Patent US5883626A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5883626A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Docking and floating menu/tool bar
Assignee: TomTom International BV
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Filing: 1997-03-31
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Granted: 1999-03-16
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Expires: 2017-03-31
Abstract
Abstract A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for providing a selectively docking and floating menu/tool bar for windows displayed on a monitor connected to a computer. The docking or floating nature of the menu/tool bar is selectable by the user, generally by selecting either a docking mode or floating mode from a menu displayed on the monitor. When floating mode is selected, the menu/tool bar automatically floats apart from the window. When docking mode is selected, the menu/tool bar automatically docks adjacent to the window. In floating mode, the selection of a window as an "active" window results in the activation of the menu/tool bar. In docking mode, the selection of a window as an "active" window results in the activation and immediate docking of the menu/tool bar to that window. Thereafter, any manipulation of the active window results in an identical manipulation of the docking menu/tool bar.
Inventors
- 👤 Howard Justin Glaser
- 👤 Karl David Johnson
- 👤 Stewart E. Nickolas
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 19:59
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0481; G06F3/0482; G06F40/00; G06F40/10; G06F40/12; G06F40/151
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
114 words
A computer-implemented method of manipulating information, comprising the steps of: (a) displaying a visual representation of the information in a window on a monitor connected to the computer; (b) displaying a selectively docking and floating generic menu/tool bar on the monitor connected to the computer in conjunction with the display of the window, wherein the menu/tool bar includes selectable functions for manipulating the displayed visual representation of the information; (c) when docking mode is selected, then selecting a window to be active from a plurality of windows, and automatically attaching the menu/tool bar to the said selected window; and (d) when floating mode is selected, automatically floating the menu/tool bar apart from the window.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
114 words
A computer-implemented method of manipulating information, comprising the steps of: (a) displaying a visual representation of the information in a window on a monitor connected to the computer; (b) displaying a selectively docking and floating generic menu/tool bar on the monitor connected to the computer in conjunction with the display of the window, wherein the menu/tool bar includes selectable functions for manipulating the displayed visual representation of the information; (c) when docking mode is selected, then selecting a window to be active from a plurality of windows, and automatically attaching the menu/tool bar to the said selected window; and (d) when floating mode is selected, automatically floating the menu/tool bar apart from the window.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting either docking or floating mode for the menu/tool bar.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of: displaying a menu on the monitor connected to the computer, wherein the menu includes a docking mode selection and a floating mode selection; selecting either the docking mode selection or floating mode selection from the displayed menu.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of manipulating the display of the menu/tool bar whenever the display of the window is manipulated.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 4, wherein the manipulating step further comprising one or more steps selected from a group of steps comprising: re-sizing the menu/tool bar when the window is re-sized, moving the menu/tool bar when the window is moved, maximizing the menu/tool bar when the window is maximized, and minimizing the menu/tool bar when the window is minimized.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: displaying a plurality of windows on the monitor connected to the computer; selecting one of the windows on the monitor connected to the computer as an active window; and docking the menu/tool bar to the selected active window.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: displaying a plurality of windows on the monitor connected to the computer; selecting one of the windows on the monitor connected to the computer as an active window; and automatically floating the menu/tool bar apart from the selected active window.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising: means for displaying a plurality of windows on the monitor connected to the computer; means for selecting one of the windows on the monitor connected to the computer as an active window; and means for automatically floating the menu/tool bar apart from the selected active window.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
130 words
A computer-implemented apparatus for manipulating information, comprising: (a) a computer with a monitor connected thereto; (b) means, performed by the computer, for displaying a visual representation of the information in a window on the monitor connected to the computer; (c) means, performed by the computer, for displaying a selectively docking an generic menu/tool bar on the monitor connected to the computer in conjunction with the display of the window, wherein the menu/tool bar includes selectable functions for manipulating the displayed visual representation of the information; (d) when docking mode is selected, then selecting a window to be active from a plurality of windows, and automatically attaching the menu/tool bar to the said selected window; and (e) when floating mode is selected, automatically floating the menu/tool bar apart from the window.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
130 words
A computer-implemented apparatus for manipulating information, comprising: (a) a computer with a monitor connected thereto; (b) means, performed by the computer, for displaying a visual representation of the information in a window on the monitor connected to the computer; (c) means, performed by the computer, for displaying a selectively docking an generic menu/tool bar on the monitor connected to the computer in conjunction with the display of the window, wherein the menu/tool bar includes selectable functions for manipulating the displayed visual representation of the information; (d) when docking mode is selected, then selecting a window to be active from a plurality of windows, and automatically attaching the menu/tool bar to the said selected window; and (e) when floating mode is selected, automatically floating the menu/tool bar apart from the window.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising the means for selecting either docking or floating mode for the menu/tool bar.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising: means for displaying a menu on the monitor connected to the computer, wherein the menu includes a docking mode selection and a floating mode selection; and means for selecting either the docking mode selection or floating mode selection from the displayed menu.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising means for manipulating the display of the menu/tool bar whenever the display of the window is manipulated.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
67 words
The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the manipulating means further comprises one or more means selected from a group of means comprising: means for re-sizing the menu/tool bar when the window is re-sized, means for moving the menu/tool bar when the window is moved, means for maximizing the menu/tool bar when the window is maximized, and means for minimizing the menu/tool bar when the window is minimized.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: means for displaying a plurality of windows on the monitor connected to the computer; means for selecting one of the windows on the monitor connected to the computer as an active window; and means for docking the menu/tool bar to the selected active window.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
140 words
An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer and embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for manipulating information, the method comprising the steps of: (a) displaying a visual representation of the information in a window on a monitor connected to the computer; (b) displaying a selectively docking and floating generic menu/tool bar on the monitor connected to the computer in conjunction with the display of the window, wherein the menu/tool bar includes selectable functions for manipulating the displayed visual representation of the information; (c) when docking mode is selected, then selecting a window to be active from a plurality of windows, and automatically attaching the menu/tool bar to the said selected window; and (d) when floating mode is selected, automatically floating the menu/tool bar apart from the window.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
140 words
An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer and embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for manipulating information, the method comprising the steps of: (a) displaying a visual representation of the information in a window on a monitor connected to the computer; (b) displaying a selectively docking and floating generic menu/tool bar on the monitor connected to the computer in conjunction with the display of the window, wherein the menu/tool bar includes selectable functions for manipulating the displayed visual representation of the information; (c) when docking mode is selected, then selecting a window to be active from a plurality of windows, and automatically attaching the menu/tool bar to the said selected window; and (d) when floating mode is selected, automatically floating the menu/tool bar apart from the window.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The article of manufacture of claim 15, further comprising the step of selecting either docking or floating mode for the menu/tool bar.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
50 words
The article of manufacture of claim 16, further comprising the steps of: displaying a menu on the monitor connected to the computer, wherein the menu includes a docking mode selection and a floating mode selection; and selecting either the docking mode selection or floating mode selection from the displayed menu.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
27 words
The article of manufacture of claim 15, further comprising the step of manipulating the display of the menu/tool bar whenever the display of the window is manipulated.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
61 words
The article of manufacture of claim 18, wherein the manipulating step further comprising one or more steps selected from a group of steps comprising: re-sizing the menu/tool bar when the window is re-sized, moving the menu/tool bar when the window is moved, maximizing the menu/tool bar when the window is maximized, and minimizing the menu/tool bar when the window is minimized.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
50 words
The article of manufacture of claim 15, further comprising the steps of: displaying a plurality of windows on the monitor connected to the computer; selecting one of the windows on the monitor connected to the computer as an active window; and docking the menu/tool bar to the selected active window.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
52 words
The article of manufacture of claim 15, further comprising the steps of: displaying a plurality of windows on the monitor connected to the computer; selecting one of the windows on the monitor connected to the computer as an active window; and automatically floating the menu/tool bar apart from the selected active window.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-03-15 | 2002-09-14 | 2003-03-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-03-15 | 2006-09-14 | 2007-03-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-03-15 | 2010-09-14 | 2011-03-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |