Computer user interface with window title bar mini-icons

• US 5,140,677 A
• Filed: 05/11/1990
• Issued: 08/18/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Temple, A. C. C., Keane, P. J., Torres, R. J., Fleming, S. S.
• Primary Examiner(s): CLARK, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US07/522,300
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 395/159, 395/157, 395/158, 340/734, 340/721
• US Class Current: 715/835
• 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

Abstract

Disclosed is a computer system user interface that includes an application or object window with a mini-icon representing the application or object. The mini-icon is available for use in direct manipulation and context menu operations while the window is open.

Claims

1. A method of operating a computer system that includes a display screen, said method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

displaying on said screen at least one object icon;

displaying an object window on said screen in response to user selection of one of said object icons; and

displaying in said object window a copy of said selected object icon, said object icon copy being user selectable to perform operations associated with the object.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said copy is displayed in a normally unused area of said object window.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said object window overlies said object icon.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein another window overlies said selected object icon.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, including the step of:

performing a direct manipulation of said copy.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, including the step of:

performing a context menu action on said copy.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the object displayed in said object window is stored in memory and including the step of modifying the object displayed in the said object window without updating the stored object.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, including the step of directly manipulating said copy.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said directly manipulating step includes the step of fetching the object displayed in the object window whenever said displayed object is more current than said stored object.

10. In a method of operating a computer system that includes a display screen including the steps of displaying on said screen at least one object icon, selecting an object icon, and displaying an object window on said screen in response to selecting said selected object icon, the improvement which comprises the computer-implemented step of:

displaying in said object window a copy of said selected object icon, said object icon copy being user selectable to perform operations associated with the object.

11. A computer system, which comprises:

a display screen;

means for displaying on said screen at least one object icon;

means for selecting an object icon;

means for displaying an object window on said screen in response to selecting said selected object icon; and

,

means for displaying in said object window a copy of said selected object icon, said object icon copy being user selectable to perform operations associated with the object.

12. In a computer system including a display screen, means for displaying on said display screen at least one object icon, means for selecting an object icon, and means for displaying an object window on said display screen in response to selecting said selected object icon, the improvement which comprises:

means for displaying in said object window a copy of said selected object icon, said object icon copy being user selectable to perform operations associated with the object.

13. A method of operating a computer system that includes a display screen, said method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

displaying on said screen a first window with at least one object icon displayed therein;

displaying an object window on said screen in response to user selection of one of said object icons; and

,

displaying in said object window a copy of said selected object icon, said object icon copy being user selectable to perform operations associated with the object.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, including the step of:

closing said first window.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13, including the step of scrolling said first window so that said selected object icon is no longer visible.

16. The method as claimed in claim 13, including the step of resizing said first window so that said selected object icon is no longer visible.