Techniques for navigating layers of a user interface
AssigneeSun Microysytems, Inc.
InventorsJakob Nielsen, B J Fogg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A graphical user interface permits navigating through a plurality of stacked window layers or image planes. In one form, moving through one image plane to an image plane below simulates pressing on an elastic membrane until it bursts. In another form, worm holes are used to access selected layers at different depths. In another embodiment, a property analogous to thickness, is associated with an image plane and the amount of time or force required to pass through the image plane is controlled as a function of thickness. In yet another form, a force feedback input/output device having three degrees of freedom is used to give a user the feel of physically penetrating through plural stacked layers.
Claims28
Apparatus for navigating through a plurality of overlapping display planes, comprising:
- a. a display;
- b. a display interface for controlling said display;
- and
- c. a computer device configured to provide a graphical user interface using said display interface, and to provide a user with selective access to a desired one of stacked display planes in response to user action constituting selection of a window cycle mechanism and to activation of the window cycle mechanism to reveal a different display plane,
- in which said user action comprises placing a cursor over a non-reactive portion of a screen display.
Apparatus for navigating through a plurality of overlapping display planes, comprising:
- a. a display;
- b. a display interface for controlling said display;
- and
- c. a computer device configured to provide a graphical user interface using said display interface, and to provide a user with selective access to a desired one of stacked display planes in response to user action constituting selection of a window cycle mechanism and to activation of the window cycle mechanism to reveal a different display plane,
- in which at least one of said display planes is represented in a way which emulates an elastic membrane.
Apparatus for navigating through a plurality of overlapping display planes, comprising:
- a. a display;
- b. a display interface for controlling said display;
- and
- c. a computer device configured to provide a graphical user interface using said display interface, and to provide a user with selective access to a desired one of stacked display planes in response to user action constituting selection of a window cycle mechanism and to activation of the window cycle mechanism to reveal a different display plane,
- in which said user action comprises placing a visual indicator over an entrance to one or more worm holes providing direct access to a layer not at the top of said stack and said window cycle mechanism comprises activating a user activated control while over said worm hole to cause said layer not at the top of said stack to be displayed with emphasized prominence.
A method of navigating through multiple layers of overlapping display planes, comprising the steps of:
- a. positioning a visual element over an otherwise non-reactive portion of a display plane;
- b. activating a user activated control;
- and
- c. changing prominence with which a display plane is displayed in relation to other layers in response to activation of said user activated control.
A method of navigating through multiple layers of overlapping display planes, comprising the steps of:
- a. cycling through said multiple layers one layer at a time;
- and
- b. reducing the time between cycles as a function of an amount of time cycling has been underway.
A method of navigating through multiple layers of overlapping display planes, comprising the step of:
- a. placing a visual indicator over an entrance to a worm hole providing direct access to a layer not at a top of said stack;
- and
- b. activating a user control while over said worm hole to cause a layer not at the top of said stack to be displayed with emphasized prominence.
A computer program product, comprising:
- a. a memory medium;
- and
- b. a computer program stored on said memory medium, said computer program comprising instructions for permitting a user to position a visual element over an otherwise non-reactive portion of a display plane displayed on a display;
- and when a user activates user activated control, changing the prominence with which a display plane is displayed in relation to other layers.
A computer program product, comprising:
- a. a memory medium;
- and
- b. a computer program stored on said memory medium, said computer program comprising instructions for cycling through said multiple layers each comprising one image plane one layer at a time for displaying one layer with emphasized prominence;
- and reducing the time between cycles as a function of the amount of time cycling has been underway.
A computer program product, comprising:
- a. a memory medium;
- and
- b. a computer program stored on said memory medium, said computer program comprising instructions for permitting a user to place a visual indicator over an entrance to a worm hole providing direct access to an image plane not at the top of a stack of image planes and activating a user control while over said worm hole to cause an image plane not at the top of said stack to be displayed with emphasized prominence.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.