Method and apparatus for graphically manipulating objects

• US 6,097,391 A
• Filed: 03/31/1997
• Issued: 08/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Menai Corporation
• Original Assignee: Menai Corporation
• Inventors: Wilcox, Jonathan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CAO H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, David E.
• Application Number:
  US08/829,588
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• Field of Search: 345/326, 345/333, 345/340, 345/348, 345/350, 345/145, 345/335, 345/349, 395/680, 395/683, 707/539
• US Class Current: 715/776
• 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 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor

Abstract

The invention provides an improved user interface component comprising a set of icons, called Zframes, that correspond to each page in a tabbed notebook. Objects can be copied, moved, or displayed using the Zframes. When a user drags an object off the client surface of an exposed page and drops it into one of the Zframes, the object is moved to the page that corresponds to the Zframe. When an object is dropped into a Zframe it is displayed only as long as the user holds the mouse button down. When a user depresses the mouse button when pointing to a Zframe the corresponding page is displayed while the mouse button is depressed. Links between objects on the exposed page of the tabbed notebook are illustrated using link lines. Links from an object contained in the exposed page to objects on other pages can be illustrated by displaying rings within Zframes that correspond to pages that contain objects linked to a selected object. The rings are removed when the object is released.

Claims

1. An apparatus for manipulating graphical objects in a notebook having a plurality of pages, wherein one of said plurality of pages is displayed as an exposed page, comprising:

a plurality of icons wherein each of said plurality of icons corresponds to a page in the notebook;

a moving means for moving a first object from a first page to a destination page when said first object is selected, placed on a first icon of said plurality of icons, wherein said first icon corresponds to said destination page, and released on said first icon;

a tray, wherein said plurality of icons are displayed in said tray;

a copying means for copying a second object from a first page to a destination page when said second object is selected to be copied, and is released on a third icon of said plurality of icons, wherein said third icon corresponds to said destination page;

a link display means for displaying links between objects on the exposed page in the notebook;

a hidden link display means for displaying links between a third object and objects on pages other than the exposed page, when said third object is selected for display of hidden links;

wherein, when said third object is selected for display of hidden links, a visual property of any of said plurality of icons that are visible and that correspond to pages that contain objects that are linked to said third object, is distinct from icons that correspond to pages that do not contain objects linked to said third object.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a page display means for displaying said exposed page in said notebook, wherein said page display means displays a page corresponding to a second icon while said second icon is selected.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of icons comprises a label and a client area.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a scrolling means for scrolling said plurality of icons in said tray independent of what page is displayed in said notebook.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein a display of said plurality of icons is updated, when a new exposed page is selected, to display an icon that corresponds to the new exposed page.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus creates an icon when each new page is created, wherein the created icon corresponds to the new page, and deletes an icon that corresponds to each deleted page when a page is deleted from the notebook.

7. An apparatus for manipulating graphical objects in a notebook having a plurality of pages, wherein one of said plurality of pages is displayed as an exposed page, comprising:

a plurality of icons wherein each of said plurality of icons corresponds to a page in the notebook;

a moving means for moving a first object from a first page to a destination page when said first object is selected, placed on a first icon of said

plurality of icons, wherein said first icon corresponds to said destination page, and released on said first icon;

a tray, wherein said plurality of icons are displayed in said tray;

a copying means for copying a second object from a first page to a destination page when said second object is selected to be copied, and is released on a third icon of said plurality of icons, wherein said third icon corresponds to said destination page;

a link display means for displaying links between objects on the exposed page in the notebook;

a hidden link display means for displaying links between a third object and objects on pages other than the exposed page, when said third object is selected for display of hidden links;

wherein, when said third object is selected, objects that are linked to said third object and that are contained in pages other than the exposed page, are displayed differently from objects that are linked to said third object and contained in the exposed page.

8. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for allowing graphical manipulation of objects in a notebook having a plurality of pages, wherein one of said plurality of pages is displayed as an exposed page, the computer readable program code in said article of manufacture comprising;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to display a plurality of icons, wherein each of said plurality of icons corresponds to a page in the notebook;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to move a first object from a first page to a destination page in the notebook when said first object is selected, placed on a first icon of said plurality of icons, wherein said first icon corresponds to said destination page, and released on said first icon

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to display said plurality of icons in a tray;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to copy a second object from a first page to a destination page in the notebook, when said second object is selected to be copied, and is released on a third icon of said plurality of icons, wherein said third icon corresponds to said destination page;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to display links between objects on the exposed page in the notebook;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to display links between a third object and objects on pages other than the exposed page, when said third object is selected for display of hidden links;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer, when said third object is selected for display of hidden links, to display any of said plurality of icons that are visible and that correspond to pages that contain objects that are linked to said third object differently from icons that correspond to pages that do not contain objects linked to said third object.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 8 further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to display a page that corresponds to a second icon of said plurality of icons when said second icon is selected;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to display, when said second icon is released, a page displayed before said page that corresponds to said second icon was displayed.

10. The article of manufacture of claim 8 further comprising computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to display each of said plurality of icons as comprising a label and a client area.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 8 further comprising computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to scroll said plurality of icons in said tray independent of what page is exposed in said notebook.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 11 further comprising computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to update a display of said plurality of icons, when a new exposed page is selected, to display an icon that corresponds to the new exposed page.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 8 further comprising computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to:

create an icon, when each new page is created, wherein the created icon corresponds to the new page;

delete an icon that corresponds to each deleted page when a page is deleted from the notebook.

14. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for allowing graphical manipulation of objects in a notebook having a plurality of pages, wherein one of said plurality of pages is displayed as an exposed page, the computer readable program code in said article of manufacture comprising;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to display a plurality of icons, wherein each of said plurality of icons corresponds to a page in the notebook;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to move a first object from a first page to a destination page in the notebook when said first object is selected, placed on a first icon of said plurality of icons, wherein said first icon corresponds to said destination page, and released on said first icon

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to display said plurality of icons in a tray;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to copy a second object from a first page to a destination page in the notebook, when said second object is selected to be copied, and is released on a third icon of said plurality of icons, wherein said third icon corresponds to said destination page;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to display links between objects on the exposed page in the notebook;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to display links between a third object and objects on pages other than the exposed page, when said third object is selected for display of hidden links;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer, when said third object is selected for display of hidden links, to display objects that are linked to said third object and that are contained in pages other than the exposed page differently from objects that are linked to said third object and contained in the exposed page.

15. A method for manipulating objects in a notebook, having a plurality of pages, wherein one of said plurality of pages is displayed as an exposed page, comprising the steps of:

displaying a plurality of icons, wherein each of said plurality of icons corresponds to a page in the notebook;

moving a first object from a first page to a destination page in the notebook by selecting said first object, placing said first object on a first icon of said plurality of icons, wherein said first icon corresponds to said destination page, and releasing said first object on said first icon;

displaying a page that corresponds to a second icon of said plurality of icons when said second icon is selected;

displaying, when said second icon is released, the page displayed before said page that corresponds to said second icon was displayed.

16. An apparatus for manipulating graphical objects in a tabbed notebook having a plurality of pages, and a plurality of tabs that correspond to the pages of the tabbed notebook, wherein one of said plurality of pages is displayed as an exposed page, comprising:

a plurality of icons, in addition to said tabs, wherein each of said plurality of icons corresponds to a page in the tabbed notebook;

a moving means for moving a first object from a first page to a destination page when said first object is selected, placed on a first icon of said plurality of icons, wherein said first icon corresponds to said destination page, and released on said first icon.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising a page display means for displaying said exposed page in said notebook, wherein said page display means displays a page corresponding to a second icon while said second icon is selected.