Apparatus and method for dynamically building a context sensitive composite icon with active icon components
First Claim
1. A method, in a data processing system, for dynamically building a context sensitive composite icon for representing a data object in a graphical user interface, comprising:
- identifying a data object;
identifying an icon addition data object based on a context of the data object;
generating a composite icon object based on the data object and the icon addition data object;
generating a graphical representation of a base icon based on the data object;
generating a graphical representation of the icon addition data object; and
superimposing the graphical representation of the icon addition data object over the graphical representation of the base icon, wherein the graphical representation of the icon addition data object and the graphical representation of the base icon are individually selectable.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for dynamically building a context sensitive composite icon are provided. A base icon is used to represent a particular object in a graphical user interface. This base icon has addition points where icon additions may be attached to the base icon, such as by superimposing the icon additions over the base icon. By adding icon additions at the addition points of the base icon, a composite icon is generated and then registered with the graphical user interface. The icon additions that are used to generate the composite icon are selected based on a particular context in which the object associated with the base icon is being used. The use of icon additions with the base icon is determined dynamically as the context of the corresponding object changes. In this way, the same base icon may be used to represent a particular object with additions to the base icon being used to provide additional information that is important to the current context of the corresponding object. In a preferred embodiment, the icon additions are active and may be individually selectable apart from the base icon in order to provide additional functionality and/or information. In a specific example implementation of an embodiment, the base icon may be a shopping cart and the icon additions may be items selected for purchase. Both the base icon and the icon additions may be selected and thereby invoke associated data objects.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method, in a data processing system, for dynamically building a context sensitive composite icon for representing a data object in a graphical user interface, comprising:
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identifying a data object;
identifying an icon addition data object based on a context of the data object;
generating a composite icon object based on the data object and the icon addition data object;
generating a graphical representation of a base icon based on the data object;
generating a graphical representation of the icon addition data object; and
superimposing the graphical representation of the icon addition data object over the graphical representation of the base icon, wherein the graphical representation of the icon addition data object and the graphical representation of the base icon are individually selectable. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for dynamically building a context sensitive composite icon for representing a data object in a graphical user interface, comprising:
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first instructions for identifying a data object;
second instructions for identifying an icon addition data object based on a context of the data object;
third instructions for generating a composite icon object based on the data object and the icon addition data object;
fourth instructions for generating a graphical representation of a base icon based on the data object;
fifth instructions for generating a graphical representation of the icon addition data object; and
sixth instructions for superimposing the graphical representation of the icon addition data object over the graphical representation of the base icon, wherein the graphical representation of the icon addition data object and the graphical representation of the base icon are individually selectable. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for dynamically building a context sensitive composite icon for representing a data object in a graphical user interface, comprising:
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means for identifying a data object;
means for identifying an icon addition data object based on a context of the data object;
means for generating a composite icon object based on the data object and the icon addition data object;
means for generating a graphical representation of a base icon based on the data object;
means for generating a graphical representation of the icon addition data object; and
means for superimposing the graphical representation of the icon addition data object over the graphical representation of the base icon, wherein the graphical representation of the icon addition data object and the graphical representation of the base icon are individually selectable.
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Specification