GB2307383A

GB2307383A - Improving resolution of graphical user interface-specified values in a computersystem

Info

Publication number: GB2307383A
Application number: GB9622435A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hatim Yousef Amro
Original assignee: International Business Machines Corp
Current assignee: International Business Machines Corp
Priority date: 1995-11-13
Filing date: 1996-10-29
Publication date: 1997-05-21
Also published as: GB9622435D0; JPH09198224A

Abstract

A graphic user interface of a computer system includes a pair of adjacent range (42) and subrange (44) slider bars for setting a subrange of values and selecting a specific value from the subrange, respectively. The range slider bar (42) includes range sliders (46,48,50) which traverse the range slider bar. Distance between the range sliders (46,48) defines the magnitude of the subrange. Position of the range sliders (46,48,50), which move in concert at a constant separating distance along the range slider bar (42), define the maximum (62) and minimum (60) absolute values of the subrange which are displayed on the subrange slider bar (42). A subrange slider (58) traverses the subrange slider bar (44), the position of which on the subrange slider bar defines the actual value (64) selected from the range of maximum (62) and minimum (60) values displayed on the subrange slider bar (44). An increased granularity is thereby provided with the subrange slider bar (44) for selecting a desired value (64) from a range displayed with respect to the range slider bar (42) wherein a subrange from which the value is selected with the subrange slider bar (44) is specified by movement of the range sliders (46,48,50) on the range slider bar (42).

Description

IMPROVING RESOLUTION OF GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE-SPECIFIBD VALUES IN A COMPUTER SYSTEM Technical Field This invention relates to computer systems having graphical user interfaces and, more particularly, to systems and methods for specifying parameter values in such systems.

BackgrOund of the Invention In the early stages of computer system development it was conventional to provide user input in the form of command-line interfaces. This was quite satisfactory for a long period of time before the migration of computer capability to large masses of people, primarily because those individuals having access to computers initially were highly trained computer professionals dealing with computers on a daily basis. These users could readily master the difficult human interface required by the semantics and syntax necessitated by such command line interfaces.

However, as the computer field matured and computer became more accessible, the inherent weaknesses of command-line interfaces were readily apparent. Accordingly, whole industries developed around systems and methods for easing the ability of humans to interface with computers, such advances ranging from development of pointing devices such as mice, trackballs, touch-sensitive screens, and the like, to sophisticated graphical user interfaces (GUI) taking advantage of these pointing devices so as to obviate the need for user input from a conventional keyboard and the associated difficulties with alphanumeric keyboard input.

As the number of applications providing such GUI support increased, so did the sophistication of these interfaces. This resulted in such advances as windows, pulldown menus, context or positionally sensitive cursor shapes, and even such things as cursor ballistics to attune the cursor movement to the particular user's characteristics and habits.

One particular area which has received quite a bit of attention in the industry in improving the graphical user interfaces concerns various techniques provided therein for enabling a user to select items, parameter values and the like from a universe or range of possibilities.

As but one specific example, in the wordprocessing field it became apparent that some mechanism was needed to facilitate the user's ability to advance to a particular location within a long text document.

Accordingly, in addition to providing keys such as a "page down" key which enables the user to index to an appropriate location by repetitive depression of such a key, the industry came upon the notion of scroll bars.

In operation, the user could position a cursor on the scroll bar and then, by moving the cursor, effect a corresponding movement or scrolling of information on the screen through a range of text, data, imagery, or the like. Systems also included the ability to provide, in the older manner, command line input (for example of specific paragraph or page numbers or the like). However, resorting to this older technology had the obvious disadvantages of requiring users, who were now quite accustomed to pointing devices such as mouses, to position their hands on the keyboard and input a desired value.

One additional problem with such a keyboard input is that often the user may not have a fairly precise idea of exactly which position in the document or parameter value he or she is in need of selecting. Thus, in a keyboard entry, the user may have to resort to multiple iterations of keyboard input in order to narrow down the desired parameter range, portion of a document, etc. having obvious disadvantages.

In similar manner, in instances when there is a wide dynamic range of possible selections from which the user must choose, several drawbacks have manifested themselves in the art even in using this GUI approach of the scroll bar and the cursor. More particularly, when a user needs to select a value from a given range of values, he or she usually is presented with a scaled object or a slider bar on the user interface.

The user moves the slider with the cursor in order to select the desired value in the range. In selecting values from relatively small ranges, this does not present a problem.

However, a serious problem occurs when the range of possible values is relatively large. In such instances, the slider then moves in response to user input with relatively large increments per pixel in order to get close to the range of the desired value to be selected.

Upon coming closer to this position on the scroll bar (effecting a display on the user interface screen of data corresponding to the position on the scroll bar) it then typically became very difficult for the user to thereafter "fine-tune" to select the given desired specific value. The reason for this is that the resolution of the pointing device (e.g., the motion of pixels on the screen per unit of movement of the pointing device) remained constant throughout the selection process, e.g., during the initial zeroing in on the desired subrange, through the specific selection of the desired value in the displayed subrange. In other words, given a fixed resolution, the user could relatively easily get the display of prospective parameter values within a smaller range by initial use of the pointing device in the scrolling bar.However, upon arriving at that smaller subrange which included the ultimate value he or she desired to select, because the resolution of the pointing device remained the same, there was not sufficient granularity for the user to "fine tune" the selection to the desired specific value. This is because the same small "fine tuning" movement of the pointing device nevertheless resulted in the same large excursion of displayed values as was the case when the user first moved the cursor seeking to initially zero in on a subrange containing the desired value. This problem exists notwithstanding that pointing devices may have high and even variable resolutions of nominally 300 DPI because this same resolution persists from the initial start of value selection in a large dynamic range through final selection when more resolution is desired.

Disclosure of the Invention In accordance with the teachings of the invention, a system and method is provided which permits graphical selection of very high resolution parameter values from a large range of values. In a preferred embodiment, a graphical user interface is provided with a pair of adjacent slider bars, one for selecting a subrange of values from a range, and the other for selecting a specific value from the subrange.

The range slider bar displays a maximum range value and minimum range value at opposing ends thereof, and includes three range sliders which traverse the range slider bar: a centre range slider and an upper and lower range slider above and below the centre range slider, respectively.

The distance between the lower and upper range sliders defines the subrange of the subrange slider bar, and the position of the centre range slider on the slider bar between the maximum and minimum range values (e.g., opposing ends of the range slider bar) defines the value for the middle point of the subrange slider bar.

The relative position of the upper and lower sliders relative to the centre range slider is adjustable so as to set the upper subrange maximum value by the position of the upper range slider relative to the centre range slider, and the subrange minimum value by relative position of the lower range slider relative to the centre range slider.

Once the relative position of the upper and lower range sliders are established relative to the centre range slider, by moving the centre range slider with an appropriate pointing device, arrow keys or the like, the three range sliders move in concert so as to vary the subrange displayed in the subrange slider bar, maintaining their spacing relative to each other.

In a preferred embodiment, a small range value window is provided adjacent to and moving in concert with the centre range slider the window contains a number corresponding to the position of the centre range slider relative to the maximum and minimum range values disposed at opposing ends of the range slider bar. Similarly, a subrange value window is disposed adjacent to and moves in concert with movement of the secondary subrange slider as it traverses, in response to the pointing device or arrow keys, between the subrange maximum and subrange minimum values. The subrange value window displays a number corresponding to the relative position of the secondary subrange slider relative to opposing ends of the subrange slider bar.A maximum range value window and minimum range value window are disposed at opposing ends of the range slider bar and contain numbers corresponding to a desired range of the range slider bar. Similarly, a maximum subrange value window and minimum subrange value window in like manner are disposed at opposing ends of the subrange slider bar. Each such maximum and minimum subrange value window contains therein a value window number corresponding to the relative position of the upper range slider and lower range slider respectively in the space between the range slider bar maximum and minimum range value windows.

In operation, a user first specifies a minimum and maximum range value which will be displayed in the range selector bar minimum and maximum range value windows, respectively. The user then specifies a subrange maximum and minimum value which in turn will displayed in the subrange slider bar maximum and minimum range value windows, respectively. These maximum and minimum values may be specified by first positioning the upper and lower range sliders relative to and on opposing upper and lower sides, respectively, of the centre range slider by a pointing device or arrow keys. The position of the centre range slider between the maximum and minimum range value windows will determine the value displayed in the range value window associated with the centre range slider.

Moving the centre range slider upwards or downwards will increase or decrease this number until a maximum or minimum range value is displayed in the centre range slider, dependent upon whether the user has moved the centre range slider all the way up adjacent the range slider bar maximum range value window or, conversely, all the way down adjacent the range slider bar minimum range value window. During movement of the centre range slider, values displayed in the subrange slider bar maximum subrange value window and in the subrange slider bar minimum subrange value window will change. More particularly, as the upper range slider moves toward the range slider bar maximum range value window, the subrange maximum value will increase, reaching its maximum value when the upper range slider is adjacent the range slider bar maximum range value window.The value of the subrange minimum value displayed in the subrange slider bar minimum subrange value window will, in like manner, increase as the range sliders in the slider bar move upwards and will decrease as the three slider bars move downwards in concert until the lower range slider is adjacent the range slider bar minimum range value window, (in which case the value displayed in the subrange slider bar minimum subrange value window, e.g., the subrange minimum value will equal the minimum range value).

Once these subrange maximum and minimum values have been established by relative positioning of the three range sliders in the range slider bar, the excursion of the secondary subrange slider between the extremes of the subrange slider bar will cause this excursion to alter the value in the subrange value window to a value between the maximum and minimum subrange values displayed in their respective subrange maximum and minimum windows. More specifically, if the secondary subrange slider is moved upwards, the value in the subrange value window will increase until it equals the subrange maximum value when the subrange secondary slider is adjacent the upper subrange slider bar maximum subrange value window.Similarly, the value in the subrange value window will decrease as the secondary subrange slider is moved downwards until it equals the subrange minimum value which occurs when the secondary subrange slider is adjacent the lower subrange slider bar minimum subrange value window.

Brief Descrigtion of the Drawings The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a pictorial representation of a data processing system which may be utilized to implement the system and method of the present invention; Fig. 2 illustrates one screen of a graphical user interface depicting the range and subrange slider bars in a first set of positions; Fig. 3 is another view of the range and subrange slider bars in a graphical user interface at second positions; Fig. 4 is a flow diagram of a graphical user interface component of Figs. 2 and 3, implementable on the system of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is an alternate embodiment of the range and subrange slider bar component of a graphical user interface depicted in Figs. 2 and 3; and Fig. 6 is another alternate embodiment of the range and subrange slider bar component of a graphical user interface depicted in Figs. 2 and 3.

Detailed DescriDtion of the Invention In order to understand application of the invention to computer networks, a description will first be provided of a representative such computer network wherein the invention may be advantageously employed.

It will be readily appreciated that the invention is applicable to any embodiment of a computer network and thus is not intended to be so limited to the particular illustrative network hereinafter described.

Referring first to Fig. 1, a representative computer system is shown in which the system and method for effecting actions associated with source object(s) on multiple simultaneous targets may be implemented effectively in accordance with the invention. The invention is advantageously employed in computer networks in which a system administrator is faced with the task of effecting operations associated with one or more objects on multiple targets as, for example, will be apparent in a typical system administration operation in which a set of privileges is to be granted to a number of users/machines in a subgroup.

It will be recalled that heretofore this necessitated individual interactions and operations on each such target machine which could become unduly repetitive and burdensome to the system administrator.

However, it should be readily apparent that the invention may also be advantageously employed in single computer installations wherein one or more source objects must be caused to interact with multiple target objects which, instead of being differing machines, file systems, or other resources as in the network case, may alternatively simply be multiple computer programs or files. An example of this may be simultaneously depositing an image object on multiple targets in a single computer system such as an image viewer, a multimedia authouring program, as an imported file into a text processor and a printer or trash can, for example. Accordingly, the invention is not intended to be so limited to applicability only to networks such as those shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a computer system which may advantageously employ the simultaneous multiple target install feature of the present invention. The system comprises a CPU 10, read only memory (ROM) 16, random access memory (RAM) 14, I/O adapter 18, user interface adapter 22, communications adapter 34, and display adapter 36, all interconnected via a common address/data/and control path or bus 12.

Each of the above components accesses the common bus utilizing conventional techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art, and includes such methods as dedicating particular address ranges to each component in the system, with the CPU being the busmaster. Other conventional techniques known to those of ordinary skill in the art employed in the system of Fig. 1 include direct memory access (DMA) used to transfer data at high speed from external devices such as DASD 20 or the network shown to the data processing systems's RAM 14. As is further shown in Fig. 1, these external devices such as DASD 20 interface to a common bus 12 through respective adapters such as I/O adapter 18.Other external devices, such as the display 38 similarly use their respective adapter such as display adapter 36 to provide data flow between the bus 12 and the display 38 or other device. various user interface means are provided for interconnection and use with the user interface adapter 22 which, in the figure, has attached thereto representative user input devices such as a joy stick 32, mouse 26, keyboard 24, and speaker 28.

Each of these units is well known as such and accordingly will not be described in detail herein.

The invention admits to implementation on essentially any computer system such as the RS/6000, workstations and personal computers of the IBM Corporation executing the AIX and OS/2 operating systems, respectively, or similar machines of other vendors (RS/6000, IBM, AIX and OS/2 are trademarks of IBM Corporation).

Turning now to Fig. 2, range and subrange slider bar components 40 are shown depicted in Fig. 2 which form a portion of a graphic user interface displayed on the display 38 of Fig. 1 in accordance with the invention. A range slider bar 42 and subrange slider bar 44 are shown which have characteristics similar to slider bars known in the art, e.g., with a mouse 26, Fig. 1, or other appropriate pointing device including arrow keys on a keyboard 24, icons may be moved linearly along the axes of the slide bars so as to cause changes in the user interface. More particularly, a set of three range sliders may be caused to move up and down relative to the slider bar 42, and a secondary subrange slider 58 may be caused to move vertically along the subrange slide bar 44. In the illustration it will be noted that two separate ranges are associated with each slide bar.More particularly, a range of 0-3,000 is associated with range slider bar 42, and a subrange 1691-1711 is associated with subrange slider bar 44. The minimum and maximum range values will be shown displayed in corresponding range slider bar range value windows 54 and 56, respectively. Similarly, subrange minimum and maximum values will be displayed at opposing ends of the subrange slider bar 44 in a corresponding subrange slider bar minimum subrange value window 60 and subrange slider bar maximum subrange value window 62.

The overall operation of the invention is as follows. The three range sliders are comprised of a centre range slider 48, and upper and lower range sliders 46, 50, disposed upwards and downwards of the centre range slider 48. The distance between this upper and lower range slider 46 and 50 defines the subrange such as 1711-1691 displayed in the windows 62 and 60. Moving the centre range slider 48 vertically along the axis of range slider bar 42 causes the upper and lower range sliders 46 and 50 to move in concert with the centre range slider 48, maintaining their pre-specified distance from the centre range slider 48. In the illustration, the subrange magnitude defined by the distance between these upper and lower sliders has a magnitude of "20" (e.g., 17111691=20).Thus it will be noted that the magnitude of the subrange displayed in associated with the subrange slider bar 44 is, in like manner, "20", e.g., 1711-1691. The position of the upper range slider 46 corresponds to the upper maximum range of the subrange slider bar 44, e.g., "1711". Similarly, the position of the lower range slider 50 in the range slider bar 42 defines and corresponds to the subrange minimum value shown in the lower window 60, e.g., "1691. When moving the three range sliders up or down on range slider bar 42, the difference between this subrange maximum and minimum value will remain a constant value of 10. However, the actual values of the subrange maximum and minimum value will change according to the positions of the range sliders 46, 50, on the range slider bar 42, respectively.More particularly, as the three range sliders are moved upwards, the subrange defined by the distance between the upper and lower range sliders 46, 50 will remain constant, e.g., "20". However, the actual value for the subrange maximum and minimum values 62, 60, will continue to increase as the range sliders move upwards.

This may be seen more clearly by a comparison of Figs. 2 and 3.

First, a range value window 52 is further included in the preferred embodiment associated with the centre range slider 48. A value is displayed in this range value window corresponding to the position of the centre range slider 48 on the continuum represented by the range slider bar 42. In the illustration of Fig. 2, this centre range slider 48 is positioned approximately halfway between opposing ends of the range slider bar 42 so that accordingly a value of "1701" is shown in the range value window 52, signifying that the centre range slider 48 is approximately halfway between the maximum and minimum range values of 3000 and 0, associated with the range slider bar 42.

In Fig. 3, the user has moved the three range sliders upwards approximately nine units. Accordingly, the value shown in the range value window 52 in Fig. 3 is now "1710" which is an increase of 9 over the value of "1701" shown in the range value window 52 of Fig. 2 thereby signifying that the range sliders have moved upwards on the range slider bar 42.

However, more importantly, a comparison of the values of the subrange maximum and minimum values in Fig. 2 relative to those of Fig. 3 reveals that these subrange maximum and minimum values have also incremented by "9", e.g., precisely by the same amount that the value in the range value window 52 has increased. It will thus be appreciated that a significant feature of the invention is that when the range sliders associated with the range slider bar 42 are moved on the range slider bar 42, this in turn adjusts the subrange displayed and associated with the subrange slider bar 44.Because the range sliders 46-50 were moved upwards by 9 units (reflected by the increase to 1710 from 1701 in the window 52), the values of the subrange maximum and minimum values in the windows 62 and 60 have, in like manner, been incremented by 9, e.g., from 1711 to 1720 in the case of the subrange maximum value (window 62) and from 1691 to 1700 in the case of the subrange minimum value (displayed in the window 60).

Yet another significant feature of the invention may be seen from a comparison of Figs. 2 and 3. Not only has the subrange of "20" remained constant with the movement of the range sliders, but provision of a secondary subrange slider 58 in associated with the subrange slider bar 44 permits finer granularity in selection of a value within this subrange, previously specified by use of rang slider bar 42. In Fig. 2, a specific value within the subrange 1691-1711 has been selected of "1705", shown in the subrange value window 64. Because the range sliders in Fig. 2 were moved upwards, thereby "upping" the subrange from 171;- 1691 to 1720-1700, this value of 1705 corresponding to the position of the subrange slider 58 on the subrange slider bar 44 has remained at the constant value of 1705.However the position of the subrange slider 58 has appropriately been moved downward in Fig. 3 relative to Fig. 2, signifying its different positions in the new subrange of Fig. 2.

Nevertheless, the user may still cause the subrange slider 58 to traverse the entire distance between the new subrange shown in windows 60 and 62 to change the specific subrange value as desired and displayed in the subrange value window 64.

The user may cause the subrange slider 58 to traverse the entire distance between the upper and lower windows 62, 60 of the subrange slider bar to select a value between the subrange of 1691-1711 (in the case of Fig. 2) or 1700-1720 in the case of Fig. 3, e.g., through a subrange magnitude of 20. However, it is important to note that a same traversal of the same distance by the centre range slider 48 relative to the range slider bar 42 will result in a traversal between 0-3,000 (e.g., the range between the maximum and minimum range values displayed in windows 56, 54), this value being shown in the range value window 52.It may be readily appreciated that there is very little granularity afforded to the user in causing the range sliders 46-50 to move relative to the range slider bar 42 because the range associated with the ends of the range slider bar 42 (0-3,000) is far greater than the range associated with the subrange of the subrange slider bar 44 (e.g., "20"), as represented by 1711-1691 in Fig. 2 or 1720-1700 in the case of Fig. 3).

Thus the addition of the secondary slider bar 44 affords the user increased granularity for selecting a desired value from a subrange set by usage of the primary slider bar 42.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the invention provides a way for a user to graphically select a subrange with the sliders 46-50 which is then "magnified" by being displayed in the subrange slider bar 44. Once the user has set the desired subrange by the range sliders, the user may then "hone in" on a specific desired value within the subrange by moving the subrange slider 58 on the subrange slider bar 44. He or she may thereby obtain much more "fine tuning" or granularity (e.g., a lesser value change per identical movement of slider) in movement of the subrange slider 58 relative to movement of the range slider 48 which provides "course tuning"..

It will be appreciated that it is a matter of choice as to how to initialize the minimum and maximum range values of 0 and 3,000 and the magnitude of the subrange (20 in the example) represented by the distance between the upper and lower range sliders 46-50. Thus, a pulldown menu may be provided wherein the user may type in these values of 3,000, 0, and/or the magnitude of the distance of the upper and lower range sliders relative to the centre range slider.

However, it will be readily appreciated that another way of effecting such initialization may be by graphical means. More particularly, for example, the user may position the upper range slider 46 at a variable distance relative to the centre range slider 48 by means of the pointing device, e.g., by clicking on the upper range slider 46, for example, and then moving the upper range slider relative to the stationary centre range slider. This magnitude of difference between the upper and centre range sliders may be adjusted, thereby, in like manner to selecting the value from the subrange by using the subrange slider bar 44. The lower range slider 50 may of course be adjusted in a similar manner to thereby complete initialization of the subrange indicated in the difference between the subrange maximum and minimum values displayed in the windows 62, 60.

Turning now to Fig. 4, a simplified flow diagram is depicted therein which illustrates how the user interface of Fig. 2 might be initialized in an appropriate computer program executing on the system of Fig. 1. First, the routine starts at block 70, whereupon a resource file 72 is read from memory such as on a file contained in the DASD 20 of Fig.

1. The file will contain the preselected values for the maximum and minimum range value and the offsets of the upper and lower range sliders relative to the centre range slider. Thus in the case of the illustration of Fig. 2, the resource file will contain values of 3,000 for the maximum range value, 0 for the minimum range value, and 20 for the difference between the upper and lower range sliders.

Upon initializing the program with these selector values, 74, an event loop 76 is then entered which monitors for user input manipulating the slider bars 42, 44 of Fig. 2. First, the program will monitor for a movement effected by a pointing device, of a range slider on the range slider bar 42. If such a movement has not been detected, as indicated by the exiting to the right from the decision box 78 along path 80, the appropriate values associated with the subrange slider bar 44 will be set to the nominal values dictated by the selector values in the setup associated with the resource file, 72, and initialization, 74 and the static position of the sliders at initialization. Thus, again referring to the specific example of Fig. 2, if during initialization, the centre range slider 48 has not moved from the position shown in Fig. 2 wherein the file was originally set up, the secondary selector values will be set up and reflected in the subrange slider bar 44, namely the maximum and minimum values of 1711 and 1691, and the nominal value of 1705 representing the position of the subrange slider 58.

The event loop 76 will continue to be processed as shown by the loop leg 90 in this manner until the decision box 78 determines from its monitoring that in fact user activity has occurred. Once this has been detected, as shown by the exiting along path 82, the range maximum and minimum values 54, 56 will be readjusted or set in accordance with this activity shown at block 86. It will further be appreciated at this point that the value in the range value window 52 will be updated to reflect the current position of the centre range slider 48.

Also, per block 88, movement of any of the sliders 46-50 will cause appropriate adjustment of subrange maximum and minimum values as previously described. The movement of the subrange slider 58 will also be monitored per block 88, and in response to its movement, the value corresponding to the position of the subrange slider 58 will be adjusted and reflected in the subrange value window 64. Again, the process loops back by path 90 in the event loop to again monitor for movement of either the range sliders on the range slider bar 42 or the secondary slider 58 on the subrange slider bar 44.

Turning now to Fig. 5, an alternate embodiment of the user interface components of Fig. 2 are depicted therein. One serious problem with the design of user interfaces is that due to the high cost of display screen area, space available on the screen is at a premium.

Thus, user interface designers are constantly seeking ways to convey the same amount of information to the user while at the same time employing less screen area. The alternate embodiment 100 of Fig. 5 is intended to address this problem.

Comparing Fig. 2 with Fig. 5, conceptually the linear slide bars 42, 44 may be deformed into the circular form of Fig. 5. More particularly, by conceptually bending the slider bars in a circular fashion whereby the upper windows 56-62 of Fig. 2 are brought into contact with the lower windows 54, 60, at point 92 of Fig. 5, the circular form of the user interface component of the invention displayed in Fig. 2 results as shown in Fig. 5, thereby saving valuable display screen real estate. The reference numerals shown in Fig. 5 having an "A" may be seen to correspond to components and features of the linear slider bars shown in Fig. 2.The main difference in operation is that with respect to the embodiment of Fig. 5, the slider 48A, rather than moving in a linear direction, may be caused to move circularly about the centre of rotation 98 as shown by the arrows 96 by means of an appropriate pointing device or arrow keys. This circular movement in either direction has the same effect as the linear motion of the range slider 48 in Fig. 2, e.g., to change the subrange. Similarly, just as the upper and lower range sliders, 46, 50, may be adjusted such that the distance therebetween defines the magnitude of the subrange, the upper and lower range sliders 46A, 50A, may be also moved circularly relative to the centre range slider 48 in the direction of the arrows 96 to increase or decrease the magnitude of the subrange and its "skew" relative to the value associated with the position of the centre slider 48A.Also similarly, circular motion of the subrange slider 58A in the direction of the arrows 94 will alter the actual number selected from the subrange, as will be displayed in the window 64A.

It will be readily appreciated that the invention admits to numerous alterations to better suit the needs of the user and the particular application. For example, although only two slider bars have been shown in the implementation of Fig. 2, the invention admits to addition of further slider bars for increased granularity as desired.

For example, an additional sub-range slider bar may be added in the interface of Fig. 2, to cover decimal ranges.

Similarly, although the embodiment as depicted in Fig. 2 is directed toward increased granularity in terms of numbers, the invention is not intended to be so limited and is general enough to cover instances of any parameters or characteristics in which increased granularity is desired. For example, instead of dealing with numbers as show in Fig. 2, the variables could alternatively be colour hues, with major colour ranges of a spectrum being shown in the slider bar 42, and a breakdown of a particular range of colours selected by the slider bar 42 being displayed with respect to the subrange slider bar 44.In this manner an artist or graphic designer could readily select very precise colour hues from the subrange slider bar 44, after being placed in approximately the correct range by movement of the range slider 48 which will select the desired smaller colour subspectrum from which the ultimate hue will be selected with the subrange slider bar 44.

This generalized notion may further be extended, for example, to word searches such as in a dictionary rather than numbers or colours. In this embodiment, the range slider bar 42 might, for example, be employed to select a subrange from the alphabet such as from "KA..." through ME....". Once this subrange has been selected with the range slider 52, it will be displayed with respect to the subrange slider bar 44, with the "KA" appearing in the subrange minimum value window 60, and the "ME" appearing in the subrange maximum value window 62. Moving the subrange slider 58 will then index the user through words contained within the text, dictionary, encyclopedia, etc., occurring between "KA" and "ME", with the particular word appearing in the subrange value window 64.

It will also be readily apparent that whereas an approximately linear scale has been shown with reference to the embodiment of Fig. 2, the invention is not intended to be so limited and thus admits to the scales of the range slider bar and/or subrange slider bar being something other than linear, e.g., logarithmic, etc.

Turning now to Fig. 6, depicted therein is yet another embodiment of the range and subrange slider bar components of the graphical user interface depicted in Figs. 2 and 3 in accordance with the invention.

In this embodiment, it will be apparent that the second slider bar has been completely eliminated. The primary slider bar will preferably maintain the same appearance as with respect to the first embodiment of Figs. 2 and 3 with a few exceptions. In Fig. 2, the sliders 46 and 50 include no accompanying value display adjacent them. However, a comparison with Fig. 6 will show that the embodiment of Fig. 6 includes value displays attached to the side of each of the sliders 46B and 50B, shown as value display windows 46C and 50C.

In operation, in the first phase in which the subrange is selected, the embodiment of Fig, 6 operates as described with respect to the preferred embodiment of Fig. 2. After making the primary selection of ranges by sliding the sliders 46B and 50B relative to the slider 48, the corresponding values for the upper and lower magnitudes of the subrange will be displayed in the corresponding upper and lower range value display windows 46C, 50C, respectively, next to their corresponding sliders, 46B and 50B. Next, the user will click on the primary value display window 52B, whereupon a transformation takes place.The values which were previously displayed adjacent the upper and lower range sliders 46B and 50B in the corresponding windows 46C and 50C will now be projected to the corresponding maximum and minimum value display windows 56, 54, respectively. It will now be apparent to the user that traversal from the distance between the maximum and minimum windows 56-54 will result in traversal of the selected number between the subrange maximum and minimum value displayed therein (and also displayed in the upper and lower range value display windows 46C, and 50C, respectively) . By then sliding the slider 48A, the exact selected value will be displayed in the window 52B, which may now be made to range from the maximum value displayed in window 56 when the slider 48 is at the top of the slider bar, to a minimum value shown in window 54, when the slider 48 is slid to the bottom of the slider bar of Fig. 6. If the user makes a mistake in selection of the subrange, the user may click again on the primary slider 48, whereupon the display will be transformed back to the previous setup.

In this prior setup the value shown in the window 56 and 54 will show the maximum and minimum values of the full range. Similarly, the values in the upper and lower range value displays 46C and 50C will show the values corresponding to the position of the upper and lower subrange slider bars 46B and 50B relative to the slider bar 48.

Several benefits result from this embodiment. First, as previously described, space on costly visual displays is at a premium. Thus, in this embodiment, substantial surface area is saved while at the same time essentially the same function as the embodiment of Fig. 1 is provided.

Secondly, it is specifically contemplated by the invention to provide for a recursive operation as previously described so as to increase the granularity of the numbers. In other words, once a subrange is selected, it may be desirable to click back on the main slider bar 48, whereupon the subrange values will be displayed in the windows 56 and 54.

A sub-subrange may then be selected by manipulating the slider bars 46B and 50B, whereupon these sub-subrange values will be shown in the upper and lower displays 46C, 50C. Upon then clicking on the primary value display bar 52B, these sub-subrange maximum and minimum values will be displayed in the windows 56 and 54 respectively, so as to permit the user to further move the slider bar 48 to select the exact value from this sub-subrange.

Claims

1. A method for specifying a value in a graphical user interface of a computer system, comprising: displaying a first indicator (46,48,50,46A,48A,50A,46B,50B) in said graphical user interface representing a subrange; displaying a second indicator (58,58A) in said graphical user interface representing a value (64,64A) within said subrange; moving (86) said first indicator to alter said subrange; and moving (84, 88) said second indicator to specify said value within said altered subrange.

2. A method as claimed in Claim 1 further comprising the step of altering said first indicator (46,48,50,46A,48A,50A,46B,50B) to alter the magnitude of said subrange.

3. A method as claimed in Claim 2 wherein said first indicator comprises: a first (46,46A,46B) and a second (50,50A,50B) range slider; and wherein said altering said first indicator comprises altering the distance between said first and said second range sliders.

4. A method as claimed in Claim 3 wherein said graphical user interface includes a range slider bar (42,42A); and wherein said moving of said first indicator (46,48,50,46A,48A,50A,46B,50B) is along said range slider bar.

5. A method of Claim 4 wherein said graphical user interface further includes indicators (60,62,60A,62A) of opposing boundaries of said subrange; and wherein said boundaries change, responsive to said movement of said first indicator (46,48,50,46A,48A,50A,46B,50B) .

6. A method as claimed in Claim 5 wherein said boundaries comprise a maximum subrange value window displaying a maximum of said boundaries of said subrange; and a minimum subrange value window displaying a minimum of said boundaries of said subrange.

7. A method as claimed in Claim 6 wherein said graphical user interface further includes a subrange slider bar (44,44A); and wherein said moving of said second indicator (58,58A) is along said subrange slider bar.

8. A method as claimed in Claim 7 wherein said boundaries change responsive to said altering said distance between said first (48,48A) and said second (46,46A,50,50A,46B,5OB) range sliders.

9. A method as claimed in Claim 8 wherein said maximum subrange value window (62,62A) displays a value corresponding to a relative position of said first range slider (46,46A,46B) on said range slider (42,42A) ; and wherein said minimum subrange value window (60, 60A) displays a value corresponding to a relative position of said second range slider (50,50A,40B) on said range (41, 42A) slider.

10. A method as claimed in Claim 9 wherein during said moving of said first indicator, said first (46,46A,46B) and said second (50,50A,50B) range sliders maintain said distance between said first and said second range sliders.

11. A method as claimed in Claim 10 wherein said graphical user interface further includes a subrange value window (64,64A); and wherein said subrange value window displays a value corresponding to the relative position of said second indicator (58,58A) on said subrange slider bar (44,44A).

12. A method as claimed in Claim 11 wherein said graphical user interface further includes a maximum range value window (56,56A) and a minimum range value window (54,54A) displaying, respectively, a maximum and a minimum value of a preselected said range.

13. An apparatus for specifying a value in a graphical user interface of a computer system, comprising: means for displaying a first indicator (46,48,50,46A,48A,50A,46B,50B) in said graphical user interface representing a subrange; means for displaying a second indicating (58,58A) in said graphical user interface representing a value (64,64A) within said subrange; means for moving said first indicator to alter said subrange; and means for moving said second indicator to select a value within said altered subrange.

14. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 13 further comprising: means for altering said first indicator (46,48,50,46A,48A,50A,46B,50B) to alter the magnitude of said subrange.

15. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 14 wherein said first indicator comprises: a first (46,46A,46B) and a second (50,50A,50B) range slider; and wherein said means for altering said first indicator comprises means for altering the distance between said first and said second range sliders.

16. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 15 further comprising graphical user interface means including a range slider bar (42,42A); and wherein said moving of said first indicator (46,48,50,46A,48A,50A,46B,50B) is along said range slider bar.

17. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 16 wherein said graphical user interface means further includes means for indicating (60,62,60A,62A) opposing boundaries of said subrange; and wherein said boundaries change, responsive to said movement of said first indicator (46,48,50,46A,48A,50A,46B,50B).

18. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 17 wherein said boundaries comprise a maximum subrange value window displaying a maximum of said boundaries of said subrange; and a minimum subrange value window displaying a minimum of said boundaries of said subrange.

19. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 18 wherein said graphical user interface means further includes a subrange slider bar (44,44A); and wherein said moving of said second indicator (58,58A) is along said subrange slider bar.

20. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 19 wherein said boundaries change responsive to said means for altering said distance between said first (48,48A) and said second (46,46A,50,50A,46B,5OB) range sliders.

21. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 20 wherein said maximum subrange value window (62,62A) displays a value corresponding to a relative position of said first range slider (46,46A,46B) on said range slider bar (42,42A); and wherein said minimum subrange value window (60,60A) displays a value corresponding to the relative position of said second range slider (50,50A,50B) on said range slider bar (42,42A).

22. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 21 further including means for maintaining, during said first movement of said first indicator, said distance between said first (46,46A,46B) and said second (50,50A,50B) range sliders.

23. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 22 wherein said graphical user interface means further includes a subrange value window (64,64A); and wherein said subrange value window displays a value corresponding to the relative position of said second indicator (58,58A) on said subrange slider bar (44,44A).

24. An apparatus as claimed in Claim 23 wherein said graphical user interface means further includes a maximum range value window (56,56A) and a minimum range value window (54,54A) displaying, respectively, a maximum and a minimum value of a preselected said range.

25. A computer program product for specifying a value in a graphical user interface of a computer system, comprising: a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for causing increased resolution of values displayed and specified in said user interface, said computer program product having: computer readable program code means for displaying a first indicator in said graphical user interface representing a subrange; computer readable program code means for displaying a second indicator in said graphical user interface representing a value within said subrange; computer readable program code means for moving said first indicator to alter said subrange; and computer readable program code means for moving said second indicator to select a value within said altered subrange.

26. An apparatus for specifying a value in a graphical user interface of a computer system, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to figures 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

27. An apparatus for specifying a value in a graphical user interface of a computer system, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.

28. An apparatus for specifying a value in a graphical user interface of a computer system, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.