US5740389A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Scrolling a target window during a drag and drop operation
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1996-05-14
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Granted: 1998-04-14
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Expires: 2016-05-14
Abstract
Abstract A technique for transferring a graphical object in a graphical user interface on a computer display from a source window to a target window. It is determined that a graphical object from the source window has entered the target window during a drag and drop operation. Next, it is determined that the graphical object has hit an interior boundary of the target window. The target window is scrolled so long as the graphical object continues to hit the interior boundary. Once the target location is visible in the target window, the graphical object is located at the target location at conclusion of the drag and drop operation. The invention contemplates a graphical user interface in which some target windows are scrollable during a drag and drop operation with a graphical object from a foreign window, while some windows are not. Thus, in a mixed graphical user interface, it must be determined whether the target window is scrollable during a drag and drop operation.
Inventors
- 👤 Shih-Gong Li
- 👤 Theodore Jack London Shrader
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 22:12
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0484; G06F3/0486; G06F3/0485
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
178 words
A method for transferring a graphical object in a graphical user interface on a computer display from a source window to a target window, comprising the steps of: responsive to user input, dragging a graphical object from a source location in a source window to a position proximate to an internal boundary of the source window; determining that the graphical object is native to the source window; responsive to the determination that the graphical object is native to the source window, preventing scrolling of the source window to allow the graphical object past the interior boundary of the source window; responsive to user input, dragging the graphical object to a position proximate to an interior boundary of a target window; determining that the graphical object is foreign to the target window; responsive to the determination that the graphical object is foreign to the target window, scrolling the target window so long as the graphical object is present at the interior boundary of the target window; and locating the graphical object at a target location in the target window.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
178 words
A method for transferring a graphical object in a graphical user interface on a computer display from a source window to a target window, comprising the steps of: responsive to user input, dragging a graphical object from a source location in a source window to a position proximate to an internal boundary of the source window; determining that the graphical object is native to the source window; responsive to the determination that the graphical object is native to the source window, preventing scrolling of the source window to allow the graphical object past the interior boundary of the source window; responsive to user input, dragging the graphical object to a position proximate to an interior boundary of a target window; determining that the graphical object is foreign to the target window; responsive to the determination that the graphical object is foreign to the target window, scrolling the target window so long as the graphical object is present at the interior boundary of the target window; and locating the graphical object at a target location in the target window.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of determining whether the target window is scrollable during a drag and drop operation; wherein the scrolling step is responsive to the determination that the target window is scrollable.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of storing an initial position of a pointer at commencement of the drag and drop operation to determine whether the graphical object is native or foreign to a window in which the graphical object is located to determine whether scrolling of the window is to commence.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
65 words
The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of: detecting the depression of a predetermined key on a keyboard when the graphical icon is in a position proximate to the internal boundary of the target window; and responsive to detecting the key depression, preventing scrolling of the target window to allow the graphical object past the interior boundary of the target window.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
85 words
The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of: selecting among a set of potential target windows in an application which windows will be scrolled when a foreign graphical object is dragged proximate to an interior boundary; storing a list of selected target windows; and responsive to a determination that a foreign graphical object has been dragged proximate to the interior boundary of the target window, determining whether the target window is in the list of selected target windows which are scrollable.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the graphical icon represents a column of data in a database table and the source and target windows contain database tables.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
192 words
A system for transferring a graphical object in a graphical user interface on a computer display from a source window to a target window, comprising the steps of: means responsive to user input for dragging a graphical object from a source location in a source window to a position proximate to an internal boundary of the source window; means for determining that the graphical object is native to the source window; means responsive to the determination that the graphical object is native to the source window for preventing scrolling of the source window to allow the graphical object past the interior boundary of the source window; means responsive to user input for dragging the graphical object to a position proximate to an interior boundary of a target window; means for determining that the graphical object is foreign to the target window; means responsive to the determination that the graphical object is foreign to the target window for scrolling the target window so long as the graphical object is present at the interior boundary of the target window; and means for locating the graphical object at a target location in the target window.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
192 words
A system for transferring a graphical object in a graphical user interface on a computer display from a source window to a target window, comprising the steps of: means responsive to user input for dragging a graphical object from a source location in a source window to a position proximate to an internal boundary of the source window; means for determining that the graphical object is native to the source window; means responsive to the determination that the graphical object is native to the source window for preventing scrolling of the source window to allow the graphical object past the interior boundary of the source window; means responsive to user input for dragging the graphical object to a position proximate to an interior boundary of a target window; means for determining that the graphical object is foreign to the target window; means responsive to the determination that the graphical object is foreign to the target window for scrolling the target window so long as the graphical object is present at the interior boundary of the target window; and means for locating the graphical object at a target location in the target window.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system as recited in claim 7 further comprising means for determining whether the target window is scrollable during a drag and drop operation; wherein scrolling is responsive to the determination that the target window is scrollable.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
54 words
The system as recited in claim 7 further comprising storing an initial position of a pointer at commencement of the drag and drop operation to determine whether the graphical object is native or foreign to a window in which the graphical object is located to determine whether scrolling of the window is to commence.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
66 words
The system as recited in claim 7 further comprising: means for detecting the depression of a predetermined key on a keyboard when the graphical icon is in a position proximate to the internal boundary of the target window; and means responsive to detecting the key depression for preventing scrolling of the target window to allow the graphical object past the interior boundary of the target window.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
86 words
The system as recited in claim 7 further comprising: means for selecting among a set of potential target windows in an application will be scrolled when a foreign graphical object is dragged proximate to an interior boundary; means for storing a list of selected target windows; and means responsive to a determination that a foreign graphical object has been dragged proximate to the interior boundary of the target window for determining whether the target window is in the list of selected target windows which are scrollable.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system as recited in claim 7 wherein the graphical icon represents a column of data in a database table and the source and target windows contain database tables.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
196 words
A computer program product on a computer readable medium for transferring a graphical object in a graphical user interface on a computer display from a source window to a target window, comprising: means responsive to user input for dragging a graphical object from a source location in a source window to a position proximate to an internal boundary of the source window; means for determining that the graphical object is native to the source window; means responsive to the determination that the graphical object is native to the source window for preventing scrolling of the source window to allow the graphical object past the interior boundary of the source window; means responsive to user input for dragging the graphical object to a position proximate to an interior boundary of a target window; means for determining that the graphical object is foreign to the target window; means responsive to the determination that the graphical object is foreign to the target window for scrolling the target window so long as the graphical object is present at the interior boundary of the target window; and means for locating the graphical object at a target location in the target window.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
196 words
A computer program product on a computer readable medium for transferring a graphical object in a graphical user interface on a computer display from a source window to a target window, comprising: means responsive to user input for dragging a graphical object from a source location in a source window to a position proximate to an internal boundary of the source window; means for determining that the graphical object is native to the source window; means responsive to the determination that the graphical object is native to the source window for preventing scrolling of the source window to allow the graphical object past the interior boundary of the source window; means responsive to user input for dragging the graphical object to a position proximate to an interior boundary of a target window; means for determining that the graphical object is foreign to the target window; means responsive to the determination that the graphical object is foreign to the target window for scrolling the target window so long as the graphical object is present at the interior boundary of the target window; and means for locating the graphical object at a target location in the target window.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
40 words
The computer program product as recited in claim 13 for further comprising means for determining whether the target window is scrollable during a drag and drop operation; wherein scrolling is responsive to the determination that the target window is scrollable.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
57 words
The computer program product as recited in claim 13 for further comprising means for storing an initial position of a pointer at commencement of the drag and drop operation to determine whether the graphical object is native to a window in which the graphical object is located to determine whether scrolling of the window is to commence.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
69 words
The computer program product as recited in claim 13 for further comprising means for detecting the depression of a predetermined key on a keyboard when the graphical icon is in a position proximate to the internal boundary of the target window; and means responsive to detecting the key depression for preventing scrolling of the target window to allow the graphical object past the interior boundary of the target window.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
88 words
The computer program product as recited in claim 13 for further comprising: means for selecting among a set of potential target windows in an application will be scrolled when a foreign graphical object is dragged proximate to an interior boundary; means for storing a list of selected target windows; and means responsive to a determination that a foreign graphical object has been dragged proximate to the interior boundary of the target window, determining whether the target window is in the list of selected target windows which are scrollable.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
The computer program product as recited in claim 13 wherein the graphical icon represents a column of data in a database table and the source and target windows contain database tables.
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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) | 2001-04-13 | 2001-10-13 | 2002-04-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-04-13 | 2005-10-13 | 2006-04-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-04-13 | 2009-10-13 | 2010-04-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |