Search Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »
Advanced Patent Search | Web History | Sign in

Patents

A method for displaying on a computer screen multiple sets of information needed on a recurring basis, comprising the steps of: (1) Establishing an area on the computer screen in which the multiple sets of information are to be displayed, the established area having a maximum size which is substantially less than the entire area of the screen. (2) Providing within the established area a plurality of selection indicators, one for each of the multiple sets of information. (3) Selecting one of the multiple sets of information for display within the established area by pointing to one of the selection indicators within the established area, whereby the selected set of information will be substituted within the established area for the set of information previously being displayed therein. A selected set of information may also be moved out of the selected area by pointing to its selection indicator and dragging it away.

Inventor: Kevin R. Johnston
Original Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
Primary Examiner: John E. Breene
Current U.S. Classification: 715/807; 715/810; 715/835
International Classification: G06F 300

View patent at USPTO
Search USPTO Assignment Database

Citations

Cited PatentFiling dateIssue dateOriginal AssigneeTitle
US5060135Nov 1, 1988Oct 22, 1991Wang Laboratories, Inc.Apparatus for manipulating documents in a data processing system utilizing reduced images of sheets of information which are movable
US5140678May 4, 1990Aug 18, 1992International Business Machines CorporationComputer user interface with window title bar icons
US5157763Jul 30, 1991Oct 20, 1992International Business Machines CorporationVisually assisted method for transfer of data within an application or from a source application to a receiving application
US5283864Oct 30, 1990Feb 1, 1994Wang Laboratories, Inc.Computer apparatus and method for graphical flip book
US5305435May 7, 1993Apr 19, 1994Hewlett-Packard CompanyComputer windows management system and method for simulating off-screen document storage and retrieval
US5341293Sep 3, 1992Aug 23, 1994Apple Computer, Inc.User interface system having programmable user interface elements
US5392387Dec 17, 1992Feb 21, 1995International Business Machines CorporationMethod and system for enhanced data access efficiency in an electronic book
US5416895Apr 8, 1992May 16, 1995Borland International, Inc.System and methods for improved spreadsheet interface with user-familiar objects
US5438662Oct 25, 1994Aug 1, 1995Eden Group LimitedElectronic display and data processing apparatus for displaying text and graphics in a ring binder representation
US5442795Nov 19, 1990Aug 15, 1995Wang Laboratories, Inc.System and method for viewing icon contents on a video display

