Intelligent window user interface for computers
First Claim
1. A method of operating a computer comprising a graphical user interface (GUI) and a display, the method comprising:
- installing on said computer a plurality of related items comprising data files and application programs, said installed items collectively comprising a suite;
storing in a storage element associated with said suite contextual information relating to said installed items individually and collectively, said contextual information comprising information for identifying a location of each of said files and defining a relationship among said items;
responsive to user selection of a graphical display element (GDE) associated with said suite, displaying on said display a window for representing said suite, wherein each of said installed items is represented in said window by an icon; and
responsive to receipt of a command in connection with at least one of said icons, performing an action identified by said command on each of said at least one of said icons and said installed item represented thereby.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for implementing an intelligent window user interface for computers ("software suite") is disclosed. Each of a plurality of software suites of the present invention comprises a compound computer display object that provides a single integrated visual representation, via a "software suite window," for multiple application programs and/or files, which are represented in the suite window by icons. Each software suite has associated therewith a storage element in which is stored contextual information for defining the appearance and behavior of the software suite window and the icons displayed therein and for identifying the locations of files associated with the icons. This contextual information may also include, for example, an order in which related files in the suite are to be executed, as well as file history and manufacturing information for the items represented in the suite. In one aspect of the invention, the system enables a user, with minimal input, to initiate certain operations simultaneously upon all of the files represented in the software suite. In another aspect of the invention, the system facilitates the execution of a variety of operations that apply to the collective properties of the set of items as a whole, rather than to each of the items individually. In still another aspect of the invention, the system facilitates the deinstallation of files represented by a particular suite window or icon.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method of operating a computer comprising a graphical user interface (GUI) and a display, the method comprising:
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installing on said computer a plurality of related items comprising data files and application programs, said installed items collectively comprising a suite; storing in a storage element associated with said suite contextual information relating to said installed items individually and collectively, said contextual information comprising information for identifying a location of each of said files and defining a relationship among said items; responsive to user selection of a graphical display element (GDE) associated with said suite, displaying on said display a window for representing said suite, wherein each of said installed items is represented in said window by an icon; and responsive to receipt of a command in connection with at least one of said icons, performing an action identified by said command on each of said at least one of said icons and said installed item represented thereby. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of operating a computer comprising a graphical user interface (GUI) and a display, the method comprising:
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installing on said computer a plurality of related items comprising data files and application programs, said installed items collectively comprising a suite; storing in a storage element associated with said suite contextual information relating to said installed items individually and collectively, said contextual information comprising information for identifying a location of each of said files and defining a relationship among said items; responsive to user selection of a graphical display element (GDE) associated with said suite, displaying on said display a window for representing said suite, wherein said installed items are represented in said window by icons; detecting user selection of at least one of said icons; responsive to receipt of a move command in connection with said at least one icon, moving said selected ones of said at least one of said icons and said items represented thereby to a location indicated by said user; responsive to receipt of a copy command in connection with said at least one of said icons, copying said at least one of said icons and said items represented thereby to a location indicated by said user; responsive to receipt of a delete command in connection with said at least one of said icons, deleting said items represented by said at least one of said icons. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of operating a computer comprising a graphical user interface (GUI) and a display, the method comprising:
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representing at least one item installed on said computer by a graphical display element (GDE); responsive to receipt of a delete command in connection with at said least one GDE, deleting said at least one item represented by said GDE and subsequent to said deleting, altering an appearance of said GDE to indicate to said user that said GDE and said at least one item represented thereby have been deleted. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. In a computer comprising a graphical user interface (GUI) and a display, a system for manipulating files installed on said computer, the system comprising:
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means for installing on said computer a plurality of related items comprising data files and application programs, said installed items collectively comprising a suite; a storage element associated with said suite for storing contextual information relating to said installed items individually and collectively, said contextual information comprising information for identifying a location of each of said files and defining a relationship among said items; means responsive to user selection of a graphical display element (GDE) associated with said suite for displaying on said display a window for representing said suite, wherein each of said installed items is represented in said window by an icon; and means responsive to receipt of a command in connection with at least one of said icons for performing an action identified by said command on each of said at least one of said icons and said installed item represented thereby. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An intelligent graphical user interface ("GUI") system for a computer comprising a display, the system comprising:
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a suite window for presentation on said display, said suite window being associated with a suite of related files and comprising a plurality of icons for representing said files; a storage element associated with said suite for storing contextual information relating to said files individually and collectively said contextual information comprising information for identifying a location of each of said files and defining a relationship among said items; a graphical display element ("GDE") associated with said suite; and wherein responsive to user selection of said GDE, said suite window is displayed on said display in accordance with said contextual information; and wherein responsive to receipt of a command in connection with at least one of said icons, an action identified by said command is performed on each of said at least one of said icons and said files represented thereby. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. In a computer comprising a display, a system for manipulating files installed on said computer, the system comprising:
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a graphical display element (GDE) for representing at least one item installed on said computer display; and means responsive to receipt of a delete command in connection with at said least one GDE, for deleting said at least one item represented by said GDE and subsequent to said deleting, for altering an appearance of said GDE to indicate to said user that said GDE and said at least one item represented thereby have been deleted. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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Specification