EP0394160A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dynamic progress marking icon
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
•
Filing: 1990-02-20
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2010-02-20
Abstract
Abstract A dynamic progress marker icon is disclosed that dynamically changes to mark the progress of a task. In this manner, the user is kept informed of the status of a task being performed without resorting to language sensitive messages such as "Now processing object number 12 of 100". The icon does not require a graphics display to be used and therefore can be used on both graphics and non-graphics displays. The icon of the prepared embodiment has five rows consisting of four percent (%) symbols surrounded by a border. At the beginning of a task, a task monitor quantifies the task into substantially equivalent task work units. All twenty "%" symbols are present and displayed to the user. When the task monitor determines that one task work unit has completed, one "%" symbol is replaced in the icon by a replacement character, such as a blank or null character. The replacement of one "%" symbol each time a task work unit completes continues until all of the "%" symbols are replaced, indicating 100% completion of the task. The order in which symbols inside the icon are replaced is determined by a pattern array and can be modified if desired. The symbols used inside the icon and for the border are selected to be available in virtually all languages, and can also be modified to meet the needs of a particular user.
Inventors
- 👤 William Jaaskelainen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 01:07
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0481; G06F3/04817
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
1) In a computer system, a method of dynamically modifying an icon having a plurality of symbols, said method comprising the steps of: quantifying the amount of work required to complete a task; dividing said quantified work into a plurality of substantially equivalent task work units, wherein each of said task work units corresponds to one of said plurality of symbols in said icon; monitoring the progress of said task; replacing one of said plurality of symbols with a replacement character when one task work unit has been completed; and repeating said replacing step as said task progresses until all of said plurality of symbols have been replaced, thereby indicating the completion of said task.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
115 words
1) In a computer system, a method of dynamically modifying an icon having a plurality of symbols, said method comprising the steps of: quantifying the amount of work required to complete a task; dividing said quantified work into a plurality of substantially equivalent task work units, wherein each of said task work units corresponds to one of said plurality of symbols in said icon; monitoring the progress of said task; replacing one of said plurality of symbols with a replacement character when one task work unit has been completed; and repeating said replacing step as said task progresses until all of said plurality of symbols have been replaced, thereby indicating the completion of said task.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
2) The method of claim 1, wherein said quantifying step identifies the number of work items that need to be processed in order to perform said task.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
3) The method of claim 1, wherein said quantifying step identifies the estimated amount of time required to perform said task.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
4) The method of any one of claims 1-3, wherein said replacing step further comprises the step of: checking a pointer in a pattern array, said pointer identifying the array location which contains the cell number of the next symbol of said icon to be replaced.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
5) The method of claim 4, wherein said replacing step further comprises the step of: moving said pointer in said pattern array to the next array location.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
6) The method of any one of claims 1-5, further comprising the step of: selecting a single character code to be used for all of said plurality of symbols.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
7) The method, of any one of claims 1-5, further comprising the step of: selecting a plurality of character codes to be used for said plurality of symbols.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
8) The method of any one of claims 1-5, further comprising the step of: selecting a single non-graphics character code to be used for all of said plurality of symbols.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
9) The method of any one of claims 1-5, further comprising the step of: selecting a non-displayable character for said replacement character.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
10) The method of any one of claims 1-5 further comprising the step of: selecting a displayable character for said replacement character.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
67 words
11) The method of any one of claims 1-5, further comprising the step of: initializing a pattern array to indicate the order in which said symbols of said icon are replaced responsive to said replacing step, said pattern array having an array location corresponding to each of said symbols in said icon and having a pointer to indicate the next symbol in said icon to be replaced.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
90 words
12) A computer system for efficiently keeping a user informed as to the progress of a task, comprising: monitor means for monitoring said task; an icon displayed to said user; and generating means, connected to said monitor means and said icon, for generating and dynamically modifying said icon, said icon further comprising: a plurality of symbols, wherein said plurality of symbols are replaced one by one by a replacement character as said task progresses by said generating means, wherein all of said symbols are replaced when said task is completed.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
90 words
12) A computer system for efficiently keeping a user informed as to the progress of a task, comprising: monitor means for monitoring said task; an icon displayed to said user; and generating means, connected to said monitor means and said icon, for generating and dynamically modifying said icon, said icon further comprising: a plurality of symbols, wherein said plurality of symbols are replaced one by one by a replacement character as said task progresses by said generating means, wherein all of said symbols are replaced when said task is completed.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
61 words
13) The computer system of claim 12, wherein said monitor means further comprises: quantifying means for quantifying the amount of work required to complete a task; and dividing means for dividing said quantified work into a plurality of substantially equivalent task work units, wherein each of said task work units corresponds to one of said plurality of symbols in said icon.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
73 words
14) The computer system of claim 13, wherein said generating means further comprises: replacing means for replacing one of said plurality of symbols with said replacement character when one task work unit has been completed as determined by said monitor means, said replacing means repeatedly replacing one of said plurality of symbols as said task progresses until all of said plurality of symbols have been replacing, thereby indicating the completion of said task.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
15) The computer system of claim 14, wherein said quantifying means identifies the number of work items that need to be processed in order to perform said task.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
16) The computer system of claim 14, wherein said quantifying means identifies the estimated amount of time required to perform said task.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
59 words
17) The computer system of any one of claims 12-16, wherein said generating means further comprises: a pattern array corresponding to said icon, said pattern array having a array location corresponding to each of said symbols in said icon and also having a pointer to indicate the next symbol in said icon to be replaced by said replacing means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
18) The computer system of any one of claims 12-17 further comprising: initializing means for initializing said pattern array to indicate the order in which said symbols of said icon are replaced by said replacing means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.