Method and system for stacking toolbars in a computer display
DCFirst Claim
1. A method for providing access to a plurality of graphic objects on a computer display, comprising the steps of:
- (a) organizing the plurality of graphic objects into a plurality of generally quadrilaterally shaped toolbars, each toolbar comprising a group of associated graphic objects organized in an array;
(b) creating a stack with the plurality of toolbars on the computer display, so that any selected toolbar is fully visible and hides a substantial portion of any non-selected toolbar from among the plurality of toolbars;
a graphic object in any selected toolbar that is fully visible to a user on the computer display being directly selectable by the user to activate said graphic object; and
(c) enabling the user to choose any non-selected toolbar from among the plurality of toolbars of graphic objects, to make the non-selected toolbar that is thus chosen by the user become a selected toolbar that is fully visible to the user on the computer display, causing a previously selected toolbar to become a non-selected toolbar that is no longer fully visible, a substantial portion of the previously selected toolbar being substantially hidden by the toolbar just chosen by the user.
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Abstract
A plurality of toolbars that include graphic objects, which can be selected by the user, are arranged in a stack. Only the graphic objects on one or more selected toolbars are displayed. The user can selectively choose a toolbar that has graphic objects currently hidden by the selected toolbar(s), causing one or more of the toolbars to move aside, exposing the group of graphic objects associated with the toolbar newly selected by the user. Movement of the toolbar(s) to disclose the graphic objects on the newly selected toolbar is preferably accomplished by animating the toolbar(s) to slide to different positions, so that the graphic objects or buttons on the newly selected toolbar are displayed. For added realism, the animation sequence used to disclose graphic objects on a selected toolbar includes an audible sound and a "bump" as the toolbar(s) reach a rest position.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method for providing access to a plurality of graphic objects on a computer display, comprising the steps of:
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(a) organizing the plurality of graphic objects into a plurality of generally quadrilaterally shaped toolbars, each toolbar comprising a group of associated graphic objects organized in an array; (b) creating a stack with the plurality of toolbars on the computer display, so that any selected toolbar is fully visible and hides a substantial portion of any non-selected toolbar from among the plurality of toolbars;
a graphic object in any selected toolbar that is fully visible to a user on the computer display being directly selectable by the user to activate said graphic object; and(c) enabling the user to choose any non-selected toolbar from among the plurality of toolbars of graphic objects, to make the non-selected toolbar that is thus chosen by the user become a selected toolbar that is fully visible to the user on the computer display, causing a previously selected toolbar to become a non-selected toolbar that is no longer fully visible, a substantial portion of the previously selected toolbar being substantially hidden by the toolbar just chosen by the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A graphic operating system that is implemented on a computer, said graphic operating system including graphic objects that appear on a computer display, comprising:
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(a) means for organizing the plurality of graphic objects into a plurality of generally quadrilaterally shaped toolbars, each toolbar comprising a group of associated graphic objects organized in an array; (b) means for creating a stack of the toolbars on the computer display so that any selected toolbar substantially hides a substantial portion of any non-selected toolbar in the stack;
said group of graphic objects in any selected toolbar being fully visible on the computer display to a user so that a graphic object within said group is directly selectable and activatable by the user; and(c) means for enabling the user to choose a non-selected toolbar to become a selected toolbar, including means for causing the non-selected toolbar thus chosen to become fully visible so that the graphic objects comprising it are visible to the user on the computer display, and so that a substantial portion of a previously selected toolbar is hidden by the toolbar that was just chosen by the user, said graphic operating system thereby reducing an area of the computer display required for displaying the groups of graphic objects comprising the toolbars in the stack. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification