초록 ▼

The present invention is a method for providing a visual indicator which indicates functions of multi-purpose controls in a current cursor location context. The method includes providing a current cursor location context. The method further includes providing a visual indicator based on the current

The present invention is a method for providing a visual indicator which indicates functions of multi-purpose controls in a current cursor location context. The method includes providing a current cursor location context. The method further includes providing a visual indicator based on the current cursor location context. The visual indicator indicates a function of a multi-purpose control. The multi-purpose control is configured for allowing a user to interact with a cursor at the cursor's current location within the current cursor location context. Further, indicating the function of the multi-purpose control includes, prior to activation of the multi-purpose control, providing information regarding an interaction to take place with the cursor when the multi-purpose control is activated.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method, comprising: providing a cursor-driven display menu, the cursor-driven display menu providing a listing of a plurality of menu options; andproviding a display window, the display window including the cursor-driven display menu, a listing of a plurality of multi-purpose controls, and a li

1. A method, comprising: providing a cursor-driven display menu, the cursor-driven display menu providing a listing of a plurality of menu options; andproviding a display window, the display window including the cursor-driven display menu, a listing of a plurality of multi-purpose controls, and a listing of a plurality of corresponding context-sensitive functions of the plurality of multi-purpose controls, said listing of corresponding context-sensitive functions of the multi-purpose controls being based upon a current location of a cursor within the cursor-driven display menu and upon a context of the menu option associated with the current location of the cursor, said cursor at the current location highlighting the menu option associated with the current location of the cursor, the display window contemporaneously displaying the listing of the plurality of multi-purpose controls, the listing of corresponding context-sensitive functions of the multi-purpose controls, and the cursor-driven display menu, wherein the plurality of multi-purpose controls are configured for allowing a user, through activation of one of the plurality of multi-purpose controls via a control panel, to execute one of the corresponding context-sensitive functions,wherein said listing of corresponding context-sensitive functions of the multi-purpose controls includes a first context-sensitive function corresponding to a first multi-purpose control included in the listing of multi-purpose controls, said listing of corresponding context-sensitive functions further including a second context-sensitive function corresponding to a second multi-purpose control included in the listing of multi-purpose controls, the first context-sensitive function providing information regarding a first interaction event to occur based upon the cursor's current location, upon the context of the menu option associated with the current location of the cursor, and contingent upon activation of the first multi-purpose control, the second context-sensitive function providing information regarding a second interaction event to occur based upon the cursor's current location, upon the context of the menu option associated with the current location of the cursor, and contingent upon activation of the second multi-purpose control. 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: receiving an activation input for activating a multi-purpose control included in the plurality of multi-purpose controls. 3. A method as claimed in claim 2, further comprising: updating the cursor-driven display menu based on the received input. 4. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising: providing the updated cursor-driven display menu. 5. A method as claimed in claim 3, further comprising: updating the display window based on the updated cursor-driven display menu. 6. A method as claimed in claim 5, further comprising: providing the updated display window, the updated display window providing an updated listing of the plurality of multi-purpose controls and an updated listing of corresponding context-sensitive functions of the plurality of multi-purpose controls, the multi-purpose controls configured for allowing the user to interact with cursor at the cursor's current location within the updated cursor-driven display menu, wherein the updated listing of corresponding context-sensitive functions of the multi-purpose controls includes information regarding interactions to take place when the multi-purpose controls are at least one of: activated and re-activated. 7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein at least one of the display window and the updated display window provides the updated listing of corresponding context-sensitive functions of the multi-purpose controls by including at least one of a textual identification of the functions of the multi-purpose controls and a graphical identification of the functions of the multi-purpose controls. 8. A computer-readable medium having non-transitory computer readable code embodied therein, the non-transitory computer readable code comprising computer-executable instructions for performing a method, said method comprising: providing a cursor-driven display menu, the cursor-driven display menu providing a listing of a plurality of menu options; andproviding a display window, the display window including the cursor-driven display menu, a listing of a plurality of multi-purpose controls, and a listing of a plurality of corresponding context-sensitive functions of the plurality of multi-purpose controls, said listing of corresponding context-sensitive functions of the multi-purpose controls being based upon a current location of a cursor within the cursor-driven display menu and upon a context of the menu option associated with the current location of the cursor, said cursor at the current location highlighting the menu option associated with the current location of the cursor, the display window contemporaneously displaying the listing of the plurality of multi-purpose controls, the listing of corresponding context-sensitive functions of the multi-purpose controls, and the cursor-driven display menu, wherein the plurality of multi-purpose controls are configured for allowing a user, through activation of one of the plurality of multi-purpose controls via a control panel, to execute one of the corresponding context-sensitive functions,wherein said listing of corresponding context-sensitive functions of the multi-purpose controls includes a first context-sensitive function corresponding to a first multi-purpose control included in the listing of multi-purpose controls, said listing of corresponding context-sensitive functions further including a second context-sensitive function corresponding to a second multi-purpose control included in the listing of multi-purpose controls, the first context-sensitive function providing information regarding a first interaction event to occur based upon the cursor's current location, upon the context of the menu option associated with the current location of the cursor, and contingent upon activation of the first multi-purpose control, the second context-sensitive function providing information regarding a second interaction event to occur based upon the cursor's current location, upon the context of the menu option associated with the current location of the cursor, and contingent upon activation of the second multi-purpose control. 9. A computer-readable medium having non-transitory computer readable code embodied therein, the non-transitory computer readable code comprising computer-executable instructions for performing a method as claimed in claim 8, said method further comprising: receiving an activation input for activating a multi-purpose control included in the plurality of multi-purpose controls. 10. A computer-readable medium having non-transitory computer readable code embodied therein, the non-transitory computer readable code comprising computer-executable instructions for performing a method as claimed in claim 9, said method further comprising: updating the cursor-driven display menu based on the received input. 11. A computer-readable medium having non-transitory computer readable code embodied therein, the non-transitory computer readable code comprising computer-executable instructions for performing a method as claimed in claim 10, said method further comprising: providing the updated cursor-driven display menu. 12. A computer-readable medium having non-transitory computer readable code embodied therein, the non-transitory computer readable code comprising computer-executable instructions for performing a method as claimed in claim 10, said method further comprising: updating the display window based on the updated cursor-driven display menu; andproviding the updated display window, the updated display window providing an updated listing of the plurality of multi-purpose controls and an updated listing of corresponding context-sensitive functions of the plurality of multi-purpose controls, the multi-purpose controls configured for allowing a user to execute one of the corresponding context-sensitive functions, wherein the updated listing of corresponding context-sensitive functions of the multi-purpose control includes, information regarding interactions to take place when the multi-purpose controls are at least one of: activated and re-activated. 13. A computer-readable medium having non-transitory computer readable code embodied therein, the non-transitory computer readable code comprising computer-executable instructions for performing a method as claimed in claim 12, wherein wherein at least one of the display window and the updated display window provides the updated listing of corresponding context-sensitive functions of the multi-purpose controls by including at least one of a textual identification of the context-sensitive functions of the multi-purpose controls and a graphical identification of the context-sensitive functions of the multi-purpose controls. 14. A system, comprising: a memory;a processor, the processor configured for being communicatively coupled to the memory, the processor further configured for receiving inputs via a control panel, the control panel configured for being communicatively coupled with the processor, the control panel including a plurality of multi-purpose controls, the processor configured for outputting a cursor-driven display menu, the cursor-driven display menu providing a listing of a plurality of menu options, the processor further configured for outputting a display window, the display window including the cursor-driven display menu, a listing of a plurality of multi-purpose controls, and a listing of a plurality of corresponding context-sensitive functions of the plurality of multi-purpose controls, said listing of corresponding context-sensitive functions of the multi-purpose controls being based upon a current location of a cursor within the cursor-driven display menu and upon a context of the menu option associated with the current location of the cursor, said cursor at the current location highlighting the menu option associated with the current location of the cursor, the multi-purpose control configured for providing the inputs to the processor via the control panel, thereby allowing a user to execute one of the corresponding context-sensitive functions; anda display, the display configured for being communicatively coupled with the processor, the display further configured for contemporaneously displaying the listing of the plurality of multi-purpose controls, the listing of corresponding context-sensitive functions of the multi-purpose controls, and the cursor-driven display menu,wherein said listing of corresponding context-sensitive functions of the multi-purpose controls includes a first context-sensitive function corresponding to a first multi-purpose control included in the listing of multi-purpose controls, said listing of corresponding context-sensitive functions further including a second context-sensitive function corresponding to a second multi-purpose control included in the listing of multi-purpose controls, the first context-sensitive function providing information regarding a first interaction event to occur based upon the cursor's current location, upon a context of the menu option associated with the current location of the cursor, and contingent upon activation of the first multi-purpose control, the second context-sensitive function providing information regarding a second interaction event to occur based upon the cursor's current location, upon a context of the menu option associated with the current location of the cursor, and contingent upon activation of the second multi-purpose control. 15. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the system is included as part of a flight deck system. 16. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the multi-purpose control is at least one of a knob, a joystick, a button, a trackball and a touchpad. 17. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the system is configured for updating the cursor-driven display menu based on the received inputs and in accordance with the activation of at least one of the first multi-purpose control and the second multi-purpose control. 18. A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the system is further configured for updating the display window based on the updated cursor-driven display menu the system being further configured for displaying the updated display window, the updated display window including a listing of updated context-sensitive functions of the multi-purpose controls, the listing of updated context-sensitive functions including information regarding interactions to take place with the cursor within the updated cursor-driven display menu when the multi-purpose controls are re-activated.