MENU WHOSE GEOMETRY IS BOUNDED BY TWO RADII AND AN ARC

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide menus whose geometry is bounded by two radii and an arc. SOLUTION: 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. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI