Icon override apparatus and method

• US 6,100,888 A
• Filed: 05/08/1998
• Issued: 08/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Nicholas, Andrew, Gourdol, Arnaud
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US09/074,547
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 345/348, 345/349, 345/326-347, 345/350-355, 345/333
• US Class Current: 715/837
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34

Abstract

A method and apparatus for generating composite icon images for a foreground icon and background icon is disclosed. An icon reference tag is used to retrieve icon image data and icon mask data for each icon. An icon override mechanism allows replacement of a particular icon for a particular application or document with another icon, to facilitate changes in the appearances of a graphical user interface.

Claims

1. A method for overriding the display of a first icon image with a second icon image, comprising steps of:

storing icon data representative of a plurality of icon images;

associating an icon reference tag with individual icon images;

generating an override icon reference tag relating the icon reference tag of a first icon image to the icon reference tag of a second icon image;

receiving a request for display of said first icon image;

substituting the icon reference tag of the second icon image for the icon reference tag of the first icon image in response to the override icon reference tag; and

displaying the entire second icon image in place of the requested first icon image.

2. The method for overriding the display of a first icon with a second icon of claim 1, wherein said image data further comprises icon mask data and icon image data.

3. The method for overriding the display of a first icon with a second icon of claim 1, wherein an override icon reference tag is associated with each of a plurality of icon images in a computer system in response to a command to switch the appearance of a graphical user interface.

4. A computer readable medium containing program instructions to:

store icon data representative of a plurality of icon images;

associate an icon reference tag with individual icon images;

generate an override icon reference tag relating the icon reference tag of a first icon image to the icon reference tag of a second icon image;

receive a request for display of said first icon image;

substitute the icon reference tag of the second icon image for the icon reference tag of the first icon image in response to the override icon reference tag; and

display the entire second icon image in place of the requested first icon image.

5. An apparatus for overriding the display of a first icon image with a second icon image, comprising:

icon data memory which contains data representative of a plurality of icon images, and an override icon reference tag relating an icon reference tag of a first icon image to an icon reference tag of a second icon image;

an input device for requesting display of said first icon image;

a processor which is responsive to the presence of an override icon reference tag to substitute the second icon image reference tag for the first icon image reference tag; and

a display device which displays the entire second icon image in place of the requested first icon image in response to the substituted icon reference tag.

6. The apparatus for overriding the display of a first icon with a second icon of claim 5, wherein said icon image memory stores icon mask data and icon image data.

7. The apparatus for overriding the display of a first icon with a second icon of claim 5, wherein an override icon reference tag is associated with each of a plurality icon images in a computer system, and said processor substitutes one plurality of icon reference tags for another plurality of icon reference tags in response to a request to change the appearance of a graphical user interface.