Method and apparatus for modification of pointing device functions in conjunction with dynamic sorting, displaying, listing, and activation
First Claim
1. A programmable apparatus for modifying a drop down menu program, comprising:
- a computer having a memory, the memory containing a drop down menu program, a configuration table, and a configuration processor;
wherein the drop down menu program displays menu items in a drop down menu and is modified in accordance with the configuration table to eliminate one or more manual movements required by a user when employing a user input device for activating a button on the drop down menu, selecting any text or menu item on the drop down menu, scrolling through the drop down menu, or sorting items in the drop down menu;
wherein the configuration table comprises a plurality of pointer operations and a plurality of user selectable operation modes that correspond to the plurality of pointer operations;
wherein a first pointer operation is a pointer-over operation and wherein a first selectable operation mode corresponding to the first pointer operation is activating a menu button; and
wherein the configuration processor detects a change in the configuration table in response to a user selection of a selectable mode and distributes the change to the drop down menu program;
wherein, responsive to the first pointer operation, when a user moves a pointer over the menu button on the drop down menu the menu button on the drop down menu is activated without any other user action.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An Operation Modification Program is disclosed that alters the functions performed with a user input device in conjunction with a Drop Down Menu Program. The Drop Down Menu Program provides for the elimination of some manual steps required by a user when employing a user input device for operations involving activation, selection, sorting and scrolling. The Operation Modification Program provides for modification of pointer device functions to eliminate additional manual steps that would be required by a user with the Drop Down Menu Program. The user may configure the modifications or the user may operate using default settings. Five modifications are provided: pointer-over, pointer-over-with-highlighting, pointer-over-with-clicking, pointer-over-with highlighting-and-clicking, and pointer-movement. The five modifications provide for auto-detection, auto-determination, and auto-execution thereby eliminating one or more manual movements by a user. Each of the five modifications can be applied in the areas of activation, selection, scrolling and sorting.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A programmable apparatus for modifying a drop down menu program, comprising:
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a computer having a memory, the memory containing a drop down menu program, a configuration table, and a configuration processor; wherein the drop down menu program displays menu items in a drop down menu and is modified in accordance with the configuration table to eliminate one or more manual movements required by a user when employing a user input device for activating a button on the drop down menu, selecting any text or menu item on the drop down menu, scrolling through the drop down menu, or sorting items in the drop down menu; wherein the configuration table comprises a plurality of pointer operations and a plurality of user selectable operation modes that correspond to the plurality of pointer operations; wherein a first pointer operation is a pointer-over operation and wherein a first selectable operation mode corresponding to the first pointer operation is activating a menu button; and wherein the configuration processor detects a change in the configuration table in response to a user selection of a selectable mode and distributes the change to the drop down menu program; wherein, responsive to the first pointer operation, when a user moves a pointer over the menu button on the drop down menu the menu button on the drop down menu is activated without any other user action. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A program product operable on a computer, the program product comprising:
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a computer-usable medium; a drop down menu program for the display of menu items in a drop down menu wherein the drop down menu program, in accordance with a configuration table, eliminates one or more manual movements required by a user when employing a user input device for activating a button on the drop down menu, selecting a text or menu item on the drop down menu, scrolling through the drop down menu, or sorting a plurality of items in the drop down menu, the drop down, and wherein the drop down menu program, the configuration table and a configuration processor are stored in the computer-usable medium; wherein the configuration table comprises a plurality of pointer operations and a plurality of user selectable operation modes that correspond to the plurality of pointer operations; wherein a first pointer operation is pointer-over and wherein a first selectable operation mode corresponding to the first pointer operation is activating a menu button; and wherein the computer-usable medium, so configured by the configuration processor, causes a computer to detect a change in the configuration table in response to a selection of an operation mode by a user and to distribute the change to the drop down menu program; and wherein, responsive to the first pointer operation, when a user moves a pointer over the menu button on the drop down menu the menu button on the drop down menu is activated without any other user action. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification