Method and system for automatically consolidating icons into a master icon

• US 5,760,774 A
• Filed: 10/16/1997
• Issued: 06/02/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pickover, Clifford A., Schwartz, Michael Stephen, Grossman, Bertrand M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John E.
• Application Number:
  US08/951,868
• Time in Patent Office: 229 Days
• Field of Search: 345/326-358
• US Class Current: 715/835
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/977 Dynamic icon, e.g. animated or live action

Abstract

A method and system for facilitating the selection of icons. Those icons which are next likely to be used are selected and automatically moved towards a cursor thereby facilitating selection of the icons. Additionally, those icons likely to be used or other icons selected by a user may track the cursor such that those icons are always close to the cursor and capable of being easily selected. Further, in order to facilitate selection of icons, icons are provided with the capability of announcing themselves when a cursor comes close to the icon. In addition, it is possible to reduce the amount of clutter on a computer display so that icons may be easily selected. In order to clean up a computer display, icons which are least likely to be used are faded, eliminated or shrunk to a smaller size. In another embodiment, icons that are not used very often may disappear into a master icon and further, icons which have a conceptual relationship between them may be linked by a visual graphical representation.

Claims

1. A method for consolidating icons displayed on a computer display, said method comprising the steps of:

automatically determining one or more icons to be consolidated; and

automatically consolidating said one or more icons into a master icon, whereby consolidated icons are hidden from view.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining step comprises selecting said one or more icons to be consolidated based on a likelihood that a particular icon will not be used within a predefined amount of time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said master icon comprises one or more graphical symbols indicating consolidated icons.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of having one of said consolidated icons reappear on said computer display.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising removing a graphical symbol associated with said icon to reappear, said graphical symbol being located on said master icon.

6. A system for consolidating icons displayed on a computer display, said system comprising:

means for automatically determining one or more icons to be consolidated; and

means for automatically consolidating said one or more icons into a master icon, whereby consolidated icons are hidden from view.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said determining means comprises means for selecting said one or more icons to be consolidated based on a likelihood that a particular icon will not be used within a predefined amount of time.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said master icon comprises one or more graphical symbols indicating consolidated icons.

9. The system of claim 6, further comprising means for having one of said consolidated icons reappear on said computer display.

10. The system of claim 6, further comprising means for removing a graphical symbol associated with said icon to reappear, said graphical symbol being located on said master icon.