Patents by Inventor Filippus Lourens Andries Du Plessis

Filippus Lourens Andries Du Plessis has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10732813
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: 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
  • Patent number: 10691324
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Flow Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Willem Morkel Van Der Westhuizen, Filippus Lourens Andries Du Plessis
  • Publication number: 20190302994
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    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
  • Patent number: 10416852
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Flow Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Willem Morkel Van Der Westhuizen, Filippus Lourens Andries Du Plessis
  • Publication number: 20180052575
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Publication date: February 22, 2018
    Inventors: Willem Morkel VAN DER WESTHUIZEN, Filippus Lourens Andries DU PLESSIS
  • Publication number: 20170108998
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventors: Willem Morkel Van Der Westhuizen, Filippus Lourens Andries Du Plessis
  • Publication number: 20150169156
    Abstract: The method provides a method and engine for human-computer interaction (HCI) on a graphical user interface (GUI). The method includes the step of tracking the position and/or movement of a user's body or part of it relative to and/or with an input device in a control space, facilitating human-computer interaction by means of an interaction engine and providing feedback to the user in a sensory feedback space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: Willem Morkel Van Der Westhuizen, Filippus Lourens Andries Du Plessis, Hendrik Frans Verwoerd Boshoff, Jan Pool