COLOR AND SYMBOL CODED VISUAL CUES FOR RELATING SCREEN ITEMS TO EACH OTHER

• US 20080270943A1
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hamilton, David Brooks, Medl, Robert Edward, Gonzalez, Ricardo L., CHRISTENSEN, CATHERINE, Pupons Wickham, Daina Edvina
• Granted Patent: US 8,316,316 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/846
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range

Abstract

Described is a system and a computer program product for visually delineating a relationship between diverse, but related graphical objects in a graphical user interface. An icon that has specified color scheme is associated with the diverse, but related but graphical objects. When one of the related graphical objects is displayed, the icon is displayed within the displayed graphical object. The persistence of the icon with the specified color scheme in the displayed graphical objects allows them to be recognized as related. In a particular instance, the icon is displayed with each graphical object in a series of graphical objects that represent an evolution of progression of development.

Claims

1. A computer program product for use with a graphics display device, said computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means included in said medium;

said computer readable program code means embodying a method for;

associating a first icon with a first graphical object, said icon having a first color scheme;

displaying said first icon with said first specified color scheme within said first graphical object;

progressively displaying a series of graphical objects diverse from, but related to said first graphical object, said one or more related graphical objects reflecting an evolution of progression of development of said first graphical object, and

wherein said first icon with said specified color scheme is displayed within each of said related graphical objects, and said first icon associated with an evolution of progression of development of said first graphical object being distinguishable from a second icon associated with an evolution of progression of development of a second graphical object.

2. A computer program product for use with a graphics display device as per claim 1, wherein said related graphical objects reflecting said evolution of progression of development of said first graphical object collectively comprise a user assistance wizard.

3. A computer program product for use with a graphics display device, said computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means included in said medium;

said computer readable program code means embodying a method for;

creating a graphic symbol, said graphic symbol having a specified pattern, and associating with at least a first graphical object;

designating one or more color attributes for said graphic symbol;

displaying one or more related graphical objects;

retaining said created graphic symbol, its specified pattern and color attributes within said one or more displayed related graphical objects, and

wherein said one or more objects are recognizable as related to said first objects by the persistence of said specific graphic symbol pattern and designated colors.

4. A computer program product for use with a graphics display device, said computer program product as per claim 3, wherein said created graphic symbol, its specified pattern and color attributes is retained within a visible portion of one or more related objects.

5. A computer program product for use with a graphics display device, said computer program product as per claim 3, wherein the persistence of said graphic symbol and designated one or more color attributes between said first and second objects provides user assistance when traversing a series of graphical templates.

6. A computer-based system with visually related graphical objects comprising:

one or more graphical symbols retained in computer storage, each of said one or more graphic symbols having a specified pattern and association with at least a first graphical object;

one or more color attributes designated for each of said one or more graphic symbols;

a display visually instantiating one or more graphical objects related to said first graphical object;

said one or more graphic symbols, specified pattern and color attributes replicated within a visual space of said displayed one or more graphical objects related to said first object, and

wherein said one or more related objects are visually recognizable as related due to the persistence of said specified graphic symbol pattern and designated colors.

7. A computer-based system with visually related graphical objects as per claim 6, wherein the persistence of said icon and designated colors between said first and related objects provides user assistance when traversing a series of graphical templates.