Device independent window and view system

• US 6,111,573 A
• Filed: 02/13/1998
• Issued: 08/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Instancia Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Velocity.Com, Inc. (Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stephenson, Mike, Long, James L., McComb, David W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOSEPH, THOMAS J
• Application Number:
  US09/023,364
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 345/332, 345/340, 345/341, 345/342, 345/343, 345/347, 345/329, 345/352, 345/353, 345/327, 345/328, 345/330, 345/331, 345/334, 345/333, 345/335, 345/439, 345/339, 709/219
• US Class Current: 715/763
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0464 Positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/363 Graphics controllers

Abstract

An apparatus and method for operating a graphic user interface in a windowing operating system. A value representing a mapping of logical inches to real measurement units is determined from information stored in the operating system. A physical size in real measurement units of a display device is determined. A user viewing the display device is asked to identify a displayed graphic image having a preselected dimension in real measurement units. A plurality of graphic objects are displayed, where each of the graphic objects have a different size. The user viewing the plurality of graphic object is asked to select one of the graphic objects. The size of the selected graphic object is saved as a first user-defined size.

Claims

1. A method for operating a graphic user interface in a windowing operating system comprising the steps of:

determining from information stored in the operating system a value representing a mapping of logical inches to real measurement units;

determining from information stored in the operating system a physical size in real measurement units of a display device used to display the graphic user interface;

asking a user viewing the display device to identify a displayed graphic image having a preselected dimension in real measurement units;

displaying a plurality of graphic objects, wherein each of the graphic objects have a different size;

asking the user viewing the plurality of graphic object to select one of the graphic objects;

storing the size of the selected graphic object as a first user-defined size.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

displaying a plurality of graphic objects, wherein each of the graphic objects have a different size;

asking the user viewing the plurality of graphic object to select one of the graphic objects; and

storing the size of the selected graphic object as a second user-defined size.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

storing the value representing a mapping of logical inches to real measurement units, the physical size in real measurement units of the display device, and a value representing the first user-defined size in persistent storage.