EP0428261A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Computer user interface
Assignee: Lotus Development Corp
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Filing: 1990-10-04
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-10-04
Abstract
Abstract A computer user interface that comprises a system and methods to provide a control hierarchy, control marking, a hybrid gammar, and resized and/or repositioned dialog boxes. Control hierarchy divides controls, assigns each control a label, displays the labels according to a design hierarchy, and operates on the controls according to a functional hierarchy. Control marking distinguishes controls, vis addition of graphic elements or changes in labels--referred to as glyphs. Hybrid grammar simultaneously allows a user to specify operations and data objects in a noun verb relationship or verb noun relationship. Finally, resized and/or repositioned dialog boxes enable a user to select a control that requires selection of data objects that are possibly obscured by the dialog box.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard J. Wolf
- 👤 Donald J. Fossgreen
- 👤 Robert Rosen
- 👤 Christopher M. Vento
- 👤 Doris Wells Papanek
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 23:35
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0481; G06F3/0482; G06F40/00; G06F40/10; G06F40/166; G06F40/177; G06F40/18
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
54 words
A method of providing a plurality of controls in a software application comprising the steps of: dividing said controls into functional hierarchical groups; assigning labels to each of said controls and each of said groups; displaying said labels according to a design hierarchy; and operating on said controls according to said functional hierarchical groups.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
54 words
A method of providing a plurality of controls in a software application comprising the steps of: dividing said controls into functional hierarchical groups; assigning labels to each of said controls and each of said groups; displaying said labels according to a design hierarchy; and operating on said controls according to said functional hierarchical groups.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
60 words
A method of displaying a plurality of controls in a software application some of which are available comprising the steps of: determining which of said controls are available at particular time; generating a glyph for each of said available controls at said time; and displaying one of said glyphs in proximity to each of said available controls at said time.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
60 words
A method of displaying a plurality of controls in a software application some of which are available comprising the steps of: determining which of said controls are available at particular time; generating a glyph for each of said available controls at said time; and displaying one of said glyphs in proximity to each of said available controls at said time.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
61 words
A method of displaying a plurality of controls in a dialog box some of which are available comprising the steps of: determining which of said controls are available at a particular time; generating a glyph for each of said available controls at said time; and displaying one of said glyphs in proximity to each of said available controls at said time.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
61 words
A method of displaying a plurality of controls in a dialog box some of which are available comprising the steps of: determining which of said controls are available at a particular time; generating a glyph for each of said available controls at said time; and displaying one of said glyphs in proximity to each of said available controls at said time.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
169 words
A method of selecting a control from a plurality of controls in a software application, said controls being divided into groups having a hierarchical organization, comprising the steps of: determining which of said groups of controls are available to a user; generating a glyph for each of said available groups of controls; displaying one of said glyphs in proximity to each of said available groups of controls; accepting a signal from an input device to select one of said available groups of controls; removing said glyphs in proximity to each of said available groups of controls; determining in response to said signal which of said controls within said selected group are available to a user; generating a glyph for each of said available controls; displaying said glyphs in proximity to each of said available controls; accepting a signal from an input device to select one of said available controls within said selected group of controls; and removing said glyphs in proximity to each of said available groups of controls.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
169 words
A method of selecting a control from a plurality of controls in a software application, said controls being divided into groups having a hierarchical organization, comprising the steps of: determining which of said groups of controls are available to a user; generating a glyph for each of said available groups of controls; displaying one of said glyphs in proximity to each of said available groups of controls; accepting a signal from an input device to select one of said available groups of controls; removing said glyphs in proximity to each of said available groups of controls; determining in response to said signal which of said controls within said selected group are available to a user; generating a glyph for each of said available controls; displaying said glyphs in proximity to each of said available controls; accepting a signal from an input device to select one of said available controls within said selected group of controls; and removing said glyphs in proximity to each of said available groups of controls.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
169 words
A method of selecting a control from a plurality of controls in a dialog box, said controls being divided into groups having a hierarchical organization, comprising the steps of: determining which of said groups of controls are available to a user; generating a glyph for each of said available groups of controls; displaying one of said glyphs in proximity to each of said available groups of controls; accepting a signal from an input device to select one of said available groups of controls; removing said glyphs in proximity to each of said available groups of controls; determining in response to said signal which of said controls within said selected group are available to a user; generating a glyph for each of said available controls; displaying said glyphs in proximity to each of said available controls; accepting a signal from an input device to select one of said available controls within said selected group of controls; and removing said glyphs in proximity to each of said available groups of controls.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
169 words
A method of selecting a control from a plurality of controls in a dialog box, said controls being divided into groups having a hierarchical organization, comprising the steps of: determining which of said groups of controls are available to a user; generating a glyph for each of said available groups of controls; displaying one of said glyphs in proximity to each of said available groups of controls; accepting a signal from an input device to select one of said available groups of controls; removing said glyphs in proximity to each of said available groups of controls; determining in response to said signal which of said controls within said selected group are available to a user; generating a glyph for each of said available controls; displaying said glyphs in proximity to each of said available controls; accepting a signal from an input device to select one of said available controls within said selected group of controls; and removing said glyphs in proximity to each of said available groups of controls.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 4 or claim 5 wherein said input device is a keyboard, mouse, or similar device.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 4 or claim 5 wherein said signals are made via a keyboard, mouse or similar device, or a combination thereof.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
74 words
A method of implementing a dialog box comprising the steps of: simultaneously displaying a plurality of controls in said dialog box; graphically distinguishing one subset of said controls which is available for selection; enabling selection via keystrokes exclusively from said one subset of controls; in response to a selection from said one subset of controls, graphically distinguishing another subset of said controls; and enabling selection via keystrokes exclusively from said other subset of controls.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
74 words
A method of implementing a dialog box comprising the steps of: simultaneously displaying a plurality of controls in said dialog box; graphically distinguishing one subset of said controls which is available for selection; enabling selection via keystrokes exclusively from said one subset of controls; in response to a selection from said one subset of controls, graphically distinguishing another subset of said controls; and enabling selection via keystrokes exclusively from said other subset of controls.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of simultaneously accepting input from a pointing device to select any one of said plurality of controls regardless of limitations placed on selection via keystrokes.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said controls are represented by labels.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said controls are graphically distinguished with identical glyphs.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
64 words
A method of enabling selection among data objects and operations specified within a screen comprising the steps of simultaneously: enabling selection of one of said data objects and then selection of one of said operations to perform on said data object; and enabling selection of one of said operations and then selection of one of said data objects on which to perform said operation.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
64 words
A method of enabling selection among data objects and operations specified within a screen comprising the steps of simultaneously: enabling selection of one of said data objects and then selection of one of said operations to perform on said data object; and enabling selection of one of said operations and then selection of one of said data objects on which to perform said operation.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
65 words
A method of enabling selection among data objects and operations specified within a dialog box comprising the steps of simultaneously: enabling selection of one of said data objects and then selection of one of said operations to perform on said data object; and enabling selection of one of said operations and then selection of one of said data objects on which to perform said operation.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
65 words
A method of enabling selection among data objects and operations specified within a dialog box comprising the steps of simultaneously: enabling selection of one of said data objects and then selection of one of said operations to perform on said data object; and enabling selection of one of said operations and then selection of one of said data objects on which to perform said operation.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
118 words
A method of implementing a screen comprising a plurality of data objects and a dialog box comprising a plurality of controls and a plurality of operations comprising the steps of: generating said dialog box; enabling selection of one of said controls within said dialog box wherein said control corresponds to one of said operations and wherein said operation requires selection among said data objects; in response to a selection of said control in said dialog box, altering display of said dialog box; enabling selection of said data objects within said screen; in response to a selection of said data objects within said screen, altering display of said dialog box; and executing said operation on said selected data objects.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
118 words
A method of implementing a screen comprising a plurality of data objects and a dialog box comprising a plurality of controls and a plurality of operations comprising the steps of: generating said dialog box; enabling selection of one of said controls within said dialog box wherein said control corresponds to one of said operations and wherein said operation requires selection among said data objects; in response to a selection of said control in said dialog box, altering display of said dialog box; enabling selection of said data objects within said screen; in response to a selection of said data objects within said screen, altering display of said dialog box; and executing said operation on said selected data objects.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
16 words
The method of 14 wherein said dialog box is altered by automatically resizing said dialog box.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
16 words
The method of 14 wherein said dialog box is altered by automatically resizing said dialog box.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
16 words
The method of 14 wherein said dialog box is altered by automatically repositioning said dialog box.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
16 words
The method of 14 wherein said dialog box is altered by automatically repositioning said dialog box.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
86 words
A computer user interface comprising an operating system which provides messages from said user to said computer; a window manager which operates on said messages to create a plurality of windows that contain a plurality of controls; a definitions file which defines a plurality of attributes for each control and a hierarchical relationship of each control to one or more of said controls; and an interface module which provides methods of distinguishing said controls, selecting said controls, and performs a plurality of operations on said controls.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
86 words
A computer user interface comprising an operating system which provides messages from said user to said computer; a window manager which operates on said messages to create a plurality of windows that contain a plurality of controls; a definitions file which defines a plurality of attributes for each control and a hierarchical relationship of each control to one or more of said controls; and an interface module which provides methods of distinguishing said controls, selecting said controls, and performs a plurality of operations on said controls.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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