Computer user interface with non-salience deemphasis

• US 8,381,126 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2001
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: MONKEYmedia, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MONKEYmedia, Inc.
• Inventors: Gould, Eric Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Ba
• Application Number:
  US09/947,196
• Publication Number:
  US 20020093496A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,186 Days
• Field of Search: 715/772, 715/767, 715784-787, 715/801
• US Class Current: 715/801
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars

Abstract

A relativity controller is a scroll bar/window combination that provides a way to see data in relation to both the context of its wholeness and the salience of its contents. To accomplish this, the linear density or other appearance of the scroll bar (acting as a ruler or scale) varies with the density of the document salience (as indicated by different kinds of annotations or marks). It also provides a way to zoom between perspectives. This is usable on many different data types: including sound, video, graphics, calendars and word processors.

Claims

1. One or more computer readable storage media, wherein said computer readable storage media is not a propagated signal(s), comprising instructions that when executed by a computer are capable of causing the computer to:

generate a user interface;

create a sequence comprising text segments;

identify which of the text segments are salient based on at least one user-defined salience preference, wherein identification of text segment(s) as salient is independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the sequence and independent from structural hierarchy(s) in the sequence and independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the user interface; and

vary display of the sequence so that only the salient segment(s) are displayed on the user interface without uniformly zooming all segments and without materially changing the allocation of space for display of each salient segment whereby each salient segment is made more prominent in comparison to non-salient segment(s).

2. The computer readable storage media of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to provide a scroll bar on the user interface that includes a thumb having a size and a location on the scroll bar.

3. The computer readable storage media of claim 2, wherein the scroll bar is responsive to said varying display of the sequence.

4. The computer readable storage media of claim 2, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to adjust the size of the thumb in response to said varying display of the sequence.

5. The computer readable storage media of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to annotate at least one of the salient segment(s).

6. The computer readable storage media of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to display a graphical user interface element on the user interface that allows a user to control which text segment(s) of the sequence are displayed.

7. The computer readable storage media of claim 6, wherein the graphical user interface element includes a slide control.

8. The computer readable storage media of claim 7, wherein the slide control allows a user to vary which text segment(s) of the sequence are displayed.

9. The computer readable storage media of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to modify a linear representation of the sequence into a non-linear representation without uniformly zooming all segments and without materially changing the allocation of space for display of each salient segment whereby each salient segment is made more prominent in comparison to non-salient segment(s).

10. One or more computer readable storage media, wherein said computer readable storage media is not a propagated signal(s), comprising instructions that when executed by a computer are capable of causing the computer to:

generate a user interface;

process a sequence comprising text segments that can be displayed on the user interface;

automatically identify and mark which of the text segments are salient based on at least one user-defined salience preference, wherein identification of text segment(s) as salient is independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the sequence and independent from structural hierarchy(s) in the sequence and independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the user interface; and

vary display of the sequence so that only the salient segment(s) are displayed on the user interface without uniformly zooming all segments and without materially changing the allocation of space for display of each salient segment whereby each salient segment is made more prominent in comparison to non-salient segment(s).

11. The computer readable storage media of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to provide a scroll bar on the user interface that includes a thumb having a size and a location on the scroll bar.

12. The computer readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the size of the thumb is responsive to said varying display of the sequence.

13. The computer readable storage media of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to annotate at least one of the salient segment(s).

14. The computer readable storage media claim 10, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to display a graphical user interface element that allows a user to control which text segment(s) of the sequence are displayed.

15. The computer readable storage media of claim 14, wherein the graphical user interface element includes a slide control.

16. The computer readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the slide control allows a user to vary which text segment(s) of the sequence are displayed.

17. The computer readable storage media of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to modify a linear representation of the sequence into a non-linear representation without uniformly zooming all segments and without materially changing the allocation of space for display of each salient segment, whereby each salient segment is made more prominent in comparison to non-salient segment(s).

18. The computer readable storage media of claim 10, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to add data to mark the salient segment(s).

19. The computer readable storage media of claim 18, wherein the data is a tag bit.

20. One or more computer readable storage media, wherein said computer readable storage media is not a propagated signal(s), comprising instructions that when executed by a computer are capable of causing the computer to:

generate a user interface;

process a sequence comprising text segments that can be displayed on the user interface;

identify which of the text segments are salient based on at least one user-defined salience preference, wherein identification of text segment(s) as salient is independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the sequence and independent from structural hierarchy(s) in the sequence and independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the user interface;

vary display of the sequence so that only the salient segment(s) are displayed on the user interface without uniformly zooming all segments and without materially changing the allocation of space for display of each salient segment whereby each salient segment is made more prominent in comparison to non-salient segment(s); and

provide a scroll bar on the user interface that includes a thumb having a size, wherein the size of the thumb is responsive to said varying display of the sequence.

21. The computer readable storage media of claim 20, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to display a graphical user interface element that allows a user to control which text segment(s) of the sequence are displayed.

22. The computer readable storage media of claim 21, wherein the graphical user interface element includes a slide control that allows a user to vary which text segment(s) of the sequence are displayed.

23. The computer readable storage media of claim 22, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to add data to mark the salient segment(s).

24. One or more computer readable storage media, wherein said computer readable storage media is not a propagated signal(s), comprising instructions that when executed by a computer are capable of causing the computer to:

generate a user interface;

create a sequence comprising text segments;

identify which of the text segments are salient based on at least one user-defined salience preference, wherein identification of text segment(s) as salient is independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the sequence and independent from structural hierarchy(s) in the sequence and independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the user interface, wherein the user interface includes a graphical user interface element with a slide control that is displayed on the user interface;

display the sequence on the user interface;

vary display of the sequence in response to the slide control by reducing the allocation of space for display of non-salient segment(s) without uniformly zooming all segments and without materially changing the allocation of space for display of each salient segment whereby each salient segment is made more prominent in comparison to non-salient segment(s); and

highlight the display of each salient segment on the user interface.

25. The computer readable storage media of claim 24, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to provide a scroll bar on the user interface that includes a thumb having a size and a location on the scroll bar.

26. The computer readable storage media of claim 25, wherein the scroll bar is responsive to said varying display of the sequence.

27. The computer readable storage media of claim 25, wherein the location of the thumb on the scroll bar is affected by said varying display of the sequence.

28. The computer readable storage media of claim 25, wherein the location of the thumb on the scroll bar corresponds to a spatial position of at least one of the salient segment(s) in the sequence.

29. The computer readable storage media of claim 24, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to annotate each salient segment.

30. One or more computer readable storage media, wherein said computer readable storage media is not a propagated signal(s), comprising instructions that when executed by a computer are capable of causing the computer to:

generate a user interface;

process a sequence comprising text segments;

display the sequence on the user interface;

automatically identify which of the text segments are salient based on at least one user-defined salience preference, wherein identification of text segment(s) as salient is independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the sequence and independent from structural hierarchy(s) in the sequence and independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the user interface; and

modify the display of the sequence by utilizing a graphical user interface element displayed on the user interface, wherein the graphical user interface element includes a slide control that reduces the allocation of space for the display of non-salient segment(s) without uniformly zooming all segments and without materially changing the allocation of space for the display of each salient segment whereby each salient segment is made more prominent in comparison to non-salient segment(s).

31. The computer readable storage media of claim 30, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to provide a scroll bar on the user interface that includes a thumb having a size and a location on the scroll bar.

32. The computer readable storage media of claim 31, wherein the scroll bar is responsive to said graphical user interface element.

33. The computer readable storage media of claim 31, wherein the location of the thumb on the scroll bar is affected by said modifying the display of the sequence.

34. The computer readable storage media of claim 31, wherein the location of the thumb on the scroll bar corresponds to a spatial position of at least one of the salient segment(s) in the sequence.

35. The computer readable storage media of claim 30, wherein the display of each salient segment is highlighted.

36. The computer readable storage media of claim 30, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to annotate each salient segment.

37. The computer readable storage media of claim 30, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to add data to mark the salient segment(s).

38. The computer readable storage media of claim 37, wherein the data is a tag bit.

39. One or more computer readable storage media, wherein said computer readable storage media is not a propagated signal(s), comprising instructions that when executed by a computer are capable of causing the computer to:

generate a user interface;

process a sequence comprising text segments;

display the sequence on the user interface;

identify which of the text segments are salient based on at least one user-defined salience preference, wherein identification of text segment(s) as salient is independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the sequence and independent from structural hierarchy(s) in the sequence and independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the user interface;

modify the display of the sequence by utilizing a graphical user interface element displayed on the user interface, wherein the graphical user interface element includes a slide control that reduces the allocation of space for the display of non-salient segment(s) without uniformly zooming all segments and without materially changing the allocation of space for the display of each salient segment whereby each salient segment is made more prominent in comparison to non-salient segment(s);

provide a scroll bar on the user interface that includes a thumb having a location on the scroll bar, wherein the location of the thumb on the scroll bar is affected by said modifying the display of the sequence; and

highlight the display of each salient segment.

40. The computer readable storage media of claim 39, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to add data to mark the salient segment(s).

41. One or more computer readable storage media, wherein said computer readable storage media is not a propagated signal(s), comprising instructions that when executed by a computer are capable of causing the computer to:

generate a user interface;

create a sequence comprising text identify which of the text segments are salient based on at least one user-defined salience preference, wherein identification of text segment(s) as salient is independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the sequence and independent from structural hierarchy(s) in the sequence and independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the user interface;

modify a linear representation of the sequence into a non-linear representation without uniformly zooming all segments and without materially changing the allocation of space for display of each salient segment, whereby each salient segment is made more prominent in comparison to non-salient segment(s); and

display the non-linear representation of the sequence on the user interface.

42. The computer readable storage media of claim 41, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to provide a scroll bar on the user interface that includes a thumb having a size and a location on the scroll bar.

43. The computer readable storage media of claim 42, wherein the scroll bar is responsive to said modifying the representation of the sequence.

44. The computer readable storage media of claim 42, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to adjust the size of the thumb in response to said modifying the representation of the sequence.

45. The computer readable storage media of claim 41, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to annotate at least one of the salient segment(s).

46. One or more computer readable storage media, wherein said computer readable storage media is not a propagated signal(s), comprising instructions that when executed by a computer are capable of causing the computer to:

generate a user interface;

process a sequence comprising text segments;

automatically identify which of the text segments are salient based on at least one user-defined salience preference, wherein identification of text segment(s) as salient is independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the sequence and independent from structural hierarchy(s) in the sequence and independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the user interface;

modify a linear representation of the sequence into a non-linear representation without uniformly zooming all segments and without materially changing the allocation of space for display of each salient segment, whereby each salient segment is made more prominent in comparison to non-salient segment(s); and

display the non-linear representation of the sequence on the user interface.

47. The computer readable storage media of claim 46, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to provide a scroll bar on the user interface that includes a thumb having a size and a location on the scroll bar.

48. The computer readable storage media of claim 47, wherein the size of the thumb is responsive to said modifying the representation of the sequence.

49. The computer readable storage media of claim 46, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to annotate at least one of the salient segment(s).

50. The computer readable storage media of claim 46, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to add data to mark the salient segment(s).

51. The computer readable storage media of claim 50, wherein the data is a tag bit.

52. One or more computer readable storage media, wherein said computer readable storage media is not a propagated signal(s), comprising instructions that when executed by a computer are capable of causing the computer to:

generate a user interface;

process a sequence comprising text segments;

identify which of the text segments are salient based on at least one user-defined salience preference, wherein identification of text segment(s) as salient is independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the sequence and independent from structural hierarchy(s) in the sequence and independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the user interface;

modify a linear representation of the sequence into a non-linear representation without uniformly zooming all segments and without materially changing the allocation of space for display of each salient segment, whereby each salient segment is made more prominent in comparison to non-salient segment(s);

provide a scroll bar on the user interface that includes a thumb having a size, wherein the size of the thumb is responsive to said modifying the representation of the sequence; and

display the non-linear representation of the sequence on the user interface.

53. The computer readable storage media of claim 52, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to add data to mark the salient segment(s).

54. One or more computer readable storage media, wherein said computer readable storage media is not a propagated signal(s), comprising instructions that when executed by a computer are capable of causing the computer to:

generate a user interface;

display a sequence comprising text segments that can be displayed on the user interface;

identify which of the text segments are salient based on at least one user-defined salience preference, wherein identification of text segment(s) as salient is independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the sequence and independent from structural hierarchy(s) in the sequence and independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the user interface; and

vary the display of the sequence by reducing the allocation of space for the display of non-salient segment(s) without uniformly zooming all segments and without materially changing the allocation of space for the display of each salient segment whereby each salient segment is made more prominent in comparison to non-salient segment(s).

55. The computer readable storage media of claim 54, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to highlight the display of each salient segment.

56. The computer readable storage media of claim 54, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to provide a scroll bar on the user interface that includes a thumb having a size and a location on the scroll bar.

57. The computer readable storage media of claim 56, wherein the scroll bar is responsive to said varying the display of the sequence.

58. The computer readable storage media of claim 56, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to adjust the size of the thumb in response to said varying the display of the sequence.

59. The computer readable storage media of claim 54, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to modify a linear representation of the sequence into a non-linear representation without uniformly zooming all segments and without materially changing the allocation of space for the display of each salient segment, whereby each salient segment is made more prominent in comparison to non-salient segment(s).

60. The computer readable storage media of claim 54, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to annotate each salient segment.

61. The computer readable storage media of claim 54, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to add data to mark each salient segment.

62. The computer readable storage media of claim 61, wherein the data is a tag bit.

63. One or more computer readable storage media, wherein said computer readable storage media is not a propagated signal(s), comprising instructions, that when executed by a computer are capable of causing the computer to:

generate a user interface;

display a sequence comprising text segments that can be displayed on the user interface;

automatically identify which of the text segments are salient based on at least one user-defined salience preference, wherein identification of text segment(s) as salient is independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the sequence and independent from structural hierarchy(s) in the sequence and independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the user interface;

modify the display of the sequence by reducing the allocation of space for the display of non-salient segment(s) without uniformly zooming all segments and without materially changing the allocation of space for the display of each salient segment whereby each salient segment is made more prominent in comparison to non-salient segment(s).

64. The computer readable storage media of claim 63, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to provide a scroll bar on the user interface that includes a thumb having a size and a location on the scroll bar.

65. The computer readable storage media of claim 64, wherein the size of the thumb is responsive to said modifying the display of the sequence.

66. The computer readable storage media of claim 63, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to annotate each salient segment.

67. The computer readable storage media of claim 63, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to add data to mark each salient segment.

68. The computer readable storage media of claim 67, wherein the data is a tag bit.

69. One or more computer readable storage media, wherein said computer readable storage media is not a propagated signal(s), comprising instructions that when executed by a computer are capable of causing the computer to:

generate a user interface;

display a sequence comprising text segments that can be displayed on the user interface;

identify which of the text segments are salient based on at least one user-defined salience preference, wherein identification of text segment(s) as salient is independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the sequence and independent from structural hierarchy(s) in the sequence and independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the user interface;

modify the display of the sequence by reducing the allocation of space for the display of non-salient(s) segment without uniformly zooming all segments and without materially changing the allocation of space for the display of each salient segment whereby each salient segment is made more prominent in comparison to non-salient segment(s);

provide at least one graphical user interface element on the user interface that allows a user to control said modifying the display of the sequence;

provide a scroll bar on the user interface that includes a thumb having a size, wherein the size of the thumb is responsive to said modifying the display of the sequence; and

highlight the display of each salient segment.

70. The computer readable storage media of claim 69, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing the computer to add data to mark the salient segment(s).

71. A computer-implemented method of presenting text for display comprising:

a. generating a user interface;

b. processing a sequence comprising text segments;

c. identifying which of the text segments are salient based on at least one user-defined salience preference, wherein identification of text segment(s) as salient is independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the sequence and independent from structural hierarchy(s) in the sequence and independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the user interface;

d. modifying a linear representation of the sequence into a non-linear representation without uniformly zooming all segments and without materially changing the allocation of space for display of each salient segment on the user interface, whereby each salient segment is made more prominent in comparison to non-salient segment(s);

e. providing a scroll bar on the user interface that includes a thumb having a size, wherein the size of the thumb is responsive to said modifying the representation of the sequence; and

f. presenting the non-linear representation of the sequence for display on the user interface.

72. The computer-implemented method of claim 71, further comprising:

adding data to mark the salient segment(s).

73. A computer-implemented method of presenting text for display comprising:

a. generating a user interface;

b. presenting a sequence comprising text segments for display on the user interface;

c. automatically identifying which of the text segments are salient based on at least one user-defined salience preference, wherein identification of text segment(s) as salient is independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the sequence and independent from structural hierarchy(s) in the sequence and independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the user interface; and

d. modifying the presentation of the sequence by reducing the allocation of space for display of non-salient segment(s) without uniformly zooming all segments and without materially changing the allocation of space for display of each salient segment whereby each salient segment is made more prominent in comparison to non-salient segment(s).

74. The computer-implemented method of claim 73, further comprising:

providing a scroll bar on the user interface that includes a thumb having a size and a location on the scroll bar.

75. The computer-implemented method of claim 74, wherein the size of the thumb is responsive to said modifying the presentation of the sequence.

76. The computer-implemented method of claim 73, further comprising:

annotating each salient segment.

77. The computer-implemented method of claim 73, further comprising:

adding data to mark each salient segment.

78. A computer-implemented method of presenting text for display comprising:

a. generating a user interface;

b. presenting a sequence comprising text segments for display on the user interface;

c. identifying which of the text segments are salient based on at least one user-defined salience preference, wherein identification of text segment(s) as salient is independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the sequence and independent from structural hierarchy(s) in the sequence and independent from position(s) of segment(s) in the user interface;

d. modifying the presentation of the sequence by reducing the allocation of space for display of non-salient segment(s) without uniformly zooming all segments and without materially changing the allocation of space for display of each salient segment(s) whereby each salient segment is made more prominent in comparison to non-salient segment(s);

e. providing at least one graphical user interface element on the user interface that allows a user to control said modifying the presentation of the sequence;

f. providing a scroll bar on the user interface that includes a thumb having a size, wherein the size of the thumb is responsive to said modifying the presentation of the sequence for display on the user interface; and

g. highlighting the presentation of each salient segment for display on the user interface.

79. The computer-implemented method of claim 78, further comprising:

adding data to mark the salient segment(s).