Multidimensional Multistate User Interface Element
First Claim
1. A method for constructing a multidimensional multistate user interface element comprising the steps of:
- providing a user interface element;
defining a first dimension comprising a plurality of first states;
defining a second dimension comprising a plurality of second states;
identifying a first data source associated with said first dimension; and
identifying a second data source associated with said second dimension, whereby said first data source can freely manipulate said first dimension by setting said first dimension to one of said first states, said second data source can freely manipulate said second dimension by setting said second dimension to one of said second states, and said set first dimension and said set second dimension are combined into a composite state, wherein said composite state is represented in said user interface element, and wherein said composite state as represented in said user interface element may be distinguished from any other composite state as represented in said user interface element.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention provide multistate, multidimensional user interface elements. In one embodiment, the user interface elements are multistate and multidimensional to indicate to a user of a computer system multiple independently variable states through a single user interface element. The user can change at least one subset of those variable states through the user interface element. The user interface elements may also communicate the behavior that a system will exhibit when acting upon those combined states. Exemplary embodiments include indicating ways in which messages will be processed in a secure messaging system.
113 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method for constructing a multidimensional multistate user interface element comprising the steps of:
-
providing a user interface element; defining a first dimension comprising a plurality of first states; defining a second dimension comprising a plurality of second states; identifying a first data source associated with said first dimension; and identifying a second data source associated with said second dimension, whereby said first data source can freely manipulate said first dimension by setting said first dimension to one of said first states, said second data source can freely manipulate said second dimension by setting said second dimension to one of said second states, and said set first dimension and said set second dimension are combined into a composite state, wherein said composite state is represented in said user interface element, and wherein said composite state as represented in said user interface element may be distinguished from any other composite state as represented in said user interface element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method of configuring security parameters of a message that will be processed by a secure messaging system, said method comprising:
-
determining a preference by a user for securing a message to be sent to at least one recipient; determining whether the preference can be validly implemented when the message is sent based on at least one capability of the secure messaging system; and displaying a multidimensional user interface element that indicates the preference of the user and the at least one capability of the secure messaging system. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification