Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-03
2001-07-17
dela Torre, Crescelle N. (Department: 2173)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C345S182000, C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06262728
ABSTRACT:
RELATED APPLICATION
This application is related to commonly owned U.S. utility patent application Ser. No. 09/185,410, entitled “System and Method for Graphically Annotating a Waveform Display in a Signal-Measurement System,” filed concurrently herewith and naming as inventor Jay A. Alexander.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a graphical user interface and, more particularly, to graphically annotating a display of a computer-based system.
2. Related Art
A common technique for presenting information to users of computer-based systems is through use of a graphical user interface (GUI). A graphical user interface is typically part of an environment provided by an operating system executed by a processor in the computer system. Generally, the GUI is controlled by the operating system in response to commands provided by a user and application programs or other processes executing on or accessible to the computer-based system.
Common to virtually all conventional GUIs is the use of a mouse or other pointing device in a windowed environment. Windows are rectangular areas presented on a display that contain textual and/or graphical information related to the operation of the application program, operating system or other processes. Generally, additional display elements are provided by the GUI to facilitate interactions with the windows. These include, for example, menus, title bars, buttons, select boxes and icons. For a more detailed explanation of the operation of GUIs in general and Windows® in particular, see “Microsoft Windows version 3.1 User's Guide,” and “Microsoft Windows 95 User's Guide,” available from Microsoft, Inc.
In this environment, the user interacts with the computer by using a keyboard and/or by manipulating the cursor displayed on the GUI with a pointing device. To enter information into the computer system, a user typically interacts with a displayed window. In addition, under certain circumstances a “dialog box” is displayed on the GUI to enable the user to enter specific information into the computer system. Dialog boxes are special windows presented on the GUI to facilitate providing inputs to the computer to control application programs or other processes occurring within or accessible to the computer system. Dialog boxes generally present logically related control input display elements, such as fields for numeric or text entry, icons, select boxes, buttons and a myriad of other known display elements that enable a user to set parameters or otherwise effect control of the desired process or system.
There is a need to document real-time events occurring on systems accessible by or within a computer-based system. Such documentation is generally created through manually creating notes with pen and paper or word processing application program.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a real-time annotation system and methodology for annotating a display of a computer-based system that includes a graphical user interface. Generally, the annotation system enables an operator to generate a graphical annotation label containing any desired data, and to graphically position the annotation label at any desired location on the display, enabling the operator to positionally associate the graphical annotation label with a desired graphical element displayed on the graphical user interface.
A number of aspects of the invention are summarized below, along with different embodiments that may be implemented for each of the summarized aspects. It should be understood that the embodiments are not necessarily inclusive or exclusive of each other and may be combined in any manner that is non-conflicting and otherwise possible. It should also be understood that these aspects of the invention are exemplary only and are considered to be non-limiting.
In one aspect of the invention, the annotation system is constructed and arranged to enable an operator to graphically generate an annotation label containing operator-generated information and to graphically alter the position of the annotation label such that the annotation label is positionally associated with a desired graphical element on the graphical user interface. The annotation label may be implemented as dialog box, window or other display region in the graphical environment provided by the graphical user interface.
The information may be predefined or created during real-time operations. The information may be textual or graphical in form. The operator may enter the information into the system using a physical keyboard or a graphically-displayed keyboard on which the operator graphically selects displayed keys of the graphical keyboard through use of a cursor controlled by a pointing device. In alternative embodiments, the information may be entered by the operator through a voice recognition system. The operator can control the appearance characteristics of the rendered annotation label, the appearance characteristics represented by rendering options. Preferably, the annotation label may include an information content as well as additional display elements to facilitate visual association with the desired feature.
Specifically, the annotation system includes a plurality of label control units each constructed and arranged to control operator interactivity with an associated annotation label rendered on the graphical user interface, and an annotation label manager constructed and arranged to provide centralized control over invocation and removal of each of the label control units and, hence, of their associated annotation labels.
Preferably, the annotation system enables an operator to determine an appearance of annotation labels. In such an embodiment, each label control unit provides the operator with the capability to determine the content of the associated annotation label, the location of the annotation label on the display and the appearance of the annotation label.
In certain embodiments, the annotation label manager maintains, in a label state data structure, a current state of each of the plurality of associated annotation labels currently rendered on the graphical user interface. Preferably, the label state data structure is globally accessible to other elements of the computer-based system. In this embodiment, the function calls provided to the label control units from graphical user interface which are relevant to the appearance and content of the associated annotation labels are forwarded to the annotation label manager.
The current state includes a label number uniquely identifying each displayed annotation label; a label pointer providing an address of the label control unit that generated the annotation label; location information identifying a current location of the annotation label on the display; and label content information identifying contents of the annotation label. In one embodiment, the current state further includes rendering information identifying an appearance of the annotation label when the annotation label is rendered on the graphical user interface. In another embodiment, the current state further includes a reference symbol identifier that identifies a location of a file that contains a graphical symbol that visually associates the annotation label with an element displayed on the graphical user interface. The reference symbol may be a graphical directional symbolic icon, and may be selectable from a palate of such icons.
The rendering information may include text color identifying a color of text rendered in the annotation label, background color identifying a color of background area of the annotation label, font specification identifying a font size of text rendered in the annotation label or outline specification identifying whether a predefined border is to be rendered around the annotation label.
The graphical user interface provides display elements in association with a displayed annotation label, and generates function calls to the label control unit associated with the displayed annotation labe
Agilent Technologie,s Inc.
dela Torre Crescelle N.
LandOfFree
System and method for annotating a graphical user interface... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with System and method for annotating a graphical user interface..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and System and method for annotating a graphical user interface... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2466702