METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR SCROLLING AND POINTING IN USER INTERFACES
Systems and methods according to the present invention address these needs and others by providing a structure for navigating in a GUI with a handheld device, e.g., a 3D pointing device, which incorporates buttons and a scroll wheel.
1 . A method for switching between a scrolling mode and a pointing mode in a user interface comprising the steps of:
rotating a scroll wheel to enter said scrolling mode and move a cursor;
moving at least one of a cursor and a highlighting of an object in response to said rotation of said scroll wheel; and
disabling said pointing mode for a first predetermined time period after said rotation of said scroll wheel.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said first predetermined time period is less than one second.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said first predetermined time period is 300 ms.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
after said first period of time has expired, entering a soft freeze state.
5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising the step of:
during said soft freeze state, entering said pointing mode if a user supplies greater than a predetermined amount of torque to a handheld pointing device.
6 . The method of claim 5 , further comprising the step of entering said pointing mode during soft freeze state if a user moves a remote control device a predetermined distance within a predetermined second time period.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein said predetermined distance within a predetermined second time period is 25 degrees/second.
8 . The method of claim 5 , wherein said predetermined amount of torque is user-settable.
9 . A method for scrolling through objects comprising the steps of:
rotating a scroll wheel at a first rotation rate;
selecting sequential objects in response to said first rotating step;
rotating said scroll wheel at second rotation rate; and
selecting non-sequential objects in response to said second rotating step.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein said step of selecting non-sequential objects in response to said second rotating step further comprises wherein each non-sequential object is the next non-visible object.
11 . The method of claim 9 wherein said step of rotating said scroll wheel at second rotation rate further comprises rotating said scroll wheel such that a time between each scroll-wheel index is no more than 20 milliseconds.
12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein said step of selecting non-sequential objects in response to said second rotating step further comprises the step of:
skipping a number of objects between selections, wherein said number is selected based upon a number of objects on a GUI screen that is currently being displayed.
13 . A computer-readable medium containing instructions which, when executed on a computer, perform the steps of:
detecting rotation of a scroll wheel;
entering a scrolling mode in response to said detecting step and moving at least one of a cursor and a highlighting of an object in response to said rotation of said scroll wheel; and
disabling a pointing mode for a first predetermined time period after said rotation of said scroll wheel.
14 . The computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein said first predetermined time period is less than one second.
15 . The computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein said first predetermined time period is 300 ms.
16 . The computer-readable medium of claim 13 , further comprising the step of:
after said first period of time has expired, entering a soft freeze state.
17 . The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising the step of:
during said soft freeze state, entering said pointing mode if a user supplies greater than a predetermined amount of torque to a handheld pointing device.
18 . The computer-readable medium of claim 17 , further comprising the step of entering said pointing mode during soft freeze state if a user moves a remote control device a predetermined distance within a predetermined second time period.
19 . The computer-readable medium of claim 18 , wherein said predetermined distance within a predetermined second time period is 25 degrees/second.
20 . The computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein said predetermined amount of torque is user-settable.
21 . A computer-readable medium containing instructions which, when executed on a computer, perform the steps of:
detecting rotation of a scroll wheel at a first rotation rate;
selecting sequential objects displayed on a user interface in response to said first rotating step;
detecting rotation of said scroll wheel at second rotation rate; and
selecting non-sequential objects displayed on said user interface in response to said second rotating step.
22 . The computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein said step of selecting non-sequential objects in response to said second rotating step further comprises wherein each non-sequential object is the next non-visible object.
23 . The computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein said step of rotating said scroll wheel at second rotation rate further comprises rotating said scroll wheel such that a time between each scroll-wheel index is no more than 20 milliseconds.
24 . The computer-readable medium of claim 21 , wherein said step of selecting non-sequential objects in response to said second rotating step further comprises the step of:
skipping a number of objects between selections, wherein said number is selected based upon a number of objects on a GUI screen that is currently being displayed.