Method for controlling a computerized organizer

• US 5,625,377 A
• Filed: 05/26/1995
• Issued: 04/29/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Jenson, Scott A.
• Primary Examiner(s): BRIER, JEFFERY A
• Application Number:
  US08/451,201
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 345/146
• US Class Current: 715/860
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0266 for time management, e.g. calendars, diaries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

The method of the present invention includes the steps of executing a process to support a number of temporal-based functions and activating at least one of these temporal-based functions. Temporal-based functions of the present invention include a scheduler, to-do list, and a note function. Temporal-based entries can then be moved within and/or between the temporal-based functions. Further, temporal-based entries can be edited for each temporal-based function. Moving temporal-based entries involves the selection of an entry with a pointer mechanism, dragging the entry to a new location, releasing the entry at the new location, and updating a database to reflect the entry'"'"'s change in position. Editing an entry involves direct editing of an entry, editing through an editing window, or editing of a duration bar associated with an entry. Data entered into a scheduling field of the scheduler function is processed according to its placement within the scheduling field. Annotation entries are separated from appointment entries by an invisible margin in the scheduling field.

Claims

1. A method for entering data into a scheduler comprising:

displaying a scheduling field on a screen of a pen-based computer system, said field having an appointment area and an annotation area, said appointment area and said annotation area being concurrently active;

entering data on said scheduling field with a pointer mechanism; and

processing said data according to its placement on said scheduling field.

2. A method for entering data as recited in claim 1 wherein said step of processing includes determining on which side of a predetermined margin in said scheduling field data placement substantially occurs.

3. A method for entering data as recited in claim 2 wherein said margin separates said appointment area from said annotation area.

4. A method for editing a temporal-based entry in a computerized organizer having a screen including at least first and second areas and a pointer mechanism, said method comprising:

selecting with a pointer mechanism of a computerized organizer said computerized organizer a temporal-based object from a plurality of concurrently active temporal-based objects, wherein said temporal-based objects are located in at least one of said first and said second areas a first area and a second area, said first area and said second area being separated by an invisible margin such that temporal-based objects corresponding to data entered in said second area that are moved across said invisible margin to said first area are transformed into temporal-based objects corresponding to data entered into said first area and temporal-based objects corresponding to data entered in said first area that are moved across said invisible margin into said second area are transformed into temporal-based objects corresponding to data entered in said first area; and

editing a duration bar associated with said temporal-based object with said pointer mechanism.

5. A method for editing temporal-based entries as recited in claim 4 wherein said step of editing includes the steps of:

selecting said duration bar associated with said temporal-based object;

displaying an edit window in response to said duration bar selection; and

entering data into said edit window to change at least one of a title, a duration, a start time, and a stop time of said temporal-based object with said pointer mechanism.

6. A method for editing temporal-based entries as recited in claim 4 wherein said step of editing includes adjusting the length of said duration bar associated with said temporal-based object.

7. A method for editing temporal-based entries as recited in claim 6 wherein the step of adjusting comprises selecting said duration bar with said pointer mechanism and dragging said pointer mechanism substantially vertically across said screen.

8. A method for editing temporal-based entries as recited in claim 4 wherein said step of editing includes adding data to said temporal-based object by entering data in said screen with said pointer mechanism, and removing data from said temporal-based object by scrubbing data from said screen with said pointer mechanism.

9. A method for entering data into a temporal-based object comprising:

displaying a field on a screen of a pen-based computer system, said field having at least a first area and a second area, said first area and said second area being separated by an invisible margin such that temporal-based entries corresponding to data entered in said second area that are moved across said invisible margin to said first area are transformed into temporal-based entries corresponding to data entered in said first area and temporal-based entries corresponding to data entered in said first area that are moved across said invisible margin into said second area are transformed into temporal-based entries corresponding to data entered in said second area;

entering data on said field with a pointer mechanism; and

processing said data according to its placement on said field.

10. A method for entering data as recited in claim 9 wherein said step of processing includes determining on which side of a predetermined margin in said field data placement substantially occurs.

11. A method for entering data as recited in claim 10 wherein said margin separates said first area from said second area.

12. A method for editing a temporal-based entry in a computerized organizer having a screen and a pointer mechanism, said method comprising:

selecting with a pointer mechanism of a computerized organizer said computerized organizer a temporal-based object from a plurality of concurrently active temporal-based objects including a scheduler, a to-do list and a note function, wherein said scheduler includes an appointment area and an annotation area, said appointment area and said annotation area being separated by an invisible margin such that temporal-based entries corresponding to annotations in said annotation area that are moved across said invisible margin to said appointment area are transformed into temporal-based entries corresponding to appointments and temporal-based entries corresponding to appointments that are moved across said invisible margin into said annotation area are transformed into temporal-based entries corresponding to annotations; and

editing a duration bar associated with said temporal-based object with said pointer mechanism.

13. A method for editing temporal-based entries as recited in claim 12 wherein said step of editing includes the steps of:

selecting said duration bar associated with said temporal-based object;

displaying an edit window in response to said duration bar selection; and

entering data into said edit window to change at least one of a title, a duration, a start time, and a stop time of said temporal-based object with said pointer mechanism.

14. A method for editing temporal-based entries as recited in claim 12 wherein said step of editing includes adjusting the length of said duration bar associated with said temporal-based object.

15. A method for editing temporal-based entries as recited in claim 14 wherein the step of adjusting comprises selecting said duration bar with said pointer mechanism and dragging said pointer mechanism substantially vertically across said screen.

16. A method for editing temporal-based entries as recited in claim 12 wherein said step of editing includes adding data to said temporal-based object by entering data in said screen with said pointer mechanism, and removing data from said temporal-based object by scrubbing data from said screen with said pointer mechanism.

17. A method for entering data into a scheduler comprising:

displaying a scheduling field on a screen of a pen-based computer system, said field having an appointment area and an annotation area, said appointment area and said annotation area being separated by an invisible margin such that temporal-based entries corresponding to annotations in said annotation area that are moved across said invisible margin to said appointment area are transformed into temporal-based entries corresponding to appointments and temporal-based entries corresponding to appointments that are moved across said invisible margin into said annotation area are transformed into temporal-based entries corresponding to annotations;

entering data on said scheduling field with a pointer mechanism; and

processing said data according to its placement on said scheduling field.

18. A method for entering data as recited in claim 17 wherein said step of processing includes determining on which side of a predetermined margin in said scheduling field data placement substantially occurs.

19. A method for entering data as recited in claim 18 wherein said margin separates said appointment area from said annotation area.

20. A computerized organizer system comprising:

a screen display having a first area and a second area;

a pointer mechanism; and

means for selecting with said pointer mechanism a temporal-based object from a plurality of concurrently active temporal-based objects in said first area and said second area, said first area and said second area being separated by an invisible margin such that temporal-based objects corresponding to data entered in said second area that are moved across said invisible margin to said first area are transformed into temporal-based objects corresponding to data entered into said first area and temporal-based objects corresponding to data entered in said first area that are moved across said invisible margin into said second area are transformed into temporal-based objects corresponding to data entered in said first area.

21. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for entering data into a scheduler, the program instructions including instructions for performing the steps comprising:

displaying a scheduling field on a screen of a pen-based computer system, said field having an appointment area and an annotation area, said appointment area and said annotation area being concurrently active;

entering data on said scheduling field with a pointer mechanism; and

processing said data according to its placement on said scheduling field.

22. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 21 wherein said program instructions include instructions for determining on which side of a predetermined margin in said scheduling field data placement substantially occurs.

23. A computer readable medium as recited in claim 21 wherein said margin separates said appointment area from said annotation area.

24. A computer readable medium containing program instructions for editing a temporal-based entry in a computerized organizer having a screen including at least first and second areas and a pointer mechanism, the program instructions including instructions for performing the steps comprising:

selecting with a pointer mechanism of a computerized organizer said computerized organizer a temporal-based object from a plurality of concurrently active temporal-based objects, wherein said temporal-based objects are located in at least one of said first and said second areas a first area and a second area, said first area and said second area being separated by an invisible margin such that temporal-based objects corresponding to data entered in said second area that are moved across said invisible margin to said first area are transformed into temporal-based objects corresponding to data entered into said first area and temporal-based objects corresponding to data entered in said first area that are moved across said invisible margin into said second area are transformed into temporal-based objects corresponding to data entered in said first area; and

editing a duration bar associated with said temporal-based object with said pointer mechanism.

25. A computer readable medium for editing temporal-based entries as recited in claim 24 wherein said program instructions for editing include instructions for:

selecting said duration bar associated with said temporal-based object;

displaying an edit window in response to said duration bar selection; and

entering data into said edit window to change at least one of a title, a duration, a start time, and a stop time of said temporal-based object with said pointer mechanism.

26. A computer readable medium for editing temporal-based entries as recited in claim 24 wherein said instructions for editing include instructions for adjusting the length of said duration bas associated with said temporal-based object.

27. A computer readable medium for editing temporal-based entries as recited in claim 26 wherein said instructions for adjusting comprise instructions for selecting said selecting said duration bar with said pointer mechanism and dragging said pointer mechanism substantially vertically across said screen.

28. A computer readable medium for editing temporal-based entries as recited in claim 24 wherein said program instructions for editing include instructions for adding data to said temporal-based object by entering data in said screen with said pointer mechanism, and removing data from said temporal-based object by scrubbing data from said screen with said pointer mechanism.

29. A computer readable medium for entering data into a temporal-based object, the program instructions including instructions for performing the steps comprising:

displaying a field on a screen of a pen-based computer system, said field having at least a first area and a second area, said first area and said second area being separated by an invisible margin such that temporal-based entries corresponding to data entered in said second area that are moved across said invisible margin to said first area are transformed into temporal-based entries corresponding to data entered in said area and temporal-based entries corresponding to data entered in said first area that are moved across said invisible margin into said second area are transformed into temporal-based entries corresponding to data entered in said second area;

entering data on said field with a pointer mechanism; and

processing said data according to its placement on said field.

30. A computer readable medium for entering data as recited in claim 29 wherein said program instructions for processing include instructions for determining on which side of a predetermined margin in said field data placement substantially occurs.

31. A computer readable medium for entering data as recited in claim 30 wherein said margin separates said first area from said second area.

32. A computer readable medium for editing a temporal-based entry in a computerized organizer having a screen and a pointer mechanism, the program instructions including instructions for performing the steps comprising:

selecting with a pointer mechanism of a computerized organizer said computerized organizer a temporal-based object from a plurality of concurrently active temporal-based objects including a scheduler, a to-do list and a note function, wherein said scheduler includes an appointment area and an annotation area, said appointment area and said annotation area being separated by an invisible margin such that temporal-based entries corresponding to annotations in said annotation area that are moved across said invisible margin to said appointment area are transformed into temporal-based entries corresponding to appointments and temporal-based entries corresponding to appointments that are moved across said invisible margin into said annotation area are transformed into temporal-based entries corresponding to annotations; and

editing a duration bar associated with said temporal-based object with said pointer mechanism.

33. A computer readable medium for editing temporal-based entries as recited in claim 32 wherein said program instructions for editing include instructions for:

selecting said duration bar associated with said temporal-based object;

displaying an edit window in response to said duration bar selection; and

entering data into said edit window to change at least one of a title, a duration, a start time, and a stop time of said temporal-based object with said pointer mechanism.

34. A computer readable medium for editing temporal-based entries as recited in claim 32 wherein said program instructions for editing include instructions for adjusting the length of said duration bar associated with said temporal-based object.

35. A computer readable medium for editing temporal-based entries as recited in claim 34 wherein said program instructions for adjusting comprise instructions for selecting said duration bar with said pointer mechanism and dragging said pointer mechanism substantially vertically across said screen.

36. A computer readable medium for editing temporal-based entries as recited in claim 32 wherein said program instructions for editing include instructions for adding data to said temporal-based object by entering data in said screen with said pointer mechanism, and removing data from said temporal-based object by scrubbing data from said screen with said pointer mechanism.

37. A computer readable medium for entering data into a scheduler, the program instructions including instructions for performing the steps comprising:

displaying a scheduling field on a screen of a pen-based computer system, said field having an appointment area and an annotation area, said appointment area and said annotation area being separated by an invisible margin such that temporal-based entries corresponding to annotations in said annotation area that are moved across said invisible margin to said appointment area are transformed into temporal-based entries corresponding to appointments and temporal-based entries corresponding to appointments that are moved across said invisible margin into said annotation area are transformed into temporal-based entries corresponding to annotations;

entering data on said scheduling field with a pointer mechanism; and

processing said data according to its placement on said scheduling field.

38. A computer readable medium for entering data as recited in claim 37 wherein said program instructions for processing include instructions for determining which side of a predetermined margin in said scheduling field data placement substantially occurs.

39. A computer readable medium for entering data as recited in claim 38 wherein said margin separates said appointment area from said annotation area.