Method and apparatus for facilitating operator reconfiguration of a graphical user interface in a data processing system
First Claim
1. A method in a data processing system of providing a graphical user interface to facilitate operator interaction with said data processing system, comprising the method steps of:
- providing a menu-formatted graphical user interface including a plurality of menu fields whose identity and display positions are determined by an initial display configuration and which are adapted to receive alphanumeric input from a keyboard;
simultaneously providing in said graphical user interface a menu field palette which includes at least one iconographic representation of at least one additional possible menu fields which is adapted to receive alphanumeric input from a keyboard;
monitoring operator input, and performing at least one of the following tasks in response to a predetermined operator input;
(a) including a particular one of said at least one additional possible menu fields from said menu field palette in said menu-formatted graphical user interface in response to operator selection of said at least one iconographic representation of said at least one additional possible menu fields;
(b) removing a particular one of said plurality of menu fields from said menu-formatted graphical user interface;
(c) automatically providing visual representations in said menu field palette of particular menu fields of said plurality of menu fields which are included or removed from said menu-formatted graphical user interface;
utilizing said steps of including and removing to rearrange or alter at least one of (a) menu content in said menu-formatted graphical user interface, and (b) menu item positions in said menu-formatted graphical user interface; and
receiving alphanumeric input from a keyboard in particular ones of said plurality of menu fields.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus is provided for facilitating operator interaction with a data processing system which includes a menu-formatted graphical user interface. The menu-formatted graphical user interface is provided on a display in the data processing system for interaction with the operator, and includes a plurality of menu fields whose identities and display positions are determined by an initial display configuration. Additionally, a menu field palette is provided in the graphical user interface which includes at least one additional possible menu field. Operator input is monitored, and at least one of the following tasks are performed in response to a predetermined operator input: (1) including a particular one of the additional possible menu fields from the menu field palette in the menu-formatted graphical user interface, (2) removing a particular menu field from the menu-formatted graphical user interface, and (3) automatically providing a visual representation in the menu field palette of particular menu fields which have been included or removed from the menu-formatted graphical user interface.
350 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method in a data processing system of providing a graphical user interface to facilitate operator interaction with said data processing system, comprising the method steps of:
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providing a menu-formatted graphical user interface including a plurality of menu fields whose identity and display positions are determined by an initial display configuration and which are adapted to receive alphanumeric input from a keyboard; simultaneously providing in said graphical user interface a menu field palette which includes at least one iconographic representation of at least one additional possible menu fields which is adapted to receive alphanumeric input from a keyboard; monitoring operator input, and performing at least one of the following tasks in response to a predetermined operator input; (a) including a particular one of said at least one additional possible menu fields from said menu field palette in said menu-formatted graphical user interface in response to operator selection of said at least one iconographic representation of said at least one additional possible menu fields; (b) removing a particular one of said plurality of menu fields from said menu-formatted graphical user interface; (c) automatically providing visual representations in said menu field palette of particular menu fields of said plurality of menu fields which are included or removed from said menu-formatted graphical user interface; utilizing said steps of including and removing to rearrange or alter at least one of (a) menu content in said menu-formatted graphical user interface, and (b) menu item positions in said menu-formatted graphical user interface; and receiving alphanumeric input from a keyboard in particular ones of said plurality of menu fields. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A means in a data processing system of providing a graphical user interface to facilitate operator interaction with said data processing system, comprising:
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means for providing a menu-formatted graphical user interface including a plurality of menu fields whose identity and display positions are determined by an initial display configuration and which are adapted to receive alphanumeric input from a keyboard; means for simultaneously providing in said graphical user interface a menu field palette which includes at least one iconographic representation of at least one additional possible menu fields which is adapted to receive alphanumeric input from a keyboard; means for monitoring operator input, and performing at least one of the following tasks in response to a predetermined operator input; (a) including a particular one of said at least one additional possible menu fields from said menu field palette in said menu-formatted graphical user interface in response to operator selection of said at least one iconographic representation of said at least one additional possible menu fields; (b) removing a particular one of said plurality of menu fields from said menu-formatted graphical user interface; (c) automatically providing visual representations in said menu field palette of particular menu fields of said plurality of menu fields which are included or removed from said menu-formatted graphical user interface; means for utilizing said steps of including and removing to rearrange or alter at least one of (a) menu content in said menu-formatted graphical user interface, and (b) menu item positions in said menu-formatted graphical user interface.
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Specification