Rotational graphical user interface navigation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9292198-B2
Application number	US-201213536665-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2012
Priority date	Mar 24, 2008
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

For rotational graphical user interface navigation, a display module displays a first face of a uniform prism rotatable only about a central horizontal axis. The uniform prism includes a plurality of faces. Each face has Graphical User Interface (GUI) controls for a unique function set. Only one face of the uniform prism is visible at a time. Each face is displayed with a geometric shape conforming to a face geometry of the multidimensional solid when the multidimensional solid is being rotated, and a face is displayed as filling a screen when the multidimensional solid is not being rotated. An input module receives a rotational command. The rotational command rotates the uniform prism around the central horizontal axis. The rotation module rotates the uniform prism to display a second face in response to the rotational command, displaying the rotation of the uniform prism.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program stored on a tangible storage device, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:
display a second face of a multidimensional solid and comprising a plurality of faces wherein each face comprises Graphical User Interface (GUI) controls for a unique function set with GUI controls for other faces not visible through each face, each face is displayed with a geometric shape conforming to a face geometry of the multidimensional solid when the multidimensional solid is being rotated
automatically rotate the multidimensional solid from the second face to display a first face in response to data for the first face becoming relevant, displaying the rotation of the multidimensional solid; and
automatically rotate the multidimensional solid to display the first face when the second face is unused for a specified time interval.

2. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the computer readable program further causes the computer to receive a rotational command from a touch screen and rotate the multidimensional solid in response to the rotational command.

3. The computer program product of claim 2 , wherein the computer readable program further causes the computer to receive the rotational command from a thumbwheel GUI represented on the touch screen.

4. The computer program product of claim 2 , wherein the computer readable program further causes the computer to receive the rotational command from a track ball GUI represented on the touch screen.

5. The computer program product of claim 2 , wherein the rotational command is generated in response to at least one finger being drawn along a surface vector of the touch screen.

6. The computer program product of claim 2 , wherein an input device selected from a mouse, a mechanical thumbwheel, a mechanical track ball, a pointing stick, a joy stick, and a touch pad generates the rotational command.

7. The computer program of claim 1 , wherein the multidimensional solid comprises a number of faces in the range of the two to twenty.

8. The computer program of claim 1 , wherein the multidimensional solid is rotatable about a number of axes in the range of one to five.

9. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein each face is displayed on a screen with a horizontal dimension in the range of one to twenty centimeters.

10. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein each face is displayed on a screen with a vertical dimension in the range of one to ten centimeters.

11. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the computer readable program is further configured to cause the computer to assign functions to a face in response to a user command.

12. The computer program product of claim 1 , wherein the computer readable program further causes the computer to shift from a first functional set group to a second functional set group in response to a user command.

13. An apparatus comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable storage medium that stores computer readable programs executable by a processor, the computer readable programs comprising:
a display module that displays a second face of a multidimensional solid comprising a plurality of faces wherein each face comprises Graphical User Interface (GUI) controls for a unique function set with GUI controls for other faces not visible through each face, each face is displayed with a geometric shape conforming to a face geometry of the multidimensional solid when the multidimensional solid is being rotated; and
a rotation module automatically that rotates the multidimensional solid to display from the second face to display a first face in response to data for the first face becoming relevant, displaying the rotation of the multidimensional solid and automatically rotates the multidimensional solid to display the first face when the second face is unused for a specified time interval and automatically.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , the computer readable programs further comprising an input module that receives a rotational command and the rotation module rotates the multidimensional solid to display the first face in response to the rotational command, wherein the rotational command is received from a thumbwheel GUI represented on a touch screen.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , the computer readable programs further comprising an input module that receives a rotational command and the rotation module rotates the multidimensional solid to display the first face in response to the rotational command, wherein the rotational command is received from a track ball GUI represented on a touch screen.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , the computer readable programs further comprising an input module that receives a rotational command and the rotation module rotates the multidimensional solid to display the first face in response to the rotational command, wherein the rotational command is generated in response to at least one finger being drawn along a surface vector of a touch screen.

17. A system comprising:
a touch screen;
a memory module that stores instructions and data;
a processor module in communication with the touch screen and the memory module, that executes the instructions and data, and comprising
a display module that displays a second face of a multidimensional solid and comprising a plurality of faces wherein each face comprises Graphical User Interface (GUI) controls for a unique function set with GUI controls for other faces not visible through each face, each face is displayed with a geometric shape conforming to a face geometry of the multidimensional solid when the multidimensional solid is being rotated; and
a rotation module that automatically rotates the multidimensional solid from the second face to display a first face in response to data for the first face becoming relevant, displaying the rotation of the multidimensional solid and automatically rotates the multidimensional solid to display the first face when the second face is unused for a specified time interval.

18. The system of claim 17 , the processor module further comprising an input module that receives a rotational command and the rotation module rotates the multidimensional solid to display the first face in response to the rotational command, wherein the rotational command is received from a thumbwheel GUI represented on a touch screen.

Assignees

• Dubs Justin Tyler
• Dudkowski Eric Edward
• Kluttz Karen Ruth
• Stewart Aaron Michael
• Lenovo Singapore Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Dubs Justin Tyler
• Dudkowski Eric Edward
• Kluttz Karen Ruth
• Stewart Aaron Michael

Classifications

• G06F3/04883 Primary

  for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text · CPC title

• G06F3/0482

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title