Visually distinguishing menu items

• US 7,454,714 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2002
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AOL LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Canfield, James Andrew, Kimball, Jeffrey David, Clark, Steve, Nader, Elisa, Deaven, Keith R., Canfield, Thomas Brent, Totman, Scott V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo; Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): Theriault; Steven B
• Application Number:
  US10/112,029
• Publication Number:
  US 20030011641A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,423 Days
• Field of Search: 715/834, 715/810, 715/845, 715/841, 715/826, 715/825, 709/221
• US Class Current: 715/841
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A graphical toolbar user interface is rendered and has one or more menu items. Each menu item has one or more visual identifier to distinguish the menu item from other of the menu items. At least one menu item has one or more submenu items. The submenu item has one or more visual identifiers of the corresponding menu item to distinguish the submenu item from submenu items corresponding to other of the menu items.

Claims

1. A method for visually displaying a grouping of menu items within a graphical user interface, the method comprising:

rendering a toolbar user interface,

the toolbar user interface comprising one or more menu items,

each menu item comprising one or more visual identifiers,

at least one menu item comprising one or more submenu items comprising the one or more visual identifiers of the corresponding menu item to distinguish the submenu item from submenu items corresponding to other of the menu items;

rendering a submenu item using the one or more visual identifiers associated with the menu item to which the submenu item corresponds;

receiving a modification to one or more of the visual identifiers associated with a selected menu item or one of its corresponding submenu items;

detecting the modification; and

automatically triggering, based on the detected modification, a corresponding modification to the one or more visual identifiers associated with at least one other of the selected menu item and its corresponding submenu items.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the visual identifier comprises a color.

3. The method of claim 1, in which the visual identifier comprises a shading.

4. The method of claim 1, in which the visual identifier comprises a visual texture.

5. The method of claim 1, in which the visual identifier comprises a font.

6. The method of claim 1, in which each visual identifier of each menu item differs from all other visual identifiers corresponding to all other menu items.

7. The method of claim 1, in which a visual identifier of a menu item differs from a visual identifier corresponding to an adjacent menu item to distinguish the menu item from the adjacent menu item.

8. The method of claim 1, in which a visual identifier of a menu item differs from a visual identifier corresponding to each adjacent menu item to distinguish the menu item from each adjacent menu item.

9. The method of claim 1, in which a visual identifier of a menu item is unique to the visual identifiers of other of the menu items.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising rendering a menu item help message comprising a visual identifier in response to user input, in which the visual identifier of the help message is the same as the visual identifier of the corresponding menu item.

11. The method of claim 1, in which a submenu item comprises a customized link to an object that is configured to share the submenu item visual identifier with the submenu item.

12. The method of claim 1, in which the visual identifier is shared with a non-menu item linked to the menu item.

13. The method of claim 1, in which the visual identifiers corresponding to the menu items are established in a title bar.

14. The method of claim 1, in which the submenu item comprises a drop-down menu selection.

15. The method of claim 1, in which the submenu item comprises a glow button.

16. The method of claim 1, in which modifying the visual identifier comprises automatically modifying the visual identifier based on a modification to a visual identifier of at least one other menu item.

17. The method of claim 1, in which modifying the visual identifier comprises periodically modifying the visual identifier based on a modification to a visual identifier of at least one other menu item.

18. The method of claim 1, in which the visual identifier is modified by a client system.

19. The method of claim 1, in which the modification of the visual identifier of the submenu item is performed periodically.

20. The method of claim 1, in which the visual identifier is modified by a host system.

21. The method of claim 1 in which the submenu item further comprises one or more second level submenu items comprising one or more visual identifiers of the corresponding submenu item to distinguish the second level submenu item from second level submenu items corresponding to other of the submenu items.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising rendering a second level submenu item.

51. The method of claim 1 wherein the modification to the one or more visual identifiers corresponds to an initial configuration of one or more of the visual identifiers.

52. The method of claim 1 wherein the modification to the one or more visual identifiers corresponds to a change to a previously-configured visual identifier.

59. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting the modification comprises detecting a modification that modifies the one or more visual identifiers associated with the selected menu item or one of its corresponding submenu items to be different than the one or more visual identifiers associated with the at least one other of the selected menu item and its corresponding submenu items.

23. A menu item grouping article of manufacture, the article of manufacture being configured to:

render a toolbar user interface having a toolbar comprising one or more menu items,

each menu item comprising one or more visual identifiers to distinguish the menu item from other of the menu items,

at least one of the menu items comprising one or more submenu items;

render a submenu item, where the submenu item comprises the one or more visual identifiers of the corresponding menu item to distinguish the submenu item from submenu items corresponding to other of the menu items;

receive a modification to one or more of the visual identifiers associated with a selected menu item or one of its corresponding submenu items;

detect the modification; and

automatically trigger, based on the detected modification, a corresponding modification to the one or more visual identifiers associated with at least one other of the selected menu item and its corresponding submenu items.

