METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING FONT ATTRIBUTES
Methods and apparatuses for text formatting. In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method to determine a font attribute includes: determining a first number and a second number; receiving input resulting from a sliding (or other repositioning method) of a thumb of a slider to a position; and determining a value for the font attribute from the position relative to the slider and the first and second numbers. In one example according to this aspect, the font attribute is one of: a) font size; b) boldness; c) italic angle; d) baseline offset; e) line spacing; and f) character spacing. At least one of the first number and the second number is adjusted in one example, when the thumb is pushed against one end of the slider. In another example according to this aspect, at least one of the first number and the second number is updated when a first input is received (e.g., selecting a value from a list, typing in a value; or pushing a thumb against one end of a slider), which determines the at least one of the first and second number.
This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/524,623, filed on Sep. 20, 2006, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/100,878, filed on Mar. 18, 2002, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,117,450, and also claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/364,974, filed on Mar. 15, 2002, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Determining Font Attributes” by the inventor Imran Chaudhri.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates to Graphical User Interfaces (GUI), and more particularly to a GUI for determining font attributes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONMany software applications (e.g., a word processor, a drawing application, or others) can be used to manipulate text information. Graphical User Interfaces (GUI) help users to select various parameters in formatting text. Typically, a font panel or a text format tool bar is provided by a software application so that a user can interactively select or specify font attributes (e.g., font size, line spacing) in formatting text.
Once arrow 207 of combo box 209 is pressed by cursor 301 (e.g., clicking a button of a mouse while the cursor is on the arrow), pop-up window 303 appears, as shown in
While these methods provide convenient interfaces for selecting parameters to format text, more user friendly and effective methods are desirable, since formatting text is a frequently performed task for many, many users.
SUMMARY OF THE DESCRIPTIONMethods and apparatuses for text formatting are described here.
In one aspect of the present invention, a method to determine a font attribute includes: determining a first number and a second number; receiving input resulting from a sliding of a thumb of a slider to a position; and determining a value for the font attribute from the position relative to the slider and the first and second numbers. In one example according to this aspect, the font attribute is one of: a) font size; b) boldness; c) italic angle; d) baseline offset; e) line spacing; and f) character spacing. At least one of the first number and the second number is adjusted in one exemplary embodiment, when the thumb is pushed against one end of the slider. In another example according to this aspect, at least one of the first number and the second number is updated when a first input is received (e.g., selecting a value from a list, typing in a value; or pushing a thumb against one end of a slider), which determines the at least one of the first and second number. When an input for switching from a first mode to a second mode is received, the slider is replaced with a representation of a command (e.g., a combination box, a pop-up menu, a selection list, or others), which when activated allows selection of a value from a list (or entry of text in a text field).
The present invention includes apparatuses which perform these methods, including data processing systems which perform these methods and computer readable media which when executed on data processing systems cause the systems to perform these methods.
Other features of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description which follow.
The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements.
The following description and drawings are illustrative of the invention and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. Numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, in certain instances, well known or conventional details are not described in order to avoid obscuring the description of the present invention.
As shown in
It will be apparent from this description that aspects of the present invention may be embodied, at least in part, in software. That is, the techniques may be carried out in a computer system or other data processing system in response to its processor, such as a microprocessor, executing sequences of instructions contained in a memory, such as ROM 107, volatile RAM 105, non-volatile memory 106, cache 104 or a remote storage device. In various embodiments, hardwired circuitry may be used in combination with software instructions to implement the present invention. Thus, the techniques are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software nor to any particular source for the instructions executed by the data processing system. In addition, throughout this description, various functions and operations are described as being performed by or caused by software code to simplify description. However, those skilled in the art will recognize what is meant by such expressions is that the functions result from execution of the code by a processor, such as the microprocessor 103.
At least one embodiment of the present invention seeks to utilize sliders to set various font attributes for formatting text.
Pop-down menu 413, when activated by cursor 415, brings up menu list 421 for further options. When menu item “Edit Font Size . . . ” is selected, dialog window 500 as shown in
Window 500 contains radio buttons 503 and 505 for selecting whether to display the font size options as a fixed list (505) or an adjustable slider (503). When radio button 503 is pressed, the font size option is displayed as slider 515. Text entries 511 and 513 show the maximum and minimum font sizes corresponding to the sizes selected when the thumb 517 is at the top and the bottom of slider 515 respectively. A user can type in customized limits for the maximum and minimum font sizes in text entries 511 and 513. Alternatively, combo boxes can be used in the places of text entries 511 and 513 so that a user can simply select customized limits from predetermined lists. In another embodiment of the present invention, the maximum and minimum font size can be changed by pressing thumb 517 against one end of the slider. More details on this aspect are described below with
When the user is satisfied with the setting, push button 501 can be pressed to activate the setting and dismiss window 500. Since option 503 is selected to display font size as an adjustable slider, window 400 in
Corner 463 of window 600 in
Window 700 in
Similarly, window 900 in
Similarly,
In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. It will be evident that various modifications may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative sense rather than a restrictive sense.
Claims
1. A machine implemented method to determine a parameter, the method comprising:
- displaying a user interface in a first mode in which a representation of a command is displayed, the representation of the command, when activated, causing the display of a list from which a parameter is selected, the list having at least a first parameter and a second parameter;
- receiving an input to switch from either the first mode to a second mode or to switch from the second mode to the first mode;
- displaying a user interface in a second mode in which a slider replaces the list displayed in the first mode, wherein the slider is displayed with a unitary thumb having a position along the slider between a position for a maximum parameter and a position for a minimum parameter, the thumb being movable relative to the slider in response to a user input to select a parameter, the position of the thumb determining a selection of a parameter from the list which includes the first parameter and the second parameter.
2. The method as in claim 1 wherein the input to switch comprises resizing a window.
3. The method as in claim 1 wherein the list further comprises one of a font attribute.
4. The method as in claim 3 wherein the font attribute is one of:
- font size, boldness, italic angle, baseline offset, line spacing and character spacing.
5. The method as in claim 1 wherein the representation of the command is one of: a combination box, a pop-up menu, and a selection list.
6. A machine readable medium containing executable computer program instructions which when executed by a data processing system cause the system to perform a method comprising:
- displaying a user interface in a first mode in which a representation of a command is displayed, the representation of the command, when activated, causing the display of a list from which a parameter is selected, the list having at least a first parameter and a second parameter;
- receiving an input to switch from either the first mode to a second mode or to switch from the second mode to the first mode;
- displaying a user interface in a second mode in which a slider replaces the list displayed in the first mode, wherein the slider is displayed with a unitary thumb having a position along the slider between a position for a maximum parameter and a position for a minimum parameter, the thumb being movable relative to the slider in response to a user input to select a parameter, the position of the thumb determining a selection of a parameter from the list which includes the first parameter and the second parameter.
7. The medium as in claim 6 wherein the input to switch comprises resizing a window.
8. The medium as in claim 6 wherein the list further comprises one of a font attribute.
9. The medium as in claim 8 wherein the font attribute is one of: font size, boldness, italic angle, baseline offset, line spacing and character spacing.
10. The medium as in claim 6 wherein the representation of the command is one of: a combination box, a pop-up menu, and a selection list.
11. A method for switching a device from a first mode to a second mode, the method comprising:
- displaying multiple lists of parameters that are independent of each other;
- receiving input to switch from the first mode to the second mode or to switch from the second mode to the first mode for one of the multiple lists of parameters;
- replacing, in response to the receiving of the input, the first mode comprising a representation of a command which when activated causes the display of a list which allows selection of a value in the one of the multiple lists of parameters, with a second mode comprising a slider displaying a unitary thumb at a position along the slider that replaces the list displayed in the first mode, the slider having a position for a maximum value and a position for a minimum value, and the thumb being positionable along the slider in response to a user input in order to select a parameter in the one of the multiple lists of parameters;
- wherein the position of the thumb selects a value for the one of the multiple lists of parameters.
12. The method as in claim 11 further comprising:
- selecting one of the multiple lists of parameters, when a list of parameters is selected, an intermediate mode is displayed; the intermediate mode further comprising, a slider with a thumb positioned along the slider with a maximum value of the list of parameters on one end of the slider and a minimum value of the list of parameters on another end, and a mode selector to the first mode or the second mode, and selecting one of the first mode or the second mode.
13. The method as in claim 11 further comprising resizing a window.
14. The method as in claim 11 wherein the list of parameters further comprises a font attribute.
15. The method as in claim 14 wherein the font attribute comprises one of: font size, boldness, italic angle, baseline offset, line spacing and character spacing.
16. The method as in claim 11 wherein the representation of the command comprises one of: a combination box, a pop-up menu, and a selection list.
17. A machine readable medium containing executable computer program instructions which when executed by a digital processing system cause the system to perform a method to determine a parameter, the method comprising:
- displaying multiple lists of parameters that are independent of each other;
- receiving input to switch from a first mode to a second mode or to switch from the second mode to the first mode for one of the multiple lists of parameters;
- replacing, in response to the receiving of the input, the first mode comprising a representation of a command which when activated causes the display of a list which allows selection of a value in the one of the multiple lists of parameters, with a second mode comprising a slider displaying a unitary thumb at a position along the slider that replaces the list displayed in the first mode, the slider having a position for a maximum value and a position for a minimum value, and the thumb being positionable along the slider in response to a user input in order to select a parameter in one of the multiple lists of parameters;
- wherein the position of the thumb selects a value for the one of the multiple lists of parameters.
18. The machine readable medium as in claim 17 further comprising:
- selecting one of the multiple lists of parameters, when a list of parameters is selected, an intermediate mode is displayed; the intermediate mode further comprising, a slider with a thumb positioned along the slider with a maximum value of the list of parameters on one end of the slider and a minimum value of the list of parameters on another end, and a mode selector to the first mode or the second mode, and selecting one of the first mode or the second mode.
19. The machine readable medium as in claim 17 further comprising resizing a window.
20. The machine readable medium as in claim 17 wherein the list of parameters further comprises one of a font attribute.
21. The machine readable medium as in claim 20 wherein the font attribute is comprises one of: font size, boldness, italic angle, baseline offset, line spacing and character spacing.
22. The machine readable medium as in claim 17 wherein the representation of the command comprises one of: a combination box, a pop-up menu, and a selection list.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 7, 2010
Publication Date: Sep 30, 2010
Inventor: Imran Chaudhri (San Francisco, CA)
Application Number: 12/795,615
International Classification: G06F 3/048 (20060101); G06F 17/00 (20060101);