Graphical user interface with enhanced operations when changing display screen

• US 7,079,166 B1
• Filed: 01/07/2000
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Hong, Jerry
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Ba
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nhon (Gary) D
• Application Number:
  US09/478,984
• Time in Patent Office: 2,384 Days
• Field of Search: 345/734, 345/736, 345737-740, 345/775, 345/778, 345/781, 345/810, 345825-828, 345/853, 345/767, 345/802, 345/823, 345/860, 345/861, 345/804, 345/805, 345/858, 345/769, 345/776, 345/777, 345/746, 345/745, 345/744, 345/747, 358/1.11, 358/1.13
• US Class Current: 715/777
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/122 with regard to computing resources, e.g. memory, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/126 Job scheduling, e.g. queuing, determine appropriate device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1288 in client-server-printer device configuration

Abstract

A graphical user interface in which a summary list screen displays a plurality of settings for a plurality of respective features, and includes a plurality of tabs corresponding to additional screens and for selecting the corresponding additional screens to be displayed. The corresponding additional screens include the plurality of settings from the summary list screen and additional settings. An indicator, such a mouse controlled by a user, selects one of the plurality of settings in the summary list screen. A controller then changes a display from the summary list screen to one of the additional screens containing the selected one of the plurality of settings, and highlights the selected one of the plurality of settings in the additional screen. Further, the indicator can include a first instruction to change between different of the plurality of settings in the summary list screen and a second instruction to automatically change from the summary list screen to one of the additional screens.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface for controlling a device through a computer, comprising:

a summary list screen configured to display a plurality of settings for a plurality of respective features, and including a plurality of tabs corresponding to additional screens and for selecting the corresponding additional screens to be displayed, the corresponding additional screens also including the plurality of settings;

an indicator configured to select one of the plurality of settings in the summary list screen; and

a controller configured to automatically change a display from the summary list screen to one of the additional screens containing the selected one of the plurality of settings when the indicator selects the one of the plurality of settings in the summary list screen, by replacing the summary list screen on the display with the one of the additional screens containing the selected one of the plurality of settings, and to automatically highlight said selected one of the plurality of settings in the additional screen,

wherein said indicator includes a first instruction to change between different of the plurality of settings in the summary list screen and a second instruction to automatically change from the summary list screen to the one of the additional screens, and

wherein said first instruction is a single click on the one of the plurality of settings and said second instruction is a double click on the one of the plurality of settings.

2. A graphical user interface according to claim 1, wherein the device to be controlled is a printer.

3. A method for controlling a device through a computer, comprising:

displaying a summary list screen of a plurality of settings for a plurality of respective features of the device to be controlled, and including a plurality of tabs corresponding to additional screens and for selecting the corresponding additional screens to be displayed, the corresponding additional screens also including the plurality of settings;

selecting one of the plurality of settings in the summary list screen; and

automatically changing a display from the summary list screen to one of the additional screen containing the selected one of the plurality of settings when the indicator selects the one of the plurality of settings in the summary list screen, by replacing the summary list screen on the display with the one of the additional screens containing the selected one of the plurality of settings, and automatically highlighting said selected one of the plurality of settings in the additional screen,

wherein in said selecting a first instruction changes between different of the plurality of settings in the summary list screen and a second instruction automatically changes from the summary list screen to the one of the additional screens,

wherein said first instruction is a single click on the one of the plurality of settings and said second instruction is a double click on the one of the plurality of settings.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the device to be controlled is a printer.

5. A computer program product comprising:

a computer storage medium and a computer program code mechanism embedded in the computer storage medium for controlling a device through a computer, the computer program code mechanism comprising;

a first computer code configured to display a summary list screen which includes a plurality of settings for a plurality of respective features, and including a plurality of tabs corresponding to additional screens and for selecting the corresponding additional screens to be displayed, the corresponding additional screens also including the plurality of settings;

a second computer code configured to select one of the plurality of settings in the summary list screen; and

a third computer code configured to automatically change a display from the summary list screen to one of the additional screens containing the selected one of the plurality of settings when the indicator selects the one of the plurality of settings in the summary list screen, by replacing the summary list screen on the display with the one of the additional screens containing the selected one of the plurality of settings, and to automatically highlight said selected one of the plurality of settings in the additional screen,

wherein said second computer code includes a first instruction to change between different of the plurality of settings in the summary list screen and a second instruction to automatically change from the summary list screen to the one of the additional screens,

wherein said first instruction is a single click on the one of the plurality of settings and said second instruction is a double click on the one of the plurality of settings.

6. A computer program product according to claim 5, wherein the device to be controlled is a printer.

7. A computer system for controlling a device through a computer, comprising:

means for displaying a summary list screen for displaying a plurality of settings for a plurality of respective features, and including a plurality of tabs corresponding to additional screens and for selecting the corresponding additional screens to be displayed, the corresponding additional screens also including the plurality of settings;

means for selecting one of the plurality of settings in the summary list screen; and

means for automatically changing a display from the summary list screen to one of the additional screens containing the selected one of the plurality of settings when the indicator selects the one of the plurality of settings in the summary list screen, by replacing the summary list screen on the display with the one of the additional screens containing the selected one of the plurality of settings, and to automatically highlight said selected one of the plurality of settings in the additional screen,

wherein said means for selecting includes a first instruction to change between different of the plurality of settings in the summary list screen and a second instruction to automatically change from the summary list screen to the one of the additional screens,

wherein said first instruction is a single click on the one of the plurality of settings and said second instruction is a double click on the one of the plurality of settings.

8. A computer system according to claim 7, wherein the device to be controlled is a printer.