US5742779A
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US
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Method of communication using sized icons, text, and audio
Assignee: Tolfa Corp
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Filing: 1996-04-03
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Granted: 1998-04-21
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Expires: 2016-04-03
Abstract
Abstract Language oriented information is communicated to and from a user by the use of a computer with a dynamic graphics display, having a pointing device for visually indicating a position through a cursor on the display. Various embodiments of the method include calling an icon to attention when the cursor is positioned on the icon, auto projecting an icon when it is activated, changing the icon image to denote its terminal node status, varying the play back speed of the audio/visual aspect of an icon, moving among different layers of a hierarchical database, and text searching and matching with icons.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard D. Steele
- 👤 Robert F. Gonsalves
- 👤 Larry J. Leifer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 10:15
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0481; G06F3/04817; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S715/00; Y10S715/978
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
215 words
A method of communicating to a user of a computer with a display means and a pointing device for visually indicating a position, through a cursor means, on the display means, said method comprising the steps of: generating a plurality of icons, each icon being actively manipulatable by the user; displaying the plurality of icons on the display means; moving the cursor means on the display means by the user through the pointing device to a desired one of said plurality of icons, said desired one icon, having a first size, and a first spatial orientation of an image, is displayed at a desired location on said display means; actively manipulating said desired one icon; displaying a first representation of said desired one icon in place of said desired one icon, said first representation of said desired one icon having a second size larger than said first size of said desired icon, and having said first spatial orientation of said image, and then resuming the display of the plurality of icons, excluding said desired one icon, with a second representation of said desired one icon, having a third size which is smaller than said second size and larger than said first size, replacing said first representation of said desired one icon, on the display means.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
215 words
A method of communicating to a user of a computer with a display means and a pointing device for visually indicating a position, through a cursor means, on the display means, said method comprising the steps of: generating a plurality of icons, each icon being actively manipulatable by the user; displaying the plurality of icons on the display means; moving the cursor means on the display means by the user through the pointing device to a desired one of said plurality of icons, said desired one icon, having a first size, and a first spatial orientation of an image, is displayed at a desired location on said display means; actively manipulating said desired one icon; displaying a first representation of said desired one icon in place of said desired one icon, said first representation of said desired one icon having a second size larger than said first size of said desired icon, and having said first spatial orientation of said image, and then resuming the display of the plurality of icons, excluding said desired one icon, with a second representation of said desired one icon, having a third size which is smaller than said second size and larger than said first size, replacing said first representation of said desired one icon, on the display means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein a first representatoin of said desired one icon is displayed in a rectangle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the plurality of images are displayed at said desired location.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said first representation of said desired one icon is displayed in a rectangle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said resuming step displays the plurality of icons after a period of pre-determined delay.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said resuming step displays the plurality of icons immediately after the user activates the pointing device.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the additional step of: displaying said second representation of said desired one icon after said active manipulation step.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
235 words
A method of communicating language oriented information to and from a user, by a computer with a display having a pointing device for visually indicating a position, through a cursor means, on the display, said method comprising the steps of: generating a plurality of icons by the computer, each of said plurality of icons is a graphical representation of different language information; displaying said plurality of icons generated on the display; moving the cursor means on the display by the user, through the pointing device to a desired one of said plurality of icons, said desired one icon, having a first size and a first spatial orientation of a first image, and is displayed on the display at a desired location; actively manipulating said desired one icon by the user; displaying a second image, representing language information of said desired one icon, in response to the selection of said desired one icon, said second image having a second size, larger than said first size of said desired one icon, and being of said first spatial orientation of said first image; resuming the display of the plurality of icons, excluding said desired one icon, with a representation of said desired one icon having a third size, smaller than said second size and larger than said first size, displayed at the desired location, on the display; and then outputting said language information of said desired one icon.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
235 words
A method of communicating language oriented information to and from a user, by a computer with a display having a pointing device for visually indicating a position, through a cursor means, on the display, said method comprising the steps of: generating a plurality of icons by the computer, each of said plurality of icons is a graphical representation of different language information; displaying said plurality of icons generated on the display; moving the cursor means on the display by the user, through the pointing device to a desired one of said plurality of icons, said desired one icon, having a first size and a first spatial orientation of a first image, and is displayed on the display at a desired location; actively manipulating said desired one icon by the user; displaying a second image, representing language information of said desired one icon, in response to the selection of said desired one icon, said second image having a second size, larger than said first size of said desired one icon, and being of said first spatial orientation of said first image; resuming the display of the plurality of icons, excluding said desired one icon, with a representation of said desired one icon having a third size, smaller than said second size and larger than said first size, displayed at the desired location, on the display; and then outputting said language information of said desired one icon.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said resuming step displays the plurality of icons after a period of pre-determined delay.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said resuming step displays the plurality of icons immediately after the user activates the pointing device.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said image is displayed in a rectangle.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said outputting step comprises: audibly outputting the language information which is represented by said desired one icon.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said outputting step comprises: displaying the language information which is represented by said desired one icon.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 8 wherein a plurality of images are displayed.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the plurality of images are displayed in the desired location.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
174 words
A method of communicating language oriented information to a user by a computer with a display having a pointing device for visually indicating a position, through a cursor means, on the display, said method comprising the steps of: generating a plurality of icons, each icon having at least one image, representing language information of said icon, associated therewith, said one image being larger in size than each of its associated icon; generating a plurality of text words each word associated with one icon; displaying the plurality of icons and words; and displaying an activatable control icon having a selectable range between two ends, wherein at one end, activation of said control icon causes a display of all the images associated with each icon and an audio output of each of the text words associated with each icon, and at other end, activation of said control icon causes an audio output of each of the text words associated with each icon, with a display of each of the images associated with each icon being truncated.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
174 words
A method of communicating language oriented information to a user by a computer with a display having a pointing device for visually indicating a position, through a cursor means, on the display, said method comprising the steps of: generating a plurality of icons, each icon having at least one image, representing language information of said icon, associated therewith, said one image being larger in size than each of its associated icon; generating a plurality of text words each word associated with one icon; displaying the plurality of icons and words; and displaying an activatable control icon having a selectable range between two ends, wherein at one end, activation of said control icon causes a display of all the images associated with each icon and an audio output of each of the text words associated with each icon, and at other end, activation of said control icon causes an audio output of each of the text words associated with each icon, with a display of each of the images associated with each icon being truncated.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
209 words
A method of communicating to a user of a computer with a display means and a pointing device for visually indicating a position, through a cursor means, on the display means, said method comprising the steps of: generating a plurality of icons, each icon being actively manipulatable by the user; displaying the plurality of icons on the display means; moving the cursor means on the display means by the user through the pointing device to a desired one of said plurality of icons, said desired one icon, having a first size and a frame with a first thickness, is displayed at a desired location on said display means; actively manipulating said desired one icon; displaying a first representation of said desired one icon in place of said desired one icon, said first representation of said desired one icon having a second size larger than said first size of said desired icon, and then resuming the display of the plurality of icons, excluding said desired one icon, with a second representation of said desired one icon, having a third size smaller than said second size and a frame with a second thickness thicker than said first thickness, replacing said first representation of said desired one icon, on the display means.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
209 words
A method of communicating to a user of a computer with a display means and a pointing device for visually indicating a position, through a cursor means, on the display means, said method comprising the steps of: generating a plurality of icons, each icon being actively manipulatable by the user; displaying the plurality of icons on the display means; moving the cursor means on the display means by the user through the pointing device to a desired one of said plurality of icons, said desired one icon, having a first size and a frame with a first thickness, is displayed at a desired location on said display means; actively manipulating said desired one icon; displaying a first representation of said desired one icon in place of said desired one icon, said first representation of said desired one icon having a second size larger than said first size of said desired icon, and then resuming the display of the plurality of icons, excluding said desired one icon, with a second representation of said desired one icon, having a third size smaller than said second size and a frame with a second thickness thicker than said first thickness, replacing said first representation of said desired one icon, on the display means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 17 further comprising the additional step of: displaying said second representation of said desired one icon after said active manipulation step.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
199 words
A method of communicating to a user of a computer with a display means and a pointing device for visually indicating a position, through a cursor means, on the display means, said method comprising the steps of: generating a plurality of icons, each icon being actively manipulatable by the user; displaying the plurality of icons on the display means; moving the cursor means on the display means by the user through the pointing device to a desired one of said plurality of icons, said desired one icon, having a first size, is displayed at a desired location on said display means; actively manipulating said desired one icon; displaying a first representation of said desired one icon in place of said desired one icon, said first representation of said desired one icon having a second size and a frame with a first thickness, then resuming the display of the plurality of icons, excluding said desired one icon, with a second representation of said desired one icon, having a third size smaller than said second size and a frame with a second thickness thicker than said first thickness, replacing said first representation of said desired one icon, on the display means.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
199 words
A method of communicating to a user of a computer with a display means and a pointing device for visually indicating a position, through a cursor means, on the display means, said method comprising the steps of: generating a plurality of icons, each icon being actively manipulatable by the user; displaying the plurality of icons on the display means; moving the cursor means on the display means by the user through the pointing device to a desired one of said plurality of icons, said desired one icon, having a first size, is displayed at a desired location on said display means; actively manipulating said desired one icon; displaying a first representation of said desired one icon in place of said desired one icon, said first representation of said desired one icon having a second size and a frame with a first thickness, then resuming the display of the plurality of icons, excluding said desired one icon, with a second representation of said desired one icon, having a third size smaller than said second size and a frame with a second thickness thicker than said first thickness, replacing said first representation of said desired one icon, on the display means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 19 further comprising the additional step of: displaying said second representation of said desired one icon after said active manipulation step.
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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) | 2001-04-20 | 2001-10-20 | 2002-04-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-04-20 | 2005-10-20 | 2006-04-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-04-20 | 2009-10-20 | 2010-04-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |