Method and apparatus for indicating and navigating related items

• US 20050144568A1
• Filed: 12/29/2003
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rueckner, Devon L., Cheng, Li-Te, Gruen, Daniel M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,631,276 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/822
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A system and method is provided to enable a user to quickly identify related items in a list environment. A relationship icon is used to identify the presence of related items, such as email messages, occurring before and after a selected item. The relationship icon is used to navigate between the related items.

Claims

1. A method for indicating relationships and navigating among items in a graphical user interface, the method comprising:

allowing a user to select an item from a list of items presented in the graphical user interface;

determining one or more items in said list of items that are related to said selected item; and

providing an icon for indicating said one or more related items and for moving directly from said selected item to said one or more related items.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing indicia associated with said one or more related items indicating said one or more related items are related to said selected item.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein providing said indicia comprises highlighting the one or more related items.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said icon provides an indication of the number of said one or more related items occurring after said selected item and the number of said one or more related items occurring before said selected item.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a pop-up list of said one or more related items in response to a user hovering an input device over said icon; and

allowing a user to select an item from said one or more related items.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said icon is displayed without said list of items when a user is viewing said selected item.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said icon may have a color that indicates the status of said one or more related items.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein providing said icon comprises providing a backward navigation portion that allows navigating from said selected item to one or more of said related items occurring after said selected item and providing a forward navigation portion that allows navigating to one or more of said related items occurring before said selected item.

9. A system for indicating relationships and navigating among items in a graphical user interface, the system comprising:

means for allowing a user to select an item from a list of items presented in the graphical user interface;

means for determining one or more items in said list of items that are related to said selected item; and

means for providing an icon indicating said one or more related items and for moving directly between said selected item and said one or more related items.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

means for providing indicia associated with said one or more related items indicating said one or more related items are related to said selected item.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein said means for providing an icon provides means for indicating of the number of said one or more related items occurring after said selected item and means for indicating the number of said one or more related items occurring before said selected item.

12. The system of claim 9 further comprising:

means for providing a pop-up list of said one or more related items in response to a user hovering an input device over said icon; and

means for allowing a user to select an item from said one or more related items.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein said means for providing an icon further comprises:

means for displaying said icon without said list of items when a user is viewing said selected item.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein said means for providing an icon further comprises means for providing a color that indicates the status of said one or more related items.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein said means for providing said icon comprises means for providing a backward navigation portion that allows navigating from said selected item to one or more of said related items occurring after said selected item and means for providing a forward navigation portion that allows navigating to one or more of said related items occurring before said selected item.

16. A system for indicating relationships and navigating among items in a graphical user interface, the system comprising:

a user interface operable on a terminal device, the user interface presenting a list of items;

receiving a selected item from a user; and

presenting indicia to said user indicating a relationship between said selected item and one or more items in said list of the items.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the user interface further presents:

a relationship indicator for indicating one or more related items occur before or after said selected item, the relationship indicator further comprising;

a first portion for indicating one or more related items from the list of items occurring before said selected item;

a second portion for indicating one or more related items occurring after said selected item; and

a third portion representing said selected item.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising:

a hierarchical list of said one or more related items wherein said hierarchical list is displayed when said third portion of said relationship indicator is selected.