US5550967A — Method and apparatus for generating and displayin…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 155 words

In a data processing display system having a display, a method for providing visual cues to a user comprising the steps of: (a) displaying on said display a user interface having a plurality of objects; and (b) automatically drawing on said display a coach mark having at least one geometric shape to visually identify at least one of said objects on said user interface to said user, wherein said coach mark is formed by a plurality of pen pictures, wherein each of said plurality of pen pictures is a pixel map having at least two vertically aligned pixels and at least two horizontally aligned pixels, wherein the automatically drawing step (b) includes the steps of: (i) drawing on said display an initial pen picture for said coach mark, and (ii) iteratively drawing on said display additional pen pictures for said coach mark over time until said coach mark has been fully rendered on said display.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 155 words

In a data processing display system having a display, a method for providing visual cues to a user comprising the steps of: (a) displaying on said display a user interface having a plurality of objects; and (b) automatically drawing on said display a coach mark having at least one geometric shape to visually identify at least one of said objects on said user interface to said user, wherein said coach mark is formed by a plurality of pen pictures, wherein each of said plurality of pen pictures is a pixel map having at least two vertically aligned pixels and at least two horizontally aligned pixels, wherein the automatically drawing step (b) includes the steps of: (i) drawing on said display an initial pen picture for said coach mark, and (ii) iteratively drawing on said display additional pen pictures for said coach mark over time until said coach mark has been fully rendered on said display.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 33 words

The method of claim 1, wherein the iteratively drawing step (b)(ii) comprises the step of iteratively drawing on said display said additional pen pictures such that said additional pen pictures overlap one another.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said initial pen picture and each of said additional pen pictures are rectangular in shape.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said coach mark identifies a location on said display for data input by said user.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 13 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said coach mark is displayed in color.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 11 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said coach mark is translucent.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said coach mark is drawn in response to said user providing a first signal.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 17 words

The method of claim 7, wherein said user provides said first signal by inputting a help inquiry.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 1, comprising the step of displaying at least one of said objects in a window on said display.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 20 words

The method of claim 9, wherein said coach mark identifies one of said at least one object within said window.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said coach mark is shaped as an arrow.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 107 words

The method of claim 11, wherein the automatically drawing step (b) comprises the steps of: defining a starting point and an ending point for a shaft of said coach mark, calculating a starting slope, an ending slope, and a delta slope for said shaft, plotting pen pictures on said display from said starting point to said ending point in accordance with said starting slope, said ending slope, and said delta slope, calculating a first arrowhead slope and a second arrowhead slope for an arrowhead of said coach mark, and plotting pen pictures on said display in accordance with said first arrowhead slope and said second arrowhead slope.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 13 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said coach mark is linear in shape.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 62 words

The method of claim 13, wherein the automatically drawing step (b) comprises the steps of: defining a starting point and an ending point, calculating a starting slope, an ending slope, and a delta slope, and plotting pen pictures on said display from said starting point to said ending point in accordance with said starting slope, said ending slope, and said delta slope.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 54 words

The method of claim 14, wherein said starting slope equals a negative ten percent grade, said ending slope equals a positive ten percent grade, and said delta slope equals the quotient of the difference between said ending slope and said starting slope divided by a number of pen picture iterations for said coach mark.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 13 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said coach mark is circular in shape.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 45 words

The method of claim 16, wherein the automatically drawing step (b) comprises the steps of: defining a starting point, a minor axis, and a major axis, and plotting pen pictures starting from said starting point in accordance with said minor axis and said major axis.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 45 words

The method of claim 17, wherein the plotting step comprises the step of plotting pen pictures in accordance with x=±a* (1-(y 2 /b 2 )) 1/2 , where a is a length of said major axis and b is a length of said minor axis.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 101 words

The method of claim 17, wherein said minor axis has an original length and wherein the automatically drawing step (b) comprises the steps of: extending said minor axis to produce an extended minor axis, plotting pen pictures for a first quadrant of said coach mark in accordance with said extended minor axis and said major axis, resizing said extended minor axis to the original length to produce a resized minor axis, and plotting pen pictures for a second quadrant, a third quadrant, and a fourth quadrant of said coach mark in accordance with said resized minor axis and said major axis.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 11 words

The method of claim 1, wherein said coach mark is X-shaped.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 80 words

The method of claim 20, wherein the automatically drawing step (b) comprises the steps of: defining a first starting point and a first ending point for a first leg of said coach mark, calculating a first starting slope, a first ending slope, and a first delta slope, and plotting pen pictures on said display from said first starting point to said first ending point in accordance with said first starting slope, said first ending slope, and said first delta slope.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 80 words

The method of claim 21, wherein the defining step comprises the steps of: defining an item rectangle to be highlighted with said coach mark, initially defining said first starting point at a first corner of said item rectangle and said first ending point at a second corner of said item rectangle, and randomly adjusting said first starting point and said first ending point such that said first starting point and said first ending point are defined outside said item rectangle.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 84 words

The method of claim 21, wherein: said first starting slope=(delta Y/delta X)/2, said first ending slope=(delta Y/delta X)* 2, delta Y is a vertical distance between said first starting point and said first ending point, delta X is a horizontal distance between said first starting point and said first ending point, and said first delta slope equals the quotient of the difference between said first ending slope and said first starting slope divided by a number of pen picture iterations for said coach mark.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 80 words

The method of claim 21, wherein the automatically drawing step (b) comprises the steps of: defining a second starting point and a second ending point for a second leg of said coach mark, calculating a second starting slope, a second ending slope, and a second delta slope, and plotting pen pictures on said display from said second starting point to said second ending point in accordance with said second starting slope, said second ending slope, and said second delta slope.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 164 words

A data processing display system for providing visual cues to a user, said data processing display system comprising: a display; and a data processing system, coupled to said display, for displaying on said display a user interface having a plurality of objects; said data processing system automatically drawing on said display a coach mark having at least one geometric shape to visually identify at least one of said objects on said user interface to said user, wherein said coach mark is formed from a plurality of pen pictures, wherein each of said plurality of pen pictures is a pixel map including at least two vertically aligned pixels and at least two horizontally aligned pixels, said data processing system automatically drawing said coach mark by: (i) drawing on said display an initial pen picture for said coach mark, and (ii) iteratively drawing on said display additional pen pictures for said coach mark over time until said coach mark has been fully rendered on said display.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 164 words

A data processing display system for providing visual cues to a user, said data processing display system comprising: a display; and a data processing system, coupled to said display, for displaying on said display a user interface having a plurality of objects; said data processing system automatically drawing on said display a coach mark having at least one geometric shape to visually identify at least one of said objects on said user interface to said user, wherein said coach mark is formed from a plurality of pen pictures, wherein each of said plurality of pen pictures is a pixel map including at least two vertically aligned pixels and at least two horizontally aligned pixels, said data processing system automatically drawing said coach mark by: (i) drawing on said display an initial pen picture for said coach mark, and (ii) iteratively drawing on said display additional pen pictures for said coach mark over time until said coach mark has been fully rendered on said display.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 29 words

The display system of claim 25, wherein said data processing system iteratively draws on said display said additional pen pictures such that said additional pen pictures overlap one another.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 22 words

The display system of claim 25, wherein said initial pen picture and each of said additional pen pictures are rectangular in shape.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 22 words

The display system of claim 25, wherein said coach mark identifies a location on said display for data input by said user.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 14 words

The display system of claim 25, wherein said coach mark is displayed in color.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 12 words

The display system of claim 25, wherein said coach mark is translucent.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 29 words

The display system of claim 25, wherein said data processing system draws said coach mark in response to said user providing a first signal to said data processing system.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 34 words

The display system of claim 31, wherein said data processing system draws said coach mark in response to said user providing said first signal by inputting a help inquiry to said data processing system.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 24 words

The display system of claim 25, wherein said data processing system displays at least one of said objects in a window on said display.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 21 words

The display system of claim 33, wherein said coach mark identifies one of said at least one object within said window.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 15 words

The display system of claim 25, wherein said coach mark is shaped as an arrow.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 108 words

The display system of claim 35, wherein said data processing system draws said coach mark by: defining a starting point and an ending point for a shaft of said coach mark, calculating a starting slope, an ending slope, and a delta slope for said shaft, plotting pen pictures on said display from said starting point to said ending point in accordance with said starting slope, said ending slope, and said delta slope, calculating a first arrowhead slope and a second arrowhead slope for an arrowhead of said coach mark, and plotting pen pictures on said display in accordance with said first arrowhead slope and said second arrowhead slope.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 14 words

The display system of claim 25, wherein said coach mark is linear in shape.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 63 words

The display system of claim 37, wherein said data processing system draws said coach mark by: defining a starting point and an ending point, calculating a starting slope, an ending slope, and a delta slope, and plotting pen pictures on said display from said starting point to said ending point in accordance with said starting slope, said ending slope, and said delta slope.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 55 words

The display system of claim 38, wherein said starting slope equals a negative ten percent grade, said ending slope equals a positive ten percent grade, and said delta slope equals the quotient of the difference between said ending slope and said starting slope divided by a number of pen picture iterations for said coach mark.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 14 words

The display system of claim 25, wherein said coach mark is circular in shape.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 46 words

The display system of claim 40, wherein said data processing system draws said coach mark by: defining a starting point, a minor axis, and a major axis, and plotting pen pictures starting from said starting point in accordance with said minor axis and said major axis.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 43 words

The display system of claim 41, wherein said data processing system plots pen pictures in accordance with x=±a* (1-(y 2 /b 2 )) 1/2 , where a is a length of said major axis and b is a length of said minor axis.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 101 words

The display system of claim 41, wherein said minor axis has an original length and wherein said data processing system plots pen pictures by: extending said minor axis to produce an extended minor axis, plotting pen pictures for a first quadrant of said coach mark in accordance with said extended minor axis and said major axis, resizing said extended minor axis to the original length to produce a resized minor axis, and plotting pen pictures for a second quadrant, a third quadrant, and a fourth quadrant of said coach mark in accordance with said resized minor axis and said major axis.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 12 words

The display system of claim 25, wherein said coach mark is X-shaped.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 81 words

The display system of claim 44, wherein said data processing system draws said coach mark by: defining a first starting point and a first ending point for a first leg of said coach mark, calculating a first starting slope, a first ending slope, and a first delta slope, and plotting pen pictures on said display from said first starting point to said first ending point in accordance with said first starting slope, said first ending slope, and said first delta slope.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 89 words

The display system of claim 45, wherein said data processing system defines said first starting point and said first ending point by: defining an item rectangle to be highlighted with said coach mark, initially defining said first starting point at a first corner of said item rectangle and said first ending point at a second corner of said item rectangle, and randomly adjusting said first starting point and said first ending point such that said first starting point and said first ending point are defined outside said item rectangle.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 85 words

The display system of claim 45, wherein: said first starting slope=(delta Y/delta X)/2, said first ending slope=(delta Y/delta X)* 2, delta Y is a vertical distance between said first starting point and said first ending point, delta X is a horizontal distance between said first starting point and said first ending point, and said first delta slope equals the quotient of the difference between said first ending slope and said first starting slope divided by a number of pen picture iterations for said coach mark.

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 81 words

The display system of claim 45, wherein said data processing system draws said coach mark by: defining a second starting point and a second ending point for a second leg of said coach mark, calculating a second starting slope, a second ending slope, and a second delta slope, and plotting pen pictures on said display from said second starting point to said second ending point in accordance with said second starting slope, said second ending slope, and said second delta slope.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1999-08-27	2000-02-26	2000-08-27	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2003-08-27	2004-02-26	2004-08-27	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2007-08-27	2008-02-26	2008-08-27	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Method and apparatus for generating and displaying visual cues on a graphic user interface

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