Method and system for aiding a user in scrolling through a document using animation, voice cues and a dockable scroll bar

• US 6,252,594 B1
• Filed: 12/11/1998
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Xia, Chenhong, Bailey, John Hudson
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): May, Michael K.
• Application Number:
  US09/209,309
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 345/326, 345/339, 345/340, 345/341, 345/973, 345/978, 707/525, 707/526, 707/529, 707/530
• US Class Current: 715/786
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/973 Scroll tool, e.g. window scroll bar
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/978 Audio interaction as part of an operator interface

Abstract

A system and method for aiding a user in scrolling through a multiple-page are disclosed. The system and method include providing visual and/or audio cues in a graphical user interface (GUI) environment including a window to alert a user that a portion of the document is not currently displayed in the window. The scrolling may also be made more customizable and convenient. In a first aspect, the GUI includes a scroll bar which appears briefly at the center of a window. This indicates to the user that the document contains more than one page and that the user may scroll to view content beyond what is currently displayed. In this aspect, the scroll bar may be dynamic and dockable. Thus, in this aspect a mechanism is provided to allow the user to dock the scroll bar in a desired location. In a second aspect, the system and method include providing voice cues indicating the total number of pages in the document or that the document contains multiple pages. The voice cue may optionally indicate the current page number when the page is scrolled into the window. In another aspect, the method and system include providing variations on the scroll bar and the scrolling related GUI components. The user may customize the scroll bar and GUI components. Customization may include allowing the user to dock the GUI components used for scrolling. These components may be docked to the window'"'"'s status bar to free additional space for the window.

Claims

1. A computer system for aiding a user in scrolling through a document, the computer system comprising:

a display;

means for displaying a first portion of the document in a window, the user being capable of scrolling through a second portion of the document not currently displayed in the window; and

means coupled with the displaying means for alerting the user to a second portion of the document not currently displayed in the window, wherein the alerting means further include

means for providing a scroll bar for allowing a user to scroll through the document; and

wherein the alerting means further place the scroll bar for a particular amount of time at the center of the window then move the scroll bar to a first position in the window.

2. The computer system of claim 1 further comprising:

means for providing a voice cue indicating a number of pages in the document when the document is first accessed by a user.

3. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the scroll bar is capable of being docked at a selected location in the window.

4. The computer system of claim 3 further comprising:

means for automatically placing the scroll bar at the selected location when the document is reopened.

5. A computer system for aiding a user in scrolling through a document, the computer system comprising:

a display;

means for displaying a first portion of the document in a window, the user being capable of scrolling through a second portion of the document not currently displayed in the window; and

means coupled with the displaying means for alerting the user to a second portion of the document not currently displayed in the window, wherein the alerting means further include;

means for providing a voice cue indicating that the second portion of the document is not currently displayed when the document is first accessed by a user.

6. The computer system of claim 5 further wherein the voice cue providing means further include:

means for providing a voice cue indicating a current page of the number of pages, the current page being displayed in the particular window.

7. A computer system for aiding a user in scrolling through a document, the computer system comprising:

a display;

means for displaying a first portion of the document in a window, the user being capable of scrolling through a second portion of the document not currently displayed in the window;

wherein the window further includes a status bar,

means coupled with the displaying means for alerting the user to a second portion of the document not currently displayed in the window,

means for providing a plurality of components for aiding a user in scrolling; and

wherein the alerting means place the plurality of components for a particular amount of time at the center of the window and move a portion of the plurality of components to the status bar.

8. The computer system of claim 7 wherein the plurality of components can be assembled to provide a scroll bar.

9. The computer system of claim 7 wherein the plurality of components further include an up arrow and a down arrow.

10. The computer system of claim 8 wherein the up arrow and the down arrow further include shading, the shading indicating a remaining portion of the document.

11. The computer system of claim 8 wherein the up arrow allows a user to scroll up a page in the document by single clicking on the up arrow.

12. The computer system of claim 10 wherein the down arrow allows a user to scroll down a page in the document by single clicking on the up arrow.

13. The computer system of claim 7 wherein the status bar further includes an area capable of indicating when the portion of the plurality of components are located at the status bar.

14. The computer system of claim 7 further comprising:

means for providing a voice cue indicating a number of pages in the document when the document is first accessed by a user.

15. The computer system of claim 7 wherein the status bar further includes:

means for notifying a user of a number of subsequent pages in the document.

16. The computer system of claim 7 wherein the plurality of components further include a scroll box and a scroll shaft, and wherein the alerting means move the scroll box and scroll shaft to a particular position in the window.

17. The computer system of claim 7 wherein each of the plurality of components can be docked at a desired location in the window.

18. A method for aiding a user in scrolling through a document on a computer system having a display, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a window for displaying a first portion of the document; and

(b) alerting the user to a second portion the document not currently displayed in the window;

(c) providing a scroll bar for allowing a user to scroll through the document; and

wherein the alerting step (b) further includes

(b1) placing the scroll bar for a particular amount of time at the center of the window then move the scroll bar to a first position in the window;

wherein the user is capable of scrolling through the second portion of the document not currently displayed in the window.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of:

(d) providing a voice cue indicating a number of pages in the document when the document is first accessed by a user.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the scroll bar providing step (c) further includes the step of:

(c1) providing the scroll bar capable of being docked at a selected location in the window.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of:

(e) automatically placing the scroll bar at the selected location when the document is reopened.

22. A method for aiding a user in scrolling through a document on a computer system having a display, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a window for displaying a first portion of the document; and

(b) alerting the user to a second portion the document not currently displayed in the window;

wherein the alerting step (b) further includes;

(b1) providing a voice cue indicating that the second portion of the document is not currently displayed when the document is first accessed by a user and

wherein the user is capable of scrolling through the second portion of the document not currently displayed in the window.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising the step of:

(c) providing a voice cue indicating a current page of the number of pages, the current page being displayed in the particular window.

24. A method for aiding a user in scrolling through a document on a computer system having a display, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a window for displaying a first portion of the document; and

(b) alerting the user to a second portion the document not currently displayed in the window, wherein the window further includes a status bar;

(c) providing a plurality of components for aiding a user in scrolling;

wherein the alerting step (b) further includes the step of

(b1) placing the plurality of components for a particular amount of time at the center of the window and move a portion of the plurality of components to the status bar; and

wherein the user is capable of scrolling through the second portion of the document not currently displayed in the window.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the plurality of components can be assembled to provide a scroll bar.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the plurality of components further include an up arrow and a down arrow.

27. The computer system of claim 24 wherein the up arrow and the down arrow further include shading, the shading indicating a remaining portion of the document.

28. The computer system of claim 25 wherein the up arrow allows a user to scroll up a page in the document by single clicking on the up arrow.

29. The computer system of claim 24 wherein the down arrow allows a user to scroll down a page in the document by single clicking on the up arrow.

30. The computer system of claim 24 wherein the status bar further includes an area capable of indicating when the portion of the plurality of components are located at the status bar.

31. The method of claim 24 further comprising the step of:

(d) providing a voice cue indicating a number of pages in the document when the document is first accessed by a user.

32. The method of claim 24 wherein the status bar further includes means for notifying a user of a number of subsequent pages in the document.

33. The method of claim 24 wherein the plurality of components further include a scroll box and a scroll shaft, and wherein the alerting means move the scroll box and scroll shaft to a particular position in the window.

34. The method of claim 24 wherein each of the plurality of components can be docked at a desired location in the window.

35. A computer-readable medium containing a program for aiding a user in scrolling through a document on a computer system, the program including instructions for:

(a) providing a window for displaying a first portion of the document;

(b) alerting the user to a second portion the document not currently displayed in the window; and

(c) providing a scroll bar for allowing a user to scroll through the document; and

wherein the alerting instructions (b) further includes instructions for

(b1) placing the scroll bar for a particular amount of time at the center of the window then move the scroll bar to a first position in the window and

wherein the user is capable of scrolling through the second portion of the document not currently displayed in the window.

36. A computer-readable medium containing a program for aiding a user in scrolling through a document on a computer system, the program including instructions for:

(a) providing a window for displaying a first portion of the document; and

(b) alerting the user to a second portion the document not currently displayed in the window;

wherein the alerting instruction (b) further includes the instructions for

(b1) providing a voice cue indicating that the second portion of the document is not currently displayed when the document is first accessed by a user.

37. A computer-readable medium containing a program for aiding a user in scrolling through a document on a computer system, the program including instructions for:

(a) providing a window for displaying a first portion of the document;

(b) alerting the user to a second portion the document not currently displayed in the window, wherein the window further includes a status bar;

(c) providing a plurality of components for aiding a user in scrolling; and

wherein the alerting instructions (b) further includes instructions for

(b1) placing the plurality of components for a particular amount of time at the center of the window and move a portion of the plurality of components to the status bar;

wherein the user is capable of scrolling through the second portion of the document not currently displayed in the window.