Method, apparatus and computer program product for providing context to a computer display window
First Claim
1. A method for indicating context for displayed information, comprising the steps of:
- displaying in a window a first portion of information, wherein the window includes a scroll bar for controlling scrolling of the window through the information and the information includes a succession of objects; and
displaying indicators representing respective ones of the objects, including ones of the objects that are outside the first portion of the information that is displayed in the window, wherein the indicators are displayed in an area of the window, including an area within the scroll bar, and the displaying of such an indicator includes displaying of an attribute of the indicator, the attribute representing a type of the respective object represented by the indicator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A first portion of certain information is displayed in a window of a computerized display device. The window includes a scroll bar to control scrolling of the window through the information. The information includes a succession of objects. Context is indicated for the information by displaying indicators representing respective ones of the objects, including ones of the objects that are outside the first portion of the information that is displayed in the window. The indicators are displayed in an area of the window, including an area within the scroll bar. In another aspect, positions of the indicators represent relative positions of the objects within the information. In a still further aspect, displayed attributes of the indicators represent the type of the objects represented by the respective indicators.
254 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method for indicating context for displayed information, comprising the steps of:
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displaying in a window a first portion of information, wherein the window includes a scroll bar for controlling scrolling of the window through the information and the information includes a succession of objects; and
displaying indicators representing respective ones of the objects, including ones of the objects that are outside the first portion of the information that is displayed in the window, wherein the indicators are displayed in an area of the window, including an area within the scroll bar, and the displaying of such an indicator includes displaying of an attribute of the indicator, the attribute representing a type of the respective object represented by the indicator. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. The method of claim 1 comprising the step of:
scrolling the window to one of the objects responsive to the user clicking a pointing device with a pointer of the pointing device positioned on one of the indicators that represents the respective object. - View Dependent Claims (2, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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10-1. An apparatus for indicating context for displayed information, the apparatus comprising:
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a processor;
a display device connected to the processor; and
a storage device connected to the processor, wherein the storage device is for storing a program for controlling the processor, and the processor is operative with the program to display in a window a first portion of information, wherein the window includes a scroll bar for controlling scrolling of the window through the information and the information includes a succession of objects, and display indicators representing respective ones of the objects, including ones of the objects that are outside the first portion of the information that is displayed in the window, wherein the indicators are displayed in an area of the window, including an area within the scroll bar, and the displaying of such an indicator includes displaying of an attribute of the indicator, the attribute representing a type of the respective object represented by the indicator.
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11-2. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the displayed attribute of the indicator is a color or a symbol.
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21. A computer program product for indicating context for displayed information, the computer program product comprising:
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instructions for displaying in a window a first portion of information, wherein the window includes a scroll bar for controlling scrolling of the window through the information, and the information includes a succession of objects; and
instructions for displaying indicators representing respective ones of the objects, including ones of the objects that are outside the first portion of the information that is displayed in the window, wherein the indicators are displayed in an area of the window, including an area within the scroll bar, and the displaying of such an indicator includes displaying of an attribute of the indicator, the attribute representing a type of the respective object represented by the indicator. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification