navigation directions (up/left/down/right), a neighbour button is determined in the right (as opposed to left) (?)direction, thus a user can locate a unique neighbour button in the right (?)direction.
Fig.5B is a schematic flowchart showing a method of determining a neighbour button according to one embodiment of the invention.
Said step of determining 520 may comprise a step of dividing 521 said user interface into a set of regions centred on said given button, said set of regions being determined by said set of predetermined navigation directions.
Referring to Fig.3, the user interface is divided into four regions, which is determined by four directions: up/down/left/right. The four regions could divide the user interface equally into 4 parts, so the angle α is 90° according to the formula: ^^ / = 90° . Surely the angle of every region could be any other predetermined angle.
Then the invention further comprises a step of classifying 522 said other buttons into said set of regions according to each angle measurement of each of said other buttons with respect to said given button.
Accordingly, all the buttons satisfying this condition: - 45° -< θi < 45° (button 3, button 2 and button 4) are classified into region 31 ; similarly all the buttons satisfying the condition 45° -< θi < 135° (button 5) are classified into region 32; all the buttons satisfying the
condition 135° < ι9 ' < ~ 225° are classified into region 33 and all the buttons satisfying the
condition 225° < 3 l < ~ 315° are classified into region 34.
After that the invention comprises a step of selecting 523 a neighbour button having the smallest distance from said given button, for each region of said set of regions.
At the selecting step 523, for example, R12, R14 and R13 are compared. As R12 is the smallest, button 2 is selected as the neighbour button for the right (as opposed to left) (?) direction .
Similarly, it can be shown that Button 1 is the neighbor button of Button2 for the left direction if the given button is button 2.
There may be a situation where more than one button have the same smallest distance from said given button for a first region 33 determined by a first predetermined navigation direction: left. So the invention comprises a step of selecting 524 as the neighbour button, the button having the smallest angle compared to said first predetermined navigation direction.
Referring to Fig.4, in this case there are 5 buttons, 41,42, 43,44 and 45, located in the same region 33. Button 41,42 and 43 have the same smallest distance from button 1, thus the angle of each button βl, β2 and β3 is compared. The button having the smallest angle (βl) compared to said first predetermined navigation direction is chosen as the neighbour button for the left direction.
Similarly, the neighbour buttons in the other three regions can also be determined.
After all neighbour buttons have been determined, the given button is defined in the following table. As illustrated by the circle, this table comprises information relating to the given button's ID, its position and its neighbour buttons. That information is generated and refreshed dynamically according to this invention.
For all the buttons on the screen, the same steps are performed, thus the neighbour buttons around every button can be determined, meaning that a spatial relationship map has been set up. Thus, navigation from one given button to any other button becomes possible.
When a new menu page is built and/or the screen layout is changed during playback, this method is activated and some changed relationships of highlights are re-calculated to keep the whole navigation system intuitive.
This method provides an effective way to generate the dynamic relationship of the buttons. It can also be easily extended to a joystick, or a "track ball" enabled remote control, which has 8 directions or even more directions to navigate.
For the sake of clarity, the invention is described with 5 buttons only, but similar explanations would apply to embodiments with more or fewer buttons. On the other hand, the invention is described with a four- directional button navigation system, but similar explanations would apply to a navigation system with more or fewer directions.
Fig.6 is a schematic diagram showing a system of button navigation according to one embodiment of the invention.
This invention also provides a system 600 comprising elements having functionalities defined by steps of the method according to the invention. The system 600 comprises a generating unit 610 whose function is defined by the above-mentioned step of generating 510; a determining unit 620 whose function is defined by the above-mentioned step 520. The generating unit 610 takes the position signal, represented by "PS" in Fig. 6, of buttons as input, and outputs the spatial relationship signal, represented by "RS" in Fig.6, to said determining unit 620. Determining unit 620 finally outputs a map signal, represented by "MS" in Fig.6, which indicates relationships between all the buttons on the user interface. The map signals are stored in a memory (not shown). Both the generating unit 610 and determining unit 620 may correspond to signal processors. Said determining unit 620 comprises four modules whose function is defined by the above-mentioned steps of dividing 521, classifying 522, selecting 523 and selecting 524, respectively. All four modules may use signal processors.
The present invention can also be implemented by means of a suitably programmed computer program product for navigating between buttons displayed on a user interface via directional instructions, said directional instructions being characterized by a set of predetermined navigation directions, said computer program product comprising instruction codes for carrying out the steps as described above.
A player for playing BD/DVD could comprise this system 600, so that the content author does not need to care about which kind of navigation system the player is using and does
not have to specify the complex and confusing button relationshipship during the authoring stage; the player itself will generate the best suitable navigation system.
In addition to the button-relationshipship auto-assignment system, for each of the directions of the "joystick", a pre-assigned logo (e.g. a thumbnail picture indicating up/down/left/right, or a unique color) can be assigned to it, which could be printed on the remote control. When the screen layout is re-calculated upon changes of moving buttons, the pre-assigned logo can be co-displayed with the highlights within the user interface, telling the user which direction of the joystick should be used, or which direction on the remote control should be pressed to navigate to the desired button. For example, in the case of using color as the pre-assigned logo, each button on the screen is assigned a unique color, and its boundary rectangle is then colored using this unique color, so the user can simply see the color indicated by the button on the screen and use corresponding "color directions" on the remote control to perform button navigation.
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and the foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive; the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments.
Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the verb "to comprise" and its conjugations does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a' or "an" does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit may fulfil the functions of several items recited in the claims. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.
Claims
1. A method of navigating between buttons displayed on a user interface via directional instructions, said directional instructions being characterized by a set of predetermined navigation directions, said method comprising the steps of:
-generating (510) a set of spatial relationships between a given button and other buttons displayed on said user interface, by calculating a spatial relationship between said given button and each of said other buttons; and
- for each of said set of predetermined navigation directions, determining (520) a neighbour button intended to be accessed from said given button during navigation, according to said set of spatial relationships.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spatial relationships are characterized by a distance and an angle measure, said step of determining (520) comprising the steps of:
-dividing (521) said user interface into a set of regions centred on said given button, said set of regions being determined by said set of predetermined navigation directions;
-classifying (522) said other buttons into said set of regions according to each angle measurement of each of said other buttons with respect to said given button, and
-selecting (523) a neighbour button having the smallest distance from said given button, for each of said set of regions.
3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein, if more than one button are at the same smallest distance from said given button for a first region determined by a first predetermined navigation direction, said step of determining (520) further comprises a step of:
-selecting (524) as the neighbour button, the button having the smallest angle compared to said first predetermined navigation direction.
4. A method as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said set of predetermined navigation directions comprise four directions corresponding to up / down / right / left, or eight directions corresponding to up / up right / right / right down / down / down left / left / left up.
5. A system (600) of navigating between buttons displayed on a user interface via directional instructions, which directional instructions are characterized by a set of predetermined navigation directions, said system comprising:
-a generating unit (610) for generating a set of spatial relationships between a given button and other buttons displayed on said user interface, by calculating a spatial relationship between said given button and each of said other buttons; and
- for each of said set of predetermined navigation directions, a determining unit (620) for determining a neighbour button intended to be accessed from said given button during navigation, according to said set of spatial relationships.
6. A system (600) as claimed in claim 5, wherein said spatial relationships are characterized by a distance and an angle measure, said determining unit (620) comprising:
-a first module (621) for dividing said user interface into a set of regions centred on said given button, said set of regions being determined by said set of predetermined navigation directions;
-a second module (622) for classifying said other buttons into said set of regions according to each angle measurement of each of said other buttons with respect to said given button; and
-a third module (623) for selecting a neighbour button having the smallest distance from said given button, for each of said set of regions.
7. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein, if more than one button are at the same smallest distance from said given button for a first region determined by a first predetermined navigation direction, said determining unit (620) further comprises:
-a fourth module (624) for selecting as the neighbour button, the button having the smallest angle compared to said first predetermined navigation direction.
8. A computer program product for navigating between buttons displayed on a user interface via directional instructions, which directional instructions are characterized by a set of predetermined navigation directions, said computer program product comprising instruction codes for carrying out the steps of the method as claimed in claim 1, 2, 3 or 4.
9. A player for playing an optical disc, said player comprising a system as claimed in claim 5, 6 or 7.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN200610132200 | 2006-10-11 | ||
| CN200610132200.8 | 2006-10-11 |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| WO2008044163A2 true WO2008044163A2 (en) | 2008-04-17 |
| WO2008044163A3 WO2008044163A3 (en) | 2008-07-24 |
Family
ID=39283256
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IB2007/053946 WO2008044163A2 (en) | 2006-10-11 | 2007-09-28 | A method and a system for navigating between buttons displayed on a user interface |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| TW (1) | TW200832205A (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2008044163A2 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN103180811A (en) * | 2010-10-01 | 2013-06-26 | 汤姆逊许可公司 | System and method for navigation in user interfface |
Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0390041A2 (en) * | 1989-03-28 | 1990-10-03 | Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. | Remote-control apparatus for electronics apparatus |
-
2007
- 2007-01-31 TW TW96103546A patent/TW200832205A/en unknown
- 2007-09-28 WO PCT/IB2007/053946 patent/WO2008044163A2/en active Application Filing
Patent Citations (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0390041A2 (en) * | 1989-03-28 | 1990-10-03 | Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. | Remote-control apparatus for electronics apparatus |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN103180811A (en) * | 2010-10-01 | 2013-06-26 | 汤姆逊许可公司 | System and method for navigation in user interfface |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| WO2008044163A3 (en) | 2008-07-24 |
| TW200832205A (en) | 2008-08-01 |
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