Interactive scrolling reference method

• US 6,738,084 B1
• Filed: 09/13/1999
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kelley, Edward E., Motika, Paul Victor, Motika, Franco
• Primary Examiner(s): Cabeca, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): BECKER, SHAWN M
• Application Number:
  US09/395,395
• Time in Patent Office: 1,709 Days
• Field of Search: 345/787, 345/786, 345/785, 345/784, 345/830, 345/833
• US Class Current: 715/784
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

Methods, data processing systems or program products which provide a user interface capable of inserting a reference marker at a point within an application window, causing a first representation of the reference marker to be displayed at that point and a second representation of the reference marker to be displayed in a scroll bar area within the application window which precisely corresponds to the location of the point. A pointing operation can be performed on the second representation of the reference marker causing the first representation of the reference marker along with the operating point to immediately appear within the application window. Additional reference markers may be inserted at additional points within the application window allowing the user to immediately find and display any point within the application window that the user has referenced with a reference marker. A pointing operation can be performed on the second representation of the reference marker to remove the reference marker from the application window. The characteristics of the reference marker, such as size, style, position, and color can be changed by performing another pointing operation on the second representation of the reference marker.

Claims

1. A method of referencing a point in an application window while scrolling through an electronic document displayed in the application window, where a scroll bar area corresponding to the electronic document is displayed, and where a portion of the electronic document is presently displayed on an active screen, the method comprising the steps of:

inserting a dynamic marker at a first location on the active screen;

causing a first representation of the dynamic marker to be displayed at the first location in the active screen such that said first representation of the dynamic marker remains in the same location within view of the active screen at all times; and

causing a second representation of the dynamic marker to be displayed in a scroll bar located in the scroll bar area.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

inserting a static marker into the electronic document at an operating point therein;

causing a first representation of the static marker to be displayed at the operating point in the electronic document; and

causing a second representation of the static marker to be displayed in the scroll bar area.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of performing a pointing operation on the second representation of the dynamic marker to remove the dynamic marker from the active screen.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of performing a pointing operation at a second location on the active screen to move the dynamic marker from the first location to the second location.

5. A method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of performing a pointing operation on the second representation of the static marker to remove the static marker from the electronic document.

6. A method according to claim 2 further comprising the step of performing a pointing operation on the second representation of the static marker to cause a portion of the electronic document including the operating point to be displayed.

7. A method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of performing a pointing operation on the second representation of the static marker to allow a user to define display characteristics of the static marker.

8. A method according to claim 2, wherein the first representation of the static marker is a line.

9. A computer program for referencing a point in an application window while scrolling through an electronic document displayed in the application window, where a scroll bar area corresponding to the electronic document is displayed, and where the electronic document is presently displayed on an active screen, the computer program comprising:

a storage medium;

dynamic insertion code on the storage medium for inserting a dynamic marker at a first location on the active screen;

primary dynamic code on the storage medium for causing a first representation of the dynamic marker to be displayed at the first location in the active screen such that said first representation of the dynamic marker remains in the same location within view of the active screen at all times; and

secondary dynamic code on the storage medium for causing a second representation of the dynamic marker to be displayed in a scroll bar located in the scroll bar area.

10. A computer program according to claim 9, further comprising:

static insertion code on the storage medium for inserting a static marker at an operating point in the electronic document;

primary static code on the storage medium for causing a first representation of the static marker to be displayed at the operating point in the electronic document; and

secondary static code on the storage medium for causing a second representation of the static marker to be displayed in the scroll bar area.

11. A computer program according to claim 9, further comprising dynamic deletion code on the storage medium responsive to user input, for removing the dynamic marker from the active screen.

12. A computer program according to claim 10, further comprising static deletion code on the storage medium responsive to user input, for removing the static marker from the electronic document.

13. A computer program according to claim 10, further comprising static reference code on the storage medium responsive to user input, for causing a portion of the electronic document including the operating point to be displayed upon performing a pointing operation on the second representation of the static marker.

14. A computer program according to claim 10, further comprising static edit code on the storage medium responsive to user input, for changing the characteristics of the static marker upon performing a pointing operation on the second representation of the static marker.

15. A computer program according to claim 14, further comprising dynamic edit code on the storage medium responsive to user input, for changing the characteristics of the dynamic marker upon performing a pointing operation on the second representation of the dynamic marker.