Patents Assigned to Flow Labs, Inc.
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Patent number: 10732813Abstract: The invention provides a method for dynamic user control over the layout of a graphical user interface. The method includes the steps of receiving a description of the way in which a control region in the interface is allocated to a plurality of virtual objects, without object overlap, receiving the position of a user point, reallocating a fraction of the control region from at least one object to a different object, based on the user point position, allocating a part of a display region in the interface to at least one of the objects, based on the current allocation of the control region to said object, but with control-display decoupling, and repeating the previous three steps fast enough that the user will perceive the changes as substantially continuous.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2019Date of Patent: August 4, 2020Assignee: Flow Labs, Inc.Inventors: Hendrik Frans Verwoerd Boshoff, Filippus Lourens Andries Du Plessis, Willem Morkel Van Der Westhuizen, Jan Pool, Johannes Petrus Van Zyl, Adri Van Der Merwe
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Patent number: 10691317Abstract: The invention provides a method of interacting with interactive items in a user interface. A user interface is provided which includes a control region and a display region. A plurality of interactive items are displayed in the display region. The user interface tracks the position and movement of a pointer in the control region, and interprets the movement and/or position of the pointer. Movement along a first predefined axis is interpreted as focus pointing only, movement along a second predefined axis is interpreted as view pointing only. Movement having components along both axes is interpreted as both view pointing and focus pointing, enabling both view pointing and focus pointing to be substantially simultaneously performed.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2015Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignee: Flow Labs, Inc.Inventor: Willem Morkel Van Der Westhuizen
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Patent number: 10691324Abstract: An electronic device and a method of display and interaction in a user interface is provided. The method includes: providing a display region and control region of a user interface; initiating the display of a number of interactive items in the display region; upon receiving a predefined interaction from a pointer, tracking the position or movement of the pointer and dynamically populating the display region with a subset of interactive items based on the position or movement of the pointer. In response to detecting a substantial change of direction of the pointer or in response to the pointer crossing a selection threshold, a selection interaction mode is entered in which a user can individually interact with the interactive items populating the display region.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2015Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignee: Flow Labs, Inc.Inventors: Willem Morkel Van Der Westhuizen, Filippus Lourens Andries Du Plessis
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Patent number: 10636117Abstract: The invention provides a method for human-computer interaction (HCl) on a graphical user interface (GUI). The method includes the steps of displaying a plurality of objects positioned in relation to each other and in relation to the display window; determining user input; distorting at least one of the position relations according to a magnification function with a focal dip, where the focal position of the magnification function is controllable by the user input; and updating the distortion whenever the relevant user input changes.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2014Date of Patent: April 28, 2020Assignee: Flow Labs, Inc.Inventors: Hendrik Frans Verwoerd Boshoff, Willem Morkel Van Der Westhuizen, Jan Pool, Adri Smuts
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Patent number: 10572099Abstract: The invention provides, a method for human-computer interaction on a graphical user interface (GUI). The method includes the steps of receiving first control coordinates for individualised control of a plurality of objects to be controlled—by pointer coordinates; receiving display coordinates for the display' of the' plurality of objects, which relate to but are different from the first control coordinates; receiving pointer coordinates for individualised control of the objects based partly on the first control coordinates; using the display coordinates of at least one object to—calculate new control coordinates associated with the same object, which new control coordinates generally correspond to the same objects display coordinates; and—continuously repeating the above steps each time new pointer coordinates become available.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2015Date of Patent: February 25, 2020Assignee: Flow Labs, Inc.Inventors: Hendrik Frans Verwoerd Boshoff, Willem Morkel Van Der Westhuizen, Jan Pool, Adri Smuts
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Patent number: 10416852Abstract: A display and interaction method in a user interface is provided. The user interface includes a touch-sensitive display, and can track a position and/or movement of a pointer along a z-axis that extends normally from the display. An interactive item is displayed on the display, and selection of the interactive item is received from the pointer. The position and movement of the pointer along the z-axis relative to the selected interactive item is tracked, and the display of at least one additional selectable option associated with the interactive item is initiated based thereon.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2016Date of Patent: September 17, 2019Assignee: Flow Labs, Inc.Inventors: Willem Morkel Van Der Westhuizen, Filippus Lourens Andries Du Plessis
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Patent number: 10126923Abstract: The invention relates to a method for human-computer interaction (HCI). The method includes: establishing an event set; establishing and referencing one or more events in the event set; establishing and referencing an event to represent the observer in the event set; establishing a representation manifold as an indefinite metric Riemann manifold; representing the events on the representation manifold in such a way that the logical relations between events are coordinate independent and geometrically encoded as causal relations; establishing an input manifold to represent user input; and establishing an output manifold that maps between the representation manifold and a physical output device. Further, based on user input, select any one or more steps from: manipulating the observer event, adjusting manifold metrics, changing mappings, adjusting mapping parameters, and applying mappings. The above steps are repeated when the user input changes.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2013Date of Patent: November 13, 2018Assignee: Flow Labs, Inc.Inventors: Willem Morkel Van Der Westhuizen, Frederik George Scholtz, Jan Pool
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Patent number: 10048839Abstract: A method of navigating a tree structure in a user interface is provided. A node set is displayed on the user interface, and includes a central node representing a parent node and child nodes arranged around it. Movement and/or position of a pointer is tracked. As the pointer is moved towards a child node, grandchild nodes are rendered and enlarged within the target child node until they fill the area of the target child node. At the same time, the area of the target child node around the central node relative to the other child nodes is enlarged. Once the pointer has crossed a first selection threshold at a threshold point, the grandchild nodes have completely filled the area of the target child node, and the central node is surrounded by the grandchild nodes so as to represent the target child node. In this manner, a tree structure may be continuously navigated through movement of the pointer.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2016Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignee: Flow Labs, Inc.Inventor: Hendrik Frans Verwoerd Boshoff