Apparatus and method for displaying selectable icons in a toolbar for a user interface
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a set of instructions operable to generate a user interface comprising a toolbar, wherein the toolbar comprises a plurality of selectable icons and a control symbol that can be selected by a user to display additional selectable icons, wherein the plurality of selectable icons and the control symbol are contained within fixed boundaries of a frame containing the toolbar, and the set of instructions is also operable to generate a scroll control button to enable scrolling of the toolbar within the fixed boundaries of the frame if the additional selectable icons when added would cause the toolbar to extend beyond the fixed boundaries of the frame.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A user interface display comprises a plurality of selectable icons and a control symbol in a toolbar. The control symbol can be selected by a user to display additional selectable icons within the toolbar. The additional icons can be inserted adjacent the control symbol or in another location on the toolbar. A user can associate a set of one or more selectable icons with a control symbol. The set of icons can be displayed adjacent the control symbol or at any pre-specified position on the toolbar. In one implementation, reselecting the control symbol removes the additional icons from the toolbar. In another implementation, the additional icons are removed when one of the additional icons is selected. If the icons are positioned adjacent to their corresponding control symbol, the display position of other icons on the toolbar is adjusted to allow room for the additional icons. When a set of the additional icons are removed from the display, the position of the other icons on the toolbar is re-adjusted to remove open space between icons on the toolbar. The toolbar can include more than one control symbol, and more than one set of additional icons can be displayed simultaneously. The toolbar allows the user to include or remove additional icons from the toolbar on an as-needed basis, thereby eliminating the need for additional toolbars and leaving more space available on the display for information that may be more useful.
68 Citations
62 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
a set of instructions operable to generate a user interface comprising a toolbar, wherein the toolbar comprises a plurality of selectable icons and a control symbol that can be selected by a user to display additional selectable icons, wherein the plurality of selectable icons and the control symbol are contained within fixed boundaries of a frame containing the toolbar, and the set of instructions is also operable to generate a scroll control button to enable scrolling of the toolbar within the fixed boundaries of the frame if the additional selectable icons when added would cause the toolbar to extend beyond the fixed boundaries of the frame. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for displaying selectable icons in a toolbar for a user interface comprising:
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associating a first set of one or more selectable icons with a control symbol;
displaying the control symbol on the toolbar; and
displaying the first set of selectable icons within fixed boundaries of a frame containing the toolbar when a user selects the control symbol, and displaying a scroll control button to enable scrolling of the toolbar within the fixed boundaries of the frame if the first set of selectable icons when added would cause the toolbar to extend beyond the fixed boundaries of the frame. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. (canceled)
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17. An apparatus for displaying selectable icons in a toolbar for a user interface comprising:
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means for displaying a control symbol on the toolbar;
means for displaying a first set of selectable icons within fixed boundaries of a frame containing the toolbar when a user selects the control symbol; and
means for displaying a scroll control button to enable scrolling of the toolbar within the fixed boundaries of the frame if the first set of selectable icons when added would cause the toolbar to extend beyond the fixed boundaries of the frame. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25-46. -46. (canceled)
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47. An apparatus comprising:
a set of instructions operable to generate a user interface comprising a toolbar, wherein the toolbar comprises a plurality of selectable icons and a control symbol that can be selected by a user to display additional selectable icons within fixed boundaries of a frame containing the toolbar, and the set of instructions is also operable to generate a scroll control button to enable scrolling of the toolbar within the fixed boundaries of the frame if the additional selectable icons when added would cause the toolbar to extend beyond the fixed boundaries of the frame, and the additional selectable icons do not obscure a window of the user interface. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A method for displaying selectable icons in a toolbar for a user interface comprising:
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associating a first set of one or more selectable icons with a control symbol;
displaying the control symbol on the toolbar;
displaying the first set of selectable icons within fixed boundaries of a frame containing the toolbar when a user selects the control symbol; and
displaying a scroll control button to enable scrolling of the toolbar within the fixed boundaries of the frame if the first set of selectable icons when added would cause the toolbar to extend beyond the boundaries of the frame such that the first set of selectable icons does not obscure a window of the user interface. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. (canceled)
Specification