Displaying dynamic graphical content in graphical user interface (GUI) controls

#The present invention relates to the field of graphical user interface (GUI) controls and more particularly to displaying dynamic content in a GUI control.

#The conventional graphical user interface (GUI) has been widely used for many years. The primary function of the GUI includes providing visual controls with which the end-user can interact with an underlying application. Though the common GUI includes many stock visual controls, a select few visual controls can be combined to accommodate most computer-human interactions required by an application. For example, the static text box control can be used to present text to the end-user while an edit box can permit the user to provide textual input to the application. A radio button control can provide for the exclusive selection of an element from among a field of elements, while a checklist box can control can provide for the non-exclusive selection of elements from among a field of elements.

#User interface controls ordinarily provide a visual interface which permits some sort of user interactivity, such as a mouse click for a button or check box, and an insert caret for a text field. While a textual label ordinarily is associated with the control as a separate component, the textual label for the control and the control itself often are viewed as a singular entity. As such, the combination of the textual label and the control provide two basic informational components: the identity of the control and the immediate state of the control, e.g. selected, input provided, etc. Notably, over the years, the basic idea of the user interface control has not changed, despite increases in the expressive power of other aspects of the GUI.

#The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. The embodiments illustrated herein are presently preferred, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown, wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a pictorial illustration of a user interface control group configured to display dynamic graphical content;

#FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a user interface control for use in the user interface control group of FIG. 1;

#Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for dynamically displaying graphical content in a user interface control group. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a user interface control group can provide a set of selectable user interface controls. Each of the selectable user interface controls can provide both a label and a dynamic indicator of cumulative selection metrics for the user interface control. Optionally, a graphical indication of a target metric for each selectable user interface control can be included in the user interface control as can a graphical indication of the cumulative selection metrics for comparison to the target metric. In this way, dynamic information regarding the selection of a user interface control can be provided to an end user so as to guide the selection of a user interface control in the control group.

#In illustration, FIG. 1 is a pictorial illustration of a user interface control group configured to display dynamic graphical content within a GUI. The user interface control group 110 can include a set of selectable user interface controls 120. The set of selectable user interface controls 120 can support a mutually exclusive selection meaning that only one of the user interface controls 120 can be selected in the control group 110. Each of the user interface controls 120 can incorporate a static label 130. Furthermore, each of the user interface controls 120 can include an indicator of cumulative selection metrics 140. In this regard, the indicator of cumulative selection metrics 140 can indicate how often each particular one of the user interface controls 120 has been selected within the GUI.

#Each user interface control 140 can vary from a simplistic combination of a textual form of the label 130 and textual form of the indicator of cumulative selection metrics 140, to a complex graphical presentation of the label 130 and indicator of cumulative selection metrics 140. For example, FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a user interface control for use in the user interface control group of FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 2, a user interface control 220 can have both a textual label 230 and a textual indicator of cumulative selection metrics 240.