60. The menu item grouping article of claim 23 wherein the article is configured to detect a modification that modifies the one or more visual identifiers associated with the selected menu item or one of its corresponding submenu items to be different than the one or more visual identifiers associated with the at least one other of the selected menu item and its corresponding submenu items.

24. An article of manufacture that includes a computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program, the computer program comprising instructions for:

rendering a toolbar user interface having a toolbar comprising one or more menu items,

each menu item comprising one or more visual identifiers to distinguish the menu item from other of the menu items,

at least one of the menu items comprising at least one submenu item;

rendering a submenu item, where the submenu item comprises one or more visual identifiers of the corresponding menu item to distinguish the submenu item from submenu items corresponding to other of the menu items;

receiving a modification to one or more of the visual identifiers associated with a selected menu item or one of its corresponding submenu items;

detecting the modification; and

automatically triggering, based on the detected modification, a corresponding modification to the one or more visual identifiers associated with at least one other of the selected menu item and its corresponding submenu items.

25. The article of claim 24 wherein the article comprises a disc.

26. The article of claim 24 wherein the article comprises a client system.

27. The article of claim 24 wherein the article comprises a host device.

61. The article of claim 24 wherein the instructions for detecting the modification comprise instructions for detecting a modification that modifies the one or more visual identifiers associated with the selected menu item or one of its corresponding submenu items to be different than the one or more visual identifiers associated with the at least one other of the selected menu item and its corresponding submenu items.

28. An article of manufacture that includes a computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program, the computer program including instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to:

display a graphical toolbar user interface comprising;

one or more menu items, each menu item comprising one or more visual identifiers to distinguish the menu item from other of the menu items; and

at least one of the menu items comprising at least one submenu item, the submenu item comprising one or more visual identifiers of the corresponding menu item to distinguish the submenu item from submenu items corresponding to other of the menu items,

wherein a visual identifier associated with a selected menu item or one of its corresponding submenu items is related to a visual identifier associated with at least one other of the selected menu item and its corresponding submenu items in a manner such that a modification of the visual identifier associated with a selected menu item or one of its corresponding submenu items is received and detected and automatically triggers, based on the detected modification, a corresponding modification to the visual identifier associated with the at least one other of the selected menu item and its corresponding submenu items.

29. The article of claim 28, wherein the instructions that, when executed, cause the computer to display the graphical toolbar user interface include instructions that, when executed, cause the computer to display the graphical toolbar user interface in which the visual identifier comprises a color.

30. The article of claim 28, wherein the instructions that, when executed, cause the computer to display the graphical toolbar user interface include instructions that, when executed, cause the computer to display the graphical toolbar user interface in which the visual identifier comprises a shading.

31. The article of claim 28, wherein the instructions that, when executed, cause the computer to display the graphical toolbar user interface include instructions that, when executed, cause the computer to display the graphical toolbar user interface in which the visual identifier comprises a visual texture.

32. The article of claim 28, wherein the instructions that, when executed, cause the computer to display the graphical toolbar user interface include instructions that, when executed, cause the computer to display the graphical toolbar user interface in which the visual identifier comprises a font.

33. The article of claim 28, wherein the instructions that, when executed, cause the computer to display the graphical toolbar user interface include instructions that, when executed, cause the computer to display the graphical toolbar user interface in which the submenu item comprises a drop-down menu selection.

34. The article of claim 28, wherein the instructions that, when executed, cause the computer to display the graphical toolbar user interface include instructions that, when executed, cause the computer to display the graphical toolbar user interface in which the submenu item comprises a glow button.

62. The article of claim 28 wherein the detected modification comprises a modification that modifies the one or more visual identifiers associated with the selected menu item or one of its corresponding submenu items to be different than the one or more visual identifiers associated with the at least one other of the selected menu item and its corresponding submenu items.

35. A computer system for visually displaying a grouping of menu items within a graphical user interface, the computer system comprising:

one or more processing devices communicatively coupled to each other and configured to;

render a toolbar user interface,

the toolbar user interface comprising one or more menu items,

each menu item comprising one or more visual identifiers,

at least one menu item comprising one or more submenu items comprising one or more visual identifiers of the corresponding menu item to distinguish the submenu item from submenu items corresponding to other of the menu items;

render a submenu item;

receive a modification to one or more of the visual identifiers associated with a selected menu item or one of its corresponding submenu items;

detect the modification; and

automatically trigger, based on the detected modification, a corresponding modification to the one or more visual identifiers associated with at least one other of the selected menu item and its corresponding submenu items.

