Graphical processing

• US 5,040,131 A
• Filed: 11/03/1989
• Issued: 08/13/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Torres, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harkcom, Gary V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Mark K.
• Application Number:
  US07/432,001
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 364/518, 364/521, 364/900, 364/300, 340/709, 379/204
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/18 for evaluating statistical data , e.g. average values, frequency distributions, probability functions, regression analysis forecasting specially adapted for a specific administrative, business or logistic context G06Q10/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174

Abstract

The automatic access of processes running on a computer is made possible by the display of graphic icons corresponding to the processes. A user can manipulate data in a table and then select a view function which results in the display of icons corresponding to potentially valid processes for the data in the table. By marking data in the table, the user causes only those icons corresponding to valid processes valid for the marked data to be displayed in a manner which allows selection of the icons. If the user then selects one of these icons, the system automatically makes the operation corresponding to the selected icon for the marked data. The user may then place the result of the operation on the display screen by dragging the selected icon to the desired location on the screen.

Claims

1. A method of accessing a computational process via selection of an icon while viewing data on a display screen comprising the steps of:

displaying icons representative of process commands;

monitoring a user input to select an icon;

monitoring a user input to drag a replica of the selected icon to a user determined position on the display screen; and

in response to said selection and dragging steps respectively performing the computational process represented by the selected icon and displaying a computed value determined by the computational process at the user determined position on the display screen.

2. A method of accessing a computational process via selection of an icon while viewing data on a display screen comprising the steps of:

displaying icons representative of computational process commands;

monitoring a user input to mark a subset of the data displayed on the display screen;

testing said marked subset of data to determine which of said process commands is valid for said marked subset;

marking on said display screen those icons for process commands determined to be valid on the basis of said test;

monitoring a user input to select an icon;

monitoring a user input to drag a replica of the selected icon to a user determined position on the display screen; and

in response to said selection and dragging steps respectively performing the computational process represented by the selected icon and displaying a computed value determined by the computational process at the user determined position on the display screen.

3. A method of accessing a process via selection of an icon while viewing data running as a first task in a first window on a display screen comprising the steps of:

displaying icons representative of process commands;

monitoring a user input to select an icon;

monitoring a user input to drag a replica of the selected icon to a user determined position on the display screen in a second window running a second task; and

in response to said selection and dragging steps respectively performing the process represented by the selected icon and displaying a value determined by the process represented by the selected icon at the user determined position in the second window running as a second task on the display screen.