User interface for synchronized scrolling and segment editing

• US 5,943,051 A
• Filed: 06/02/1997
• Issued: 08/24/1999
• 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:
  US08/867,231
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 345/326-358, 345/439, 345/123-131
• US Class Current: 715/786
• 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. Segments may be duplicated from one window to another. 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. Windows with different scaled information may be display simultaneously and synchronously scrolled.

Claims

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

(a) first display means for providing a first window for displaying information with a first scale and for also displaying information which is not subject to the scale;

(b) second display means for providing a second window to display simultaneously the information in the first window with a second scale which is different from the first scale, and for displaying the information not subject to the scale at a same size as in the first window, whereby the first and second windows are displayed on the display screen simultaneously; and

(c) scroll means for synchronously scrolling the information displayed in the first window and the second window.

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

(a) first display means for providing a first window for displaying information with a first scale and for also displaying information which is not subject to the scale;

(b) second display means for providing a second window to display simultaneously the information in the first window with a second scale which is different from the first scale, and for displaying the information not subject to the scale at a same size as in the first window, whereby the first and second windows are displayed on the display screen simultaneously;

(c) editing means for editing the information displayed in the window; and

(d) synchronized update means for synchronously updating the information displayed in the windows.

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

(a) first display means for providing a first window for displaying information with a first scale and for also displaying information which is not subject to the scale;

(b) second display means for providing a second window to display simultaneously the information in the first window with a second scale which is different from the first scale, and for displaying the information not subject to the scale at a same size as in the first window, whereby the first and second windows are displayed on the display screen simultaneously; and

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

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

(a) first display means for providing a first window to display information with a first time scale;

(b) second display means for providing a second window to display simultaneously information with a second time scale which is different from the first time scale, wherein the information displayed by the first display means is displayed in the second window with the second time scale, whereby the first and second windows are displayed on the display screen simultaneously; and

(c) scroll means for synchronously scrolling the information displayed in the first window and the second window.

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

(a) first display means for providing a first window to display information with a first time scale;

(b) second display means for providing a second window to display simultaneously information with a second time scale which is different from the first time scale, wherein the information displayed by the first display means is displayed in the second window with the second time scale, whereby the first and second windows are displayed on the display screen simultaneously;

(c) editing means for editing the information displayed in the window; and

(d) synchronized update means for synchronously updating the information displayed in the windows.

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

(a) first display means for providing a first window to display information with a first time scale;

(b) second display means for providing a second window to display simultaneously information with a second time scale which is different from the first time scale, wherein the information displayed by the first display means is displayed in the second window with the second time scale, whereby the first and second windows are displayed on the display screen simultaneously; and

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