EP0677803A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
A method and system for facilitating the selection of icons
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
•
Filing: 1995-03-01
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2015-03-01
Abstract
Abstract A method and system for facilitating the selection of icons. Those icons which are next likely to be used are selected and automatically moved towards a cursor thereby facilitating selection of the icons. Additionally, those icons likely to be used or other icons selected by a user may track the cursor such that those icons are always close to the cursor and capable of being easily selected. Further, in order to facilitate selection of icons, icons are provided with the capability of announcing themselves when a cursor comes close to the icon. In addition, it is possible to reduce the amount of clutter on a computer display so that icons may be easily selected. In order to clean up a computer display, icons which are least likely to be used are faded, eliminated or shrunk to a smaller size. In another embodiment, icons that are not used very often may disappear into a master icon and further, icons which have a conceptual relationship between them may be linked by a visual graphical representation.
Inventors
- 👤 Bertrand M. Grossman
- 👤 James Gordon Mclean
- 👤 Clifford A. Pickover
- 👤 Michael Stephen Schwartz
- 👤 Daniel James Winarski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 19:27
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0487; G06F3/0489; G06F3/04895; G06F3/0481; G06F3/04817; G06F3/0484; G06F3/04842; G06F3/04845; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S715/00; Y10S715/977
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
64 words
A method for facilitating selection of one or more of a plurality of icons located on a computer display, said method comprising the steps of: determining which of said plurality of icons are next likely to be used, such that one or more likely icons are selected; and automatically moving said one or more likely icons towards a cursor located on said computer display.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said automatically moving step comprises determining a location of said cursor on said computer display.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said determining step comprises selecting from predefined likeliness criteria said one or more likely icons.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of updating said likeliness criteria.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting one of said one or more likely icons.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
60 words
A method for tracking a cursor located on a computer display, said method comprising the steps of: determining a location on said computer display of said cursor; selecting from a plurality of icons located on said computer display one or more icons to track said cursor; and positioning said one or more icons within a predetermined distance from said location.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 6, wherein said determining, selecting and positioning steps are repeated each time said cursor moves to a new location.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
65 words
A method for facilitating selection of one of a plurality of icons located on a computer display, said method comprising the steps of: moving a cursor located on said computer display within a predetermined distance from an icon to be selected, said predetermined distance being close to, but not touching said icon; and selecting said icon when said cursor has moved within said predetermined distance.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 8, further comprising computing said predetermined distance wherein said computing step comprises determining a Voronoi polygon associated with said icon to be selected.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 9, wherein said icon is selected when said cursor is located within said Voronoi polygon.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
46 words
A method for graphically linking one or more of a plurality of icons located on a computer display, said method comprising the steps of: determining which of said plurality of icons are to be linked; and drawing a graphical representation between said icons to be linked.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
60 words
A method for facilitating selection of one or more of a plurality of icons located on a computer display, said method comprising the steps of: selecting from said plurality of icons one or more icons to announce itself, such that one or more selected icons is provided; and having each of said one or more selected icons make an announcement.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 12, wherein said selecting step comprises: determining a location of a cursor positioned on said computer display; and determining which of said plurality of icons are within a predetermined distance from said location, wherein those icons within said predetermined distance are selected icons.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
42 words
A method for consolidating icons displayed on a computer display, said method comprising the steps of: determining one or more icons to be consolidated; and consolidating said one or more icons into a master icon, whereby consolidated icons are hidden from view.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 14, wherein said determining step comprises selecting said one or more icons to be consolidated based on a likelihood that a particular icon will not be used within a predefined amount of time.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
69 words
A method for cleaning up a computer display having a plurality of icons, said method comprising the steps of: determining for one or more of said plurality of icons the likeliness that said one or more icons will be used within a predefined amount of time; and gradually changing the appearance of said one or more icons determined not likely to be used within said predefined amount of time.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 16, wherein the speed at which said gradual changing takes place is capable of being varied.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
65 words
A system for facilitating selection of one or more of a plurality of icons located on a computer display, said system comprising: means for determining which of said plurality of icons are next likely to be used, such that one or more likely icons are selected; and means for automatically moving said one or more likely icons towards a cursor located on said computer display.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 18, wherein said automatically moving means comprises means for determining a location of said cursor on said computer display.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 18 or 19, wherein said determining means comprises means for selecting from predefined likeliness criteria said one or more likely icons.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 20, further comprising means for updating said likeliness criteria.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 18, further comprising means for selecting one of said one or more likely icons.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
63 words
A system for tracking a cursor located on a computer display, said system comprising: means for determining a location on said computer display of said cursor; means for selecting from a plurality of icons located on said computer display one or more icons to track said cursor; and means for positioning said one or more icons within a predetermined distance from said location.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
51 words
The system of claim 23, wherein said selecting means comprises: means for determining which of said plurality of icons are next likely to be used, such that one or more likely icons are provided; and means for selecting from said one or more likely icons those icons to track said cursor.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
66 words
A system for facilitating selection of one of a plurality of icons located on a computer display, said system comprising: means for moving a cursor located on said computer display within a predetermined distance from an icon to be selected, said predetermined distance being close to, but not touching said icon; and means for selecting said icon when said cursor has moved within said predetermined distance.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
47 words
A system for graphically linking one or more of a plurality of icons located on a computer display, said system comprising: means for determining which of said plurality of icons are to be linked; and means for drawing a graphical representation between said icons to be linked.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
61 words
A system for facilitating selection of one or more of a plurality of icons located on a computer display, said system comprising: means for selecting from said plurality of icons one or more icons to announce itself, such that one or more selected icons is provided; and means for having each of said one or more selected icons make an announcement.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
43 words
A system for consolidating icons displayed on a computer display, said system comprising: means for determining one or more icons to be consolidated; and means for consolidating said one or more icons into a master icon, whereby consolidated icons are hidden from view.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
70 words
A system for cleaning up a computer display having a plurality of icons, said system comprising: means for determining for one or more of said plurality of icons the likeliness that said one or more icons will be used within a predefined amount of time; and means for gradually changing the appearance of said one or more icons determined not likely to be used within said predefined amount of time.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.