Aspect and style elements of an improved graphical user interface
First Claim
1. An improved graphical user interface for enhancing the ability of a user to browse objects accessible from a computer system, said computer system including a memory for storing the objects, a display monitor for displaying a cursor on a display screen, and a device for manipulating said cursor by a user, said interface comprising:
- a window of said screen, said window configured for apportionment into at least one pane for displaying said objects stored in said memory; and
means for controlling information associated with said objects displayed on said pane in response to the user manipulating said cursor when browsing said displayed objects, said controlling means comprising;
a first interface element displayed on the display screen for linking information types and/or object types so as to specify the type of information dis- played for each of said objects displayed on said pane, anda second interface element displayed on the display screen for selecting linked information types and/or objects types so as to vary the types of information initially displayed for all of said objects on said pane.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A graphical user interface comprises aspect and style elements for controlling the type of information associated with objects displayed on a display screen of a computer system when browsing through the objects. The aspect element controls the particular type of information displayed for an object on a portion of a window, called a pane, while the style element controls the types of information displayed for all objects within that pane.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An improved graphical user interface for enhancing the ability of a user to browse objects accessible from a computer system, said computer system including a memory for storing the objects, a display monitor for displaying a cursor on a display screen, and a device for manipulating said cursor by a user, said interface comprising:
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a window of said screen, said window configured for apportionment into at least one pane for displaying said objects stored in said memory; and means for controlling information associated with said objects displayed on said pane in response to the user manipulating said cursor when browsing said displayed objects, said controlling means comprising; a first interface element displayed on the display screen for linking information types and/or object types so as to specify the type of information dis- played for each of said objects displayed on said pane, and a second interface element displayed on the display screen for selecting linked information types and/or objects types so as to vary the types of information initially displayed for all of said objects on said pane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A computer system having an improved graphical user interface for enhancing the ability of a user to browse user visible objects stored in a memory of said computer, said computer including a display monitor for displaying a cursor on a display screen, and a device for manipulating said cursor by a user, said computer system comprising:
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a processor; an operating system cooperating with said processor to control said display screen; a window manager object created by said operating system, said window manager object drawing a window for displaying a pane on said display screen; an application program for generating said user visible objects for display on said pane; and user interface element means for linking information types and/or object types that specify the type of information associated with said user visible objects displayed on said pane in response to the user manipulating said cursor when browsing said user visible objects stored in said memory. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for enhancing the ability of a user to browse user visible objects stored in a memory of a computer system having an improved graphical user interface, said computer including a display monitor for displaying a cursor on a display screen, and a device for manipulating said cursor by a user, said method comprising the steps of:
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creating a window manager object from an operating system of said computer; drawing a window for displaying a pane on said display screen using said window manager object; generating said user visible objects for display on said pane with an application program; providing one or more user interface menus for display on the display screen the one or more user interface menus including a plurality of aspect and style parameters; and selecting one or more aspect and style parameters from the user interface menus of said improved graphical user interface in response to the user manipulating said cursor, said one or more aspect and style parameters linking information types and/or object types that specify the type of information associated with said user visible objects displayed on said pane when browsing said user visible objects stored in said memory. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification