Menus whose geometry is bounded by two radii and an arc

The system has an on-screen pointer (336) moving with mouse movements. A sector menu (334) surrounds the pointer. The sector menu is a geometric figure bounded by two radii and an included arc of a circle during navigation of the pointer in a user interface. The sector menu has segments (334A-33D) formed from the radii cutting the sector menu, where segments house a menu item for the menu. An independent claim is also included for a method of presenting context-sensitive menus as a user navigates a pointer. Sector menus track a pointer's position as a pointing device is moved. Each sector menu is a geometric figure bounded by two radii and an included arc of a circle. Menu items are housed in segments formed from multiple radii cutting the sector menu. Users select menu items housed in segments by making a direction change from a trajectory course to pass over a desired menu item so as to invoke its operation. The sector menu lacks a segment, defining a devoid segment, which is oriented in a direction toward which the pointer is moving. Segments with different sizes are available to represent the likelihood that a user would choose a given operation in a corresponding menu item housed by a corresponding segment.