Animated graphical object notification system

• US 6,937,950 B2
• Filed: 12/26/2002
• Issued: 08/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Day, Paul Reuben, Cragun, Brian John
• Primary Examiner(s): Assouad, Patrick J.
• Application Number:
  US10/329,905
• Publication Number:
  US 20040128093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 345/473, 345/474, 345/475, 702/71, 702/176, 702/177, 702/178, 702/179, 702/187
• US Class Current: 702/71
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention generally provide for a computer-based notification method, apparatus and article of manufacture. In one embodiment, an alert/notification includes displaying one or more animated graphical objects in response to a user-specified event, where attributes of the animated graphical objects are user-defined.

Claims

1. A method of generating a computer-based notification, comprising:

receiving user-specified configuration settings of a notification responsive to an event wherein the event is a calendar event, the notification comprising at least one animated graphical object;

activating, when the event occurs, the at least one animated graphical object; and

displaying the at least one activated animated graphical object on a display; and

modifying one or more attributes of the displayed at least one animated graphical object according to the user-specified configuration settings,

wherein modifying the one or more attributes comprises modifying at least one behavior of the one or more animated graphical objects.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification is a personalized reminder to a user to perform a specified action.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the event is monitored and detected by a network program executing remotely, and the configuration settings associate the animated graphical object with the network program.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one animated graphical object comprises a single animated graphical object having an existing association with another event so that the configuration settings operate to associate at least two events with the single animated graphical object.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration settings comprise a plurality of attributes of the animated graphical object.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of attributes comprise behavior attributes and appearance attributes.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the behavior attributes comprise at least one of speed, size, duration of display, multiplication of the animated graphical object and combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the behavior attributes comprise at least one of a change in direction, periodicity of display and combinations thereof.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the appearance attributes comprise at least one of size, color, shape, associated text, associated sound and combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration settings restrict movement of the animated graphical object within a defined region of the display screen.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the defined region of the display screen comprises an open graphical user interface window.

12. A computer readable medium containing a notification program which, when executed, performs a notification operation, comprising:

determining when a user-specified event wherein the event is a calendar event occurs;

activating, according to user-specified configuration settings, one or more animated graphical objects in response to the event;

displaying the one or more animated graphical objects on a display; and

modifying attributes of the displayed one or more animated graphical objects according to the user-specified configuration settings,

wherein modifying the attributes comprises modifying at least one behavior of the one or more animated graphical objects.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the one or more animated graphical objects is a single animated graphical object associated with at least two user-specified events.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the event is selected from a time-based event, a system event, and combinations thereof.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the at least one behavior comprises at least one of speed, size, geometry of motion on the display and combinations thereof.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein modifying the at least one behavior of the animated graphical objects is done with respect to an approaching deadline of the event.

17. The computer readable medium claim 12, wherein the event is monitored and detected by a network program executing remotely, and the user-specified configuration settings associate the one or more animated graphical objects with the network program.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein the network program monitors a price.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein in the user-specified configuration settings restrict movement of the animated graphical object within a defined region of the display.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the defined region of the display screen comprises an open graphical user interface window.

21. A computer, comprising:

a display;

a data repository containing (i) event information specifying a plurality of user-defined events wherein the event is a calendar event and (ii) one or more animated graphical objects associated with the plurality of user-defined events, wherein attributes of the animated graphical objects are user-defined;

a notification program; and

a processor configured to at least execute the notification program and perform an operation, comprising;

determining an occurrence of a user-defined event;

activating, according to user-specified configuration settings, at least one animated graphical object in response to the user-defined event;

displaying the at least one animated graphical object on the display; and

modifying attributes of the displayed at least one animated graphical object according to the user-specified configuration settings,

wherein modifying the attributes comprises modifying at least one behavior of the one or mow animated graphical objects.

22. The computer of claim 21, wherein the event comprises one of a time-based event and a system event.

23. The computer of claim 21, wherein the attributes comprise appearance and behavior attributes.

24. The computer of claim 23, wherein the appearance attributes comprise at least one of size, color, shape, associated text, associated sound and combinations thereof.

25. The computer of claim 21, wherein the behavior attributes comprise at least one of speed, movement, location on the display, multiplication of the at least one animated graphical object and combinations thereof.

26. The computer of claim 21, further comprising a network connection to a remote system executing a monitoring program configured to detect the occurrence of the user-defined event and relay detection of the occurrence to the computer via the network connection.

27. The computer of claim 26, wherein the attributes comprise appearance and behavior attributes comprising at least one of size, color, shape, associated text, associated sound, speed, movement, location on the display, multiplication of the at least one animated graphical object and combinations thereof.