Method for performing a load-on-demand operation on assigned graphic objects in a computer operating environment

• US 7,506,245 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2004
• Issued: 03/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NBOR Corp.
• Original Assignee: NBOR Corp.
• Inventors: Jaeger, Denny
• Primary Examiner(s): Hutton; Doug
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hillery; Nathan
• Application Number:
  US10/951,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20060069984A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,632 Days
• Field of Search: 715/512
• US Class Current: 715/230
• 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 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A method for performing a load-on-demand operation on assigned graphic objects allows a user to load a computer file without the assigned graphic objects to shorten the loading time of the computer file. The assigned graphic objects can be subsequently loaded by the user by activating an “assigned to” object.

Claims

1. A method for performing a load-on-demand operation, said method comprising:

displaying first and second graphic objects on a surface of a computer operating environment;

assigning said first graphic object to said second object such that said first graphic object is placed in said second graphic object;

activating a load-on-demand setting for said second graphic object, said activating being independent of any other load-on-demand settings for other assigned-to graphic objects in said computer operating environment;

loading a computer file that includes said other assigned-to graphic objects and said second graphic object without said first graphic object to produce a computer environment having said other assigned-to graphic objects and said second graphic object;

activating said second graphic object in said computer environment; and

loading said first graphic object in said computer environment in response to said activating of said second graphic object without loading any graphic objects for said other assigned-to graphic objects,

wherein said assigning said first graphic object includes drawing a graphic directional indicator to said second graphic object in an original computer environment, including associating said first graphic object with said graphic directional indicator to assign said first graphic object to said second graphic object.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said drawing said graphic directional indicator includes drawing an arrow in said original computer environment in response to a user-drawn line.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said drawing said arrow includes drawing said arrow of a particular color in said original computer environment in response to said user-drawn line of said particular color.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising saving said first graphic object to a secondary computer file that is separate from said computer file so that said computer file can be independently loaded without said secondary computer file.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said loading said first graphic object includes loading said secondary computer file into said computer environment.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said assigning includes graphically indicating said second graphic object is an assigned-to object.

7. A storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by said computer to perform method steps for performing a load-on-demand operation, said method steps comprising:

displaying first and second graphic objects on a surface of a computer operating environment;

assigning said first graphic object to said second object such that said first graphic object is placed in said second graphic object;

activating a load-on-demand setting for said second graphic object, said activating being independent of any other load-on-demand settings for other assigned-to graphic objects in said computer operating environment;

loading a computer file that includes said other assigned-to graphic objects and said second graphic object without said first graphic object to produce a computer environment having said other assigned-to graphic objects and said second graphic object;

activating said second graphic object in said computer environment; and

loading said first graphic object in said computer environment in response to said activating of said second graphic object without loading any graphic objects for said other assigned-to graphic objects,

wherein said assigning said first graphic object includes drawing a graphic directional indicator to said second graphic object in an original computer environment, including associating said first graphic object with said graphic directional indicator to assign said first graphic object to said second graphic object.

8. The storage medium of claim 7 wherein said drawing said graphic directional indicator includes drawing an arrow in said original computer environment in response to a user-drawn line.

9. The storage medium of claim 8 wherein said drawing said arrow includes drawing said arrow of a particular color in said original computer environment in response to said user-drawn line of said particular color.

10. The storage medium of claim 7 further comprising saving said first graphic object to a secondary computer file that is separate from said computer file so that said computer file can be independently loaded without said secondary computer file.

11. The storage medium of claim 10 wherein said loading said first graphic object includes loading said secondary computer file into said computer environment.

12. The storage medium of claim 7 wherein said assigning includes graphically indicating said second graphic object is an assigned-to object.