Patent US5808611A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5808611A
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Positioning for multiple icons in an object-oriented interface
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1993-09-23
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Granted: 1998-09-15
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Expires: 2013-09-23
Abstract
Abstract A method, system and program for creating child graphical objects in an object oriented graphical user interface. First, the child object is created by copying a set of attributes from a parent graphical object to a memory partition allocated to the first child graphical object. This operation is typically called inheritance or subclassing in object oriented programming. Next, the location data of the first child graphical object is automatically changed from those copied from the parent graphical object. Next, the parent and child graphical objects are displayed on a display in the graphical user interface, the child graphical object being offset in location from the parent graphical object.
Inventors
- 👤 Karl David Johnson
- 👤 Judith Holbrook Lewis
- 👤 Steve Stanley Stone
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 20:18
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F8/00; G06F8/30; G06F8/38
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
130 words
A method for creating a first child graphical object responsive to user interaction in an object oriented graphical user interface comprising the steps of: displaying a parent graphical object in the graphical user interface on a display; responsive to a user input to the graphical user interface to add the first child graphical object to the graphical user interface, copying data from a parent graphical object to the first child graphical object in a memory; changing location data of the first child graphical object from location data copied from the parent graphical object without user input indicative of a changed location; and displaying the parent and child graphical objects on the display in the graphical user interface, the child graphical object being offset in location from the parent graphical object.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
130 words
A method for creating a first child graphical object responsive to user interaction in an object oriented graphical user interface comprising the steps of: displaying a parent graphical object in the graphical user interface on a display; responsive to a user input to the graphical user interface to add the first child graphical object to the graphical user interface, copying data from a parent graphical object to the first child graphical object in a memory; changing location data of the first child graphical object from location data copied from the parent graphical object without user input indicative of a changed location; and displaying the parent and child graphical objects on the display in the graphical user interface, the child graphical object being offset in location from the parent graphical object.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
128 words
The method as recited in claim 1 which further comprises the steps of: responsive to a user input to the graphical user interface to add a second child graphical object to the graphical user interface, repeating the copying and changing steps for the second child graphical object; determining whether location data of the second child graphical object are closer than a prescribed distance from location data of the first child graphical object; changing the location data of the second child graphical object until further than the prescribed distance from those of the first child graphical object; and displaying the parent and child graphical objects on the display in the graphical user interface, the child graphical objects being offset in location from the parent graphical object and each other.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the first child graphical object location data are changed by a first offset from those of the parent graphical object.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method as recited in claim 3 wherein the second child graphical object location data are changed by a second offset smaller than the first offset in the second changing step.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of further changing the first child graphical object location data according to a drag and drop operation.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
138 words
A system of creating a first child graphical object responsive to user interaction in an object oriented graphical user interface comprising: means for displaying a parent graphical object in the graphical user interface on a display; means responsive to a user input to the graphical user interface to add the first graphical object to the graphical user interface for copying data from a parent graphical object to a memory partition allocated to the first child graphical object in a memory; means for changing location data of the first child graphical object from those copied from the parent graphical object without user input indicative of a changed location; and means for displaying the parent and child graphical objects on the display in the graphical user interface, the child graphical object being offset in location from the parent graphical object.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
138 words
A system of creating a first child graphical object responsive to user interaction in an object oriented graphical user interface comprising: means for displaying a parent graphical object in the graphical user interface on a display; means responsive to a user input to the graphical user interface to add the first graphical object to the graphical user interface for copying data from a parent graphical object to a memory partition allocated to the first child graphical object in a memory; means for changing location data of the first child graphical object from those copied from the parent graphical object without user input indicative of a changed location; and means for displaying the parent and child graphical objects on the display in the graphical user interface, the child graphical object being offset in location from the parent graphical object.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
133 words
The system as recited in claim 6 which further comprises: means responsive to a user input to the graphical user interface to add a second child graphical object to the graphical user interface for repeating the copying and changing steps for the second child graphical object; means for determining whether location data of the second child graphical object are closer than a prescribed distance from location data of the first child graphical object; means for changing location data of the second child graphical object until further than the prescribed distance from location data of the first child graphical object; and means for displaying the parent and child graphical objects on the display in the graphical user interface, the child graphical objects being offset in location from the parent graphical object and each other.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system as recited in claim 7 wherein the first child graphical object location data are changed by a first offset from those of the parent graphical object.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system as recited in claim 8 wherein the second child graphical object location data are changed by a second offset smaller than the first offset in the second changing step.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system as recited in claim 6 further comprising means for further changing the first child graphical object location data according to a drag and drop operation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
72 words
The system as recited in claim 6 further comprising: a memory coupled to a system bus for storing the graphical objects and sets of instructions for displaying the graphical user interface; a processor coupled to the system bus for executing the sets of instructions stored in the memory; a display coupled to the system bus for displaying the graphical user interface; and an input device for inputting user commands to the system.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
148 words
A computer program product in a computer readable memory for creating a first child graphical object responsive to user interaction in an object oriented graphical user interface comprising: means for displaying a parent graphical object in the graphical user interface on a display; means responsive to a user input to the graphical user interface to add the first graphical object to the graphical user interface for copying data from the parent graphical object to the first child graphical object in a memory; means for changing location data of the first child graphical object from those copied from the parent graphical object without user input indicative of a changed location; and means for displaying the parent and child graphical objects on the display in the graphical user interface, the child graphical object being offset in location from the parent graphical object without user input of the changed location data.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
148 words
A computer program product in a computer readable memory for creating a first child graphical object responsive to user interaction in an object oriented graphical user interface comprising: means for displaying a parent graphical object in the graphical user interface on a display; means responsive to a user input to the graphical user interface to add the first graphical object to the graphical user interface for copying data from the parent graphical object to the first child graphical object in a memory; means for changing location data of the first child graphical object from those copied from the parent graphical object without user input indicative of a changed location; and means for displaying the parent and child graphical objects on the display in the graphical user interface, the child graphical object being offset in location from the parent graphical object without user input of the changed location data.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
135 words
The product as recited in claim 12 which further comprises: means responsive to a user input to the graphical user interface to add a second child graphical object to the graphical user interface, for repeating the copying and changing steps for the second child graphical object; means for determining whether the location data of the second child graphical object are closer than a prescribed distance from location data of the first child graphical object; means for changing the location data of the second child graphical object until further than the prescribed distance from location data of the first child graphical object; and means for displaying the parent and child graphical objects on the display in the graphical user interface, the child graphical objects being offset in location from the parent graphical object and each other.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The product as recited in claim 13 wherein the first child graphical object location data are changed by a first offset from those of the parent graphical object.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
The product as recited in claim 14 wherein the second child graphical object location data are changed by a second offset smaller than the first in the second changing step.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
The product as recited in claim 12 further comprising means for further changing the first child graphical object location data according to a drag and drop operation.
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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) | 2001-09-14 | 2002-03-16 | 2002-09-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-09-14 | 2006-03-16 | 2006-09-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-09-14 | 2010-03-16 | 2010-09-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |