Menu state system

• US 6,259,446 B1
• Filed: 12/23/1992
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Object Technology Licensing Corporation
• Inventors: Matheny, John R., White, Christopher, Anderson, David R., Schaeffer, Arn J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LUU, MATTHEW
• Application Number:
  US07/996,775
• Time in Patent Office: 3,121 Days
• Field of Search: 340/721, 340/723, 340/724, 395/155, 395/156, 395/157, 395/158, 395/159, 345/115, 345/961, 345/965, 345/967, 345/339, 345/347, 345/348, 345/349, 345/352
• US Class Current: 715/764
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/24 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

A method and apparatus for a menu based system containing size and location information is disclosed. Each menu contains a list of menu items containing a command and variables that reflect the command'"'"'s current appearance. This includes status information determinative of the menu item'"'"'s state (enabled/disabled), its name, its associated graphic, and whether its appearance is currently valid. Each of these were initialized when the menu item was created. The invention creates a menu item from a command, where a menu item is another object data structure containing a command sequence. The menu item is added to a list of menu items, and initialized as an invalid appearance. Later when the menu item is selected from a pull down menu, the appearance state is recomputed based on the system state.

Claims

1. A menu based system reflecting a plurality of menu item'"'"'s current status in a consistent manner, comprising:

(a) memory means for encapsulating a command object with status information and logic for determining at least one menu item'"'"'s state;

(b) object processing means for creating at least one menu item from a data structure in the command object;

(c) object processing means for initializing the at least one menu item by updating the status information determinative of at least one menu item'"'"'s state; and

(d) object processing means for determining a system'"'"'s status and updating the at least one menu item'"'"'s status information in the command object when the at least one menu item is selected from a menu.

2. A menu based system as recited in claim 1, wherein the object data structure associated with the at least one menu item contains at least one menu item'"'"'s name.

3. A menu based system as recited in claim 1, wherein the object data structure associated with the at least one menu item contains at least one menu item'"'"'s graphic.

4. A menu based system as recited in claim 1, wherein the object data structure associated with the at least one menu item contains at least one menu item'"'"'s current state.

5. A menu based system as recited in claim 1, wherein the object data structure associated with the at least one menu item contains at least one menu item'"'"'s data.

6. A menu based system as recited in claim 1, including display means for displaying an active menu item indicia.

7. A menu based system as recited in claim 1, including display means for displaying an inactive menu item indicia.

8. A menu based system as recited in claim 1, wherein the processor means for determining a system'"'"'s status and updating the at least one menu item'"'"'s status information includes processor means for examining a current system state to ascertain if a function associated with the at least one menu item is active in the current context.

9. A menu based system as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one menu item is a pull down menu item.

10. A menu based system as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one menu item is a control panel.

11. A menu based system as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one menu item is a radio button.

12. A menu based system as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one menu item is a slider bar.

13. A menu based system as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one menu item is a check box.

14. A method for enabling a menu based framework, including a command object, reflecting a plurality of menu item'"'"'s current status in a consistent manner, comprising the steps of:

(a) encapsulating status information and logic in the command object for determining at least one menu item'"'"'s state;

(b) creating at least one menu item from a data structure in the command object;

(c) initializing the at least one menu item by updating the status information in the command object determinative of at least one menu item'"'"'s state; and

(d) determining a system'"'"'s status and updating the at least one menu item'"'"'s status information in the command object when the at least one menu item is selected from a menu.

15. A method for a menu based system as recited in claim 14, wherein the object data structure associated with the at least one menu item contains at least one menu item'"'"'s name.

16. A method for a menu based system as recited in claim 14, wherein the object data structure associated with the at least one menu item contains at least one menu item'"'"'s graphic.

17. A method for a menu based system as recited in claim 14, wherein the object data structure associated with the at least one menu item contains at least one menu item'"'"'s current state.

18. A method for a menu based system as recited in claim 14, wherein the object data structure associated with the at least one menu item contains at least one menu item'"'"'s data.

19. A method for a menu based system as recited in claim 14, including the step of displaying an active menu item indicia.

20. A method for a menu based system as recited in claim 14, including the step of displaying an inactive menu item indicia.

21. A method for a menu based system as recited in claim 14, wherein the processor means for determining a system'"'"'s status and updating the at least one menu item'"'"'s status information includes processor means for examining a current system state to ascertain if a function associated with the at least one menu item is active in the current context.

22. A method for a menu based system as recited in claim 14, wherein the at least one menu item is a pull down menu item.

23. A method for a menu based system as recited in claim 14, wherein the at least one menu item is a control panel.

24. A method for a menu based system as recited in claim 14, wherein the at least one menu item is a radio button.

25. A method for a menu based system as recited in claim 14, wherein the at least one menu item is a slider bar.

26. A method for a menu based system as recited in claim 14, wherein the at least one menu item is a check box.