System, method and computer-readable medium for visual presentation of aspect of software programs

• US 9,086,780 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2008
• Issued: 07/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: C/O Witzig Hannah Sanders & Reagan, GLR Growth Fund LP
• Original Assignee: Digital Delivery Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Martin, Geoffrey, Marinacci, Christopher John
• Primary Examiner(s): TANK, ANDREW L
• Application Number:
  US12/287,048
• Publication Number:
  US 20100088648A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,482 Days
• Field of Search: 715/710, 715/815, 715/821, 715/828, 715/840, 715/843, 715/846, 715/787, 715/808, 715/825, 715/779, 715/862
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop

Abstract

A graphical user interface (GUI) presents a primary icon in a minimal visual area of a video display screen of a computer. Selecting the primary icon directs the computer to display a line of segments, where each segment associated with one or more software programs or electronic documents. The GUI allows a user to directly access items of visual and/or audio media by selecting one or more documents or software programs associated with a selected segment. The GUI optionally allows selected a line or segment for transmission from the computer to another computer, wherein copies one or more documents or software applications are transmitted to the second computer.

Claims

1. In a computer comprising a video display and a selection device, a method for actuating a graphical user interface (“

GUI”

), comprising;

associating a visual selection button exclusively with a continuous line icon comprising a plurality of contiguous linear GUI elements including a first linear GUI element and a second GUI element, wherein the plurality of contiguous linear GUI elements are presented within the continuous line icon upon selection of the selection button, wherein the plurality of linear GUI elements are sequentially linearly ordered and contiguously positioned and adjoined within the continuous line icon and form at least one border shared between two adjacent linear GUI elements;

presenting the visual selection button on the video display, the visual selection button having a minimal nonrectangular visual display area of the video display;

detecting of a positioning of a cursor proximate to the visual selection button as directed by input from the selection device;

interpreting the proximate positioning of the cursor to the visual selection button as a first selection command of the visual selection button;

rendering the continuous line icon upon receipt of the first selection command of the selection button from the selection device, wherein the visual selection button is non-contiguous with the rendered continuous line icon;

detecting of a positioning of the cursor proximate to the first linear GUI element as directed by input from the selection device;

interpreting the proximate positioning of the cursor proximate to the first linear GUI element as a second selection command, wherein the second selection command is referenced to the first linear GUI element; and

launching an application associated with the first linear GUI element upon receipt of the second selection command of the first linear GUI element from the selection device, whereby the application is launched in a process requiring only two actions by a user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the linear GUI element is rendered at a minimal height as enabled by the computer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual selection button is adapted by a user to occupy an area of the display screen larger than the minimal display area of the video display.

4. In a computer comprising a video display and a selection device, a method for actuating a graphical user interface (“

GUI”

), comprising;

associating a visual selection button exclusively with a continuous line icon;

presenting the visual selection button on the video display as a nonrectangular image and non-contiguously from the continuous line icon;

detecting of a positioning of a cursor proximate to the visual selection button as directed by input from the selection device;

interpreting the proximate positioning of the cursor to the visual selection button as a first selection command of the visual selection button;

rendering the continuous line icon presenting at least a first GUI string element and a second GUI string element upon receipt of the first selection command of the selection button from the selection device, the second GUI string element positioned laterally relative to the first GUI string element, wherein a plurality of GUI string elements comprising the first GUI string element and the second GUI element are presented within the continuous line icon upon selection of the selection button, wherein the plurality of GUI string elements are sequentially linearly ordered and contiguously positioned and adjoined within the continuous line icon and form at least one border shared between two adjacent GUI string elements;

detecting of a positioning of the cursor proximate to the first GUI string element as directed by input from the selection device;

interpreting the proximate positioning of the cursor proximate to the first GUI string element as a second selection command, wherein the second selection command is referenced to the first GUI string element; and

launching at least one drop down menu upon receipt of the second selection command of the first GUI string element from the selection device, whereby the at least one drop down menu is launched in a process requiring only two actions by a user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the visual selection button has a minimal area of the display screen.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein a size of the displayed area of the selection button is programmable by a user.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one presented GUI string element is enabled with at least one drop down menu having a single activation selection.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein each GUI string element is actuated upon separate selection.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one GUI string element is displayed in a prespecified color.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the prespecified color is selected by a user.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one GUI string element is associated with an audio data, and the audio data is rendered upon proximate positioning of a cursor driven by the selection device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the audio data is selected and associated with the at least one GUI string element by a user.

13. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one document is associated with the at least one GUI string element.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein an open condition of the at least one document is indicated by a visual quality of the associated at least one GUI string element.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the computer is bi-directionally communicatively coupled with an electronics communications network, and the method further comprises selecting the at least one document and transmitting the at least one document from the computer to the electronics communications network.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the electronics communications network is the Internet.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one document is transmitted as an email attachment.

18. A computer having a video display, comprising:

a video display;

means for visually rendering a selection button, the selection button presenting a minimal nonrectangular visual display area of the video display;

means for visually rendering a continuous line icon within the video display, the continuous line icon presenting a first GUI string element and a second GUI string element upon user selection of the selection button;

means for associating an applications program with the first GUI string element;

means for detecting of a positioning of a cursor proximate to the rendered visual selection button as directed by input from the selection device;

means for interpreting the proximate positioning of the cursor to the rendered visual selection button as a first selection command of the visual selection button;

means for rendering the continuous line icon upon receipt of the first selection command of the selection button from the selection device, wherein the visual selection button is non-contiguous with the rendered continuous line icon;

means for rendering a plurality of GUI string elements comprising the first GUI string element and the second GUI element presented within the continuous line icon upon selection of the selection button, wherein the plurality of GUI string elements are sequentially linearly ordered and contiguously positioned and adjoined within the continuous line icon and form at least one border shared between two adjacent GUI string elements;

means for detecting of a positioning of the cursor proximate to the rendered first linear GUI element as directed by input from the selection device;

means for interpreting the proximate positioning of the cursor proximate to the rendered first linear GUI element as a second selection command, wherein the second selection command is referenced to the first linear GUI element; and

means for launching the application program associated with the first linear GUI element upon receipt of the second selection command of the first linear GUI element from the selection device, whereby the application program is launched in a process requiring only two actions by a user.