US5428735A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for maintaining a record of set-creating data processing activities and associated data sets
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1992-12-28
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Granted: 1995-06-27
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Expires: 2012-12-28
Abstract
Abstract A method for maintaining a record of set-creating data processing activities and associated data sets. The method includes the steps of creating and displaying a plurality of visual representations, one for each of the set-creating activities, and arranging the visual representations to indicate a hierarchical relationship within the set-creating activities. The visual representations may be used to select for viewing a particular one of either the set-creating activities or the associated data sets, and displaying them on the data processing system. The display may correspond to a duration of an operator input activity, or to a time interval defined by an initiating operator input at a terminating operator input. In its simplest form, the method requires the arrangement of the visual representations in a hierarchy which corresponds to set-creation chronology.
Inventors
- 👤 Daryl J. Kahl
- 👤 Chen D. King
- 👤 Raymond E. Lee
- 👤 Sharon Stanners
- 👤 Robert J. Torres
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 06:33
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0481; G06F3/0487; G06F3/0489; G06F3/04895; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99934; Y10S715/00; Y10S715/961; Y10S715/965; Y10S715/966; Y10S715/968
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
93 words
A method in a data processing system for maintaining a record of set-creating activities and associated sets, comprising the method sets of: creating a textual record of set-creating search queries and associated search result sets; creating and displaying a plurality of visual representations, separate from said textual record of set-creating search queries and associated search result sets, which comprise a plurality of icons, one for each of said set-creating search queries, each consisting of at least an image; and arranging said visual representations to indicate a hierarchical relationship within said set-creating search queries.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
93 words
A method in a data processing system for maintaining a record of set-creating activities and associated sets, comprising the method sets of: creating a textual record of set-creating search queries and associated search result sets; creating and displaying a plurality of visual representations, separate from said textual record of set-creating search queries and associated search result sets, which comprise a plurality of icons, one for each of said set-creating search queries, each consisting of at least an image; and arranging said visual representations to indicate a hierarchical relationship within said set-creating search queries.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 1, further comprising: using a selected one of said visual representations to select for viewing a particular one of said set-creating search queries; and displaying said particular one of said set-creating search queries.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 2, wherein said step of displaying comprises: displaying said particular one of said set-creating search queries for a time interval corresponding to an operator input.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 2, wherein said step of displaying comprises: displaying said particular one of said set-creating search queries for a time interval corresponding to a duration of an operator input activity.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 2, wherein said step of displaying comprises: displaying said particular one of said set-creating search queries in a selected one of a plurality of presentation formats in response to an operator input.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 2, further comprising: simultaneously maintaining an active workspace for receiving operator input for generation of additional set-creating search queries.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 2, whenever said step of displaying comprises: displaying said particular one of said set-creating search queries for a time interval defined by an initiating operator input and a terminating operator input.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 1, further comprising: using a selected one of said visual representations to select for viewing a particular one of said associated search result sets; and displaying said particular one of said associated sets.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 8, wherein said step of displaying comprises: displaying said particular one of said associated search result sets for a time interval corresponding to an operator input.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 8, wherein said step of displaying comprises: displaying said particular one of said associated search result sets for a time interval corresponding to a duration of an operator input activity.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 8, wherein said step of displaying comprises: displaying said particular one of said associated search result sets in a selected one of a plurality of presentation formats, in response to an operator input.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 8, further comprising: simultaneously maintaining an active work space for receiving operator input for generation of additional set-creating search queries.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 8, whenever said step of displaying comprises: displaying said particular one of said associated search result sets for a time interval defined by an initiating operator input and a terminating operator input.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said hierarchical relationship provides a visual indication of set creation chronology.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein: after execution, said set-creating search queries are automatically stored in said data processing system and associated with particular ones of said plurality of visual representations in accordance with said hierarchical relationship.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 1, further comprising: simultaneously maintaining an active workspace for receiving operator input for generation of additional set-creating search queries.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
234 words
A method in a data processing system for maintaining a record of set-creating data processing activities and associated data sets comprising the method steps of: receiving and processing set-creating data processing instructions and thereby producing an associated data set; automatically storing a textual record of said set-creating data processing instructions and associated data set in said data processing system; creating and displaying a visual representation separate from said set-creating data processing instructions and data set of said set-creating data processing instructions and associated data set in a workspace, said visual representation comprising an icon which includes at least an image; maintaining an active workspace in said data processing system for receipt of additional set-creating data processing instructions; receiving and processing additional set-creating data processing instructions and thereby producing additional associated data sets; automatically storing said additional textual records of set-creating data processing instructions and associated data sets in said data processing system; creating and displaying additional visual representations, separate from said set-creating data processing instructions and associated data sets, of said set-creating data processing instructions and associated data sets in said workspace, said visual representations comprising icons which each include an image; arranging said visual representations hierarchically to indicate a progression of set-creating data processing activities; and using said visual representations as software buttons for selective viewing of at least one of (a) said set-creating data processing instructions and (b) said associated data sets.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
234 words
A method in a data processing system for maintaining a record of set-creating data processing activities and associated data sets comprising the method steps of: receiving and processing set-creating data processing instructions and thereby producing an associated data set; automatically storing a textual record of said set-creating data processing instructions and associated data set in said data processing system; creating and displaying a visual representation separate from said set-creating data processing instructions and data set of said set-creating data processing instructions and associated data set in a workspace, said visual representation comprising an icon which includes at least an image; maintaining an active workspace in said data processing system for receipt of additional set-creating data processing instructions; receiving and processing additional set-creating data processing instructions and thereby producing additional associated data sets; automatically storing said additional textual records of set-creating data processing instructions and associated data sets in said data processing system; creating and displaying additional visual representations, separate from said set-creating data processing instructions and associated data sets, of said set-creating data processing instructions and associated data sets in said workspace, said visual representations comprising icons which each include an image; arranging said visual representations hierarchically to indicate a progression of set-creating data processing activities; and using said visual representations as software buttons for selective viewing of at least one of (a) said set-creating data processing instructions and (b) said associated data sets.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 17, wherein said visual representations are arranged in a chronological hierarchy.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method according to claim 17, further comprising: displaying at least one of (a) said set-creating data processing instructions and (b) said associated data sets in one of a plurality of viewing formats in response to an operator output.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 17, further comprising: displaying at least one of (a) said set-creating data processing instructions and (b) said associated data sets for selected duration in response to an operator input.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
119 words
A data processing system for efficiently maintaining a record of set-creating data processing activities and associated data sets, comprising: means for creating and displaying a textual record of set-creating data processing search queries and associated search result sets; means for creating and displaying a plurality of visual representations, one for each of said set-creating data processing search queries; each of said plurality of visual representations consisting of an icon which includes at least an image portion; means for arranging said visual representations to indicate a hierarchical relationship within said set-creating data processing search queries; and means for allowing selective viewing of at least one of (a) said set-creating data processing search queries, and (b) said associated search result sets.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
119 words
A data processing system for efficiently maintaining a record of set-creating data processing activities and associated data sets, comprising: means for creating and displaying a textual record of set-creating data processing search queries and associated search result sets; means for creating and displaying a plurality of visual representations, one for each of said set-creating data processing search queries; each of said plurality of visual representations consisting of an icon which includes at least an image portion; means for arranging said visual representations to indicate a hierarchical relationship within said set-creating data processing search queries; and means for allowing selective viewing of at least one of (a) said set-creating data processing search queries, and (b) said associated search result sets.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
33 words
A data processing system according to claim 21, further comprising: means for maintaining at least one active workspace in said data processing system for receipt of instructions defining set-creating data processing search queries.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
24 words
A data processing system according to claim 21, wherein said means for arranging comprises: means for arranging said visual representations in a chronological hierarchy.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
44 words
A data processing system according to claim 21, wherein said means for allowing selective viewing comprises: means for allowing selective viewing of at least one of (a) said set-creating data processing search queries, and (b) said associated search result sets for a selected duration.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
48 words
A data processing system according to claim 21, wherein said means for allowing selective viewing comprises: means for allowing selective viewing of at least one of (a) said set-creating data processing search queries and (b) said associated search result sets in one of a plurality of viewing formats.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
26 words
A data processing system according to claim 21, further comprising: means for allowing application of set-creating data processing search queries to selected preexisting search result sets.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1998-06-26 | 1998-12-26 | 1999-06-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2002-06-26 | 2002-12-26 | 2003-06-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2006-06-26 | 2006-12-26 | 2007-06-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |