US 6,889,362 B2 · User interface for graphical specification of functions

Abstract

A graphing calculator having a user interface that allows the user to easily specify a mathematical function. The user interface allows the user to specify a constant function, a linear function, or a non-linear function in a simplified input format. The user interface can also be implemented on devices that have limited input and output capability. An embodiment of the present invention is a graphing calculator, which allows the user to easily input a population growth rate function. The user interface of the present invention calculator helps the student to more readily adjust a function and observe the result of the adjustment. Similarly, other embodiments include the same user interface functionality in a software application package that is executed on a computer or graphing calculator.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A handheld computer device having a user interface to input a mathematical function comprising:

a screen capable of displaying mathematical functions and a cursor;
an input device capable of selecting positions of said cursor and moving said cursor horizontally or vertically on said screen;
a processor for executing programming that provides a user interface comprising:
a graph having horizontal and vertical lines,
a constant function input for designating a horizontal constant function and an input point to move the constant function up and down on the graph, a linear mode input to select a linear function between two input points, at either side of the graph, and wherein the two input locations are movable up and down the graph based on user input.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

User interface for graphical specification of functions

Life of this patent

User interface for graphical specification of functions

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims30