Icon display processor for displaying icons representing sub-data embedded in or linked to main icon data

• US 6,570,597 B1
• Filed: 11/01/1999
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Kawasugi, Kenji, Somura, Hajime, Seki, Hiroo, Yamagami, Rui, Itaki, Kanji
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thomas T.
• Application Number:
  US09/431,156
• Time in Patent Office: 1,303 Days
• Field of Search: 345/837, 345/835, 345/841, 345/852, 345/853, 345/839
• US Class Current: 715/835
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34

Abstract

An icon display processor for use in a computer permits a user to intuitively recognize sub-data embedded in, or linked to, main data while a main icon symbolizing the main data is being displayed. When data B and C are embedded in document A, if a main icon is displayed, sub-icons corresponding to the embedded data are displayed behind the main icon. Thus, the user can intuitively recognize the sub-data contained in the document A. A sub-icon is displayed for each item or kind of sub-data. The user can directly process the sub-icons.

Claims

1. An icon display processor comprising:

a main icon display unit that displays a main icon representative of main data;

a sub-icon display unit that displays sub-icons representative of sub-data together with the main icon where the sub-data form parts of the main data and are embedded-in, or linked-to, the main data; and

a mode-selecting unit that chooses between a close display mode in which plural sub-icons are displayed so as to be located densely and overlap with each other and an expansion display mode in which plural sub-icons are displayed so as to be located less densely and overlap with each other.

2. The icon display processor of claim 1, wherein the sub-icons are displayed close to the main icon.

3. The icon display processor of claim 1, wherein the sub-icons displayed are located behind the main icon and overlap with the main icon.

4. The icon display processor of claim 1, wherein each of the sub-icons is displayed for each item of sub-data.

5. The icon display processor of claim 1, wherein each of the sub-icons is displayed for each kind of sub-data.

6. The icon display processor of claim 1, wherein the sub-icons assume forms corresponding to kinds of the sub-data.

7. The icon display processor of claim 1, wherein there is further provided a program-activating unit that, when given processing is performed on one of the sub-icons, activates an application program corresponding to the sub-icon, and wherein the application program processes sub-data symbolized by the sub-icon.

8. The icon display processor of claim 1, further comprising a copying unit that, when given processing is performed on one of the sub-icons, copies sub-data symbolized by the sub-icon.

9. The icon display processor of claim 1, wherein an object managing table is formed for each item of the main data to manage kinds and order of sub-data items.