Showing papers on "Graphical user interface published in 2004"

System for performing collaborative tasks

Abstract: A system for performing collaborative tasks which permits collaborators to determine the form of a model of the collaborative work, to modify the model in the course of the collaborative work, and to use the model to access information related to the collaborative work. A graphical user interface permits collaborators to view the model and the information accessible via the model in various ways as well as to modify the model and the information. The information related to the collaborative work includes documents, discussions, email, reminders, and alerts. In a disclosed embodiment of the system, the model is made up of model entities which belong to hierarchies. A model entity may be a member of more than one hierarchy and the different hierarchies are used to provide different views of the model.

Getting started with the r commander: a basic-statistics graphical user interface to r

Abstract: Unlike S-PLUS, R does not incorporate a statistical graphical user interface (GUI), but it does include tools for building GUIs. Based on the tcltk package (which furnishes an interface to the Tcl/Tk GUI builder) the Rcmdr package provides a basic-statistics graphical user interface to R called the "R Commander." The design objectives of the R Commander were as follows: to support, through an easy-to-use, extensible, cross-platform GUI, the statistical functionality required for a basic-statistics course (though its current functionality has grown to include support for linear and generalized-linear models); to make it relatively difficult to do unreasonable things; and to render visible the relationship between choices made in the GUI and the R commands that they generate. The R Commander uses a simple and familiar menu/dialog-box interface. Top-level menus include File, Edit, Data, Statistics, Graphs, Models, Distributions ,a ndHelp ,w ith the complete menu tree given in the paper. Each dialog box includes a Help button, which leads to a relevant help page. Menu and dialog-box selections generate R commands, which are recorded in a log/script window and are echoed, along with output, to an output window. The log/script window also provides the ability to edit, enter, and re-execute commands. Data sets in the R Commander are simply R data frames, and can be read from attached packages or imported from files. Although several data frames may reside in memory, only one is "active" at any given time. The purpose of this paper is to introduce and describe the basic use of the R Commander GUI and the manner in which it can be extended. Most of the paper can serve as an introductory guide for students who will use the R Commander

HKL2MAP: a graphical user interface for macromolecular phasing with SHELX programs

Abstract: One approach to phasing of macromolecular crystal structure is to exploit the small changes in diffracted intensities induced by the inclusion of heavy atoms, to alter the wavelength in the presence of anomalous scatterers, or to use a combination thereof. In the SHELX suite of crystallographic programs, the computations involved in the respective phasing procedures are divided into three steps: (i) extraction of structure factors representing the substructure of heavy atoms and/or anomalous scatterers only (SHELXC; Sheldrick, 2004), (ii) determination of the substructure (SHELXD; Schneider & Sheldrick, 2002), (iii) calculation of initial phases based on the knowledge of the substructure and improvement of these phases by density modi®cation (SHELXE; Sheldrick, 2002). A number of crystal structures have been solved using the combination of the programs mentioned above. However, in particular for the inexperienced user, the creation of correct input ®les and the interpretation of the intermediate results can be a major obstacle.

limmaGUI: A graphical user interface for linear modeling of microarray data

Abstract: Summary:limmaGUI is a graphical user interface (GUI) based on R-Tcl/Tk for the exploration and linear modeling of data from two-color spotted microarray experiments, especially the assessment of differential expression in complex experiments. limmaGUI provides an interface to the statistical methods of the limma package for R, and is itself implemented as an R package. The software provides point and click access to a range of methods for background correction, graphical display, normalization, and analysis of microarray data. Arbitrarily complex microarray experiments involving multiple RNA sources can be accomodated using linear models and contrasts. Empirical Bayes shrinkage of the gene-wise residual variances is provided to ensure stable results even when the number of arrays is small. Integrated support is provided for quantitative spot quality weights, control spots, within-array replicate spots and multiple testing. limmaGUI is available for most platforms on the which R runs including Windows, Mac and most flavors of Unix. Availability: http://bioinf.wehi.edu.au/limmaGUI

Encapsulated, streaming media automation and distribution system

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for creating and distributing programming content carried by a digital streaming media to be a plurality of remote nodes located over a large geographic area to create customized broadcast quality programming at the remote nodes. At the remote nodes, a multi-window screen display simultaneously shows different programming including national programming and local programming content. The remote nodes utilize a remote channel origination device to assemble the customized programming at the remote location that can be controlled from a central location. An encapsulated IP and IP encryption system is used to transport the digital streaming media to the appropriate remote nodes. Also disclosed is a graphical user interface (“GUI”) providing a software control interface for creating and editing shows or programs that can be aired or played on a remote display device having a multi-window display. The intuitive GUI Software provides the user the ability to easily manage and assemble a series of images, animations and transitions as a single broadcast quality program to be displayed on a remote display device. Another application software system is capable of automating the production of audio narration reports. The disclosed audio concatenation engine automates the creation of audio narration using prerecorded audio segments to minimize the requirement for live, on-air personnel to record audio narration segments.

Graphical user interface for 3-dimensional view of a data collection based on an attribute of the data

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) view of a data collection based on an attribute is disclosed. A timeline is provided for displaying files and folders. The timeline may include a focal group that displays detailed information about its contents to the user. Remaining items on the timeline are displayed in less detail and may be positioned to appear further away from the user. A histogram may be provided as part of the view to allow the user to more easily navigate the timeline to find a desired file or folder.

Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration

Abstract: Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration (UDDI) is a standardized process to publish and discover information of Web services (as well as other services) programmatically or via a graphical user interface that would typically be Web based. The aim of UDDI is to provide a standard, uniform service, which is readily accessible by applications via a programmatic interface or by people via a graphical user interface (GUI). A UDDI directory—referred to as a registry—is meant to be platform independent and can be readily accessible via a Web browser-based GUI or by applications via published application programming interfaces (APIs). The goal of a UDDI directory is to ensure that enterprises and individuals can quickly, easily, and dynamically locate and make use of services—particularly Web services—that are of interest to them. As with all things related to or inspired by Web services, the UDDI is highly Extensible Markup Language (XML)-centric. The core information model used by the UDDI—irrespective of the kind of service being described—is based on an XML schema.

Visual touchpad: a two-handed gestural input device

Abstract: This paper presents the Visual Touchpad, a low-cost vision-based input device that allows for fluid two-handed interactions with desktop PCs, laptops, public kiosks, or large wall displays. Two downward-pointing cameras are attached above a planar surface, and a stereo hand tracking system provides the 3D positions of a user's fingertips on and above the plane. Thus the planar surface can be used as a multi-point touch-sensitive device, but with the added ability to also detect hand gestures hovering above the surface. Additionally, the hand tracker not only provides positional information for the fingertips but also finger orientations. A variety of one and two-handed multi-finger gestural interaction techniques are then presented that exploit the affordances of the hand tracker. Further, by segmenting the hand regions from the video images and then augmenting them transparently into a graphical interface, our system provides a compelling direct manipulation experience without the need for more expensive tabletop displays or touch-screens, and with significantly less self-occlusion.

Toolkit design for interactive structured graphics

Abstract: Here, we analyze toolkit designs for building graphical applications with rich user interfaces, comparing polylithic and monolithic toolkit-based solutions. Polylithic toolkits encourage extension by composition and follow a design philosophy similar to 3D scene graphs supported by toolkits including JavaSD and Openlnventor. Monolithic toolkits, on the other hand, encourage extension by inheritance, and are more akin to 2D graphical user interface toolkits such as Swing or MFC. We describe Jazz (a polylithic toolkit) and Piccolo (a monolithic toolkit), each of which we built to support interactive 2D structured graphics applications in general, and zoomable user interface applications in particular. We examine the trade offs of each approach in terms of performance, memory requirements, and programmability. We conclude that a polylithic approach is most suitable for toolkit builders, visual design software where code is automatically generated, and application builders where there is much customization of the toolkit. Correspondingly, we find that monolithic approaches appear to be best for application builders where there is not much customization of the toolkit.

Semantic pointing: improving target acquisition with control-display ratio adaptation

Abstract: We introduce semantic pointing, a novel interaction technique that improves target acquisition in graphical user interfaces (GUIs). Semantic pointing uses two independent sizes for each potential target presented to the user: one size in motor space adapted to its importance for the manipulation, and one size in visual space adapted to the amount of information it conveys. This decoupling between visual and motor size is achieved by changing the control-to-display ratio according to cursor distance to nearby targets. We present a controlled experiment supporting our hypothesis that the performance of semantic pointing is given by Fitts' index of difficulty in motor rather than visual space. We apply semantic pointing to the redesign of traditional GUI widgets by taking advantage of the independent manipulation of motor and visual widget sizes.

Mapping tool graphical user interface

Abstract: A graphical user interface and method for creating a mapping between a source object and a destination or target object are provided. The user interface includes a source screen region which displays a graphical representation of a source object, a target screen region which displays a graphical representation of a target object, and a mapping screen region which allows a user to create a mapping between the graphical representation of the source object and the graphical representation of the target object using graphical mapping indicia. The methodology includes displaying a graphical representation of a source object in a source screen region, displaying a graphical representation of a target object in a target screen region, creating a mapping between the graphical representation of the source object and the graphical representation of the target object in a mapping screen region using graphical mapping indicia, and displaying the mapping in the mapping screen region. The source and target objects may be schemas, spreadsheets, documents, databases, or other information sources, and the graphical mapping indicia may include link indicia and/or function objects linking nodes in the target object with nodes in the source object. The mapping may be compiled into code used by a runtime engine to translate source documents into target documents.

System for delivering and enabling interactivity with images

Abstract: A system, including apparatuses, software and methods, is disclosed for capturing and delivering images as to which various interactive functions are enabled for a user. The images introduced to the system can come from any one of a variety of sources, including from a digital camera. A graphical user interface permits a user to customize a set of interactive functions to be enabled for a given set of images. The interactively enabled images can be delivered via a webpage to a user, for example, via email, the Internet or downloaded from a disk or from disk drive on a computer on which the webpage is stored. Each image is delivered to a user in its own layer of software, which permits complex sets of images of relatively high resolution to be delivered to users without any appreciable delay associated with the delivery or the need for the user to have additional software, such as a plug-in to receive images and enable interactive functions with respect to the images. Whenever an interactive function is being carried out, a viewer perceives only one image layer at a given time, but the currently viewable image layer can be changed rapidly, so that the user can perceive the illusion of motion, including virtual rotation of an object depicted in a set of images.

Method and apparatus for setting programmable features of a motor vehicle

Abstract: An interactive interface facilitates the setting of preferences and other programmable parameters of a motor vehicle. The interface is hosted by a server on a global computer network. The motor vehicle owner initiates a connection to the server and is presented with a graphical user interface for setting the preferences and features of the motor vehicle. Once the desired settings have been made, they are transferred to the motor vehicle using a portable transfer device, which may comprise a key for operating the motor vehicle.

A control framework with a zoomable graphical user interface for organizing, selecting and launching media items

Abstract: Systems and methods provide a control framework for organizing, selecting and launching media items including graphical user interfaces coupled with an optional free space control device for collection of the basic primitives of point, click, scroll, hover and zoom, which permit for easy and rapid selection of media items, e.g., movies, songs etc., from larger or small collections. The system (200) includes a system controller (228) for storing and displaying entertainment system data and to control a wide variety of features associated with each of the system components.

Previewing a new event on a small screen device

Abstract: Method and apparatus for previewing new events in a computing device having a plurality of applications for managing respective events are described. Applications are represented.by application icons on a screen of a graphical user interface. In response to a new event of a one of the applications, the application's icon is visually modified to notify of the new event. A visual modification may be determined in response to the new event, for example, to preview a content of the event. The visual modification may include a count of all new events that remain to be disposed. On a selection of the visually modified icon, additional previewing may be provided. Activation of the application having a visually modified icon may be configured to automatically initiate, the application at the new event.

Systems and methods for resolution consistent semantic zooming

Abstract: Systems and methods according to the present invention provide a control framework for organizing, selecting and launching media items including graphical user interfaces coupled with an optional free space control device for collection of the basic control primitives of point, click, scroll, hover and zoom which permit for easy and rapid selection of media items, e.g., movies, songs etc., from large or small collections. The remote control maps natural hand movements and gestures into relevant commands while the graphical display uses images, zooming for increased/decreased levels of detail and continuity of GUI objects to provide easy organization, selection and navigation among the media items by a user.

Routine and interface for correcting electronic text

Abstract: Error checking and correction techniques for web based applications use an error checking routine on a server or a client station to find errors in electronic text of an E-mail message. The disclosed error checking routine detects errors such as spelling errors in the electronic text and creates a correction file of the electronic text containing tags, markers and other information allowing errors to be displayed and corrected using the user's graphical interface. The graphical interface allows the user to review all the errors concurrently in the correction file and to correct the errors in any order. In a preferred embodiment, correction is facilitated in response to the user moving a mouse pointer over an error of interest, which provides correction options to be displayed in-line with the original text. The user can then select a suitable correction to correct the error.

Gummi: a bendable computer

Abstract: Gummi is an interaction technique and device concept based on physical deformation of a handheld device. The device consists of several layers of flexible electronic components, including sensors measuring deformation of the device. Users interact with this device by a combination of bending and 2D position control. Gummi explores physical interaction techniques and screen interfaces for such a device. Its graphical user interface facilitates a wide range of interaction tasks, focused on browsing of visual information. We implemented both hardware and software prototypes to explore and evaluate the proposed interaction techniques.Our evaluations have shown that users can grasp Gummi's key interaction principles within minutes. Gummi demonstrates promising possibilities for new interaction techniques and devices based on flexible electronic components.

Python scripting for computational science

Abstract: The goal of this book is to teach computational scientists how to develop tailored, flexible, and human-efficient working environments built from small programs (scripts) written in the easy-to-learn, high-level language Python. The focus is on examples and applications of relevance to computational scientists: gluing existing applications and tools, e.g. for automating simulation, data analysis, and visualization; steering simulations and computational experiments; equipping old programs with graphical user interfaces; making computational Web applications; and creating interactive interfaces with a Maple/Matlab-like syntax to numerical applications in C/C++ or Fortran. In short, scripting with Python makes you much more productive, increases the reliability of your scientific work and lets you have more fun - on Unix, Windows and Macintosh. All the tools and examples in this book are open source codes. The third edition is compatible with the new NumPy implementation and features updated information, correction of errors, and improved associated software tools.

Beating Fitts' law: virtual enhancements for pointing facilitation

Abstract: We survey recent research into new techniques for artificially facilitating pointing at targets in graphical user interfaces. While pointing in the physical world is governed by Fitts' law and constrained by physical laws, pointing in the virtual world does not necessarily have to abide by the same constraints, opening the possibility for "beating" Fitts' law with the aid of the computer by artificially reducing the target distance, increasing the target width, or both. The survey suggests that while the techniques developed to date are promising, particularly when applied to the selection of single isolated targets, many of them do not scale well to the common situation in graphical user interfaces where multiple targets are located in close proximity.

Pressure based selection

Abstract: The use of pressure-sensitive selection tools in a graphical user interface is disclosed in which the amount of pressure during a selection operation may modify selection behavior. Upon receiving a selection input, the pressure applied is determined and the selection behavior modified. In some embodiments, the number of objects selected is increased when more pressure is applied and decreased when less pressure is applied.

Dynamic bar oriented user interface

Abstract: Method and user interface for controlling an apparatus are provided. At least one dynamic bar is provided for displaying on a main screen of a graphical user interface for controlling the apparatus. Each dynamic bar is associated with respective one or more interfaces for applications and/or functions provided by the apparatus and each dynamic bar has a pop-up interface for providing at least one of preview information determined from information managed by the applications and/or functions and links to invoke said respective interfaces.

Triana: a graphical Web service composition and execution toolkit

Abstract: Service composition refers to the aggregation of services to build complex applications to achieve client requirements. It is an important challenge to make it possible for users to construct complex workflows transparently and thereby insulating them from the complexity of interacting with numerous heterogeneous services. We present an extension to the Triana PSE to facilitate graphical Web service discovery, composition and invocation. Our framework has several novel features which distinguish it from other work in this area. First, users can graphically create complex service compositions. Second, Triana allows the user to share the composite service as a BPELAWS graph or expose it as a service in a one-click manner. Third, Triana allows the user to easily carry out "what-if" analysis by altering existing workflows. Fourth, Triana allows the user to record provenance data for a workflow. Finally, our framework allows the user to execute the composed graph on a Grid or P2P network. Triana is a part of the GridLab and GridOneD projects and is used in the GEO 600 project.

Method and apparatus for populating electronic forms from scanned documents

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and apparatus are provided for populating an electronic form from an electronic image. The method and apparatus identify a size, orientation and position of an object within the electronic image, and identify information elements from pixels within the image that correspond to the object. Fields of the electronic form are displayed to a user along with the identified information elements through a graphical user interface. The information elements are parsed into tagged groups of different information types. At least some of the fields of the electronic form are populated with the tagged groups to produce a populated form. The user is allowed to edit the populated fields through the graphical user interface.

A method of managing voicemails from a mobile telephone

Abstract: A method of managing voice messages using a mobile telephone, comprising the steps of: (a) a graphical user interface (GUI) being opened on the mobile telephone, the GUI individually listing remotely stored voice messages in a menu list, the voice messages being meant for a user of the mobile telephone; (b) enabling the user to select a voice message from the list to initiate playback on the mobile telephone. The present invention hence supplants the current approach of retrieving voice messages (based on listening to various options spoken by a synthetic voice, such as 'press (1) to reply', 'press (2) to delete', 'press (3) to repeat') with a GUI based system; this system individually lists voice messages in a menu list, making it very simple for an end-user to select a message to initiate playback of the voice message.

Graphical user interface for browsing, searching and presenting media items

Abstract: Improved graphical user interfaces suitable for reviewing, browsing, previewing and/or purchasing media items are also disclosed. The graphical user interfaces are suitable for reviewing or browsing numerous media items. The graphical user interfaces are also suitable for previewing or purchasing media items in an on-line manner. The graphical user interfaces are particularly useful for a system that provides purchase and distribution of media in a client-server environment.

Method and system for finding and aggregating reviews for a product

Abstract: The embodiments disclosed herein include new, more efficient ways to collect product reviews from the Internet, aggregate reviews for the same product, and provide an aggregated review to end users in a searchable format. One aspect of the invention is a graphical user interface on a computer that includes a plurality of portions of reviews for a product and a search input area for entering search terms to search for reviews of the product that contain the search terms.

CrossY: a crossing-based drawing application

Abstract: We introduce CrossY, a simple drawing application developed as a benchmark to demonstrate the feasibility of goal crossing as the basis for a graphical user interface. We show that crossing is not only as expressive as the current point-and-click interface, but also offers more flexibility in interaction design. In particular, crossing encourages the fluid composition of commands which supports the development of more fluid interfaces. While crossing was previously identified as a potential substitute for the classic point-and-click interaction, this work is the first to report on the practical aspects of implementing an interface based on goal crossing as the fundamental building block.

Method and data structure for user interface customization

Abstract: A method for changing visual attributes presented by a graphical user interface of a device such as a mobile electronic device by loading onto the device a file containing information for changing selected visual attributes of the interface. A method or compiler for generating or compiling a file that contains information used by a device to change the user interface presented by the device.