Interactive inventor's menus within a software computer and video display system

• US 7,197,720 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2003
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James A. Lehman
• Original Assignee: James A. Lehman
• Inventors: Lehman, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bautista; Lucila X.
• Application Number:
  US10/338,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20040135809A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• Field of Search: 715/700, 715/733, 715/738, 715/764, 715/765, 715/769, 715/780, 715/810, 715/835, 715/841, 715/843, 715/846, 715/866, 715/501.1
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 1/00 Manually or mechanically operated educational appliances using elements forming, or bearing, symbols, signs, pictures, or the like which are arranged or adapted to be arranged in one or more particular ways puzzle-games A63F9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F

Abstract

An interactive menu apparatus and method within a software computer video display system for creating inventions or prospects for inventions, via the juxtaposition of concepts or words, defined from word paths or sets displayed on the menu, from one to six simulated spun reels or drums below the menu, seen through one to thirty open spaces, cells or windows on the menu. In the preferred embodiment, the INVENTOR'"'"'S MENU TTT t.m, nine space grid, is utilized.

Claims

1. A computerized method for facilitating an invention using the Internet, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a menu to a user on an internet-enabled computer, the menu including at least one field;

accepting a key element from a user via an input device, the input device being connected to the internet-enabled computer;

displaying the key element in the field of the menu after the accepting step;

visiting at least one website on the Internet using the internet-enabled computer to obtain a display of at least a portion of the website on a display of the internet-enabled computer, the portion of the website including at least one website element, the website element being selected from the group consisting of a word, a symbol and a picture;

superimposing the menu over the display of the portion of the website including the at least one website element;

whereby the user is presented with a display including an invention prospect formed by the juxtaposition of the website element and the key element displayed in the field of the menu.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one website element comprises a plurality of website elements.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of assembling the plurality of website elements by performing a search on the Internet using a search engine.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of website elements comprise words.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of website ether elements comprise pictures.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of website elements comprise symbols.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of presenting a list of suggested key elements to the user, wherein the key element accepted from the user is selected by the user from the list of suggested key elements.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting, by the user, a key element from among a plurality of potential key elements identified by performing a search of the Internet using an internet search engine.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the key element is typed by the user in the menu, the menu having a field text box for accommodating a single word.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the menu is further provided with a plurality of list icons, each of which function to select a predetermined list of words, a spin icon which, when selected by the user, functions to select one word from a predetermined list of words corresponding to one of the plurality of icons selected by the user, and a key elements icon which functions to enter the word selected by the spin icon into the text box as the key element.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of icons comprises a things icon corresponding to a list of thing words, a functions and miscellaneous icon which corresponds to a list of function and miscellaneous words, and a shapes icon which corresponds to a list of shape words.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the menu has a text box for accommodating a plurality of words.

13. A system for facilitating an invention using the Internet, the system comprising:

an input device for accepting a key element from a user; and

an internet-enabled computer connected to the input device, the computer including a browser for displaying at least a portion of a web site to a user, the portion of the website including at least one website element from the group consisting of a word, a symbol and a picture, the computer including a display;

wherein the computer is configured to provide the user with a menu, the menu having at least one field, accept a key element from the user using the input device, display the key element in the field of the menu, and superimpose the menu including the key element over the display of the portion of the website including the website element;

whereby the user is presented with a display including an invention prospect formed by the juxtaposition of the website element and the key element.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one website element comprises a plurality of website elements.

15. The system of claim 14, the computer is further configured to assemble the plurality of website elements through a search on the Internet using a search engine.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of website elements comprise words.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of website elements comprise pictures.