Automatically scaling icons to fit a display area within a data processing system

• US 6,983,424 B1
• Filed: 06/23/2000
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dutta, Rabindranath
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US09/599,893
• Time in Patent Office: 2,020 Days
• Field of Search: 345/798, 345799-800, 345/838, 345/837, 345/845, 345/846, 345/847, 345/784, 345/779, 345744-747, 345/600, 345/661, 345662-671, 345/801, 345/790, 345/792, 345794-796, 345/802, 345/804, 345853-854, 345806-807, 707/523, 715/800
• US Class Current: 715/800
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34

Abstract

A method, system, and program is provided for displaying icons on a data processing system. The number of icons to be displayed on the computer screen is determined. The boundary area for displaying the icons on the computer screen is calculated. The sizes of the icons are then scaled to a size that allows all icons to be displayed in the boundary area while utilizing all available display space. The minimum and maximum sizes of the icons can be limited based on user preferences. If the icons cannot be scaled to fit within the boundary area using the user selected minimum size, then only a portion of the icon is displayed. In this manner, all icons are scaled and displayed at a size that utilizes the full boundary area of the display screen.

Claims

1. A method of displaying icons within a data processing system having a display screen, comprising the steps of:

first determining a quantity of a plurality of icons to be displayed on a display screen of a data processing system;

second determining a designated portion of said display screen for displaying said plurality of icons; and

automatically scaling each of said plurality of icons in response to said quantity of said plurality of icons and said designated portion such that all of said plurality of icons can be displayed in said designated portion of said display screen.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of first determining a quantity of a plurality of icons to be displayed on a display screen of a data processing system comprises first determining a quantity of plurality icons defined by vector graphics to be displayed on a display screen of a data processing.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of first determining a quantity of a plurality of icons to be displayed on a display screen of a data processing system comprises first determining a quantity of a plurality of icons defined by bitmapped graphics to be displayed on a display screen of a data processing system.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying all of said plurality of icons on said designated portion of said display screen.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying all of said plurality of icons on said designated portion of said display screen, wherein said plurality of icons comprise a graphic image and a text image.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying all of said plurality icons on said designated portion of said display screen, wherein said plurality of icons only comprise a text image.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said step of displaying all of said plurality of icons on said designated portion of said display screen, comprises displaying all of said plurality of icons on said designated portion of said display screen, wherein said designated portion of said display screen has a fixed pixel width and a fixed pixel height.

8. A icon scaling system for use with a data processing system having a display, said icon scaling system comprising:

a calculation routine that determines a quantity of a plurality of icons to be displayed on a display screen of a data processing system;

a boundary routine that determines a designated portion of said display screen for displaying said plurality of icons; and

a scaling routine that automatically scales said plurality of icons in response to quantity of a plurality of icons and said designated portion such that all of said plurality of icons can be displayed in said designated portion of said display screen.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said plurality of icons are defined by vector graphics.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said plurality of icons axe defined by bitmapped graphics.

11. The system of claim 8, fiber comprising a display routine that displays said plurality of icons, on said display screen.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein said plurality of icons comprise a graphic image and a text image.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein said plurality of icons comprise only a text image.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein said designated portion of said display screen has a fixed pixel width and a fixed pixel height.

15. An article of manufacture for use in a data processing system for scaling icons on a display screen, the article of manufacture comprising computer readable storage media including program logic embedded therein that causes control circuitry to perform the steps of:

first determining a quantity of a plurality of icons to be displayed on a display screen of a data processing system;

second determining a designated portion of said display screen for displaying said plurality of icons; and

automatically scaling said plurality of icons in response to said quantity of said plurality of icons and said designated portion such that all of said quantity of said plurality of icons can be displayed in said designated portion of said display screen.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein said step of first determining a quantity of a plurality of icons to be displayed on a display screen of a data processing system comprises first determining a quantity of a plurality of icons defined by vector graphics to be displayed on a display screen of a data processing.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein said step of first determining a quantity of a plurality of icons to be displayed on a display screen of a data processing system comprises first determining a quantity of a plurality of icons defined by bitmapped graphics to be displayed on a display screen of a data processing system.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 15, further comprising the step of displaying all of said plurality of icons on said designated portion of said display screen.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 15, further comprising the step of displaying all of said plurality of icons on said designated portion of said display screen, wherein said plurality of icons comprise a graphic image and text image.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 15, further comprising the step of displaying all of said plurality of icons on said designated portion of said display screen, wherein said plurality of icons only comprise a text image.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 18, wherein said step of displaying all of said plurality of icons on said designated portion of said display screen, comprises displaying all of said plurality of icons on a display screen, wherein said display screen has a fixed pixel width and a fixed pixel height.

