System and method of producing user interface information messages

• US 7,024,626 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2001
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Ko, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu, Tadesse
• Application Number:
  US09/996,901
• Publication Number:
  US 20030103072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,586 Days
• Field of Search: 345705-711, 345/714, 345/715, 345/772, 345/762, 345/780, 345/805, 345/808, 345/809, 345/817, 345/826, 751705-711, 715/714, 715/715, 715/772, 715/762, 715/780, 715/805, 715/808, 715/809, 715/817, 715/826, 715705-711
• US Class Current: 715/715
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0766 Error or fault reporting or storing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A system and method for producing notification objects conveying computer warning or error notification information to a computer user is provided. The notification objects point to a target to which the information contained therein relates and are persistent until dismissed by a user or an application. The notification objects are aware of the bounds of their target, and where possible do not obscure any part of their target. These objects are collapsible, allowing the user to minimize the objects, and are also non-modal, allowing a user to fully interact with any running application while the notification objects are visible. These notification objects are only visible when the window containing the target to which the information in the notification object relates is the active window.

Claims

1. A method for notifying a computer user of a computer information message, comprising the steps of:

determining if a condition associated with a received action requires generation of an information message;

selecting an information message to be generated corresponding to said condition;

identifying a target object associated with the action performed by the user, to which the information contained within the notification message relates;

displaying a notification object in a first state, which indicates the target object, contains said information message corresponding to said condition and maintains its position relative to the target object even if the target object is moved, in a persistent manner until dismissed by a user while enabling the user to continue interaction with an application program corresponding to said target object; and

selectively displaying said notification object in a second, collapsed state having a reduced size relative to said first state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said notification object comprises a warning.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said notification object comprises an error message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said notification object comprises a notification.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said notification object includes a cartouche which points to the target object.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of displaying includes providing a video animation sequence.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of displaying includes generating an audio indicator.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said notification object is displayed in said collapsed state in respect to a mouse event.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said notification object contains an icon, and is displayed in said collapsed state in response to a mouse click on the icon.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said notification object is displayed in said collapsed state in response to a keyboard command.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said notification object is persistent and remains displayed until said condition is removed.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said notification object is displaced from said target object so that it does not obscure said target object.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said notification object enables a user to interact with application programs other than the application program corresponding to said target object, while said notification object is being displayed.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

hiding the notification object when an application associated with said target object is inactive; and

displaying the notification object when an application associated with said target object is active.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification object maintains its position relative to the target object in both its first and second states.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

receiving an action performed on a computer by a user;

wherein said step of determining is performed on the action received in said step of receiving.

16. A system for notifying a computer user of a computer information message, comprising:

means for receiving an action performed on a computer by a user;

means for determining if the received action requires generation of a computer information message;

means for selecting a computer information message to be generated corresponding to said action performed by the user;

means for locating a target object corresponding to the action performed by the user, to which the information contained within the notification messages relates;

means for displaying a persistent, non-modal, notification object in a first state which indicates the target object, contains said information message corresponding to said target object, maintains its position relative to the target object even if the target object is moved, is persistent until dismissed by the user, and enables continued interaction by the user with the target object while the notification object is being displayed, and

means for selectively switching the display of said notification object to a second, collapsed state having a reduced size relative to said first state.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the notification object maintains its position relative to the target object in both its first and second states.

18. A graphical user interface element for providing a user with information regarding a computer application being executed, comprising a persistent, non-modal notification object containing an indication mechanism which forms part of said notification object and points to a target within said computer application with which the computer notification object is associated, wherein said notification object maintains its position relative to the target even if the target is moved, said user interface element being displayed in a first state that contains information relating to said target and being selectively switchable to a second, collapsed display state that omits at least some of said information.

19. The user interface element of claim 18, wherein said information comprises text information.

20. The user interface element of claim 18, further comprising an icon disposed within said notification object.

21. The user interface element of claim 20, wherein said icon comprises an on-screen button for receiving user interaction.

22. The user interface element of claim 21, wherein said user interface element is switched to said collapsed state in response to user interaction with said icon.

23. The user interface element of claim 18, wherein said indication mechanism comprises a cartouche.

24. The user interface element of claim 18, further comprising an audio for indicating the display of the notification object on a computer screen to a user.

25. The user interface element of claim 18, wherein said notification object is displayed with animation.

26. The user interface element of claim 18, wherein the notification object maintains its position relative to the target in both its first and second states.

27. A computer program stored in a computer-readable medium which executes the following steps:

receiving an action performed on a computer by a user;

determining if the received action requires generation of an information message;

selecting an information message to be generated corresponding to said action performed by the user;

locating a target object corresponding to the action performed by the user, to which the information contained within the notification message relates; and

displaying a notification object which indicates the target object and contains said information message corresponding to said target object, wherein said notification object maintains its position relative to the target object even if the target object is moved;

selectively displaying said notification object in a second, collapsed state having a reduced size relative to said first state;

wherein said displayed notification object is persistent until dismissed by the user; and

wherein said notification object is non-modal and enables the user to continue interaction with an application program corresponding to said target while said object is being displayed.

29. The computer program of claim 27, wherein said notification object includes a control element, and is displayed in said collapsed state in response to user activation of said control element.

30. The computer program of claim 27, wherein the notification object maintains its position relative to the target object in both its first and second states.