Systems, methods, and computer program products for presenting lists of user-selectable information

• US 5,963,207 A
• Filed: 08/15/1997
• Issued: 10/05/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Sanders, David, Grotjohn, D. Kirk, Brewer, Janet A., Britton, Kathryn H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Matthew M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): dela Torre, Crescelle N.
• Application Number:
  US08/911,859
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 345/326, 345/339, 345/340, 345/350, 345/352, 345/353, 345/354, 345/333, 345/334, 345/965, 345/966, 345/969, 345/146, 345/902, 345/970, 364/188, 707/7
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 Sorting

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer program products for displaying user selectable attributes for a first item contained within a set of items are provided. Attributes previously configured for the first item are displayed in a user interface so as to indicate their status as previously configured for the first item. Attributes previously configured for other items contained within the set are displayed in the user interface so as to indicate their status as previously configured for the other items. Attributes not configured for any item contained within the set may be displayed in the user interface so as to indicate their status as not configured for any item within the set.

Claims

1. A method of displaying, in a user interface displayed on a display device, user selectable attributes for a first item contained within a set of items, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying attributes previously configured for the first item in a first list so as to indicate their status as previously configured for the first item; and

displaying attributes previously configured for other items contained within the set in a second list so as to indicate their status as previously configured for the other items.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of displaying attributes not configured for any item contained within the set in a third list so as to indicate their status as not configured for any item within the set.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the attributes previously configured for the first item are displayed in a first list within a first area of the user interface, and the attributes previously configured for the other items contained within the set are displayed in a second list within a second area of the user interface adjacent the first area.

4. A method according to claim 2 wherein the attributes not configured for any item contained within the set are displayed in a third list within a third area of the user interface adjacent the second area.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of user selectable attributes have values configurable by a user.

6. A method of displaying, in a user interface on a display device, user selectable attributes for a first item within a set of items, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying attributes previously configured for the first item in a first list so as to indicate their status as previously configured for the first item; and

displaying attributes not previously configured for the first item in a second list so as to indicate their status as not previously configured for the first item.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein the attributes previously configured for the first item are displayed in a first list within a first area of the user interface, and the attributes not previously configured for the first item are displayed in a second list within a second area of the user interface adjacent the first area.

8. A method according to claim 6 wherein each of the plurality of user selectable attributes have values configurable by a user.

9. A method of configuring attributes for a first item contained within a set, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying attributes previously configured for the first item in a first list within a user interface displayed on a display device so as to indicate their status as previously configured for the first item;

displaying attributes previously configured for other items contained within the set in a second list within the user interface displayed on the display device so as to indicate their status as previously configured for the other items; and

selecting attributes for the first item from the attributes displayed in the first and second lists within the user interface.

10. A method according to claim 9 further comprising the step of displaying attributes not previously configured for any item contained within the set in a third list within in the user interface displayed on the display device so as to indicate their status as not previously configured for any item contained within the set.

11. A method according to claim 9 wherein the attributes previously configured for the first item are displayed in a first list within a first area of the user interface, and the attributes previously configured for other items contained within the set are displayed in a second list within a second area of the user interface adjacent the first area.

12. A method according to claim 10 wherein the attributes not configured for any item contained within the set are displayed in a third list within a third area of the user interface adjacent the second area.

13. A method according to claim 10 further comprising the step of selecting attributes for the first item from the attributes displayed in the first, second and third lists in the respective first, second, and third areas.

14. A data processing system for displaying, in a user interface displayed on a display device, user selectable attributes for a first item contained within a set of items, comprising:

means for displaying attributes previously configured for the first item in a first list so as to indicate their status as previously configured for the first item; and

means for displaying attributes previously configured for other items contained within the set in a second list so as to indicate their status as previously configured for the other items.

15. A data processing system according to claim 14 further comprising means for displaying attributes not configured for any item contained within the set in a third list so as to indicate their status as not configured for any item within the set.

16. A data processing system according to claim 14 wherein the attributes previously configured for the first item are displayed in a first list within a first area of the user interface, and the attributes previously configured for other items contained within the set are displayed in a second list within a second area of the user interface adjacent the first area.

17. A data processing system according to claim 15 wherein the attributes not configured for any item contained within the set are displayed in a third list within a third area of the user interface adjacent the second area.

18. A data processing system according to claim 14 wherein each of the plurality of user selectable attributes have values configurable by a user.

19. A data processing system for displaying, in a user interface on a display device, user selectable attributes for a first item within a set of items, comprising:

means for displaying attributes previously configured for the first item in a first list so as to indicate their status as previously configured for the first item; and

means for displaying attributes not previously configured for the first item in a second list so as to indicate their status as not previously configured for the first item.

20. A data processing system according to claim 19 wherein the attributes previously configured for the first item are displayed in a first list within a first area of the user interface, and the attributes not previously configured for the first item are displayed in a second list within a second area of the user interface adjacent the first area.

21. A data processing system according to claim 19 wherein each of the plurality of user selectable attributes have values configurable by a user.

22. A data processing system for configuring attributes for a first item contained within a set, comprising:

means for displaying attributes previously configured for the first item in a first list within a user interface displayed on a display device so as to indicate their status as previously configured for the first item;

means for displaying attributes previously configured for other items contained within the set in a second list within the user interface displayed on the display device so as to indicate their status as previously configured for the other items; and

means for selecting attributes for the first item from the attributes displayed in the first and second lists within the user interface.

23. A data processing system according to claim 22 further comprising means for displaying attributes not previously configured for any item contained within the set in a third list within the user interface displayed on the display device so as to indicate their status as not previously configured for any item contained within the set.

24. A data processing system according to claim 22 wherein the attributes previously configured for the first item are displayed in a first list within a first area of the user interface, and the attributes previously configured for other items contained within the set are displayed in a second list within a second area of the user interface adjacent the first area.

25. A data processing system according to claim 23 wherein the attributes not configured for any item contained within the set are displayed in a third list within a third area of the user interface adjacent the second area.

26. A data processing system according to claim 23 further comprising means for selecting attributes for the first item from the attributes displayed in the first, second and third lists within the respective first, second, and third areas.

27. A computer program product for displaying, in a user interface displayed on a display device, user selectable attributes for a first item contained within a set of items, comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for displaying attributes previously configured for the first item in a first list so as to indicate their status as previously configured for the first item; and

the computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for displaying attributes previously configured for other items contained within the set in a second list so as to indicate their status as previously configured for the other items.

28. A computer program product according to claim 27 further comprising computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for displaying attributes not configured for any item contained within the set in a third list so as to indicate their status as not configured for any item within the set.

29. A computer program product according to claim 27 wherein the attributes previously configured for the first item are displayed in a first list within a first area of the user interface, and the attributes previously configured for other items contained within the set are displayed in a second list within a second area of the user interface adjacent the first area.

30. A computer program product according to claim 28 wherein the attributes not configured for any item contained within the set are displayed in a third list within a third area of the user interface adjacent the second area.

31. A computer program product according to claim 27 wherein each of the plurality of user selectable attributes have values configurable by a user.

32. A computer program product for displaying, in a user interface on a display device, user selectable attributes for a first item within a set of items, comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for displaying attributes previously configured for the first item in a first list so as to indicate their status as previously configured for the first item; and

the computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for displaying attributes not previously configured for the first item in a second list so as to indicate their status as not previously configured for the first item.

33. A computer program product according to claim 32 wherein the attributes previously configured for the first item are displayed in a first list within a first area of the user interface, and the attributes not previously configured for the first item are displayed in a second list within a second area of the user interface adjacent the first area.

34. A computer program product according to claim 32 wherein each of the plurality of user selectable attributes have values configurable by a user.

35. A computer program product for configuring attributes for a first item contained within a set, comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for displaying attributes previously configured for the first item in a first list within a user interface displayed on a display device so as to indicate their status as previously configured for the first item;

the computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for displaying attributes previously configured for other items contained within the set in a second list within the user interface displayed on the display device so as to indicate their status as previously configured for the other items; and

the computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for selecting attributes for the first item from the attributes displayed in the first and second lists within the user interface.

36. A computer program product according to claim 35 further comprising computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for displaying attributes not previously configured for any item contained within the set in a third list within the user interface displayed on the display device so as to indicate their status as not previously configured for any item contained within the set.

37. A computer program product according to claim 35 wherein the attributes previously configured for the first item are displayed in a first list within a first area of the user interface, and the attributes previously configured for other items contained within the set are displayed in a second list within a second area of the user interface adjacent the first area.

38. A computer program product according to claim 36 wherein the attributes not configured for any item contained within the set are displayed in a third list within a third area of the user interface adjacent the second area.

39. A computer program product according to claim 36 further comprising computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for selecting attributes for the first item from the attributes displayed in the first, second and third lists within the respective first, second, and third areas.