Information cursors

• US 6,809,720 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2002
• Issued: 10/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Malamud, Mark A., Elsbree, John E., Gavriluk, Erik A., Horvath, Valerie, Barnes, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Henry N.
• Application Number:
  US10/164,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20020149612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156-157, 345/161, 345/163, 345/167-168, 345/179, 345/705, 345/711, 345/714-715, 345/769, 345/779, 345/808, 345/809, 345/856
• US Class Current: 345/157
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop

Abstract

Information cursors are provided for use in an operating system and/or application programs. Each information cursor includes a pointing portion to point to objects displayed on a video display and an information portion to display information about an object to which the pointing portion points. The information displayed in an information cursor may include the name of the object, a preview of the contents of the object, or property information about the object.

Claims

1. A data processing system comprising:

(a) a video display;

(b) an input device operable by a user to communicate with the data processing system; and

(c) a processor to execute computer instructions from a medium, the computer instructions to cause the processor to perform;

(c1) displaying an information cursor with a pointing portion for pointing to locations on the video display and an information portion for displaying information in a selected relative position with respect to the pointing portion,

(c2) in response to a user using the input device, positioning the information cursor so that the pointing portion of the information cursor points to one of a plurality of objects that is displayed and the information portion is in the selected relative position with respect to the pointing portion, and

(c3) displaying currently undisplayed information on the video display about the one object to which the pointing portion of the information cursor points in the information portion of the information cursor.

2. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the input device is a mouse.

3. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein the input device is a keyboard.

4. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein step (c3) further comprises displaying a name of the one object indicated by the pointing portion of the cursor in the information portion of the cursor.

5. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein step (c3) further comprises displaying a preview of contents of the object indicated by the pointing portion of the cursor in the information portion of the cursor.

6. The data processing system of claim 1, wherein step (c3) further comprises displaying property information about the one object indicated by the pointing portion of the cursor in the information portion of the cursor.

7. In a data processing system having a video display and an input device, a method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying objects on the video display, said objects including an information cursor with a pointing portion for pointing to locations on the video display and an information portion for displaying information;

(b) in response to a user using the input device, positioning the information cursor so that the pointing portion of the information cursor points to one of the objects that is displayed; and

(c) displaying, in the information portion of the information cursor on the video display, a presently undisplayed preview of contents of the object including graphical data to which the pointing portion of the information cursor points.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein step (c) further comprises displaying, in the information portion of the information cursor, a name of the object to which the pointing portion of the information cursor points.

9. A data processing system comprising:

(a) a video display;

(b) an input device operable by a user to communicate with the data processing system; and

(c) a processor to execute computer instructions from a medium, the computer instructions to cause the processor to perform;

(c1) displaying objects on the video display, said objects including an information cursor with a pointing portion for pointing to locations on the video display and an information portion for displaying information,

(c2) in response to a user using the input device, positioning the information cursor so that the pointing portion of the information cursor points to one of the objects that is displayed, and

(c3) displaying, in the information portion of the information cursor on the video display, a presently undisplayed preview of contents of the object including graphical data to which the pointing portion of the information cursor points.

10. The data processing system of claim 9, wherein step (c3) further comprises displaying, in the information portion of the information cursor, a name of the object to which the pointing portion of the information cursor points.

11. In a data processing system having a video display and an input device, a method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a cursor having a pointing portion for pointing to locations on the video display;

(b) in response to a user using the input device, positioning the cursor so that the pointing portion of the cursor points to one of a plurality of objects that is displayed; and

(c) displaying, in a selected relative position to the pointing portion, presently undisplayed information about the object to which the pointing portion of the cursor points.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein when the cursor is moved across the one object to another portion of the one object in response to the user using the input device, the information about the object moves relative to the movement of the cursor.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the information includes graphical data.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the information includes a name of the one object to which the pointing portion of the cursor points.

15. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer system having a video display and an input device to perform the steps of:

displaying objects on the video display, said objects including an information cursor with a pointing portion for pointing to locations on the video display and an information portion for displaying information;

in response to a user using the input device, positioning the information cursor so that the pointing portion of the information cursor points to one of the objects that is displayed; and

displaying, in the information portion of the information cursor on the video display, a presently undisplayed preview of contents of the object including graphical data to which the pointing portion of the information cursor points.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein step (c) further comprises displaying, in the information portion of the information cursor, a name of the object to which the pointing portion of the information cursor points.