Method and apparatus for selection of one from a plurality of entries listed on a computer display

• US 4,862,390 A
• Filed: 12/24/1987
• Issued: 08/29/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Weiner, Jonathan A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harkcom, Gary V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Mark K.
• Application Number:
  US07/137,988
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• Field of Search: 364/521, 340/709, 340/710, 340/711
• US Class Current: 715/822
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs

Abstract

Apparatus and method for selecting entries within a plurality of entries. The preferred embodiment of the invention includes a search control processor which causes an edit box and a list box to be displayed on a display. In the list box is displayed a subset of entries from a plurality of entries. As letters are typed on a keyboard, the letters are displayed in the edit box. The search control processor causes a first entry from the plurality of entries to be highlighted when the first letter(s) of the first entry match the letters displayed in the edit box and when the first entry is in alphabetical order before any other entry from the plurality of entries whose first letter(s) match the letter(s) displayed in the edit box. When a user presses "ENTER" or some other designated key on the keyboard the search control processor selects the entry highlighted on the screen. Since often the list box is not sufficiently large to display all entries in the plurality of entries, when the first entry whose first letter(s) match the letters in the edit box is not displayed, the search control processor will cause the list box to scroll so that the first entry is displayed.

Claims

1. In a computing system having a keyboard, a search control program and a display, a method for allowing a user from a keyboard to select a selected entry from a plurality of entries, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying in a first region on the display letters typed in by the user on the keyboard;

(b) displaying in a second region on the display a first subset of the plurality of entries;

(c) highlighting on the display, at the direction of the search control program, a first entry whose first letter(s) match the letter(s) displayed in the first region when the search control program determines the first entry is in alphabetical order first among entries from the plurality of entries whose first letter(s) match the letter(s) displayed in the first region; and

,

(d) making, at the direction of the search control program, the first entry the selected entry when the search control program determines that the user has pressed a designated key on the keyboard;

(e) displaying the first subset of the plurality of entries in the second region, highlighting no entry, and making the selected entry equal to a null set when the search control program determines that the first letter(s) of no entry in the plurality of entries match the letter(s) displayed in the first region.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein step (c) additionally comprises the following substep:

(c1) displaying in the second region, instead of the first subset of the plurality of entries, a second subset of the plurality of entries which includes the first entry when the search control program determines that the first entry is not in the first subset of the plurality of entries.

3. In a computing system having a display and a keyboard, an apparatus for selecting a selected entry from a plurality of entries, the apparatus comprising:

display control means coupled to the display for displaying things on the display; and

,

search control processor means, coupled to the display control means and responsive to the keyboard, for causing the display control means to display information and for allowing the selection of the selected entry, the search control processor means including

edit box means for causing the search control processor to display in a first region of the display, letters typed in on the keyboard,

list display means, for causing the search control processor to display in a second region of the display, in alphabetical order, a first subset of the plurality of entries,

highlight means for causing the search control processor to highlight on the display a first entry displayed in the second region when the search control processor means determines the first letter(s) in the first entry match the letter(s) displayed in the first region when the first entry is in alphabetical order first among entries from the plurality of entries whose first letter(s) match the letter(s) displayed in the first region;

selection means for making the first entry the selected entry when the search control processor means determines a designated key on the keyboard is pressed;

means for causing the display control means to display the first subset of the plurality of entries in the second region and highlighting no entry when the first control processor means determines the first letter(s) of no entry in the plurality of entries match the letter(s) displayed in the first region; and

,

means for making the selected entry equal to a null set when the first control processor means determines the first letter(s) of no entry in the plurality of entries match the letter(s) displayed in the first region.

4. An apparatus as in claim 3 wherein the highlight means additionally comprises means for causing the display control means to display in the second region a second subset of the plurality of entries when the search control processor means determines the first entry is not in the first subset of the plurality of entries.

5. In a computing system having a keyboard, a search control program and a display, a method for allowing a user from a keyboard to select a selected entry from a plurality of entries, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying in a first region on the display letters typed in by the user on the keyboard;

(b) displaying in a second region on the display a first subset of the plurality of entries;

(c) highlighting on the display, at the direction of the search control program, a first entry whose first letter(s) match the letter(s) displayed in the first region when the search control program determines the first entry is in alphabetical order first among entries from the plurality of entries whose first letter(s) match the letter(s) displayed in the first region; and

,

(d) deleting from the second region the last letter displayed in the second region upon the user pressing a first designated key on the keyboard.

(e) highlighting on the display, at the direction of the search control program, a second entry whose first letter(s) match the letter(s) displayed in the first region when the search control program determines the second entry is in alphabetical order first among entries from the plurality of entries whose first letter(s) match the letter(s) displayed in the first region; and

,

(f) making, at the direction of the search control program, the second entry the selected entry when the search control program determines that the user has pressed a second designated key on the keyboard.

6. A method as in claim 5 additionally comprising the step of:

(g) displaying the first subset of the plurality of entries in the second region, highlighting no entry, and making the selected entry equal to a null set when the search control program determines that the first letter(s) of no entry in the plurality of entries match the letter(s) displayed in the first region.

7. A method as in claim 5, wherein step (c) additionally comprises the following substep:

(c1) displaying in the second region, instead of the first subset of the plurality of entries, a second subset of the plurality of entries which includes the first entry when the search control program determines that the first entry is not in the first subset of the plurality of entries.