Method and apparatus for presenting information contained within a data icon by assigning attributes to various dimensions of the data icon

• US 5,365,360 A
• Filed: 11/15/1991
• Issued: 11/15/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Torres, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, Mark R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Breene, John E.
• Application Number:
  US07/793,046
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 395/155-161, 395/113, 395/139, 395/153, 395/119, 395/120, 395/127, 364/705.08, 345/127, 345/131
• US Class Current: 715/802
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

A data icon comprises a hybrid of the advantages available with a conventional icon and a conventional window. The data icon has a minimized size and an enlarged size, both of which allow interactive entry of information. The enlarged data icon presents a format allowing the entry of information relating to an event similar to a conventional window. When minimized, the enlarged data icon is positioned in a selected location depending upon the information contained therein. The minimized data icon displays at least a portion of the information entered into the enlarged data icon. The data icon may be multi-dimensional to graphically illustrate various factors. For example, if the data icon indicates a meeting, a first dimension (vertical length) may represent duration of the meeting, a second dimension (horizontal width) may represent importance of the meeting, a third dimension (depth) may represent the number of attendees, and a fourth dimension may represent the subject of the meeting.

Claims

1. A method of presenting information contained within a data icon which comprises an interactive hybrid icon/window to a user of a data processing system, comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of interactive information factors in the data icon on a monitor screen of the data processing system; and

automatically varying each of a plurality of dimensions of the data icon with at least three dimensions in order to depict a representation of preselected ones of said information factors, wherein the user is presented with a graphical representation of said preselected factors without a necessity of opening the data icon and wherein a first dimension is varied to depict a time duration, a second dimension is varied to depict relative importance of the data icon as compared to other similar data icons and a third dimension varied to depict a number of attendees required in relation to an event represented by the data icon.

2. A data processing system for graphically presenting information contained within a data icon which comprises an interactive hybrid icon/window to a user of the system, comprising:

means for storing a plurality of interactive information factors in the data icon on a monitor screen of the data processing system; and

means for automatically varying each of a plurality of dimensions of the data icon With at least three dimensions in order to depict a representation of preselected ones of said information factors, wherein the user is presented with a graphical representation of said preselected factors without a necessity of opening the data icon and wherein a first dimension is varied to depict a time duration, a second dimension is varied to depict relative importance of the data icon as compared to other similar data icons, and a third dimension varied to depict a number of attendees required in relation to an event represented by the data icon.