User interface for synchronously and independently scrolling windows

• US 5,877,760 A
• Filed: 06/06/1996
• Issued: 03/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Koizumi, Yuichi, Tanabe, Takao, Fujita, Norio, Onda, Kiyosumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John E.
• Application Number:
  US08/659,320
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 395/206-207, 395/326-358, 395/963, 345/117-120, 345/123-125, 345/326-358, 345/963, 345/973
• US Class Current: 715/784
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0334 Foot operated pointing devices
• 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 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06314 Calendaring for a resource
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/963 Calendar or scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/973 Scroll tool, e.g. window scroll bar

Abstract

The user interface system provides a mouse for inputting a time segment by pointing to an arbitrary position of the display screen. Displayed in a window, the time segment has a position and length to indicate hours or days. The segment editor displays the segment according to the length which is designated by the mouse. The database entry stores the position and length of the time segment. To avoid or lessen scrolling of time segment data, a window may divided either horizontally or vertically when desired data is located far apart. Multiple windows displayed on the screen may be scrolled synchronously in one direction and independently scrolled in the opposite direction.

Claims

1. A user interface system which has a display screen for displaying information, comprising:

(a) window display means for displaying a window on the display screen;

(b) divide means for vertically dividing the window into a plurality of horizontally arranged windows; and

(c) vertical display means for horizontally dividing the information into a plurality of vertically arranged sections and for displaying the vertically arranged sections of the information in corresponding ones of the horizontally arranged windows,

wherein the vertical display means includes horizontal scroll means for horizontally scrolling the information in each of the horizontally arranged windows synchronously, and vertical scroll means for vertically scrolling the vertically arranged sections of the information in each of the horizontally arranged windows independently.

3. The user interface system of claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

editing means for editing the information displayed in the window; and

,

synchronized update means for synchronously updating the information displayed in the plurality of windows.

4. The user interface system of the claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

a segment editor for displaying a segment in one of the windows and for duplicating the segment from one window to another window.

2. A user interface system which has a display screen for displaying information, comprising:

(a) window display means for displaying a window on the display screen;

(b) divide means for horizontally dividing the window into a plurality of vertically arranged windows; and

(c) horizontal display means for vertically dividing the information into a plurality of horizontally arranged sections and for displaying the horizontally arranged sections of the information in corresponding ones of the vertically arranged windows,

wherein the horizontal display means includes horizontal scroll means for horizontally scrolling the information in the vertically arranged windows independently, and vertical scroll means for vertically scrolling the horizontally arranged sections of the information in the vertically arranged windows synchronously.