Graphical user interface system and methods for improved user feedback
First Claim
1. In a computer system having a screen device, a method for providing a user with information about pictorial graphical icons representing user-selectable commands displayed on the screen, the method comprising:
- (a) displaying a screen cursor on the screen device to indicate location;
(b) moving the screen cursor to a screen location of interest;
(c) if the screen cursor touches one of the pictorial graphical icons, displaying at a display location substantially along one side of the screen device a message describing said pictorial graphical icon;
(d) moving the screen cursor to a second screen location of interest;
(e) if the screen cursor touches a second one of the pictorial graphical icons, displaying a second message describing said second pictorial graphical icon at said display location; and
(f) independently of steps (b)-(e), refreshing said information provided to the user about pictorial graphical icons by periodically testing whether the screen cursor still is positioned at a pictorial graphical icon whose derivative message is being displayed.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Graphical user interface system and methods for providing "hints" for screen objects of interest, particularly user interface elements which rely upon multitudes of iconic (bitmap image) indicia. The interface includes a static (status) frame or window positioned in a non-intrusive fashion below or to one side of a client area (active portion) of a user interface. The frame is continually updated with appropriate descriptors or "hints" (e.g., text and/or graphics) as a screen cursor moves from one screen object to another.
198 Citations
40 Claims
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1. In a computer system having a screen device, a method for providing a user with information about pictorial graphical icons representing user-selectable commands displayed on the screen, the method comprising:
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(a) displaying a screen cursor on the screen device to indicate location; (b) moving the screen cursor to a screen location of interest; (c) if the screen cursor touches one of the pictorial graphical icons, displaying at a display location substantially along one side of the screen device a message describing said pictorial graphical icon; (d) moving the screen cursor to a second screen location of interest; (e) if the screen cursor touches a second one of the pictorial graphical icons, displaying a second message describing said second pictorial graphical icon at said display location; and (f) independently of steps (b)-(e), refreshing said information provided to the user about pictorial graphical icons by periodically testing whether the screen cursor still is positioned at a pictorial graphical icon whose derivative message is being displayed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A graphical user interface system comprising:
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a computer having a screen device for displaying pictorial graphical icons representing system commands; means for indicating a location on the screen device with a cursor; means for determining if the cursor lies within one of the pictorial graphical icons; means for displaying a descriptive message when the cursor lies within one of the pictorial graphical icons, said message being located substantially along one edge of the screen device; means for changing said message when said cursor is moved from one pictorial graphical icon to another; and refresh means, operating independently of said determining means, for periodically testing whether the cursor still is positioned at a pictorial graphical icon whose descriptive message is being displayed. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. In a computer system including a display screen having a multi-window graphical user interface with a screen cursor, said multi-window graphical user interface including at least one pictorial graphical screen icon for invoking a user command upon selection with the screen cursor, said multi-window graphical user interface having application programs operating in response to messages posted by the system to said application programs, said messages for notifying said application programs of occurrence of events in the system, a method for providing messages to a user describing a command of a pictorial graphical screen icon of interest, the method comprising:
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(a) for each said at least one pictorial graphical screen icon, storing a message describing the pictorial graphical screen icon; (b) displaying one of said application programs on the display screen, the displayed application program having a main window and a status window for displaying said messages; (c) positioning the screen cursor at a desired one of said pictorial graphical screen icons; (d) upon entry of the screen cursor within a boundary of the desired pictorial graphical screen icon, identifying which one of the stored messages describes the desired pictorial graphical screen icon, said entry being detected by the displayed application program in response posting of a cursor movement message by the system upon movement of said screen cursor; (e) displaying the identified message within the status window; (f) repeating steps (c)-(e) for a plurality of pictorial graphical screen icons, whereby the status window is continually updated with a message describing a pictorial graphical screen icon currently pointed to by said screen cursor; and (g) independently of steps (d) and (e), periodically refreshing said status window by; (i) setting a system timer for generating periodic timing signals; and (ii) upon occurrence of a timing signal, refreshing the status window by determining if said screen cursor is still positioned within any of said at least one pictorial graphical screen icon and erasing any message which is displayed within said status window if said screen cursor is not positioned within a pictorial graphical screen icon, so that a correct message is displayed within said status window irrespective of whether a cursor movement message has been posted by the system in response to movement of said screen cursor. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. In a computer system having a display screen with a user interface, said user interface including a toolbar comprising at least one pictorial graphical screen button, a method for providing hints to the user about the function of a pictorial graphical screen button of interest, the method comprising:
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(a) for each said at least one screen button, storing a hint message together with an identifier indicating a screen button associated with the stored hint message, said pictorial graphical screen button invoking a system function upon selection by a user wherein said system function is selected from a group consisting of cutting, pasting, editing, and printing functions; (b) moving a screen cursor for selecting a desired position on the display screen; (c) upon movement of said screen cursor, determining if said screen cursor touches one of said at least one pictorial graphical screen button; (d) if said screen cursor touches one of said at least one pictorial graphical screen button, identifying the one pictorial graphical screen button touched; (e) displaying for each pictorial graphical screen button identified its hint message at a position on the display screen fixed relative to the user interface; and (f) independently of steps (b)-(d), refreshing said hints provided to the user by periodically testing whether said screen cursor touches a pictorial graphical screen button whose hint message is being displayed. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A system for assisting a user with operation of a computer, the system comprising:
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a computer having a processor and a memory; a screen device for displaying a multi-window graphical user interface in first, second, and third display regions, said first display region for displaying objects having data supplied by the user, said second display region for displaying non-textual, pictorial icons representing operations to be performed on said objects by the computer upon selection by the user, and said third display region for providing information assisting the user with understanding a non-textual, pictorial icon; pointing means for positioning a screen cursor at a desired screen location on the screen device; means, responsive to said pointing means, for determining each one of said non-textual, pictorial icons which is traversed by the screen cursor; means for describing to the user at the third display region each non-textual, pictorial icon as it is traversed by the screen cursor; and update means, operating independently of said means for determining, for repetitively testing a current screen location of the screen cursor for determining whether the screen cursor is still traversing a non-textual, pictorial icon which is being described at the third display region. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification