Method and device for setting an interval through a graphical user interface

Abstract

Method for setting an interval by means of a graphical user interface, characterized by the following features: - the user interface displays a navigation bar (10) with a scale (12) and a sliding bar (14) that can be moved along the scale (12) and which has two handles (16) opposite each other along the scale (12) on its end face; - when one of the handles (16) is moved, the user interface maintains the opposite handle (16) and adjusts the sliding bar (14) on the side of the moved handle (16);and- if the slider bar (14) falls below a predefined minimum length, the user interface divides the navigation bar (10) into a core area (18) enclosing the slider bar (14) and two edge areas (20) which extend lengthwise to the scale (12) on both sides of the core area (18), stretches the scale (12) and the slider bar (14) within the core area (18) and compresses the scale (12) in the edge areas (20).

Description

The present invention relates to a method for setting an interval using a graphical user interface. The present invention further relates to a corresponding device, a corresponding computer program, and a corresponding storage medium. State of the art In the field of software ergonomics, a graphical user interface (GUI) is a type of user interface that allows the operation of application software using graphical symbols, also known as widgets. On computers, these widgets are typically operated or selected using a mouse or other control device, while on smartphones, tablets, and kiosk systems, they are often operated by touching a touchscreen. A challenge in this context is the precise selection of intervals from a large, ordered set, particularly the exact definition of a time interval by a user. Relevant applications are known from fields such as measurement, audio, video, and medical technology, where it is necessary to display excerpts of large, temporally structured datasets at virtually any desired temporal resolution. A control element conventionally used for this purpose is known to those skilled in the art as a scroll bar, scroll bar, or slider. According to US 5491,781 A, for example, a selected portion of a graphic is displayed in a window on a screen. A slider on one side of the window is provided to change the displayed portion of the graphic in response to the movement of the slider.The scroll bar includes end sections or handles that can be dragged to change its size. This has the effect of changing the circumference and enlarging the displayed portion of the graphic. US 2012 / 0308204 A1 discloses a touchscreen control method for controlling the playback of multimedia content via a timeline-based user interface, comprising recognizing a selection at a specific point on the timeline; and selectively zooming in to display an area around the point where the selection is recognized, which is the position on the timeline at which the event was triggered. US 2009 / 0177995 A1 discloses a relativity controller that provides a combination of scroll bar / window, offering a way to view data both in the context of its entirety and in terms of the significance of its contents. DE 690 31 851 T2 discloses a dynamic graphics system with a display for showing data. Disclosure of the invention The invention provides a method for setting an interval by means of a graphical user interface, a corresponding device, a corresponding computer program and a corresponding storage medium according to the independent claims. One advantage of this solution lies in its ability to combine scrolling and zooming functions within a single navigation bar. This is particularly useful when highlighting small sections (deep zoom) from a large dataset, as it allows the slider to remain easily accessible while still indicating the full scope of the data. This eliminates the need for additional space outside the navigation bar, which would otherwise reduce the actual data display. Furthermore, using a single slider is simpler than using separate controls for zooming and navigation. The measures listed in the dependent claims enable advantageous further development and improvements of the basic idea stated in the independent claim. Brief description of the drawings Exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and explained in more detail in the following description. Figure 1 shows a navigation bar according to a first embodiment. Figure 2 shows a slider bar of the navigation bar. Figure 3 shows the navigation bar while the slider bar is being moved. Figure 4 shows the navigation bar after the slider bar has been moved. Figure 5 shows the navigation bar in a limiting case. Figure 6 shows the slider bar while a drag point is being pulled. Embodiments of the invention Fig. 1 illustrates the basic concept of a graphical user interface according to one embodiment. The user interface shows a navigation bar 10 with a time scale 12 and a slider 14 that can be moved along the time scale 12. The slider has two pull points 16 opposite each other along the length of the time scale 12. It is understood that in an alternative embodiment, the navigation bar 10 could have a time-independent scale 12, for example, an XY representation (such as speed-load, pressure-volume, crankshaft pressure-degrees), without departing from the scope of the invention. The time scale 12 of the present embodiment is therefore only to be considered as one possible example of a scale 12. The slider 14 serves to visually control a time range it represents. When zooming in, the display changes from the normal display to the one shown in Fig.Figure 1 shows a "magnified view" in which the sliding bar 14 is displayed at an enlarged scale. This core area 18 occupies a certain proportion of the complete time scale 12. To ensure that the complete time range is still shown on the time scale 12, the boundary areas 20 outside the enlarged core area 18 are compressed accordingly. The focus now shifts to the appearance of the navigation bar 10 in magnified mode. Within the navigation bar 10, the slider 14 maintains a constant size at every magnification / zoom level. To indicate the magnification mode, the slider 14 is a different color than in normal mode. The core area 18 appears in normal mode and also maintains a constant size. The outer areas 20 are visibly different from the core area 18, as they have a different height and slightly smaller scale labels; in addition, they have a different background color, for example, a slightly darker or gray one. The boundary between the core area 18 and the outer areas 20 is indicated by a step or a folded structure, effectively bringing the core area 18 to the foreground and the outer areas 20 to the background. Scale labels on the boundary are suppressed to prevent truncated numbers. The transition from normal mode to magnifying glass works as follows: When the user zooms in, the zoom behavior changes from normal mode to magnifying glass mode at a certain size of the slider 14. To maintain the correct ratio between the size of the slider 14 and the scale 12 in the core area 18 on the user interface, the scale 12 of the navigation bar 10 in the core area 18 is adjusted accordingly, namely stretched. For this purpose, it is necessary to define at which point the mode switches from normal to magnified view. Preferably, this occurs depending on a size of the scroll bar 14 defined in pixels. With a suitable setting, the scroll bar 14 remains large enough to function within the limits of its scrolling activities, which are described below with reference to Fig. 2. In zoom mode, the scroll bar 14 remains in the center of the core area 18 as long as this is correct and possible – see the following explanations. Scrolling can be performed using acceleration zones 24 within the core area 18 – shown only for illustrative purposes and not visible to the user – which represent different scrolling speed levels. The position of the neutral zone 22 is determined by the position at which the user clicks when starting to scroll. The size of the neutral area and any maximum scrolling speed must be defined. Consideration should also be given to multiple separate acceleration ranges or linear or moderately exponential acceleration. Preferably, the behavior should be supported in a way that feels appropriate and can be controlled. If necessary, a display to indicate the scrolling speed is appropriate, such as acceleration arrows like fast forward and fast forward. When the user clicks and holds the mouse pointer 26 inside the scroll bar 14, this is used as the starting point for setting the scroll speed. The further the mouse pointer 26 is moved from this neutral area 22, the faster the scrolling occurs. Fig. 3 illustrates this behavior by showing the mouse pointer 26 moving from the neutral area 22 into the right acceleration area 24. Following the movement of the mouse pointer 26, the core area 18 and the scroll bar 14 move in the same direction, while the enlarged scale 12 with the information visible on it moves in the opposite direction through the core area 18, i.e., to the left as shown in the figure. The speed of movement of the core area 18 and the scroll bar 14 is slower, corresponding to the zoom level, and is calculated to ensure that the relative position of the scroll bar 14 to the entire time range is accurately represented at all times.When the mouse pointer 26 is placed on the mouse or returned to the neutral area 22, scrolling ends as shown in Fig. 4. Note the limiting cases indicated in Fig. 5 when scrolling in enlarged view. When the core area 18 reaches the MIN or MAX value on the time scale 12, the edge area 20 on that side of the navigation bar 10 disappears. Scrolling now causes the scroll bar 14 to move until the MIN or MAX value on the time scale 12 is reached and further scrolling using the scroll bar 14 is no longer possible. To enable high-speed scrolling, such as very rapid movement across the entire time range of the navigation bar 10, over the core area 18, the latter can be dragged outside the scroll bar 14. Moving the dragged mouse left or right then causes the core area 18 to move across the navigation bar 10. As in normal scrolling mode using the scroll bar 14, the scrolling speed depends on the speed of the mouse movement. Once the core area 18 reaches the left or right edge of the navigation bar 10, no further movement of the core area 18 is possible. With reference to Fig. 6, zooming in an enlarged view will be discussed. Zooming is achieved using the left and right handles 16 of the slider 14. As with scrolling, the relative position of the mouse pointer 26 to the respective handle 16 is used to determine the zoom speed. The main difference is that, for zooming, the neutral area 22 is defined by the left or right handle 16 of the slider 14. The greater the distance between the respective handle 16 and the mouse pointer 26, the faster the zooming occurs. Zooming ends when the mouse pointer 26 is either released or returns to the neutral area 22. Zooming in enlarged view exhibits the following behavior: While zooming in, the scale 12 in the core area 18 is continuously stretched; while zooming out, it is compressed. The edge areas 20 of the navigation bar 10 are adjusted accordingly. The size of the core area 18 remains constant. The position of the slider 14 remains in the center of the core area 18 for as long as possible. A maximum value for the zoom speed should be appropriately defined. When zooming in, potential limiting cases must also be considered. For example, technical limitations can restrict the zoom level, such as if the data type of the time channel is limited to nanoseconds. Another limit could be set based on the available data points of the sample, but this is not necessarily recognized by the navigation bar 10. When zooming out in magnified mode, the core area 18 can reach the left or right edge of the navigation bar 10. Zooming out then causes the slider 14 to move towards the respective edge. As always when zooming out, the magnification ratio in the core area 18 is continuously compressed to maintain the size of the slider 14. This compression ends when either the slider 14 reaches the edge of the navigation bar 10 or the magnification ratio is 1, as in normal zooming as described below. The transition from magnified view to normal view works as follows: When zooming out, the magnified view function is paused when the scale 12 within the core area 18 equals that in the outer areas 20, i.e., the magnification ratio is 1. Then the outer areas 20 are shown again in normal view, and zooming results in a change in the size of the slider 14.

Claims

Method for setting an interval by means of a graphical user interface, characterized by the following features: - the user interface displays a navigation bar (10) with a scale (12) and a sliding bar (14) that can be moved along the scale (12), which has two handles (16) opposite each other along the end face of the scale (12); - when one of the handles (16) is moved, the user interface maintains the opposite handle (16) and adjusts the sliding bar (14) on the side of the moved handle (16);and- if the slider bar (14) falls below a predefined minimum length, the user interface divides the navigation bar (10) into a core area (18) enclosing the slider bar (14) and two edge areas (20) which extend lengthwise to the scale (12) on both sides of the core area (18), stretches the scale (12) and the slider bar (14) within the core area (18) and compresses the scale (12) in the edge areas (20). Method according to claim 1, characterized by the following features: - before the slide bar (14) falls below the minimum length, the user interface displays the navigation bar (10) in a color combination; and - when the slide bar (14) falls below the minimum length, the user interface displays the core area (18) in the color combination and the edge areas (20) in another color. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the following features: - the navigation bar (10) is divided such that the slider (14) is located centrally in the core area (18); and - when, after the division, the slider (14) is moved or one of the handles (16) is pulled, the user interface adapts the core area (18) and the edge areas (20) to the slider (14). A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by the following features: - the user interface comprises a pointer (26) for moving the slide bar (14); - moving the slide bar (14) comprises picking up the slide bar (14) by means of the pointer (26), moving the pointer (26) and putting down the slide bar (14); - when the slide bar (14) is picked up, the user interface divides the slide bar (14) into a neutral area (22) surrounding the pointer (26) and at least one first acceleration area (24) which extends on both sides of the neutral area (22) along the scale (12); - the slide bar (14) is moved when the slide bar (14) is picked up and the pointer (26) is in the first acceleration area (24); and- the movement of the sliding bar (14) is accelerated when the pointer (26) is in the second acceleration range (24). Method according to claim 4, characterized by the following features: - when the slide bar (14) is picked up, the user interface divides the slide bar (14) next to the neutral area (22) and first acceleration area (24) into a second acceleration area (24), which extends on both sides of the first acceleration area (24) along the scale (12); and - the slide bar (14) is accelerated when the pointer (26) is moved from the first acceleration area (24) into the second acceleration area (24). Method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that, when the sliding beam (14) is picked up, the sliding beam (14) is accelerated continuously and linearly to a distance of the sliding beam (14) from the neutral area (22). Method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by the following features: - the interval is a time interval; - the user interface further displays a section of a temporally ordered representation related to the time interval; and - when the slide bar (14) is moved or one of the handles (16) is pulled, the user interface adjusts the section to the slide bar (14). Method according to claim 7, characterized in that the representation is an oscillogram. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by the following features: - the interval is a time or distance interval; - the user interface further displays a section of a map representation related to the interval; and - when the slider bar (14) is moved or one of the handles (16) is pulled, the user interface adjusts the section to the slider bar (14). Method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by the following features: - the user interface further shows a further navigation bar (10) arranged perpendicular to the navigation bar (10) for setting a further interval; - the user interface further shows a section of an XY representation relating to the interval and the further interval; and - when the slider bar (14) is moved or one of the handles (16) is pulled, the user interface adjusts the section to the slider bar (14). Method according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that when one of the drag points (16) is dragged while a control key is pressed or a right mouse button is actuated, the user interface moves both drag points uniformly in opposite directions and adjusts the slide bar (14) symmetrically. Computer program configured to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11. Machine-readable storage medium on which the computer program according to claim 12 is stored. Device configured to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

Images