System and method of producing user interface information messages
First Claim
1. A method for notifying a computer user of a computer information message, comprising the steps of:
- receiving an action performed on a computer by a user;
determining if a condition associated with the received action requires generation of an information message;
selecting an information message to be generated corresponding to said condition;
locating a target object associated with the action performed by the user, to which the information contained within the notification message relates; and
displaying a notification object which indicates the target object and contains said information message corresponding to said condition.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for producing notification objects conveying computer warning or error notification information to a computer user is provided. The notification objects point to a target to which the information contained therein relates and are persistent until dismissed by a user or an application. The notification objects are aware of the bounds of their target, and where possible do not obscure any part of their target. These objects are collapsible, allowing the user to minimize the objects, and are also non-modal, allowing a user to fully interact with any running application while the notification objects are visible. These notification objects are only visible when the window containing the target to which the information in the notification object relates is the active window.
53 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for notifying a computer user of a computer information message, comprising the steps of:
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receiving an action performed on a computer by a user;
determining if a condition associated with the received action requires generation of an information message;
selecting an information message to be generated corresponding to said condition;
locating a target object associated with the action performed by the user, to which the information contained within the notification message relates; and
displaying a notification object which indicates the target object and contains said information message corresponding to said condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for notifying a computer user of a computer information message, comprising:
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means for receiving an action performed on a computer by a user;
means for determining if the received action requires generation of a computer information message;
means for selecting a computer information message to be generated corresponding to said action performed by the user;
means for locating a target object corresponding to the action performed by the user, to which the information contained within the notification message relates; and
means for displaying a notification object which indicates the target object and contains said information message corresponding to said target object.
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- 19. A graphical user interface element for providing a user with information regarding a computer application being executed, comprising a notification object containing information relating to a target within said computer application and an indication mechanism which forms part of said object and points to the target with which the computer notification object is associated.
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26. A computer program stored in a computer-readable medium which executes the following steps:
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receiving an action performed on a computer by a user;
determining if the received action requires generation of an information message;
selecting an information message to be generated corresponding to said action performed by the user;
locating a target object corresponding to the action performed by the user, to which the information contained within the notification message relates; and
displaying a notification object which indicates the target and contains said information message corresponding to said target object.
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Specification