Referenced by

Citing PatentFiling dateIssue dateOriginal AssigneeTitle
US5757372Jan 16, 1996May 26, 1998Multiple nonlinear undo buttons
US5831594Jun 25, 1996Nov 3, 1998Sun Microsystems, Inc.Method and apparatus for eyetrack derived backtrack
US5832473Sep 8, 1995Nov 3, 1998Starfish Software, Inc.Information management system with user data-based user interface
US5856826Oct 6, 1997Jan 5, 1999Apple Computer, Inc.Method and apparatus for organizing window groups and windows in a table
US5870091Nov 7, 1996Feb 9, 1999Adobe Systems IncorporatedCombining palettes on a computer display
US5898436Dec 5, 1997Apr 27, 1999Hewlett-Packard CompanyGraphical user interface for digital image editing
US5949417Jan 31, 1997Sep 7, 1999The Foxboro CompanyDynamic property sheet system
US5995103May 10, 1996Nov 30, 1999Apple Computer, Inc.Window grouping mechanism for creating, manipulating and displaying windows and window groups on a display screen of a computer system
US6072486Jan 13, 1998Jun 6, 2000Microsoft CorporationSystem and method for creating and customizing a deskbar
US6121965Oct 17, 1997Sep 19, 2000Lucent Technologies Inc.User interface for graphical application tool
US6380951Oct 1, 1999Apr 30, 2002Global Graphics Software LimitedPrepress workflow method and program
US6435969Oct 29, 1999Aug 20, 2002Nintendo Co., Ltd.Portable game machine having image capture, manipulation and incorporation
US6462763Aug 24, 1999Oct 8, 2002Spotware Technologies, Inc.Method, system, and software for tracking moving hotspots with a static or moving cursor
US6469722Jan 29, 1999Oct 22, 2002International Business Machines CorporationMethod and apparatus for executing a function within a composite icon and operating an object thereby
US6483524Oct 1, 1999Nov 19, 2002Global Graphics Software LimitedPrepress workflow method using raster image processor
US6507349Jan 6, 2000Jan 14, 2003BeComm CorporationDirect manipulation of displayed content
US6540615Jul 3, 2002Apr 1, 2003Nintendo Co., Ltd.Portable game machine having image capture, manipulation and incorporation
US6624908Oct 1, 1999Sep 23, 2003Global Graphics Software LimitedMethod for arranging a prepress workflow
US6677967Feb 21, 2001Jan 13, 2004Nintendo Co., Ltd.Video game system for capturing images and applying the captured images to animated game play characters
US6701011Jan 20, 1998Mar 2, 2004Canon Kabushiki KaishaImage processing apparatus and image processing method and storage medium
US6704033Dec 5, 2000Mar 9, 2004Lexmark International, Inc.Goal-oriented design for the printer property's graphical user interface
US6853390Oct 26, 2000Feb 8, 2005Bentley Systems, Inc.Displaying option information using a non-modal dialog box
US6894686May 15, 2001May 17, 2005Nintendo Co., Ltd.System and method for automatically editing captured images for inclusion into 3D video game play
US6947033Mar 21, 2001Sep 20, 2005Anoto ABMethod and system for digitizing freehand graphics with user-selected properties
US7127685Oct 31, 2002Oct 24, 2006America Online, Inc.Instant messaging interface having a tear-off element
US7134095Oct 20, 1999Nov 7, 2006Gateway, Inc.Simulated three-dimensional navigational menu system
US7180524Sep 30, 2002Feb 20, 2007Artists' color display system
US7181698Dec 16, 2002Feb 20, 2007SAP AGDetachable tabs presenting accessed objects in a multi-tab interface
US7281215Jul 31, 2002Oct 9, 2007AOL LLCIM conversation counter and indicator
US7284207Sep 6, 2006Oct 16, 2007AOL LLCInstant messaging interface having a tear-off element
US7370277Dec 23, 2002May 6, 2008AOL LLCE-mail interface having an informational tool tip
US7421661Sep 30, 2002Sep 2, 2008AOL LLCInstant messaging interface having an informational tool tip
US7426697Jan 18, 2005Sep 16, 2008Microsoft CorporationMulti-application tabbing system
US7433869Jun 29, 2006Oct 7, 2008Ebrary, Inc.Method and apparatus for document clustering and document sketching
US7478326Jan 18, 2005Jan 13, 2009Microsoft CorporationWindow information switching system
US7478338Oct 28, 2002Jan 13, 2009Autodesk, Inc.Palette-based graphical user interface
US7536561Nov 27, 2002May 19, 2009Ebrary, Inc.Method and apparatus for improved information transactions
US7552397Jan 18, 2005Jun 23, 2009Microsoft CorporationMultiple window behavior system
US7567256Mar 31, 2004Jul 28, 2009Harris CorporationMethod and apparatus for analyzing digital video using multi-format display
US7606819Oct 7, 2002Oct 20, 2009Maya-Systems Inc.Multi-dimensional locating system and method
US7665036Jun 19, 2003Feb 16, 2010Adobe Systems IncorporatedSystem and method for presenting multiple sets of z-space information in a user interface display
US7680817Mar 29, 2007Mar 16, 2010Maya-Systems Inc.Multi-dimensional locating system and method
US7747965Jan 18, 2005Jun 29, 2010Microsoft CorporationSystem and method for controlling the opacity of multiple windows while browsing
US7840564Feb 15, 2006Nov 23, 2010ebrarySystem and method for automatic anthology creation using document aspects
US7853889Dec 22, 2008Dec 14, 2010Autodesk, Inc.Palette-based graphical user interface
US7877697Oct 5, 2007Jan 25, 2011AOL Inc.IM conversation counter and indicator
US7900148May 5, 2008Mar 1, 2011AOL Inc.E-mail interface having an informational tool tip
US8015418Feb 6, 2009Sep 6, 2011Ebrary, Inc.Method and apparatus for improved information transactions
US8046687Oct 31, 2007Oct 25, 2011Direct manipulation of displayed content
US8046827Jun 12, 2008Oct 25, 2011Access control of interaction context of application
US8069174Nov 12, 2010Nov 29, 2011EbrarySystem and method for automatic anthology creation using document aspects
US8069404Sep 13, 2007Nov 29, 2011Maya-Systems Inc.Method of managing expected documents and system providing same
US8078966Nov 21, 2007Dec 13, 2011Maya-Systems inc.Method and system for managing musical files
US8136030Feb 20, 2008Mar 13, 2012Maya-Systems Inc.Method and system for managing music files
US8136047Sep 15, 2008Mar 13, 2012Microsoft CorporationMulti-application tabbing system
US8151185Jan 8, 2008Apr 3, 2012Maya-Systems Inc.Multimedia interface
USD545832May 22, 2006Jul 3, 2007Microsoft CorporationUser interface for a portion of a display screen
USD545833May 22, 2006Jul 3, 2007Microsoft CorporationUser interface for a portion of a display screen
USD550234Nov 15, 2005Sep 4, 2007Microsoft CorporationPortion of a display screen
USD562841May 23, 2006Feb 26, 2008Microsoft CorporationUser interface for a portion of a display screen
USD665408Mar 9, 2011Aug 14, 2012Microsoft CorporationDisplay screen with graphical user interface

Claims

1. A method for combining on a computer display an additional set of information into a group of multiple sets of information needed on a recurring basis, comprising the steps of:

establishing an area on the computer display in which the group of multiple sets of information is to be displayed, the area having a size which is less than the entire area of the computer display;
providing within the area a plurality of selection indicators, one associated with a corresponding one of the multiple sets of information; and
selecting a second of the multiple sets of information from the group for display within the area by activating a selection indicator associated with a corresponding one of the multiple sets of information, whereby the second of the multiple sets of information is substituted within the area of the display for the first set of information; and
combining the additional set of information, displayed in a different area of the display from the established area, into the group of multiple sets of information so that the additional sets of information may be selected in the same manner as the other sets of information in the group.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the established area is movable to various display locations around the display.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the additional set of information is combined by pointing to a selection indicator for the additional set of information and dragging that selection indicator into the established area.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein one of the multiple sets of information in the established area is moved away from the established area.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the move is accomplished by activating to a selection indicator for the set of information to be moved and dragging that selection indicator away from the established area.

6. A method for removing a set of information from a group of multiple sets of information on a computer display, comprising the steps of:

establishing an area on the computer display in which the group of multiple sets of information is to be displayed, the area having a size which is less than the entire area of the computer display;
displaying within the area a first of the multiple sets of information from the group of multiple sets of information;
providing within the area a plurality of selection indicators, each being associated with one of the multiple sets of information:
selecting a second of the multiple sets of information from the group of multiple sets of information for displaying within the area by activating a selection indicator associate with the second of the multiple sets of information, whereby the second of the multiple sets of information is substituted on the display for the first of the multiple sets of information; and
removing a set of information from the group of multiple sets of information and displaying that set of information in a different area of the display from the established area.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the set of information is removed by pointing to the selection indicator associated with that set of information and dragging the set of information out of the established area.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the established area is movable to another location on the display.

Drawings