22. A method, for displaying icons within a data processing system having a display screen, comprising the steps of:

determining a size of a designated portion of a display screen for displaying a plurality of icons;

displaying all of said plurality of icons within said determined size of said designated portion by at least one of a) automatically scaling said icons;

b) displaying a portion of each one of said plurality of icons; and

c) creating a plurality of selectable displayed screen pages wherein each screen page has a portion of said plurality of icons displayed within said determined size of said designated portion.

23. A method, for displaying icons within a data processing system having a display screen, comprising the steps of:

determining a size of a designated portion of a display screen for displaying a plurality of icons;

utilizing a predetermined minimum size and a predetermined maximum size for an individual icon;

displaying all of said plurality of icons within said determined size of said designated portion, based upon said predetermined minimum size and said predetermined maximum size, by at least one of a) automatically scaling said icons;

b) displaying a portion of each one of said plurality of icons; and

c) creating a plurality of selectable displayed screen pages wherein each screen page has a portion of the plurality of icons displayed within said determined size of said designated portion.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said predetermined minimum size and said predetermined maximum size are predetermined based on user input.

31. The article of manufacture claim 23 wherein said predetermined minimum size and said predetermined maximum size are predetermined based on user input.

25. A data processing system having a display screen, comprising:

means for determining a size of a designated portion of a display screen for displaying a plurality of icons;

means for displaying all of said plurality of icons within said determined size of said designated portion by at least one of a) automatically scaling said icons;

b) displaying a portion of each one of said plurality of icons; and

c) creating a plurality of selectable displayed screen pages wherein each screen page has a portion of said plurality of icons displayed within said determined size of said designated portion.

26. A data processing system for displaying icons on a display screen, comprising:

means for determining a size of a designated portion of a display screen for displaying a plurality of icons;

means for utilizing a predetermined minimum size and a predetermined maximum size for an individual icon;

means for displaying all of said plurality of icons within said determined size of said designated portion, based upon said predetermined minimum size and said predetermined maximum size, by at least one of a) automatically scaling said icons;

b) displaying a portion of each one of said plurality of icons; and

c) creating a plurality of selectable displayed screen pages wherein each screen page has a portion of the plurality of icons displayed within said determined size of said designated area.

27. The data processing system of claim 26 wherein said predetermined minimum size and said predetermined maximum size are predetermined based on user input.

28. The data processing system of claim 26 wherein the data processing system is a hand held device.

29. An article of manufacture for use in a data processing system for scaling icons on a display screen, the article of manufacture comprising computer readable storage media including program logic embedded therein that causes control circuitry to perform the steps of:

determining a size of a designated portion of a display screen for displaying a plurality of icons;

displaying all of said plurality of icons within said determined size of said designated area by at least one of a) automatically scaling said icons;

b) displaying a portion of each one of said plurality of icons; and

c) creating a plurality of selectable displayed screen pages wherein each screen page has a portion of said plurality of icons displayed within said determined size of said designated portion.

30. An article of manufacture for use in a data processing system for scaling icons on a display screen, the article of manufacture comprising computer readable storage media including program logic embedded therein that causes control circuitry to perform the steps of:

determining a size of a designated portion of a display screen for displaying a plurality of icons;

utilizing a predetermined minimum size and a predetermined maximum size for an individual icon;

displaying all of said plurality of icons within said determined size of said designated portion, based upon said predetermined minimum size and said predetermined maximum size, by at least one of a) automatically scaling said icons;

b) displaying a portion of each one of said plurality of icons; and

c) creating a plurality of selectable displayed screen pages wherein each screen page has a portion of the plurality of icons displayed within said determined size of said designated portion.