36. The computer system of claim 35, in which a visual identifier of a menu item differs from a visual identifier corresponding to an adjacent menu item to distinguish the menu item from the adjacent menu item.

37. The computer system of claim 35, in which a visual identifier of a menu item is unique to the visual identifiers of other of the menu items.

38. The computer system of claim 35, wherein the one or more processing devices are further configured to render a menu item help message comprising a visual identifier in response to user input, in which the visual identifier of the help message is the same as the visual identifier of the corresponding menu item.

39. The computer system of claim 35, wherein the one or more processing devices being configured to modify the visual identifier comprises the one or more processing devices being configured to automatically modify the visual identifier based on a modification to a visual identifier of at least one other menu item.

40. The computer system of claim 35, wherein the one or more processing devices being configured to modify the visual identifier comprises the one or more processing devices being configured to periodically modify the visual identifier based on a modification to a visual identifier of at least one other menu item.

41. The computer system of claim 35, in which the visual identifier is modified by a client system.

42. The computer system of claim 35, in which the visual identifier is modified by a host system.

43. The computer system of claim 35 in which the submenu item further comprises one or more second level submenu items comprising one or more visual identifiers of the corresponding submenu item to distinguish the second level submenu item from second level submenu items corresponding to other of the submenu items.

63. The computer system of claim 35 wherein the one or more processing devices being configured to detect the modification comprises the one or more processing devices being configured to detect a modification that modifies the one or more visual identifiers associated with the selected menu item or one of its corresponding submenu items to be different than the one or more visual identifiers associated with the at least one other of the selected menu item and its corresponding submenu items.

44. An apparatus for visually displaying a grouping of menu items within a graphical user interface, the apparatus comprising:

a means for rendering a toolbar user interface,

the toolbar user interface comprising one or more menu items,

each menu item comprising one or more visual identifiers,

at least one menu item comprising one or more submenu items comprising one or more visual identifiers of the corresponding menu item to distinguish the submenu item from submenu items corresponding to other of the menu items;

a means for rendering a submenu item;

means for receiving a modification to one or more of the visual identifiers associated with a selected menu item or one of its corresponding submenu items;

means for detecting the modification; and

means for automatically triggering, based on the detected modification, a corresponding modification to the one or more visual identifiers associated with at least one other of the selected menu item and its corresponding submenu items.

45. The apparatus of claim 44, in which each visual identifier of each menu item differs from all other visual identifiers corresponding to all other menu items.

46. The apparatus of claim 44, in which a visual identifier of a menu item differs from a visual identifier corresponding to an adjacent menu item to distinguish the menu item from the adjacent menu item.

47. The apparatus of claim 44, further comprising a means for rendering a menu item help message comprising a visual identifier in response to user input, in which the visual identifier of the help message is the same as the visual identifier of the corresponding menu item.

48. The apparatus of claim 44, in which the visual identifier is modified by a client system.

49. The apparatus of claim 44, in which the visual identifier is modified by a host system.

50. The apparatus of claim 44 in which the submenu item further comprises one or more second level submenu items comprising one or more visual identifiers of the corresponding submenu item to distinguish the second level submenu item from second level submenu items corresponding to other of the submenu items.

64. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein the means for detecting the modification comprises means for detecting a modification that modifies the one or more visual identifiers associated with the selected menu item or one of its corresponding submenu items to be different than the one or more visual identifiers associated with the at least one other of the selected menu item and its corresponding submenu items.

53. An article of manufacture that includes a computer-readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program, the computer program comprising:

a first code segment configured to produce a first submenu item with a color that is dependent upon a first color to be used in producing a corresponding first menu item, the first code segment being configured to programmatically trigger a change in the first submenu item color based on a detected change in the first color to be applied to the first menu item; and

a second code segment configured to produce a second submenu item with a color that is dependent upon a second color to be used in producing a corresponding second menu item and that differs from the first color, the second code segment being configured to programmatically trigger a change in the second submenu item color based on a detected change in the second color to be applied to the second menu item.

54. The article of claim 53 wherein the first submenu item has a color that is consistently different than the first color corresponding to the first menu item.

55. The article of claim 54 wherein the first color corresponding to the first menu item is a lighter shade than a shade of a color of the first submenu item.

56. The article of claim 53 wherein the first submenu item has a color that is consistently the same as the first color corresponding to the first menu item.

57. The article of claim 53 wherein a single color attribute is referenced to establish the colors of the first menu item and the first submenu item.

58. The article of claim 57 wherein the color attribute maintains consistency among the colors of first menu item and the first submenu item.