Method, apparatus and memory for directing a computer system to display a multi-axis rotatable, polyhedral-shape panel container having front panels for displaying objects

• US 5,515,486 A
• Filed: 12/16/1994
• Issued: 05/07/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Poston, Ricky L., Amro, Hatim Y., Cline, Troy L., Isensee, Scott H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jankus, Almis R.
• Application Number:
  US08/357,886
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 395/119, 395/125, 395/127, 395/129, 395/130, 395/133-139, 395/141, 395/152, 395/155, 395/159, 395/161
• US Class Current: 715/848
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04802 3D-info-object: information is displayed on the internal or external surface of a three dimensional manipulable object, e.g. on the faces of a cube that can be rotated by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/60 Rotation of whole images or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/976 3-D Icon

Abstract

A computer-implemented method, a uniquely programmed computer system, and a memory embodying detailed logic for directing a computer system to independently rotate a polyhedron display container about several axis. The computer-implemented method includes the steps of displaying a panel container on a display and, in response to a first command from user controls to select a first front panel in the panel container, horizontally rotating the first front panel to a central column if the first front panel is not in the central column. The method also includes the step of in response to the first command to select a second front panel, vertically rotating the second front panel to the central row if the second front panel is not in the central row.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for displaying a multi-axis rotatable, polyhedral-shaped panel container, the panel container having a front panel for displaying objects, the sides organized in a plurality of rotatable rows of panels and columns of panels, the panel container having a central row and central column of panels, wherein the central row and central column intersect at the front panel, comprising the steps of:

displaying said panel container on a display;

in response to a first command from user controls to select a first panel in said panel container, horizontally rotating said first panel to said central column if said first panel is not in said central column; and

in response to said first command from said user controls to select a second panel, if said second panel is in said central column, vertically rotating said second panel such that said second panel becomes said front panel.

2. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of:

in response to a second command from said user controls to select a third panel, if said third panel is not in said central column and said central row, diagonally rotating said third panel such that said third panel becomes said front panel.

3. The computer-implemented method according to claim 2, wherein said step of diagonally rotating said third panel if said third panel is not in said central column and said central row comprises the following steps:

diagonally rotating said front panel from a central front panel position in a rotational direction of said third panel; and

diagonally rotating an additional panel to the previous position of said third panel.

4. The computer-implemented method according to claim 2 wherein said second command comprises a double click from a mouse over empty space of said third panel.

5. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

horizontally rotating a fourth front panel positioned adjacent to said first panel in a horizontal rotational direction of said first panel; and

vertically rotating a fifth front panel positioned adjacent to said second panel in a vertical rotational direction of said second panel.

6. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of placing object icons within said first and second panels.

7. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 wherein said first command comprises a single click from a mouse over empty space of said first or second panel.

8. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of placing a workspace switch within said first or second panel.

9. A computer system for displaying a multi-axis rotatable, polyhedral-shaped panel container for displaying computer objects, the panel container having a front panel for displaying objects, the sides organized in a plurality of rotatable rows of panels and columns of panels, the front panel container having a central row and central column of panels, wherein the central row and central column intersect at the front panel, comprising:

user controls;

a processor for receiving a first command from said user controls to select a first panel in said panel container;

in response to said first command, said processor for horizontally rotating said first panel to said central column if said first panel is not in said central column; and

in response to said first command to select a second panel, if said second panel is in said central column, said processor for vertically rotating said second panel such that said second panel becomes said front panel.

10. The computer system according to claim 9 further comprising:

in response to a second command from said user controls to select a third panel, said processor for diagonally rotating said third panel to become said front panel if said third panel is not in said central column and said central row.

11. The computer system according to claim 10, further comprising:

said processor for diagonally rotating said front panel from a central front panel position in a rotational direction of said third panel; and

said processor for diagonally rotating an additional front panel to the previous position of said third panel.

12. The computer system according to claim 10 wherein said second command comprises a double click from a mouse over empty space of said third panel.

13. The computer system according to claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

said processor for horizontally rotating a fourth panel positioned adjacent to said first panel in a horizontal rotational direction of said first panel; and

said processor for vertically rotating a fifth front positioned adjacent to said second panel in a vertical rotational direction of said second panel.

14. The computer system according to claim 9 further comprising the step of placing object icons within said first and second panels.

15. The computer system according to claim 9 wherein said first command comprises a single click from a mouse over empty space of said first or second panels.

16. The computer system according to claim 9 further comprising said processor for placing a workspace switch within said first or second panels.

17. A computer-readable memory embodying detailed logic for directing a computer system to independently rotate a multi-sided, polyhedron panel display container about several axis, the panel display container having a central row and central column of panels, wherein the central row and central column intersect at a front panel, comprising:

first detailed logic for displaying said panel container on a display;

in response to a first command from user controls to select a first panel in said panel container, second detailed logic for horizontally rotating said first panel to become said front panel if said first panel is not in said central column; and

in response to said first command from said user controls to select a second front panel, if said second panel is in said central column, third detailed logic for vertically rotating said second panel such that said second panel becomes said front panel.

18. The memory according to claim 17 further comprising:

in response to a second command from said user controls to select a third panel, if said third panel is not in said central column and said central row, fourth detailed logic for diagonally rotating said third panel such that said third panel becomes said front panel.

19. The memory according to claim 18, wherein said fourth detailed logic for diagonally rotating said third panel if said third panel is not in said central column and said central row comprises:

fifth detailed logic for diagonally rotating said front panel from a central front panel position in a rotational direction of said third panel; and

sixth detailed logic for diagonally rotating an additional panel to the previous position of said third panel.

20. The memory according to claim 18 wherein said second command comprises a double click from a mouse over empty space of said third panel.

21. The memory according to claim 17 further comprising:

seventh detailed logic for horizontally rotating a fourth front panel positioned adjacent to said first panel in a horizontal rotational direction of said first panel; and

eighth detailed logic for vertically rotating a fifth front panel positioned adjacent to said second panel in a vertical rotational direction of said second panel.

22. The memory according to claim 17 further comprising ninth detailed logic for placing object icons within said first and second panels.

23. The memory according to claim 17 wherein said first command comprises a single click from a mouse over empty space of said first or second panel.

24. The memory according to claim 17 further comprising tenth detailed logic for placing a workspace switch within said first or second panel.