Method and apparatus for generating a tab list menu in a hierarchical menu structure
First Claim
1. A menu authoring system that enables a developer to generate a content-based tab list menu consisting of,displaying a tab list configuration interface, fetching a selection made by said developer from said tab list configuration interface that designates a target list in a hierarchical menu structure as a source of tab labels for said content-based tab list menu, fetching a setting made by said developer from said tab list configuration interface that represents a size factor in determining a sublist in said target list, creating said sublist from said target list in said hierarchical menu structure, creating a tab label from content in said sublist, creating said content-based tab list menu based on said tab label, linking said tab label in said content-based tab list menu to said sublist in said hierarchical menu structure.
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Abstract
Hierarchical menus provide end-users with an easy way to locate information. The underlying hierarchical menu structure is often scalable as there are no limits on the number of entries in a list menu. Yet, this feature is rarely used, if at all, because it can be very impractical for the end-user. As a list menu can contain hundreds, if not thousands of entries, scrolling for a particular entry can be extremely tedious. The present invention discloses a menu authoring system component that enables a developer to generate and build a tab list menu. The tab menu divides a target list menu into tab intervals that can include a specified number of letters or full words. The present invention discloses an interactive configuration window and the program logic that enables a developer to specify settings for these tab menus.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A menu authoring system that enables a developer to generate a content-based tab list menu consisting of,
displaying a tab list configuration interface, fetching a selection made by said developer from said tab list configuration interface that designates a target list in a hierarchical menu structure as a source of tab labels for said content-based tab list menu, fetching a setting made by said developer from said tab list configuration interface that represents a size factor in determining a sublist in said target list, creating said sublist from said target list in said hierarchical menu structure, creating a tab label from content in said sublist, creating said content-based tab list menu based on said tab label, linking said tab label in said content-based tab list menu to said sublist in said hierarchical menu structure.
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11. A menu authoring system that enables a developer to generate a tab list menu consisting of,
the means for displaying a tab list configuration interface, the means for fetching a selection made by said developer from said tab list configuration interface that designates a target list in a hierarchical menu structure as a source of tab labels for said content-based tab list menu, the means for fetching a setting made by said developer from said tab list configuration interface that represents a size factor in determining a sublist in said target list, the means for creating said sublist from said target list in said hierarchical menu structure, the means for creating a tab label from content in said sublist, the means for creating said content-based tab list menu based on said tab label, the means for linking said tab label in said content-based tab list menu to said sublist in said hierarchical menu structure.
Specification