Scrollbar having system of user supplied information

• US 5,510,808 A
• Filed: 01/31/1995
• Issued: 04/23/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pazel, Donald P., Cina, Vincent J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): WU, XIAO MIN
• Application Number:
  US08/381,295
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 345/145, 345/146, 345/118, 345/119, 345/120, 345/121, 345/123, 345/157, 395/157, 395/159, 395/156
• US Class Current: 345/684
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars

Abstract

Method and apparatus for indicating to a user of a data processing system having a display a location or locations of information within a presentation space. A first step provides on the display a view window for providing a view into a first region of a larger presentation space. A second step displays on the display at least one scrollbar having a moveable indicator for indicating a position of the view window within the presentation space. A third step displays within the scrollbar at least one indicia for indicating a relative location of a feature of interest within the presentation space. The indicia may take the form of alphanumeric characters, symbols, colors, graphical images, audio information and combinations thereof. In response to a user positioning the moveable indicator to a position associated with the at least one indicia a fourth step re-positions the view window to provide a view of a second region of the presentation space, the second region including the feature of interest.

Claims

1. In a data processing system having display means for displaying information to a user, a method for enabling a user to access predetermined information that is stored within a memory means of the data processing system, the predetermined information being associated with a location within a presentation space, comprising the steps of:

displaying a view window for providing a view into a localized region of the presentation space;

displaying at least one scrollbar having an indicator for indicating a position of the view window within the presentation space, the at least one scrollbar being displayed so as to occupy a linear region that is bounded by first and second ends that represent an extent of the presentation space along an axis of the presentation space;

displaying at least one indicia that is predeterminally positioned at a point along the linear region, relative to the first and second ends, that corresponds to a position, within the presentation space, of the location of the predetermined information, the indicia being selected from a group consisting essentially of alphanumeric characters, symbols, colors, graphical images, audio information and combinations thereof and is selected by one of an application program running on the data processing system and a user of the data processing system; and

responsive to a user positioning the indicator to a location at or near the location of the at least one indicia, positioning the view window to provide a view of a localized region of the presentation space that includes the location associated with the predetermined information, whereby the user is enabled to gain access to the predetermined information that is stored in the memory means.

2. In a data processing system having display means for displaying information to a user, a method for enabling a user to locate instances of specific information within a document that is stored within a memory means of the data processing system, comprising the steps of:

displaying a view window for providing a view into a localized region of a presentation space that corresponds to the document;

displaying at least one scrollbar having an indicator for indicating a position of the view window within the presentation space, the at least one scrollbar being displayed so as to occupy a linear region that is bounded by first and second ends that represent an extent of the presentation space along an axis of the presentation space;

in response to an execution of a search command that is initiated by the user, searching the document to locate instances of specific information that is specified by the user in conjunction with the initiation of the search command;

for individual ones of located instances of the specific information within the document, displaying an indicia that is predeterminally positioned at a point along the linear region, relative to the first and second ends, that corresponds to a position, within the presentation space, of the located instance of the predetermined information within the document; and

responsive to a user positioning the indicator to a location at or near the location of a displayed indicia, positioning the view window to provide a view of a localized region of the presentation space that includes a portion of the document that includes a located instance of the predetermined information that is associated with the one of the displayed indicia.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the indicia is selected from a group consisting essentially of alphanumeric characters, symbols, colors, graphical images, audio information and combinations thereof.

4. In a data processing system having display means for displaying information to a user, a method for enabling a user to ascertain an organization of a data structure that is stored within a memory means of the data processing system, comprising the steps of:

displaying a view window for providing a view into a localized region of a presentation space that corresponds to the data structure, the data structure being partitioned into a plurality of data structure sub-structures;

displaying at least one scrollbar having an indicator for indicating a position of the view window within the presentation space, the at least one scrollbar being displayed so as to occupy a linear region that is bounded by first and second ends that represent an extent of the presentation space along an axis of the presentation space;

displaying a plurality of indicia, individual ones of the displayed indicia being predeterminally positioned at a point along the linear region, relative to the first and second ends, that corresponds to a location within the presentation space of a location of one of the data structure sub-structures; and

responsive to a user positioning the indicator to a location at or near the location of one of said displayed indicia, positioning the view window to provide a view of a localized region of the presentation space that includes a portion of the data structure that includes a data structure sub-structure that is associated with the one of the displayed indicia.

5. A method as set forth in claim 4 wherein the indicia is selected from a group consisting essentially of alphanumeric characters, symbols, colors, graphical images, audio information and combinations thereof.

6. In a data processing system having display means for displaying information to a user and audio means for outputting audio signals to a user, a method for enabling a user to hear an instance of a pre-recorded audio annotation that is associated with a data file that is stored within a memory means of the data processing system, comprising the steps of:

displaying a view window for providing a view into a localized region of a presentation space that corresponds to the data file;

displaying at least one scrollbar having an indicator for indicating a position of the view window within the presentation space, the at least one scrollbar being displayed so as to occupy a linear region that is bounded by first and second ends that represent an extent of the presentation space along an axis of the presentation space;

for individual ones of pre-recorded audio annotations that are associated with the data file, displaying an indicia that is predeterminally positioned at a point along the linear region, relative to the first and second ends, that corresponds to a position, within the presentation space, of the pre-recorded audio annotation; and

responsive to a user positioning the indicator to a location at or near the location of a displayed indicia, positioning the view window to provide a view of a localized region of the presentation space that includes a portion of the data file that includes a

pre-recorded audio annotation that is associated with the one of the displayed indicia, thereby enabling the pre-recorded audio annotation to be output to the user as an audio signal.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the indicia is selected from a group consisting essentially of alphanumeric characters, symbols, colors, graphical images, audio information and combinations thereof.