US5481710A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of and system for providing application programs with an undo/redo function
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
•
Filing: 1992-09-16
•
Granted: 1996-01-02
•
Expires: 2012-09-16
Abstract
Abstract A reusable isolated undo/redo service provides application programs with an undo/redo function. Each application that will use the service is registered. Whenever a registered application performs an action that can be undone, it forms a packet and gives the packet to the service. Whenever the user of a registered application wishes to undo or redo an action, the undo or redo processing is performed by the service.
Inventors
- 👤 Patrick J. Keane
- 👤 Kathy P. Mitchell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 00:00
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/44; G06F9/451
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of providing application programs in a computer system with an undo/redo function, which comprises the computer implemented steps of: establishing an undo/redo service in said computer system; establishing an undo data structure and a redo data structure in said undo/redo service; registering a selected application program among a plurality of application programs within said computer system with said undo/redo service; giving a packet to said undo/redo service whenever said selected application program processes an action on an object that can be undone, said packet including the identity of the object acted upon by said action, instructions that, when applied to the object of the packet, will cause the action to be undone, and a text string for a menu choice for said action; and placing said packet in said undo data structure.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of providing application programs in a computer system with an undo/redo function, which comprises the computer implemented steps of: establishing an undo/redo service in said computer system; establishing an undo data structure and a redo data structure in said undo/redo service; registering a selected application program among a plurality of application programs within said computer system with said undo/redo service; giving a packet to said undo/redo service whenever said selected application program processes an action on an object that can be undone, said packet including the identity of the object acted upon by said action, instructions that, when applied to the object of the packet, will cause the action to be undone, and a text string for a menu choice for said action; and placing said packet in said undo data structure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
126 words
The method as claimed in claim 1 including the computer implemented steps of: displaying a menu in response to user input, said menu including an undo action; inquiring of said undo/redo service whether there are any actions to be undone; returning to said selected application, in response to said inquiry, the text string from the last received of said undo data structure whenever said undo data structure has at least one packet in it; enabling said undo action with said text string in response to return of said string from said undo/redo service; returning to said selected application, in response to said inquiry, nil whenever said undo data structure is empty; and disabling said undo action in response to return of nil from said undo/redo service.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method as claimed in claim 2, including the computer implemented steps of: removing the last received packet from said undo data structure and executing said packet's undo instructions in response to user selection of said undo action.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method as claimed in claim 3, including the computer implemented step of: placing the packet removed from said undo data structure on said redo data structure in response to user selection of said undo action.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said packet includes instructions that, when applied to the object of the packet, will cause the action to be undone.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method as claimed in claim 1, including the computer implemented step of: executing instructions within a last received packet for said selected application in said undo/redo service in response to user input, thereby to undo said action.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
148 words
A method of providing application programs in a computer system with an undo/redo function, which comprises the computer implemented steps of: establishing an undo/redo service in said computer system; registering a selected application program among a plurality of application programs within said computer system with said undo/redo service; establishing at least an undo stack in said undo/redo service for said selected application; and placing a packet on said undo/redo stack whenever said selected application program processes an action that can be undone, said packet containing (a) the identity of the object acted upon by the action, (b) a text string for a menu choice for said action, (c) a code block that, when applied to the object of the packet, will cause the action to be undone, and (d) a code block that, when applied to the object of the packet, will cause the action to be redone.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
148 words
A method of providing application programs in a computer system with an undo/redo function, which comprises the computer implemented steps of: establishing an undo/redo service in said computer system; registering a selected application program among a plurality of application programs within said computer system with said undo/redo service; establishing at least an undo stack in said undo/redo service for said selected application; and placing a packet on said undo/redo stack whenever said selected application program processes an action that can be undone, said packet containing (a) the identity of the object acted upon by the action, (b) a text string for a menu choice for said action, (c) a code block that, when applied to the object of the packet, will cause the action to be undone, and (d) a code block that, when applied to the object of the packet, will cause the action to be redone.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
121 words
The method as claimed in claim 7 including the steps of: displaying a menu in response to user input, said menu including an undo action; inquiring of said undo/redo service whether there are any actions to be undone; returning to said selected application, in response to said inquiry, the text string from the top packet of said undo stack whenever said undo stack has at least one packet on it; enabling said undo action with said text string in response to return of said string from said undo/redo service; returning to said selected application, in response to said inquiry, nil whenever said undo stack is empty; and disabling said undo action in response to return of nil from said undo/redo service.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method as claimed in claim 8, including the steps of: removing the topmost packet from said undo stack and executing said packet's undo code block in response to user selection of said undo action.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method as claimed in claim 9, including the steps of: establishing a redo stack in said undo/redo service for said selected application; and placing the packet removed from said undo stack on said redo stack in response to user selection of said undo action.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method as claimed in claim 7, including the steps of: establishing a redo stack in said undo/redo service for said registered selected application; and, moving the topmost packet from said undo stack to said redo stack whenever the action of said topmost packet is undone.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5173854A
Cited
US4723211A
Cited
US4815029A
Cited
US4878167A
Cited
US5095421A
Cited
US5170480A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-01-01 | 1999-07-03 | 2000-01-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-01-01 | 2003-07-03 | 2004-01-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-01-01 | 2007-07-03 | 2008-01-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |