User interface expander and collapser
First Claim
1. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodied in a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform operations to indicate expanded states and collapsed states, in a higher level visual control, of lower level expander/collapser items in a user interface display, the operations comprising:
- providing a lower level expander/collapser indicator area in the higher level visual control;
displaying a first display in the expander/collapser indicator area when all the lower level expander/collapser items are in a collapsed state;
displaying a second different display in the expander/collapser indicator area when all of the lower level expander/collapser items are in an expanded state; and
displaying a third different display in the expander/collapser indicator area when at least one of the lower level expander/collapser items is in the collapsed state and at least another one of the lower level expander/collapser items is in the expanded state.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of indicating expanded states and collapsed states of lower level expander/collapser items in a higher level visual control of a user interface display. The method includes providing, in the higher level visual control, a lower level expander/collapser indicator area; displaying a first display in the expander/collapser indicator area when all the lower level expander/collapser items are in a first state; displaying a second different display in the expander/collapser indicator area when all of the lower level expander/collapser items are in a second different state; and displaying a third different display in the expander/collapser indicator area when a first one of the lower level expander/collapser items is in the first state and a second one of the lower level expander/collapser items is not in the first state.
60 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodied in a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform operations to indicate expanded states and collapsed states, in a higher level visual control, of lower level expander/collapser items in a user interface display, the operations comprising:
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providing a lower level expander/collapser indicator area in the higher level visual control;
displaying a first display in the expander/collapser indicator area when all the lower level expander/collapser items are in a collapsed state;
displaying a second different display in the expander/collapser indicator area when all of the lower level expander/collapser items are in an expanded state; and
displaying a third different display in the expander/collapser indicator area when at least one of the lower level expander/collapser items is in the collapsed state and at least another one of the lower level expander/collapser items is in the expanded state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of indicating expanded states and collapsed states of lower level expander/collapser items in a higher level visual control of a user interface display, the method comprising:
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providing, in the higher level visual control, a lower level expander/collapser indicator area;
displaying a first display in the expander/collapser indicator area when all the lower level expander/collapser items are in a first state;
displaying a second different display in the expander/collapser indicator area when all of the lower level expander/collapser items are in a second different state; and
displaying a third different display in the expander/collapser indicator area when a first one of the lower level expander/collapser items is in the first state and a second one of the lower level expander/collapser items is not in the first state. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A user interface control system comprising:
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a system for displaying a mixed state expander/collapser button area in a lower level expander/collapser indicator area of a higher level visual control when lower level expander/collapser items include at least one of the items being in an expanded state and at least another one of the items being in a collapsed state, wherein the button area comprises a first mixed state action button adapted to expand all the lower level expander/collapser items to the expanded state and a second mixed state action button adapted to collapse all the lower level expander/collapser items to the collapsed state; and
a system for changing display in the indicator area, wherein the system for changing is adapted to change a display of the mixed state expander/collapser button area in the indicator area into an expander button after the second mixed state action button is selected, and wherein the system for changing is adapted to change the mixed state expander/collapser button area into a collapser button after the first mixed state action button is selected. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification