System for annotating software windows

• US 5,596,700 A
• Filed: 02/17/1993
• Issued: 01/21/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Darnell, Michael J., Smilowitz, Elissa D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, Mark R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HO, RUAY L
• Application Number:
  US08/018,679
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• Field of Search: 395/139, 395/157, 395/159, 395/161, 395/164, 395/800, 395/600, 395/650, 395/700
• US Class Current: 715/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes

Abstract

The invention is a system for creating annotations (notes) from text entered by a user. The notes are permanently and persistently associated with a title text in a window and are either displayed or hidden along with the window having the associated title text. The title of the window, the note position and the note text are stored in nonvolatile storage as a note record, preferably along with all other note records to form a note dictionary. Thereafter, when each new window having a title is displayed, the system compares the new window title with each note title previously recorded. If the new title is the same as any note titles, then the note text is displayed at the note position. When a window is closed or altered in a way that would affect the way that the notes should be displayed, the system searches the note records to find all notes being displayed on the particular window and processes them accordingly. For example, if the window is being closed, then all associated notes are hidden.

Claims

1. A method of operating a computer system having a processor, a memory, a nonvolatile storage, text entry means, pointer positioning means, execute key means, display means and means for displaying multiple windows, comprising the steps of:

entering a new note mode upon detecting a selected action by a user;

detecting the pressing of the execute key when the pointer is located in a portion of a window having an associated title;

recording the title of the window as a note title;

recording the pointer position relative to the window as a note position;

displaying text entered by the user as a note text at the note position;

storing the note title, note position and note text in nonvolatile storage as a note record;

exiting the new note mode; and

for each new window displayed having a title, comparing the new window title with the note title and if the new title and the note title are equivalent, then displaying the note text at the note position.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of comparing, for each window being closed, the window title with the note title in each note record in the note dictionary and if the title of the window being closed and the note title are equivalent, then removing the note text from the display.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of entering a new note mode further comprises detecting the pressing of the execute key to the user when the pointer is positioned on a designated portion of a window associated with a note generating program.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of entering a new note mode further comprises detecting the pressing of a designated key stroke sequence by the user.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of entering a new note mode further comprises altering a default pointer display in a selected manner to visually indicate new note mode and the step of exiting the new note mode further comprises restoring the default pointer display.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of displaying text further comprises using selected visual display characteristics to display the note text to distinguish the note text from other text in the window or on the desktop.

7. A method of operating a computer system having a processor, a memory, a nonvolatile storage, text entry means, pointer positioning means, execute key means, display means and means for displaying multiple windows on a simulated desktop, comprising the steps of:

entering a new note mode upon detecting a selected action by a user;

detecting the pressing of the execute key when the printer is located in a portion of a window having an associated title or on the simulated desktop;

recording as a note title an indicator for the desktop or the title of the window responsive to the pointer position;

recording as a note position the pointer position relative to the window or the desktop responsive to the pointer position;

displaying text entered by the user as a note text at the note position;

storing the note title, note position and note text in nonvolatile storage as a note record in a note dictionary containing a plurality of note records;

exiting the new note mode;

for each new window displayed having a title, comparing the new window title with each note title in the note dictionary and if the new title and the note title are equivalent, then displaying the note text at the note position in the new window; and

each time the desktop is displayed, displaying note text at the note position for each note record having a note title indicating the desktop.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of comparing, for each window being closed, the window title with the note title in each note record in the note dictionary and if the title of the window being closed and the note title are equivalent, then removing the note text from the display.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of entering a new note mode further comprises detecting the pressing of the execute key when the pointer is positioned on a designated portion of a whole associated with a note generating program.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of entering a new note mode further comprises detecting the pressing of a designated key stroke sequence.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of entering a new note mode further comprises altering a default pointer display in a selected manner to visually indicate new note mode and the step of exiting the new note mode further comprises restoring the default pointer display.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of displaying text mode further comprises using selected visual display characteristics to display the note text to distinguish the note text from other text in the window or on the desktop.

13. A system for generating annotations having a processor, a memory, a nonvolatile storage, text entry means, pointer positioning means, execute key means, display means and means for displaying multiple windows, comprising:

means for entering a new note mode upon detecting a selected action by a user;

means for detecting the pressing of the execute key when the pointer is located in a portion of a window having an associated title;

means for recording the title of the window as a note title;

means for recording the pointer position relative to the window as a note position;

means for displaying text entered by the user as a note text at the note position;

means for storing the note title, note position and note text in nonvolatile storage as a note record;

means for exiting the new note mode;

means for comparing a new window title when the note title for each new window displayed having a title; and

means for displaying the note text at the note position responsive to the means for comparing.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

second means for comparing, for each window being closed, the window title with the note title in each note record in the note dictionary; and

means for removing the note text from the display responsive to the second means for comparing.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the means for entering a new note mode further comprises means for detecting the pressing of the execute key when the pointer is positioned on a designated portion of a window associated with a note generating program.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the means for entering a new note mode further comprises means for detecting the pressing of a designated key stroke sequence.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein means for entering a new note mode further comprises means for altering a default pointer display in a selected manner to visually indicate new note mode and means for exiting the new note mode further comprises means for restoring the default pointer display.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein the means for displaying text mode further comprises means for using selected visual display characteristics to display the note text to distinguish the note text from other text in the window or on the desktop.