Methods, apparatus and computer programs for navigating within a user interface

• US 7,966,571 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2007
• Issued: 06/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Phillips, Mark Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitaro; Ryan F
• Assistant Examiner(s): TILLERY, RASHAWN N
• Application Number:
  US11/677,086
• Publication Number:
  US 20070209007A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,581 Days
• Field of Search: 715/784, 715/786, 715/787, 715/781, 715/738, 715/772, 715/702
• US Class Current: 715/784
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer program are disclosed for navigating within a user interface. Navigation within the user interface is monitored and, if detected navigation instructions satisfy a predefined criterion such as if they exceed a predefined rate of movement, one or more return points or bookmarks within the user interface are recorded to facilitate return to those positions.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for navigating within a user interface of a data processing apparatus, the computer implemented method comprising:

a processor associating successive parts of a document with different windows, wherein the document comprises the successive parts arranged in a predefined sequential order, and wherein each successive part is displayed in a different window on a user interface;

the processor detecting a user-initiated navigation instruction for navigating directly from a first part of the document to a second part of the document, wherein the second part of the document is not displayed on the user interface until the first part of the document has been displayed on the user interface, and wherein the first and second parts of the document are separated by at least one intermediate part of the document;

the processor recording a position of the first part of the document to enable a user to return to the position of the first part of the document from the second part of the document by initiating a predefined return instruction;

the processor measuring a first length of time, wherein the first length of time is a length of time taken to navigate from the first part of the document to the second part of the document;

the processor measuring a second length of time, wherein the second length of time is a length of time that the second part of the document is displayed on the user interface after navigating from the first part of the document; and

in response to the first length of time being less than the second length of time, recording the position of the first part of the document.

2. The computer implemented method according to claim 1, wherein the user-initiated navigation instruction is a jump from the first part of the document to the second part of the document without displaying said at least one intermediate part of the document.

3. The computer implemented method according to claim 1, further comprising:

in response to the first length of time equaling the second length of time, recording the position of the first part of the document.

4. The computer implemented method according to claim 1, wherein a minimum actionable length for the second length of time is set by a user of the user interface, and wherein the minimum actionable length must be reached before the position of the first part of the document is recorded by the processor.

5. The computer implemented method according to claim 2, wherein the jump from the first part of the document to the second part of the document is caused by an execution of a search instruction to search for a term in the second part of the document.

6. The computer implemented method according to claim 2, wherein the first part of the document and the second part of the document are components of a text document.

7. The computer implemented method according to claim 6, wherein the jump from the first part of the document to the second part of the document is caused by an execution of a Ctrl-End instruction.

8. The computer implemented method according to claim 1, further comprising:

the processor marking a start position of the first part of the document;

the processor receiving an instruction to return from the second part of the document to the start position of the first part of the document; and

the processor displaying the first part of the document at the start position.

9. The computer implemented method according to claim 1, further comprising:

the processor marking an end position of the first part of the document;

the processor receiving an instruction to return from the second part, of the document to the end position of the first part of the document; and

the processor displaying the first part of the document at the end position.

10. A computer program product for navigating within a user interface of a data processing apparatus, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code to associate successive parts of a document with different windows, wherein the document comprises the successive parts arranged in a predefined sequential order, and wherein each successive part is displayed in a different window on a user interface;

computer readable program code to detect a user-initiated navigation instruction for navigating directly from a first part of the document to a second part of the document, wherein the second part of the document is not displayed on the user interface until the first part of the document has been displayed on the user interface, and wherein the first and second parts of the document are separated by at least one intermediate part of the document; and

computer readable program code to record a position of the first part of the document to enable a user to return to the position of the first part of the document from the second part of the document by initiating a predefined return instruction;

computer readable program code to measure a first length of time, wherein the first length of time is a length of time taken to navigate from the first part of the document to the second part of the document;

computer readable program code to measure a second length of time, wherein the second length of time is a length of time that the second part of the document is displayed on the user interface after navigating from the first part of the document; and

computer readable program code to, in response to the first length of time being less than the second length of time, record the position of the first part of the document.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the user-initiated navigation instruction is a jump from the first part of the document to the second part of the document without displaying said at least one intermediate part of the document.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the jump from the first part of the document to the second part of the document is caused by a search for a term in the second part of the document.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising:

computer readable program code to mark a start position of the first part of the document;

computer readable program code to receive an instruction to return to the start position of the first part of the document; and

computer readable program code to display the first part of the document at the start position.

14. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising:

computer readable program code to mark an end position of the first part of the document;

computer readable program code to receive an instruction to return to the end position of the first part of the document; and

computer readable program code to display the first part of the document at the end position.

15. A computer system comprising:

a processor, a computer readable memory, and a computer readable storage media;

first program instructions to associate successive parts of a document with different windows, wherein the document comprises the successive parts arranged in a predefined sequential order, and wherein each successive part is displayed in a different window on a user interface;

second program instructions to detect a user-initiated navigation instruction for navigating directly from a first part of the document to a second part of the document, wherein the second part of the document is not displayed on the user interface until the first part of the document has been displayed on the user interface, and wherein the first and second parts of the document are separated by at least one intermediate part of the document; and

third program instructions to record a position of the first part of the document to enable a user to return to the position of the first part of the document from the second part of the document by initiating a predefined return instruction;

fourth program instructions to measure a first length of time, wherein the first length of time is a length of time taken to navigate from the first part of the document to the second part of the document;

fifth program instructions to measure a second length of time, wherein the second length of time is a length of time that the second part of the document is displayed on the user interface after navigating from the first part of the document; and

sixth program instructions to, in response to the first length of time equaling the second length of time, record the position of the first part of the document, and wherein

the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by the processor via the computer readable memory.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the user-initiated navigation instruction is a jump from the first part of the document to the second part of the document without displaying said at least one intermediate part of the document.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the jump from the first part of the document to the second part of the document is caused by a search for a term in the second part of the document.

18. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising:

seventh program instructions to mark a start position of the first part of the document;

eighth program instructions to receive an instruction to return to the start position of the first part of the document; and

ninth program instructions to display the first part of the document at the start position; and

wherein

the seventh, eighth, and ninth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by the processor via the computer readable memory.

19. The computer system of claim 15, further comprising:

seventh program instructions to mark an end position of the first part of the document;

eighth program instructions to receive an instruction to return to the end position of the first part of the document; and

ninth program instructions to display the first part of the document at the end position; and

wherein

the seventh, eighth, and ninth program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by the processor via the computer readable memory.