Method and apparatus for dynamic sorting and displaying of listing data composition and automating the activation event

• US 20040217990A1
• Filed: 04/30/2003
• Published: 11/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Yen-Fu, Wang, Raymond Tang
• Application Number:
  US10/427,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20040217990A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A Drop Down Menu Program having an Item Selection Program, a Sorting Program, and a Recall Program. The Item Selection Program eliminates the need for the user to hold down the shift key or the control key while making multiple selections. Instead, the user may activate a menu item to highlight it, and activate the menu item again to remove the highlight. The user may also open and close the drop down menu. The Sorting Program organizes the menu items in order of frequency of use. The Sorting Program also provides ascending and descending sort buttons that allow the user to sort the menu items in ascending or descending alphabetical, numeric, or chronological order. The Recall Program creates a recall list of selected menu items when the user activates a recall button. The recall list can be displayed and removed independent of opening and closing actions of the drop down menu.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a plurality of menu items from a drop down menu on a display of a computer comprising:

activating a first menu item;

activating a second menu item; and

wherein the first menu item and the second menu item are selected by the user without an additional user interaction.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining whether a user has activated a down button; and

determining whether the drop down menu is opened.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the user has activated the down button and to a determination that the drop down menu is opened, closing the drop down menu.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the user has activated the down button and to a determination that the drop down menu is closed, opening the drop down menu.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the user has not activated the down button and to a determination that the drop down menu is opened, determining whether the user has activated a menu item.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the user has activated the menu item, determining whether the activated menu item is highlighted.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the menu item is not highlighted, highlighting the menu item.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the menu item is highlighted, removing the highlighting from the menu item.

9. A program product operable on a computer, the program product comprising:

a computer-usable medium;

wherein the computer usable medium comprises instructions comprising;

instructions for activating a first menu item;

instructions for activating a second menu item; and

wherein the first menu item and the second menu item are selected without additional user input.

10. The program product of claim 9 further comprising:

instructions for determining whether a user has activated a down button; and

instructions for determining whether a drop down menu is opened.

11. The program product of claim 10 further comprising:

wherein responsive to a determination that the user has activated the down button and to a determination that the menu is opened, instructions to close the drop down menu.

12. The program product of claim 10 further comprising:

wherein responsive to a determination that the user has activated the down button and to a determination that the drop down menu is closed, opening the drop down menu.

13. The program product of claim 10 further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the user has not activated the down button and to a determination that the drop down menu is opened, instructions for determining whether the user has activated a menu item.

14. The program product of claim 13 further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the user has activated the menu item, instructions for determining whether the activated menu item is highlighted.

15. The program product of claim 14 further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the menu item is not highlighted, highlighting the menu item.

16. The program product of claim 14 further comprising:

responsive to a determination that the menu item is highlighted, removing the highlighting from the menu item.