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US5420975A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and system for automatic alteration of display of menu options

Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1992-12-28
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Granted: 1995-05-30
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Expires: 2012-12-28
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Abstract

Abstract A method and system for the automatic alteration of a display of multiple user selectable menu options. A counter is associated with each user selectable menu option. The counter associated with a user selectable menu option is then incremented in response to each selection by a user of the user selectable menu option. The display of the user selectable menu option is automatically altered in response to a state of the associated counter.

Inventors

  • 👤 Jerry A. Blades
  • 👤 Harvey G. Kiel

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 15:54
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0481; G06F3/0482

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 129 words
A method in a data processing system having a plurality of displayed menus, each of said plurality of displayed menus including a plurality of user selectable menu options for automatically altering a display of said plurality of user selectable menu options, said method comprising the data processing implemented steps of: associating a counter with each of said plurality of user selectable menu options; incrementing said counter in response to each selection by a user of one of said plurality of user selectable menu options; and automatically altering a display of said plurality of user selectable menu options in response to a state of said counter associated with each of said plurality of user selectable menu options by deleting at least one of said plurality of user selectable menu options.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 129 words
A method in a data processing system having a plurality of displayed menus, each of said plurality of displayed menus including a plurality of user selectable menu options for automatically altering a display of said plurality of user selectable menu options, said method comprising the data processing implemented steps of: associating a counter with each of said plurality of user selectable menu options; incrementing said counter in response to each selection by a user of one of said plurality of user selectable menu options; and automatically altering a display of said plurality of user selectable menu options in response to a state of said counter associated with each of said plurality of user selectable menu options by deleting at least one of said plurality of user selectable menu options.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 92 words
The method in a data processing system having a plurality of displayed menus, each of said plurality of displayed menus including a plurality of user selectable menu options for automatically altering a display of said plurality of user selectable menu options according to claim 1 wherein said step of automatically altering a display further includes the step of automatically altering a display color of each of said plurality of user selectable menu options in response to a state of said counter associated with each of said plurality of user selectable menu options.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 92 words
The method in a data processing system having a plurality of displayed menus, each of said plurality of displayed menus including a plurality of user selectable menu options for automatically altering a display of said plurality of user selectable menu options according to claim 1 wherein said step of automatically altering a display further includes the step of automatically dimming the display intensity of each of said plurality of user selectable menu options in response to a state of said counter associated with each of said plurality of user selectable menu options.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 84 words
The method in a data processing system having a plurality of displayed menus, each of said plurality of displayed menus including a plurality of user selectable menu options for automatically altering a display of said plurality of user selectable menu options according to claim 1 further comprising the step of restoring said altered display of each of said plurality of user selectable menu options to an original display of each of said plurality of user selectable menu options in response to a user selection.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 87 words
The method in a data processing system having a plurality of displayed menus, each of said plurality of displayed menus including a plurality of user selectable menu options for automatically altering a display of said plurality of user selectable menu options according to claim 1 further comprising the step of decrementing said counter in response to each deselection by a user of said one of said plurality of user selectable menu options immediately following said selection of said one of said plurality of user selectable menu options.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 76 words
The method in a data processing system having a plurality of displayed menus, each of said plurality of displayed menus including a plurality of user selectable menu options for automatically altering a display of said plurality of user selectable menu options according to claim 1 further comprising the steps of: associating a second counter with each displayed menu; and incrementing said second counter in response to each selection by a user of said each displayed menu.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 124 words
A data processing system having a plurality of displayed menus, each of said plurality of displayed menus including a plurality of user selectable menu options for automatically altering a display of said plurality of user selectable menu options, comprising: means for associating a counter with each of said plurality of user selectable menu options; means for incrementing said counter in response to each selection by a user of one of said plurality of user selectable menu options; and means for automatically altering a display of said plurality of user selectable menu options in response to a state of said counter associated with each of said plurality of user selectable menu options by deleting at least one of said plurality of user selectable menu option.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 124 words
A data processing system having a plurality of displayed menus, each of said plurality of displayed menus including a plurality of user selectable menu options for automatically altering a display of said plurality of user selectable menu options, comprising: means for associating a counter with each of said plurality of user selectable menu options; means for incrementing said counter in response to each selection by a user of one of said plurality of user selectable menu options; and means for automatically altering a display of said plurality of user selectable menu options in response to a state of said counter associated with each of said plurality of user selectable menu options by deleting at least one of said plurality of user selectable menu option.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 88 words
The data processing system having a plurality of displayed menus, each of said plurality of displayed menus including a plurality of user selectable menu options for automatically altering a display of said plurality of user selectable menu options according to claim 7 wherein said means for automatically altering a display further includes means for automatically altering a display color of each of said plurality of user selectable menu options in response to a state of said counter associated with each of said plurality of user selectable menu options.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 88 words
The data processing system having a plurality of displayed menus, each of said plurality of displayed menus including a plurality of user selectable menu options for automatically altering a display of said plurality of user selectable menu options according to claim 7 wherein said means for automatically altering a display further includes means for automatically dimming the display intensity of each of said plurality of user selectable menu options in response to a state of said counter associated with each of said plurality of user selectable menu options.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 80 words
The data processing system having a plurality of displayed menus, each of said plurality of displayed menus including a plurality of user selectable menu options for automatically altering a display of said plurality of user selectable menu options according to claim 7 further comprising means for restoring said altered display of each of said plurality of user selectable menu options to an original display of each of said plurality of user selectable menu options in response to a user selection.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 83 words
The data processing system having a plurality of displayed menus, each of said plurality of displayed menus including a plurality of user selectable menu options for automatically altering a display of said plurality of user selectable menu options according to claim 7 further comprising means for decrementing said counter in response to each deselection by a user of said one of said plurality of user selectable menu options immediately following said selection of said one of said plurality of user selectable menu options.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 74 words
The data processing system having a plurality of displayed menus, each of said plurality of displayed menus including a plurality of user selectable menu options for automatically altering a display of said plurality of user selectable menu options according to claim 7 further comprising: means for associating a second counter with each displayed menu; and means for incrementing said second counter in response to each selection by a user of said each displayed menu.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5067103A Cited
US4688195A Cited
US4967190A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1998-05-29 1998-11-28 1999-05-30 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2002-05-29 2002-11-28 2003-05-30 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2006-05-29 2006-11-28 2007-05-30 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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