Method and system for manipulating data through a graphic user interface within a data processing system
First Claim
1. A method in a data processing system for efficiently managing a plurality of displayable objects within a display, said method comprising the data processing system implemented steps of:
- providing a plurality of graphic selections arranged in a substantially circular formation, each of said plurality of graphic selections indicating one of said plurality of displayable objects;
displaying a rotatable pointer within said substantially circular formation, said rotatable pointer including a moveable control element within said rotatable pointer; and
altering a display of at least one of said plurality of displayable objects in response to a selection of one of said plurality of graphic selections utilizing said rotatable pointer and a manipulation of said moveable control element, wherein said rotatable pointer and said moveable control element are manipulated by a user controlled pointer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system in a data processing system for efficiently managing a plurality of displayable objects within a display. Graphic selections of displayable objects arranged in a substantially circular formation are displayed in conjunction with a rotatable pointer or bar which is rotatable about a pivot point within the graphic selection arranged in a substantially circular formation. A moveable control element may be provided along the rotatable pointer or bar. The rotatable pointer or bar also includes one end which may be utilized for designating one of the graphic selections. The display of the displayable object may be altered in response to a selection of one of the graphic selections utilizing the end of the rotatable pointer or bar and in response to a manipulation of the moveable control element.
76 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method in a data processing system for efficiently managing a plurality of displayable objects within a display, said method comprising the data processing system implemented steps of:
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providing a plurality of graphic selections arranged in a substantially circular formation, each of said plurality of graphic selections indicating one of said plurality of displayable objects; displaying a rotatable pointer within said substantially circular formation, said rotatable pointer including a moveable control element within said rotatable pointer; and altering a display of at least one of said plurality of displayable objects in response to a selection of one of said plurality of graphic selections utilizing said rotatable pointer and a manipulation of said moveable control element, wherein said rotatable pointer and said moveable control element are manipulated by a user controlled pointer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for selectively manipulating the display of a plurality of overlapping data collections which are displayed in multiple layers in a simulated three-dimensional manner within a data processing system, said method comprising the data processing system implemented steps of:
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providing a substantially circular control icon having a defined periphery; displaying a rotatable pointer rotatable about a pivot point within said substantially circular control icon; associating each of said plurality of data collections with a selected point about said defined periphery; displaying said multiple layers of said overlapping data collections in a selected order; and altering said selected order of said display of said multiple layers of overlapping data collections in response to a rotation of said rotatable pointer caused by a selection of said rotatable pointer by a pointer controlled by a user input, wherein said step displaying a rotatable pointer rotatable about a pivot point within said substantially control icon includes the step of displaying said rotatable pointer in a form of a rotatable bar rotatable about said pivot point, wherein said rotatable bar has a first end for selecting one of said plurality of selections, wherein said step of altering said selected order of said display of said multiple layers of overlapping data collections in response to a rotation of a rotatable pointer includes the step of bringing a window associated with one of said plurality of selections to a foreground view in response to a selection of said one of said plurality of selections associated with said window and wherein said step of displaying a rotatable pointer rotatable about a pivot point within said substantially circular control icon further includes the step of displaying a moveable control element within said rotatable pointer. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A data processing system for efficiently managing a plurality of displayable objects within a display, said data processing system, comprising:
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display means for displaying a plurality of graphic selections arranged in a substantially circular formation with a rotatable pointer rotatable about a pivot point within said substantially circular formation and a moveable control element within said rotatable pointer; and display control means for altering a display of at least one of said plurality of displayable objects in response to a selection of one of said plurality of graphic selections said rotatable pointer and said moveable control element, wherein said rotatable pointer and said moveable control element are manipulated by a user controlled pointer. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A data processing system for selectively manipulating the display of a plurality of overlapping data collections which are displayed in multiple layers in a simulated three-dimensional manner within said data processing system, said data processing system comprising:
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display means for displaying a substantially circular control icon having a defined periphery; association means for associating each of said plurality of data collections with a selected point about said defined periphery; display means for displaying said multiple layers of said overlapping data collections in a selected order; and alteration means for altering said selected order of said display of said multiple layers of overlapping data collections in response to a rotation of a rotatable pointer caused by a selection of said rotatable pointer controlled by a user input, wherein said display means for displaying a rotatable pointer rotatable about a pivot point within said substantially control icon includes means for displaying said rotatable pointer in a form of a rotatable bar rotatable about said pivot point, wherein said rotatable bar has a first end for selecting one of said plurality of selections, wherein said alteration means for altering said selected order of said display of said multiple layers of overlapping data collections in response to a rotation of a rotatable pointer includes means for bringing a window to a foreground view in response to a selection of one of said plurality of selections associated with said window and wherein said display means for displaying a rotatable pointer rotatable about a pivot point within said substantially circular control icon further includes means for displaying a moveable control element within said rotatable pointer. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification