Method and apparatus for facilitating improved navigation through a list

• US 20080270347A1
• Filed: 04/30/2007
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Shaffer, Noah D., Zhou, Wei, Singh, Surinder P.
• Application Number:
  US11/799,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20080270347A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates improved navigation through a list. During operation, the system obtains a list, wherein the list includes a set of list-entries. The system then analyzes the list to determine a set of list-properties for the list. Next, the system associates a set of identifiers with the list based on the set of list-properties. Then, the system inserts the list into a list-box. The system also inserts the set of identifiers into a scrollbar associated with the list-box, thereby enabling a user to navigate to a subset of the list by selecting an identifier which corresponds to the subset from the scrollbar.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating improved navigation through a list, the method comprising:

obtaining a list, wherein the list includes a set of list-entries;

analyzing the list to determine a set of list-properties for the list;

associating a set of identifiers with the list based on the set of list-properties;

inserting the list into a list-box; and

inserting the set of identifiers into a scrollbar associated with the list-box, thereby enabling a user to navigate to a subset of the list by selecting an identifier which corresponds to the subset from the scrollbar.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a configuration file from the user; and

selecting the set of identifiers based on the configuration file and the set of list-properties.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of identifiers can include:

letters;

numbers;

colors;

time-stamps;

symbols;

shapes; and

icons.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein when the user selects an identifier, the method further comprises presenting a corresponding subset of the list to the user, wherein at least one list-entry in the subset is associated with the identifier.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein when the user selects the identifier from the set of identifiers, the method further comprises replacing the list with the corresponding subset of the list in the list-box.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein when the user points to a potential identifier which the user can potentially select, the method further comprises emphasizing the potential identifier.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein emphasizing the potential identifier can involve:

highlighting the potential identifier;

enlarging the potential identifier;

shrinking the other identifiers in the set of identifiers without shrinking the potential identifier; and

presenting a tool-tip to the user, wherein the tool-tip specifies the subset of the list associated with the potential identifier.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein inserting the set of identifiers into the scrollbar can involve inserting a given identifier multiple times, wherein each instance of the given identifier is associated with a different portion of a corresponding subset of the list.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the set of identifiers with the list involves associating each identifier with a subset of the list.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the set of identifiers with the list involves associating multiple identifiers with a given subset of the list.

11. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for facilitating improved navigation through a list, the method comprising:

obtaining a list, wherein the list includes a set of list-entries;

analyzing the list to determine a set of list-properties for the list;

associating a set of identifiers with the list based on the set of list-properties;

inserting the list into a list-box; and

inserting the set of identifiers into a scrollbar associated with the list-box, thereby enabling a user to navigate to a subset of the list by selecting an identifier which corresponds to the subset from the scrollbar.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, the method further comprising:

receiving a configuration file from the user; and

selecting the set of identifiers based on the configuration file and the set of list-properties.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the set of identifiers can include:

letters;

numbers;

colors;

time-stamps;

symbols;

shapes; and

icons.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein when the user selects an identifier, the method further comprises presenting a corresponding subset of the list to the user, wherein at least one list-entry in the subset is associated with the identifier.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein when the user selects the identifier from the set of identifiers, the method further comprises replacing the list with the corresponding subset of the list in the list-box.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein when the user points to a potential identifier which the user can potentially select, the method further comprises emphasizing the potential identifier.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein emphasizing the potential identifier can involve:

highlighting the potential identifier;

enlarging the potential identifier;

shrinking the other identifiers in the set of identifiers without shrinking the potential identifier; and

presenting a tool-tip to the user, wherein the tool-tip specifies the subset of the list associated with the potential identifier.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein inserting the set of identifiers into the scrollbar can involve inserting a given identifier multiple times, wherein each instance of the given identifier is associated with a different portion of a corresponding subset of the list.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein associating the set of identifiers with the list involves associating each identifier with a subset of the list.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein associating the set of identifiers with the list involves associating multiple identifiers with a given subset of the list.

21. An apparatus that facilitates improved navigation through a list, comprising:

an obtaining mechanism configured to obtain a list, wherein the list includes a set of list-entries;

an analysis mechanism configured to analyze the list to determine a set of list-properties for the list;

an association mechanism configured to associate a set of identifiers with the list based on the set of list-properties;

an insertion mechanism configured to insert the list into a list-box; and

wherein the insertion mechanism is further configured to insert the set of identifiers into a scrollbar associated with the list-box, thereby enabling a user to navigate to a subset of the list by selecting an identifier which corresponds to the subset from the scrollbar.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the receiving mechanism is further configured to receive a configuration file from the user, and

wherein the apparatus further comprises a selection mechanism configured to select the set of identifiers based on the configuration file and the set of list-properties.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a presentation mechanism configured to present a subset of the list to the user when the user selects a corresponding identifier, wherein at least one list-entry in the subset is associated with the identifier.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a replacement mechanism configured to replace the list with the subset of the list in the list-box upon the user selecting the corresponding identifier from the set of identifiers.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising an emphasizing mechanism configured to emphasize a potential identifier upon the user pointing to the potential identifier which the user can potentially select.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the emphasizing mechanism can further comprise:

a highlighting mechanism configured to highlight the potential identifier;

an enlarging mechanism configured to enlarge the potential identifier;

a shrinking mechanism configured to shrink the other identifiers in the set of identifiers without shrinking the potential identifier; and

a presentation mechanism configured to present a tool-tip to the user, wherein the tool-tip specifies the subset of the list associated with the potential identifier.

27. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the insertion mechanism is further configured to insert the set of identifiers into the scrollbar by inserting a given identifier multiple times, wherein each instance of the given identifier can be associated with a different portion of a corresponding subset of the list.

28. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the association mechanism is further configured to associate each identifier with a subset of the list.

29. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the association mechanism is further configured to associate multiple identifiers with a given subset of the list.