Information pointers
First Claim
1. In a data processing system having a video display, an output device, and an input device, a method for providing an information pointer, comprising:
- (a) displaying the cursor on the video display;
(b) displaying one or more objects on the video display;
(c) in response to a user using the input device, positioning at least a part of the cursor over at least a portion of a selected one of the objects that are displayed; and
(d) solely in response to at least a part of the cursor being positioned over at least a portion of the selected object, outputting dynamic information over the output device, wherein the dynamic information includes data about the selected object chosen from the group comprising of current content of the selected object or current value of a property of the selected object.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system supports the use of information pointers. The information pointers provide audio and/or visual information about objects to which the cursors point. For instance, an information cursor may provide output specifying the name of an object to which the cursor points. In addition to information about the object pointed to by the cursor, information windows provide information about the user'"'"'s interaction with the object. For example, “Deleting Source File.” Information windows may contain information pertaining to a pair of objects, such as the source and target object in a drag and drop operation, or to a collection of objects.
-
Citations
59 Claims
-
1. In a data processing system having a video display, an output device, and an input device, a method for providing an information pointer, comprising:
-
(a) displaying the cursor on the video display;
(b) displaying one or more objects on the video display;
(c) in response to a user using the input device, positioning at least a part of the cursor over at least a portion of a selected one of the objects that are displayed; and
(d) solely in response to at least a part of the cursor being positioned over at least a portion of the selected object, outputting dynamic information over the output device, wherein the dynamic information includes data about the selected object chosen from the group comprising of current content of the selected object or current value of a property of the selected object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
17. The method recited in claim l,wherein the output device comprises:
-
(a) the video display; and
(b) an audio output device.
-
-
25. An apparatus, comprising:
-
(a) means for displaying a cursor on a video display;
(b) means for displaying objects on the video display;
(c) in response to a user using an input device, means for selecting an object by positioning the cursor over at least a portion of the selected object; and
(d) solely in response to the cursor being positioned over at least a portion of the selected object, means for outputting dynamic information over the output device, wherein the dynamic information includes data about the selected object chosen from the group comprising of current content of the selected object or current value of a property of the selected object.
-
-
26. In a data processing system having a video display, an output device, and an input device, a method for providing an information pointer, comprising:
-
(a) displaying the cursor on the video display;
(b) displaying one or more objects on the video display;
(c) in response to a user using the input device, positioning at least a part of the cursor over at least a portion of a selected one of the objects that are displayed; and
(d) solely in response to at least a part of the cursor being positioned over at least a portion of the selected object, outputting dynamic textual information about the selected object itself over the output device, wherein the dynamic textual information chosen from the group comprising of current content of the selected object or current value of a property of the selected object. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
-
-
50. In a data processing system having a video display, an output device, and an input device, a method for providing an information pointer, comprising:
-
(a) displaying a source object icon associated with a source object and a target object icon associated with a target object;
(b) in response to a user using the input device, positioning a cursor over at least a portion of the source object icon;
(c) in response to the user using the input device, dragging the source object icon across the video display until the cursor is over at least a portion of the target object icon; and
(d) solely in response to the cursor being positioned over at least a portion of the target object icon, outputting dynamic information over the output device, wherein the dynamic information includes data about the selected object chosen from the group comprising of current content of the selected object or current value of a property of the selected object.
-
-
51. In a data processing system having a video display and an input device, a method, comprising:
-
(a) displaying an object on the video display;
(b) in response to a user using the input device, displaying a context menu for the object on the video display, wherein said context menu includes an option for generating an information pointer; and
(c) solely in response to the user selecting the option of generating the information pointer, displaying the information pointer holding dynamic information over the output device, wherein the dynamic information includes data about the selected object chosen from the group comprising of current content of the selected object or current value of a property of the selected object. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54)
-
-
55. In a data processing system having a video display and an input device, a method, comprising:
-
(a) displaying an object on the video display;
(b) in response to a user using the input device, displaying a context menu for the object on the video display, wherein said context menu includes an option for generating an information pointer; and
(c) solely in response to the user selecting the option of generating the information pointer, displaying the information pointer holding dynamic textual information about the selected object on the video display, wherein the dynamic textual information includes data about the selected object chosen from the group comprising of current content of the selected object or current value of a property of the selected object. - View Dependent Claims (56, 57, 58)
-
-
59. An apparatus, comprising:
-
(a) means for displaying a cursor on a video display;
(b) means for displaying objects on the video display;
(c) in response to a user using an input device, means for selecting one or more of the objects by positioning the cursor over at least a portion of the desired objects that are displayed; and
(d) solely in response to the cursor being positioned over at least a portion of the selected objects, means for outputting dynamic textual information about the selected objects themselves on an output device, wherein the dynamic textual information includes data about the selected object chosen from the group comprising of current content of the selected object or current value of a property of the selected object.
-
Specification