Method and system for variable speed scrolling within a data processing system

• US 6,337,694 B1
• Filed: 09/07/1999
• Issued: 01/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: McLean, James Gordon, Pickover, Clifford Alan, Winarski, Daniel James, Becker, Craig Henry, Glass, David Wayne, Hocker, Michael David
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOW, DOON Y
• Application Number:
  US09/392,759
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 345/684, 345/685, 345/686, 345/687, 345/688, 345/784, 345/785, 345/786, 345/787, 345/830, 345/660
• US Class Current: 345/684
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars

Abstract

A method and system for variable speed scrolling through a viewable object within a data processing system such as a computer, a television, a kiosk display or hand-held digital product. A portion of the viewable object is displayed within a display window within a data processing system in conjunction with a scroll bar having a slider and one or more scroll buttons associated therewith or some other suitable method of controlling video or audio displays. User selection of the slider or a scroll button initiates scrolling of the viewable object so that additional portions of the viewable object may be displayed. As the viewable object is scrolled, the scroll speed is dynamically varied in response to the content of the viewed portion of the viewable object. For example, the scroll speed can vary in response to the type of objects displayed within the viewable object, the number and location of hotlinks or hyperlinks within the viewable object and/or the amount and number of previous viewings of the various portions of the viewable object by the user.

Claims

1. A method of variable speed scrolling through a viewable object in a data processing system wherein said viewable object includes a plurality of hyperlinks disposed at various locations therein, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying a portion of a viewable object within said data processing system;

scrolling through additional portions of said viewable object in response to a user input to said data processing system; and

dynamically varying a scroll speed of said viewable object in response to a number of hyperlinks contained within viewed portions of said viewable object.

2. The method of variable speed scrolling through a viewable object according to claim 1, wherein said step of displaying a portion of a viewable object within said data processing system comprises the step of displaying a portion of a viewable object within a window within a display of said data processing system.

3. The method of variable speed scrolling through a viewable object according to claim 2, wherein said window includes a scroll bar and wherein said step of scrolling through additional portions of said viewable object in response to a user input to said data processing system comprises the step of scrolling through additional portions of said viewable object in response to selection of a scroll button within said scroll bar by a user.

4. The method of variable speed scrolling through a viewable object according to claim 1, wherein said viewable object contains various types of displayable objects therein and wherein said step of dynamically varying a scroll speed of said viewable object in response to content of viewed portions of said viewable object comprises the step of dynamically varying a scroll speed of said viewable object in response to a type of displayable object contained within viewed portions of said viewable object.

5. A system for variable speed scrolling through a viewable object in a data processing system wherein said viewable object includes a plurality of hyperlinks disposed at various locations therein, said system comprising the steps of:

means for displaying a portion of a viewable object within said data processing system;

means for scrolling through additional portions of said viewable object in response to a user input to said data processing system; and

means for dynamically varying a scroll speed of said viewable object in response to a number of hyperlinks contained within viewed portions of said viewable object.

6. The system of variable speed scrolling through a viewable object according to claim 5, wherein said means for displaying a portion of a viewable object within said data processing system comprises means for displaying a portion of a viewable object within a window within a display of said data processing system.

7. The system of variable speed scrolling through a viewable object according to claim 6, wherein said window includes a scroll bar and wherein said means for scrolling through additional portions of said viewable object in response to a user input to said data processing system comprises means for scrolling through additional portions of said viewable object in response to selection of a scroll button within said scroll bar by a user.

8. The system of variable speed scrolling through a viewable object according to claim 5, wherein said viewable object contains various types of displayable objects therein and wherein said means for dynamically varying a scroll speed of said viewable object in response to content of viewed portions of said viewable object comprises means for dynamically varying a scroll speed of said viewable object in response to a type of displayable object contained within viewed portions of said viewable object.

9. A computer program product for use in a data processing system, said computer program product comprising:

signal bearing media adapted to be utilized within a data processing system;

instruction means within said signal bearing media for displaying a portion of a viewable object within said data processing system wherein said viewable object includes a plurality of hyperlinks disposed at various locations therein;

instruction means within said signal bearing media for scrolling through additional portions of said viewable object in response to a user input to said data processing system; and

instruction means within said signal bearing media for dynamically varying a scroll speed of said viewable object in response to a number of hyperlinks contained within viewed portions of said viewable object.

10. A computer program product for use in a data processing system according to claim 9, wherein said signal bearing media comprises transmission media.

11. A computer program product for use in a data processing system according to claim 9, wherein said signal bearing media comprises recordable media.

12. A method of variable speed scrolling through a viewable object in a data processing system, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying a portion of a viewable object within said data processing system;

scrolling through additional portions of said viewable object in response to a user input to said data processing system; and

dynamically varying a scroll speed of said viewable object in response to previous viewings of said viewable object by a user.

13. The method of variable speed scrolling through a viewable object according to claim 12, wherein said step of displaying a portion of a viewable object within said data processing system comprises the step of displaying a portion of a viewable object within a window within a display of said data processing system.

14. The method of variable speed scrolling through a viewable object according to claim 13, wherein said window includes a scroll bar and wherein said step of scrolling through additional portions of said viewable object in response to a user input to said data processing system comprises the step of scrolling through additional portions of said viewable object in response to selection of a scroll button within said scroll bar by a user.

15. The method of variable speed scrolling through a viewable object according to claim 12, wherein said viewable object contains various types of displayable objects therein and wherein said step of dynamically varying a scroll speed of said viewable object in response to content of viewed portions of said viewable object comprises the step of dynamically varying a scroll speed of said viewable object in response to a type of displayable object contained within viewed portions of said viewable object.

16. A system for variable speed scrolling through a viewable object in a data processing system, said system comprising the steps of:

means for displaying a portion of a variable object within said data processing system;

means for scrolling through additional portions of said viewable object in response to a user input to said data processing system; and

means for dynamically varying a scroll speed of said viewable object in response to previous viewings of said viewable object by a user.

17. The system of variable speed scrolling through a viewable object according to claim 16, wherein said means for displaying a portion of a viewable object within said data processing system comprises means for displaying a portion of a viewable object within a window within a display of said data processing system.

18. The system of variable speed scrolling through a viewable object according to claim 17, wherein said window includes a scroll bar and wherein said means for scrolling through additional portions of said viewable object in response to a user input to said data processing system comprises means for scrolling through additional portions of said viewable object in response to selection of a scroll button within said scroll bar by a user.

19. The system of variable speed scrolling through a viewable object according to claim 16, wherein said viewable object contains various types of displayable objects therein and wherein said means for dynamically varying a scroll speed of said viewable object in response to content of viewed portions of said viewable object comprises means for dynamically varying a scroll speed of said viewable object in response to a type of displayable object contained within viewed portions of said viewable object.

20. A computer program product for use in a data processing system, said computer program product comprising:

signal bearing media adapted to be utilized within a data processing system;

instruction means within said signal bearing media for displaying a portion of a viewable object within said data processing system;

instruction means within said signal bearing media for scrolling through additional portions of said viewable object in response to a user input to said data processing system; and

instruction means within said signal bearing media for dynamically varying a scroll speed of said viewable object in response to previous viewings of said viewable object by a user.

21. A computer program product for use in a data processing system according to claim 20, wherein said signal bearing media comprises transmission media.

22. A computer program product for use in a data processing system according to claim 20, wherein said signal bearing media comprises recordable media.