Abstract:
A method for determining an interval via a graphical user interface includes displaying a navigation bar. The navigation bar has a scale and a slider. The slider is configured to be movable along the scale. The scale has two handles on end faces of the slider opposite to each other longitudinally to the scale. The method further includes retaining opposite handle and adjusting the slider on the side of the dragged handle if one of the handles is dragged. The method further includes dividing the navigation bar into a core area having the slider and two edge areas if the slider falls below a predefined minimum length. The edge areas extend to both sides of the core area longitudinally to the scale and expand the scale and the slider within the core area and compressing the scale in the edge areas.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to patent application no. DE 10 2015 208 578.3 filed on May 8, 2015 in Germany, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
         [0002]    The disclosure relates to a method for determining an interval via a graphical user interface. to In addition, the disclosure relates to a corresponding device, a corresponding computer program, and a corresponding storage medium. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    In the field of software ergonomics, a graphical user interface (GUI) refers to a category of user interfaces which allows the operation of application software by means of graphical symbols, so-called control elements (widgets). In computers, the operation or selection of such control elements is generally carried out by means of a mouse or another control element; on the other hand, in smartphones, tablets, and kiosk systems, it is carried out by touching a touchscreen. 
         [0004]    In this context, one challenge is posed by the exact selection of intervals from an extensive quantity, in particular the exact determination of a time interval via a user. Relevant application cases are known, for example, from measurement, sound, video, or medicinal technology, where it is important to depict extensive temporally structured databases in sections at virtually any temporal resolution. One conventional control element used for this purpose is known to those skilled in the art as a scrollbar or slider. According to U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,781 A, for example, a selected section of a graphical depiction is shown in a window on a screen. A slider on one side of the window is provided for changing the displayed section of the graphical depiction in response to the movement of the slider. The slider includes end sections or handles which may be dragged in order to change the size of the slider. This has the effect of changing the size and enlarging the displayed section of the graphical depiction. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    The disclosure provides a method for determining an interval via a graphical user interface, a corresponding device, a corresponding computer program, and a corresponding storage medium, according to the independent claims. 
         [0006]    One advantage of this approach lies in its capability of combining the options for scrolling and zooming within one navigation bar. Particularly when it is important to single out small sections (deep zooming) from an extensive database, it is possible using this approach to maintain the operability of the slider and simultaneously to indicate the full data volume. In this case, no additional space is required outside the navigation bar which would reduce the actual data display. In addition, manipulation using only one sliding element is easier than using multiple control elements separately for zooming and navigation. 
         [0007]    Advantageous refinements and improvements of the basic idea specified in the independent claim are possible via the measures specified in the dependent claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    Exemplary embodiments of the disclosure are depicted in the drawings and are described in greater detail in the following description. The following are shown: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  shows a navigation bar according to a first specific embodiment. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  shows a slider of the navigation bar. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  shows the navigation bar while moving the slider. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  shows the navigation bar after releasing the slider. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  shows the navigation bar in a boundary case. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  shows the slider while dragging a handle. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]      FIG. 1  illustrates the basic concept of a graphical user interface according to one specific embodiment. The user interface displays a navigation bar  10  including a time scale  12  and a slider  14  which is movable along the time scale  12 , which has two handles  16  on the end faces which are opposite each other longitudinally to the time scale  12 . It is to be understood that that the navigation bar  10  may absolutely have a time-independent scale  12 , for example, an X-Y depiction (such as rotational speed, load, pressure-volume, crankshaft pressure level) in an alternative specific embodiment, without departing from the scope of the disclosure. The time scale  12  of the disclosure is therefore to be considered to be only one possible example of a scale  12 . In this case, the slider  14  is used for the visual control of a time range represented by it. When zooming in, the display changes from the normal display to the “lens view” shown in  FIG. 1 , in which the slider  14  is displayed on a magnified scale. The core area  18  takes up a certain portion of the total time scale  12 . In order to ensure that the total time range is still shown on the time scale  12 , the edge areas  20  outside the magnified core area  18  are correspondingly compressed. 
         [0016]    Attention will now be directed to the appearance of the navigation bar  10  in lens mode. 
         [0017]    Within the navigation bar  10 , the slider  14  has a constant size at each magnification level/zoom level. To identify the magnification mode, the slider  14  has a different color than in normal mode. The core area  18  appears in normal mode and also has a constant size. The edge areas  20  are visibly different than the core area  18  since they have a different height and a somewhat smaller scale legend; in addition, the background color is different, for example, somewhat darker or gray. The boundary between the core area  18  and the edge areas  20  is indicated by a step or as a folded structure, in order to move the core area  18 , so to speak, into the foreground, and the edge areas  20  into the background. Scale legends on the boundary are suppressed in order to avoid truncated numbers. 
         [0018]    The transition from normal mode to the lens is as follows: If the user zooms in, the zooming behavior changes from normal mode to lens mode when the slider  14  has a certain size. In order to maintain the correct ratio on the user interface between the size of the slider  14  and the scale  12  in the core area  18 , the scale  12  of the navigation bar  10  is correspondingly adjusted, i.e., expanded. 
         [0019]    For this purpose, the point at which the mode switches from normal mode to the lens must be defined. Preferably, this takes place as a function of a size of the slider  14  defined in pixels. With a suitable specification, the slider  14  thus remains large enough to function within the boundaries of its scrolling activities, which are described below based on  FIG. 2 . 
         [0020]    In lens mode, the slider  14  remains in the center of the core area  18  as long as this is correct and possible; reference will be made here to the following embodiments. Scrolling may occur due to acceleration areas  24  within the core area  18 , which represent different scrolling speed levels, and which are shown only for purposes of illustration and are not visible to the user. This position of the neutral area  22  is determined by the position at which the user clicks when starting to scroll. 
         [0021]    For this purpose, the size of the neutral area and a possible maximum speed of scrolling must be determined. Furthermore, it is possible to conceive of multiple separated acceleration areas  24  or a linear or moderately exponential acceleration. In this case, a behavior is preferably to be supported which may be suitably felt and controlled. If required, a display for informing about the scrolling speed may be considered, for example, acceleration arrows such as forward and fast forward. 
         [0022]    If the user clicks and holds the mouse pointer  26  in the inner area of the slider  14 , this is taken to be the starting point for the determination of the scrolling speed. The more the mouse pointer  26  is moved from this neutral area  22 , the faster the scrolling is carried out.  FIG. 3  illustrates this behavior based on a movement of the mouse pointer  26  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 slider  14  move in the same direction, while the magnified scale  12  having the information visible on it moves in the opposite direction through the core area  18 , i.e., to the left according to the illustration. The speed of the movement of the core area  18  and the slider  14  occurs at a slower speed corresponding to the zoom level, which is measured in such a way that the position of the slider  14  relative to the total time range is accurately depicted at any time. If the mouse pointer  26  is removed or moved back into the area  22 , the scrolling ends, as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0023]    The boundary cases when scrolling in a magnified depiction indicated in  FIG. 5  should be noted. If the core area  18  reaches the MIN or MAX value on the time scale  12 , the edge area  20  on this side of the navigation bar  10  vanishes. Scrolling then results in a movement of the slider  14  until the MIN or MAX value has been reached on the time scale  12  and no additional scrolling is possible by means of the slider  14 . 
         [0024]    In order to allow high-speed scrolling, for example, a very rapid movement across the total time range of the navigation bar  10 , across the core area  18 , the latter may be dragged outside the slider  14 . The movement of the dragged mouse to the left or right then results in a movement of the core area  18  across the navigation bar  10 . In this case, the speed of the scrolling is a function of the speed of the mouse movement, as in the normal scrolling mode by means of the slider  14 . If the core area  18  reaches the left or right boundary of the navigation bar  10 , no further movement of the core area  18  is able to occur. 
         [0025]    Finally, zooming in a magnified depiction will be discussed with reference to  FIG. 6 . The left and right handles  16  of the slider  14  are used for zooming. As in the case of scrolling, the position of the mouse pointer  26  relative to each handle  16  is used to determine the speed of the zooming. 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 relevant handle  16  and the mouse pointer  26 , the faster the zooming is carried out. Zooming ends if the mouse pointer  26  is either released or is again in the neutral area  22 . 
         [0026]    In this case, zooming in a magnified depiction exhibits the following behavior: When zooming in, the scale  12  in the core area  18  is continuously expanded; when zooming out, it is compressed. The edge areas  20  of the navigation bar  10  are correspondingly adjusted. In this case, the size of the core area  18  remains the same. The position of the slider  14  remains in the center of the core area  18  as long as possible. Any maximum value for the zoom speed should be suitably determined. 
         [0027]    When zooming in as well, possible boundary cases should be noted. Technical limitations may thus limit zooming in, if, for example, the data type of the time slot is limited to nanoseconds. An additional limitation could, for example, be determined as a function of the available data points of the random sample, but does not necessarily have to be detected by the navigation bar  10 . 
         [0028]    When zooming in in magnified mode, the core area  18  may reach the left or right edge of the navigation bar  10 . Zooming in then results in a movement of the slider  14  in the direction of each edge. As always when zooming in, the magnification ratio in the core area  18  is continuously compressed in order to keep the size of the slider  14  unchanged. This compression ends if either the slider  14  reaches the edge of the navigation bar  10  or the magnification ratio is 1, i.e., as described below during normal zooming. 
         [0029]    The transition from the lens to the normal depiction is as follows: When zooming out, the lens functionality is stopped if the scale  12  within the core area  18  is equal to that in the edge areas  20 , i.e., the magnification ratio is 1. The edge areas  20  are then again shown in the normal depiction, and zooming results in a change in the size of the slider  14 .