System and method for creating markers on scroll bars of a graphical user interface

• US 6,778,192 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2001
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Shieh, Johnny M., Murillo, Jessica, Arbab, Reza, McNichol, Daniel P., Martinez, Rene R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cabeca, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pillai, Namitha
• Application Number:
  US09/826,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20020145631A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 345/973, 345/974, 345/833, 345/711, 345/687, 345/786, 345/787, 345/784, 345/785, 345/684, 345/773, 345/772, 345/774, 715/539
• US Class Current: 715/786
• 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 715/974 Slider control as on-screen object in operator interface

Abstract

The present invention is embodied in a system and method for creating markers on scroll bars of a graphical user interface. Basically, the present invention allows users to reference locations of interest within a document using scroll bars of a user interface by creating graphical halt and pause points on the scroll bar at the locations of interest. In general, the present invention includes a user interface with a digital document of an application being used by a user. The application has at least a vertical scroll bar for moving from one location to another within the digital document. The scroll bar includes a scroll box, stub points and end points. The stub points represent reference points within the digital document that are predefined by the user. The stub points either stop or pause the movement of the scroll box as it moves along the scroll bar. The end points represent the top and bottom portion of the digital document.

Claims

1. A method for scrolling using a scroll bar of an electronic file having end points, comprising:

defining at least one graphical marker on the scroll bar other than one of the end points; and

allowing a user to scroll to the at least one graphical marker;

wherein at least one of the graphical markers comprises a dissolving stub point marker located on a portion of the scroll bar for referencing a particular location in the file that is configured to automatically dissolve after the user reaches the particular location in the file referenced by the dissolving stub point marker.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising relocating the user to at least one of the graphical markers if a portion past the graphical marker of the scroll bar is selected.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising halting movement along the scroll bar when scrolling along the scroll bar contacts a firm stub point graphical marker.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising automatically locating the user past the firm stub point when the user reaches the firm stub point graphical marker.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising pausing movement along the scroll bar when scrolling along the scroll bar contacts a semi-firm stub point marker.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising halting movement along the scroll bar when scrolling along the scroll bar contacts the dissolving stub point marker.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising pausing movement along the scroll bar when scrolling along the scroll bar contacts the dissolving stub point marker.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the markers are predefined at a point of interest by at least one of a user or predefined by an application associated with a document.

9. A scrolling system for scrolling on a scroll bar of an electronic file having end points, the scrolling system allowing a user to scroll through the file and comprising:

a user interface incorporating the scroll bar and a scroll box traversable within the scroll bar; and

at least one graphical marker located on the scroll bar other than one of the end points;

wherein at least one of the graphical markers comprises a dissolving stub point marker located on a portion of the scroll bar for referencing a particular location in the file that is configured to automatically dissolve after the user reaches the particular location in the file referenced by the dissolving stub point marker.

10. The scrolling system of claim 9, further comprising a firm stub point marker that halts movement along the scroll bar when the scroll box moves along the scroll bar and contacts the firm stub point marker.

11. The scrolling system of claim 9, further comprising a semi-firm stub point marker that pauses movement along the scroll bar when the scroll box moves along the scroll bar and contacts the semi-firm stub point marker.

12. The scrolling system of claim 9, wherein movement along the scroll bar with the scroll box is halted when scrolling along the scroll bar contacts the dissolving stub point marker.

13. The scrolling system of claim 9, wherein movement along the scroll bar with the scroll box is paused when scrolling along the scroll bar contacts the dissolving stub point marker.

14. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a process on a computer having a user interface with a scroll bar of an electronic file having end points, the process comprising:

creating at least one graphical marker on the scroll bar other than one of the end points; and

allowing a user to scroll to the graphical marker;

wherein at least one of the graphical markers comprises a dissolving stub point marker located on a portion of the scroll bar for referencing a particular location in the file that is configured to automatically dissolve after the user reaches the particular location in the file referenced by the dissolving stub point marker.

15. The process of claim 14, further comprising halting movement along the scroll bar when scrolling along the scroll bar contacts a firm stub point marker.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising pausing movement along the scroll bar when scrolling along the scroll bar contacts a semi-firm stub point marker.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising at least one of halting movement along the scroll bar when scrolling along the scroll bar contacts the dissolving stub point marker or pausing movement along the scroll bar when scrolling along the scroll bar contacts the dissolving stub point marker.