Inventive, interactive, inventor's menus within a software computer and video display system

• US 20040135809A1
• Filed: 01/10/2003
• Published: 07/15/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: James A. Lehman
• Original Assignee: James A. Lehman
• Inventors: Lehman, James A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,197,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/767
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 1/00 Manually or mechanically operated educational appliances using elements forming, or bearing, symbols, signs, pictures, or the like which are arranged or adapted to be arranged in one or more particular ways puzzle-games A63F9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F

Abstract

An inventive, interactive, menu apparatus and method, and the plural, within a software computer video display system for creating inventions or prospects for inventions, via the juxtaposition of concepts or words, defined from word paths or sets displayed on the menu, from one to six simulated spun reels or drums below the menu, seen through one to thirty open spaces, cells or windows on the menu. In the preferred embodiment, the INVENTOR'"'"'S MENU TTT t.m., a classic Tic Tac Toe like, nine space grid, is utilized, which makes the process of inventing as comprehensive, fast, and as much fun as it can be, which is the inventive tool which the world has been looking for.

Claims

1. An inventive, interactive, menu like apparatus and method within a software computer and video display system for creating inventions or prospects via the juxposition/matching of words or concepts displayed on the inventor'"'"'s menu.

2. An inventive, interactive, menu like apparatus and method within a software computer and video display system, on menu or game software or combined with internet software or the like or not, for creating invention or prospects for inventions via the juxtaposition/matching of words or concepts displayed on a menu or menu and screen anywhere on the video display system, wherein the menu apparatus is comprised of a one to thirty space open cell or window grid above, below, or alongside a line of command icons on the menu, normally on the non open heading of the menu or on a non open area on the sides or at the bottom of the menu, used for creating inventions or prospects defined a word or concept path or one word or concept shown through the singular or multi open spaces on the grid from normally one to six simulated rotating drums or reels or wheels . . . below the open spaces of the menu apparatus, which is normally a rectilinear, simulated cover, having lines separating the individual open spaces in front of said rotating drums or reels or wheels, with each drum or reel or wheel usually having a plurality of words or concepts, of an individual category on it, after the one to six reels are spun, briefly, or not to randomly generate a set of words or concepts viewable through the open spaces, which juxtapose/match against each other in some direct line or bouncing fashion, in any order, to define an invention or prospect based on the outcome of the randomly generated word or concept paths shown on the menu or by a word or concept or words or concepts on the menu being juxtaposed/matched against any word or concept or words or concepts shown on the screen from internet art such as lists or catalogs or newspapers or the like or any kind of literary or pictorial depection.

4. A menu like apparatus of claim 2. wherein words or concepts are usually key words or list words and are usually from the inventor/authors copyrighted, creative, works, but sometimes are any word or description, in words, of a concept, shown on the internet or from his own mind, typed over the 1-30 space open cells or windows on the grid on the menu, with words from lists, indexes, catalogs, and articles or from descriptions of pictorial depictions being very useful in the inventive process of juxtaposing words or concepts on the menu or the menu and internet art or not to create inventions or prospects.

6. A menu like apparatus for creating inventions or prospects for inventions via the juxtaposition of words or concepts of claim 2., wherein one to five rows of words or concepts from the drums, wheels or reels are aligned in a horizontal plane on the menu as seen through its open, lined, spaces, cells or windows.

8. A menu like apparatus for creating inventions or prospects for inventions via the juxtaposition of words or concepts, of claim 2, wherein 1-6 rows or columns of words or concepts form the drums, wheels, or wheels are aligned in a vertical plane on the menu as seen through its open, lined, spaces, cells or windows.

11. Each drum or reel or wheel having a plurality of words or concepts of claim 2, wherein the words, if taken from the inventor/author'"'"'s creative works, or any part thereof, especially from any list or index part of those works or if it is constructed by the user of the menu, are arranged, from A-Z, and usually are grouped in separate categories for each wheel, usually in things, function &

misc. and shapes categories.

