Method, apparatus, and program for dynamic expansion and overlay of controls

• US 7,533,351 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2003
• Issued: 05/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Walker, Michael John, Rutkowski, Matthew Francis, Bellwood, Thomas Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu; Tadeese
• Application Number:
  US10/639,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20050039137A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,099 Days
• Field of Search: 715/780, 715/790, 715/802, 715505-508, 715762-765, 715221-226, 715227-233, 715243-244, 715/255, 715517-550, 715/788, 715/800, 715821-824
• US Class Current: 715/780
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2476 for a visually impaired user illuminating or arrangements for improving visibility of characters on dials H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72481 for visually impaired users

Abstract

A set of replacement system window controls is provided that are instantiated as the result of the receipt of create control messages into the system message queue, instead of the built-in system window controls. The replacement window controls result in replacement control instances being created with modified properties based on user preferences. The replacement system window control instances may also include an overlay function. In response to a set focus message, a replacement control instance may create an overlay control that is displayed over the replacement control. The overlay control itself can have modified properties and may be enlarged or relocated. When the overlay control receives a release focus message, the overlay control passes its state back to the replacement control and is destroyed.

Claims

1. A method for expansion of controls, the method comprising:

loading a set of system window controls, wherein a set of replacement controls is loaded in place of corresponding system window controls;

responsive to a create message to create a given control, creating an instance of a replacement control from within the set of system window controls for the given control;

wherein, responsive to a given input message, the instance of the replacement control creates an overlay control; and

displaying the replacement control and the overlay control on a display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the overlay control is an overlaid instance of the replacement control with one or more modified properties.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more modified properties are modified based on user preferences.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more modified properties include at least one of increased font size, modified font typeface, increased control size, and modified color.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the given input message is a set focus message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the instance of the replacement control passes a state of the instance of the replacement control to the overlay control.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the overlay control returns its state to the instance of the replacement control responsive to a release focus message.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the overlay control is destroyed responsive to the release focus message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the overlay control is resized or relocated on the screen.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a replacement control within the set of replacement controls provides sound or animation.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the instance of the replacement control has one or more modified properties.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the overlay control has one or more modified properties.

13. An apparatus for expansion of controls, the apparatus comprising:

means for loading a set of system window controls, wherein a set of replacement controls is loaded in place of corresponding system window controls;

means, responsive to a create message to create a given control, for creating an instance of a replacement control from within the set of system window controls for the given control;

wherein, responsive to a given input message, the instance of the replacement control creates an overlay control; and

a display, wherein the display displays the replacement control and the overlay control.

14. A computer program product for expansion of controls, the computer program product comprising:

wherein the computer program product is stored on a computer readable, recordable-type medium having computer-usable program code;

instructions for loading a set of system window controls, wherein a set of replacement controls is loaded in place of corresponding system window controls;

instructions, responsive to a create message to create a given control, for creating an instance of a replacement control from within the set of system window controls for the given control;

wherein, responsive to a given input message, the instance of the replacement control creates an overlay control; and

instructions for displaying the replacement control and the overlay control on a display.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the overlay control is an overlaid instance of the replacement control with one or more modified properties.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the one or more modified properties are modified based on user preferences.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the one or more modified properties include at least one of increased font size, modified font typeface, increased control size, and modified color.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the given input message is a set focus message.

19. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the instance of the replacement control passes a state of the instance of the replacement control to the overlay control.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the overlay control returns its state to the instance of the replacement control responsive to a release focus message.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the overlay control is destroyed responsive to the release focus message.

22. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the overlay control is resized or relocated on the screen.

23. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein a replacement control within the set of replacement controls provides sound or animation.

24. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the instance of the replacement control has one or more modified properties.

25. A message based windowing system, in a data processing system, the message based windowing system comprising:

a message queue;

a set of system window controls, wherein the system window controls receive system messages from the message queue; and

a set of replacement window controls registered to receive create messages intended for at least a subset of the system window controls,

wherein, responsive to receiving a create message from the message queue, the message based windowing system creates an instance of a replacement window control from within the set of replacement window controls having one or more modified properties;

wherein, responsive to a given input message, the instance of the replacement control creates an overlay control; and

a display, wherein the display displays the replacement control and the overlay control.