Method of providing a graphical user interface using a concentric menu
AssigneeMaxon Computer GmbH
InventorsDavid Samuel Drayton, Bernd Franz Lutz, Marco Tillmann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a graphical user interface a display is animated by activation with an input device with a first concentric menu comprising a first grouping of menu items having a subset of one or more items from a set of menu items. Then, after selecting one menu item out of the first grouping of menu items, the display is animated with at least one additional grouping of menu items that are each concentrically in a pie sliced shape. The graphical user interface can be activated by a user at any position on the display area via the input device.
Claims18
A method of providing a graphical user interface, having a display area, the method comprising the steps of sequentially:
- activating by the user via an input device at a position anywhere on the display area;
- animating at the position a display of a first concentric menu comprising a first pie-chart grouping of menu items comprising a subset of one or more items from a set of menu items;
- after selecting one menu item out of the first grouping of menu items, animating the display of at least one additional grouping of menu items, each of the additional groupings formed concentrically around the first grouping in an additional pie array, increasing the initial size of the menu;
- animating the display of a first concentric menu at any position on the display via the input device, the menu comprising a first grouping of menu items comprising a subset of one or more items from a set of menu items, after activation via the input device;
- and
- after selecting one menu item out of the first grouping of menu items, animating the display of at least one additional grouping of menu items, each of the additional groupings formed concentrically around the first grouping in an additional pie array such that the concentric menu is invisible, transparent or inactivated when the cursor moves farther than a certain distance from the concentric menu.
A system for providing a graphical user interface, the system comprising:
- a processor;
- a display in communication with the processor;
- an input device in communication with the processor and enabling a user to control a cursor and select menu items displayed in the display;
- and
- a memory in communication with the processor and storing machine instructions that cause the processor to perform the steps of:
- animating the display of a first concentric menu at any position on the display via the input device, the menu comprising a first grouping of menu items comprising a subset of one or more items from a set of menu items, after activation via the input device;
- after selecting one menu item out of the first grouping of menu items, animating the display of at least one additional grouping of menu items, each of the additional groupings formed concentrically around the first grouping in an additional pie array;
- animating the display of a first concentric menu at any position on the display via the input device, the menu comprising a first grouping of menu items comprising a subset of one or more items from a set of menu items, after activation via the input device;
- and
- after selecting one menu item out of the first grouping of menu items, animating the display of at least one additional grouping of menu items, each of the additional groupings formed concentrically around the first grouping in an additional pie array such that the concentric menu is invisible, transparent or inactivated when the cursor moves farther than a certain distance from the concentric menu.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.