Inventions on Expressing Emotions In Graphical User Interface

Author: Umakant Mishra

Abstract:

The conventional GUI is more mechanical and does not recognize or communicate emotions. The modern GUIs are trying to infer the likely emotional state and personality of the user and communicate through a corresponding emotional state.

           

Emotions are expressed in graphical icons, sounds, pictures and other means. The emotions are found to be useful in especially in communication software, interactive learning systems, robotics and other adaptive environments. Various mechanisms have been developed to express emotions through graphical user interfaces. This article illustrates some interesting inventions selected from US patent database.

Keywords: TRIZ, Software Inventions, Graphical User Interface, Software inventions, Software Patents, Inventive Problem Solving, GUI, Expressing emotions, emoticons, emotional icons, communication, displaying emotions, graphical emotions

Umakant Mishra, Inventions on Expressing Emotions in Graphical User Interface, (December 6, 2006), Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=949250 

http://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=949250

http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.949250

http://works.bepress.com/umakant_mishra/26

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228234002_Inventions_on_Expressing_Emotions_in_Graphical_User_Interface

Inventions on Dialog Boxes used in GUI

Author: Umakant Mishra

Abstract:

The dialog boxes are useful in case of displaying warnings, errors, confirmations etc. in special situations. A typical dialog box is displayed in a small window with some text message along with a few options for the user to select. However, there are certain difficulties associated in programming and implementing a conventional dialog box, such as, severe programming effort, rigidity of the hard coded message, obscuring screen space and so on. There is a need to overcome these difficulties of the dialog box to make them more efficient and useful.

           

The modality of the dialog boxes also creates some limitations. While modal dialog boxes needs to be closed explicitly by the user, modeless dialog boxes can grow in number and become difficult to control. Thus, an ideal dialog box should be deprived of all the above-mentioned drawbacks. The dialog box should not obscure the screen. The user should be able open multiple dialog boxes but without obscuring the screen.

           

This article analyses 5 interesting inventions on dialog boxes selected from US Patent database. Each invention tries to overcome some limitations of a conventional dialog box and provides some innovative features. Each solution is also analyzed from a TRIZ perspective.

Keywords: TRIZ, Software Inventions, Graphical User Interface, Software inventions, Software Patents, Inventive Problem Solving, GUI, Dialog box, Warning box, alert box, display screen

Umakant Mishra, Inventions on Dialog Boxes Used in GUI, (December 6, 2006),

Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=949247 

http://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=949247

http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.949247

http://works.bepress.com/umakant_mishra/25

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228234009_Inventions_on_Dialog_Boxes_Used_in_GUI?ev=srch_pub

Inventions on Tree Navigators used in Graphical User Interface

Author: Umakant Mishra

Abstract:

A tree view or tree navigator is used to display hierarchical data organized in the form of a tree. In a tree structure there are parent and child nodes. The child nodes may further have descendants to n levels.

           

There are many methods to make the navigation easy. Some of these are expanding and collapsing branches, splitting the tree, displaying a parent node in a separate tree, zooming branches, scrolling in various directions etc. It is still a difficult exercise to handle large trees efficiently. The effort still continues to manage large number of nodes with faster speed, greater control, user friendliness and aesthetics.

           

This article illustrates five inventions on tree navigators selected from US patent database. Each of them tries to solve various problems relating to the tree navigator in different ways. Each invention is also analyzed from a TRIZ perspective.

Keywords: TRIZ, Software Inventions, Graphical User Interface, Software inventions, Software Patents, Inventive Problem Solving, GUI, Tree view, Tree navigator, tree structure, parent node, child node, Scrolling, Scrollbar, GUI aesthetics

Mishra, Umakant, Inventions on Tree Navigators Used in Graphical User Interface. (December 6, 2006 ), Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=949244

http://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=949244

http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.949244

http://works.bepress.com/umakant_mishra/24

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228233998_Inventions_on_Tree_Navigators_Used_in_Graphical_User_Interface

10 Inventions on scrolling and scrollbars in Graphical User Interface

Author: Umakant Mishra

Abstract:

Scrolling mechanism is used to display and edit large documents in a limited screen space or window. The scrolling mechanism may include a vertical scroll bar or a horizontal scroll bar or both to move the contents of the documents up and down or left and right. There may be navigation buttons on the screen representing the navigation keys on the keyboard. The user can click these buttons to scroll the screen.

           

There may be very different methods of scrolling such as by using the “thumb”, as popularly used with a PDF document. Scrolling may be achieved through eyeball tracking in a hands-free environment where the user does not have hands or wants to use hands for other activities. This article illustrates ten interesting inventions on scrolling selected from US patent database.

Keywords: TRIZ, Software Inventions, Graphical User Interface, Software inventions, Software Patents, Inventive Problem Solving, GUI, Scrolling, Scrollbar, Sidebars

Mishra, Umakant, 10 Inventions on Scrolling and Scrollbars in Graphical User Interface. (December 6, 2006), Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=949243

http://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=949243

http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.949243

http://works.bepress.com/umakant_mishra/23

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256069605_10_Inventions_on_Scrolling_and_Scrollbars_in_Graphical_User_Interface

10 Inventions on Command Buttons in a Graphical User Interface

Author: Umakant Mishra

Abstract:

A command button may contain a textual label or a graphic image or both. It may be static or animated. There can be many different features to make a command button attractive and effective. As command button is a typical GUI element, most improvement on GUI in general will also be applicable to command buttons. Besides, there are also inventions to improve various aspects of command buttons in specific. This article illustrates 10 selected inventions from US patent database. Each invention is followed by a TRIZ based analysis in brief.

Keywords: TRIZ, Software Inventions, Graphical User Interface, Software inventions, Software Patents, Inventive Problem Solving, Command buttons, push buttons, GUI, Invention, Patent,

Mishra, Umakant, 10 Inventions on Command Buttons in a Graphical User Interface. (December 6, 2006)  Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=949240

http://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=949240

http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.949240

http://works.bepress.com/umakant_mishra/22

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228234011_10_Inventions_on_Command_Buttons_in_a_Graphical_User_Interface

Inventions on Menu and Toolbar Coordination

Author: Umakant Mishra

Abstract:

Both toolbar and dropdown menu are used popularly in a graphical user interface with a similar objective of providing easy access to the internal functions. Often the same functions are provided through both menu and toolbar.

           

Both toolbar and dropdown menu have their own advantages and disadvantages. A menu can provide more options occupying less real estate, while toolbar can provide a single click access without navigating through trees and branches.

           

As a menu and toolbar system shares many common objectives, it is often useful maintain some relationship to coordinate between both the elements of a GUI system. The relationships can be easy as both of them often share the same internal function. For example, the print option in a menu will (most likely) call the same function as the print button on the toolbar.

           

This article discusses the similarities and differences between a dropdown menu and toolbar. Five inventions trying to focus on both menu and toolbar are illustrated in the article.

Keywords: TRIZ, Software Inventions, Graphical User Interface, Software inventions, Software Patents, Inventive Problem Solving, Adaptable menu, Toolbar, expandable toolbar, collapsible toolbar, command buttons

Umakant Mishra, Inventions on Menu and Toolbar Coordination, (December 6, 2006 ) Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=949239 

http://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=949239

http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.949239

http://works.bepress.com/umakant_mishra/21

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228233996_Inventions_on_Menu_and_Toolbar_Coordination

10 inventions on Improving Toolbars: A TRIZ based analysis

Author: Umakant Mishra

Abstract:

Toolbar is one among the popular elements of a graphical user interface. The other popular elements of graphical user interface are buttons, menu, scrollbar, dialog box etc., all of which provide easy access to various functions of a GUI

System.

           

A toolbar often does a similar function as the menu but with certain differences. A menu has the advantage of holding a large number of items without needing any additional screen space. In contrast, each button on the toolbar permanently occupies some space on the screen. It’s not possible to implement large number of functions through a toolbar, as they will occupy more and more valuable screen space. However, the toolbar has an advantage as it gives a single click access to any function unlike a menu system where the user has to navigate through sub-menus to ultimate discover the item he is looking for.

           

This article explores the desired features of a toolbar and the ideal features of an advanced toolbar. The contradictions are described from a TRIZ perspective and solutions are derived using Inventive principles. Besides the article illustrates 10 inventions on improving Toolbars selected from US patent database.

Keywords: TRIZ, Software Inventions, Graphical User Interface, Software Patents, Inventive Problem Solving, Adaptable menu, Toolbar, flexible toolbar, expandable toolbar, collapsible toolbar, command buttons

Mishra, Umakant, 10 Inventions on Improving Toolbars: A TRIZ Based Analysis (September 7, 2007). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1264683

http://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=1264683

http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1264683

http://works.bepress.com/umakant_mishra/20

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/254880375_10_Inventions_on_Improving_Toolbars_A_TRIZ_Based_Analysis?ev=srch_pub