12. The simulated rotating drums or wheels or wheels of claim 2, wherein the reels etc. may comprise;

a singular rotating reel etc. or 2-6 rotating reels adjacent to each other, having an outer surface on which a plurality of words or concepts are shown, which is rotatable around its axis,

a rotation control means for controlling rotations of said singular or 2-6 rotating reels etc. separately.

14. A line or lines of command icons on the menu normally on the non open heading of the menu or on a non open area on the sides or at the bottom or top area of the menu of claim 2, wherein the standard arrangement of command icons for controlling the six simulated, rotating, drums etc. each having a plurality of words, and each with an individual category of words, would be, from left to right:

1. shapes category icon, controlling the first drum etc. and its random spins 2. function &

misc. icon, controlling the second drum etc. and its random spins 3. prospect icon, with prospects being typed in or deleted, in conventional computer fashion, over the open spaces, cells or windows over the third drum etc. or if no prospects are typed in the second drum etc. would be used and activated or spun and used in the same fashion as the things drum etc. and would show things 4. key word icon, which would show key words being typed in or deleted in conventional computer fashion over the open spaces, cells or windows over the fourth drum etc. of if no key words are typed in, this drum would be activated or spun and used in the same fashion as the things drum etc. and would show things 5. things category icon, controlling the fifth drum etc. and its random spins, and 6. another things category icon controlling the sixth drum etc. and its random spins, for example, regarding random spins to activate the spin of the first drum the user would click on to the R or random icon and then the S or shapes icon . . . and to activate the second drum etc. the user would click on to the R or random icon and the F of function &

misc. icon., and to activate the third drum etc. the user would click on to the R or random icon, and the P or prospect icon to produce a list of things, and to activate the fourth drum etc. the user would click on to the R or random icon and the K or key word or KEY icon to produce a list of things, and to activate the fifth drum etc. the user would click on to T or the things icon to produce a list of things, and, to activate the sixth drum etc. the user would click on to the R or random icon and the T or things icon, and, in all cases, each icon for each drum etc. would have a set of up/down scroll icons adjacent to it for slowly scrolling up or down the entire list of words in the category, accomplished by clicking on either the up/down icon, and after proceeding in the direction indicated clicking, again, to stop the scroll or just taking the finger off of the mouse to do so.

15. The menu of 1-6 drums, wheels or reels of claim 14, wherein the largest menu would be perfect to develop prospects for inventions, and the smallest would be perfect for use on a crowded screen or as a way to leave the one reel etc, one wheel category cell, and one open space cell or window menu on the screen at all times, and when the user thinks of it, juxtaposes the word or concept shown on that menu with what ever word or concept is shown on the screen at the time, producing unexpected, good, results, at times.

17. A line or lines of command icons on the menu of claim 2, wherein the word category icons may be arranged in either a horizontal line or vertical line or a combination or such lines, in any fashion.

18. The inventive, interactive, menu apparatus of claim 2, wherein the components cited may be of any configuration, number, or combination, and each style may be indentified with a number or alphanumeric identification so that it may be easily pulled up for use.

20. An inventive, interactive, menu apparatus and method of claim 2, wherein inventions or prospects may also be defined by a word or concept or words or concepts on the menu juxtaposed against any word or concept shown on any kind of literary expression or pictorial depiction on the video display, from internet art or not, and often from on line catalogs and the like.

3. An inventive, interactive, Tic Tac Toe game like menu like apparatus and method within a software computer and video display system, on menu or game software or combined with internet software or the like or not, for creating invention or prospects for inventions via the juxtaposition/matching of words or concepts displayed on a menu or menu and screen anywhere on the video display system, wherein the menu apparatus is comprised of a nine space open cell or window grid above, below, or alongside a line of command icons on the menu, normally on the non open heading of the menu or on a non open area on the sides or at the bottom of the menu, used for creating inventions or prospects defined a word or concept path or one word or concept shown through the nine open spaces on the grid from three simulated rotating drums or reels or wheels below the open spaces of the menu apparatus, which is normally a rectilinear, simulated cover, having lines separating the individual open spaces in front of said rotating drums or reels or wheels, with each drum or reel or wheel usually having a plurality of words or concepts, of an individual category on it, after the one to three reels are spun, briefly, or not to randomly generate a set of words or concepts viewable through the open spaces, which juxtapose/match against each other in some direct line or bouncing fashion, in any order, to define an invention or prospect based on the outcome of the randomly generated word or concept paths shown on the menu or by a word or concept or words or concepts on the menu being juxtaposed/matched against any word or concept or words or concepts shown on the screen from internet art such as lists or catalogs or newspapers or the like or any kind of literary or pictorial depiction.

5. A menu like apparatus of claim 3. wherein words or concepts, are usually key words or list words and are usually from the inventor/authors copyrighted, creative, works, but sometimes are any word or description, in words, of a concept, shown on the internet or from his own mind, typed over the nine space open cells or windows on the grid on the menu, with words from lists, indexed, catalogs, and articles or from descriptions of pictorial depictions being very useful in the inventive process of juxtaposing words or concepts on the menu or the menu and internet art or not to create inventions or prospects.

7. A menu like apparatus for creating inventions or prospects for inventions via the juxtaposition of words or concepts of claim 3. wherein three rows of words or concepts from the drums or reels or wheels are aligned in a horizontal plane on the menu as seen through its open, lined, spaces, cells or windows.

9. A menu like apparatus for creating inventions or prospects for inventions via the juxtaposition or words or concepts, of claims 3, wherein 3 rows or columns of words or concepts from the reels or wheels or drums are aligned in a vertical plane on the menu as seen through its open, lined, spaces, cells or windows.

10. Each drum or wheel or reel having a plurality of words or concepts of claim 3, wherein the words, if taken from the inventor/author'"'"'s creative works, or any part thereof, especially from any list or index part of those works or if it is constructed by the user of the menu, are arranged, from A-Z, and usually are grouped in separate categories for each wheel, usually in things, function &

misc. and shapes categories.

13. The simulated rotating reels or wheels or drums of claim 3, wherein the reels etc. may comprise;

a first rotating, center, drum etc. having an outer peripheral surface on which a plurality of words or concept are shown, which is rotatable around an axis;

a second rotating drum having an outer peripheral surface on which a plurality of words or concepts are shown, which is arranged adjacent to one side of the first rotating drum etc. and rotatably around said axis;

a third rotating drum etc. having an outer peripheral surface on which a plurality of words or concepts are shown, which drum etc. is arranged adjacent to the other side of the first, center, rotating drum etc. and rotatably on said axis.

a rotation control means for controlling rotations of said first, second, and third drums etc. separately.

16. A line of command icons on the menu, normally on the non open heading of the menu or on a non open area on the sides or at the bottom of the menu, of claim 3, wherein the standard arrangement of icons for controlling the simulated tic tac toe like reels, drums or wheels, and their plurality of individual category words, would be the following:

1. things category icon, controlling the left drum, reel or wheel and its random spins 2. key word icon, with key words being typed in or deleted in a conventional computer fashion over the open spaces, cells or windows over the center drum etc. or if no key words are typed, in the center drum etc. would be activated or spun and used in the same fashion as the things drums etc., showing things at the left and right of the center drum etc. 3. the random icon, used to activate the spin of all of the drums etc. in conjunction with the individual drum etc. category icons, and 4. things category, for controlling the right reel etc. and its random spins, for example, to activate the brief random spin of the left drum etc. the user would click on to the R or random icon and then the T or things icon on the left side of the menu, and to activate the brief, random, spin of the right drum etc. the user would click on to the R or random icon and then the T or things category icon on the right side of the menu, and to activate the spin of the center drum etc, not having key words typed in over in on the menu, the user would click on to the R or random icon then on the K, key word icon.

19. An inventive, interactive, tic tac toe like menu and apparatus and method of claim 3, wherein inventions or prospects may also be defined by a word or concept or words or concepts on the menu juxtaposed against any word or concept shown on any kind of literary expression or pictorial depiction on the video display, from internet art or not, and often from on line catalogs and the like.