Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-28
2001-12-18
Bayerl, Raymond J. (Department: 2173)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C345S215000, C345S215000, C345S215000, C345S215000, C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06331866
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to creation and editing of software notes and, more particularly, to techniques for controlling the presentation of software notes on a display.
BACKGROUND
Adhesive-backed paper notes have become ubiquitous both in the workplace and at home. Paper Post-it® notes, for example, provide a convenient way to quickly jot down information for later reference. Users often rely on paper Post-it® notes to annotate documents, provide reminder notes, record the substance of telephone conversations, or manage contact information. Paper Post-it® notes can be attached to various surfaces such as documents, desktops, telephones, and the like. The note can be easily repositioned on a given surface, or removed for attachment to another surface. Also, the user can readily edit the notes as necessary.
Notes can be particularly useful to computer users. A computer user typically uses a computer to create and edit a variety of documents. In many cases, annotation of the documents is desirable. Also, the computer user ordinarily receives numerous e-mail messages and telephone calls throughout the day. Under these circumstances, computer users often rely on notes to quickly record information that will be needed later. Paper Post-it® notes offer great convenience to the computer user. It can be even more convenient, however, to create a software note on the computer rather than manually prepare a paper note.
The note created by the computer user may relate, for example, to the contents of one or more documents being edited or reviewed by the user on the computer display. In this case, it may be more convenient to associate the note with a document and then store the document and the note together in computer memory. Alternatively, the note may serve as a reminder that is more visible to the user if placed on the computer desktop, perhaps with an audible alarm. Also, creation of a software note can facilitate later manipulation of its contents for incorporation in a document or communication to another user.
Application programs exist for the creation of software notes. Post-it® Software Notes, for example, available from Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company (3M), of St. Paul, Minn., allows a user to create, edit, delete, move and save software notes among multiple documents and across the computer desktop. The software note contents can be entered in text form by keyboard or by copying a portion of a document. In addition, a wide range of graphic objects, and other multimedia objects, can be associated with a software note. In each case, the software note can be date and time-stamped, and associated with a particular document or event.
A paper note has a finite content area determined by the size of the note. Once the user has filled a note, any remaining content must be written on a new note. A software note, in contrast, can provide a content area that extends well beyond the boundaries of the note presented on the computer display. In particular, a software note can be presented on the computer display in the form of a note having a given size. The size of the software note typically can be expanded, however, to show added content. Also, the user typically is allowed to enter content that exceeds the boundaries of the visible note. Thus, a software note affords greater capacity than a single paper note, but can be more difficult to view when the contents are lengthy.
SUMMARY
The present invention is directed to a method for controlling presentation of the content of a software note on a display, and an article of manufacture encoded with computer-readable program code arranged such that, upon execution by a computer, the computer performs such a method. The method is particularly useful for software notes, but may find application for other software content containers.
The method facilitates the editing and review of the content of a software note presented on a computer display by a user. The method enables a computer user to view different portions of the note content quickly and easily, particularly when the note content extends beyond the displayed portion. Indeed, in some embodiments, the method can provide direct access to particular portions of the note content. In this manner, the workflow in creating and editing a note is made more efficient.
To allow ease of access to different portions of a software note, the method can make use of a content extent bar. The content extent bar is representative of the extent of the note content, from beginning to end, including those portions outside of a presently displayed area. A user can specify a position on the content extent bar. The specified position is representative of a corresponding position in the note content. In response, a different portion of the note content proximate to the corresponding position can be displayed. In this manner, the user gains direct access to the specified portion of the note content.
The content extent bar can be displayed to extend in either a vertical or horizontal direction. The act of displaying a different portion of the note content specified on the content extent bar may include, in either case, moving vertically to the different portion in the note content. Thus, the content extent bar is not necessarily indicative of vertical or horizontal positioning, but rather positioning from the beginning of the note content to the end.
A current view bar can be displayed relative to the content extent bar to indicate the position of a currently displayed portion of the note content. The current view bar is moved relative to the content extent bar upon display of a different portion of the note content, thereby indicating the current position of the different portion within the overall content extent.
Also, in response to user input specifying movement of the current view bar, a different portion of the note content can be displayed based on the position of the current view bar following movement. In other words, the user can drag the current view bar relative to the content extent bar to specify the display of another portion of the note content.
To help the user locate an edit cursor within text content, the method can include displaying a cursor indicator relative to the content extent bar to indicate the position of an edit cursor within the overall content extent. In response to user input selecting the cursor indicator, a portion of the note content containing the edit cursor is displayed. This feature helps save time in locating the edit cursor for text entry and, again, provides direct access to a desired portion of the note content.
In the event the user marks a portion of the text, e.g., for a cut, copy, or formatting operation, a selected content indicator also can be displayed relative to the content extent bar. In this case, the selected content indicator indicates a position of a selected portion of the note content within the overall content extent. In response to user input selecting a different portion of the note content, the selected content indicator can be moved to indicate the position of the different selected portion. Also, the selected content indicator can be sized to indicate the length of the selected portion of the note content relative to the overall content extent.
In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method for controlling presentation of the content of a note on a display, the method comprising displaying a portion of the note content, displaying a content extent bar representative of the extent of the note content, processing user input specifying a position on the content extent bar, the specified position being representative of a corresponding position in the note content, and displaying a different portion of the note content proximate to the corresponding position.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a method for controlling presentation of the content of a note on a display, the method comprising displaying a portion of the note content, displaying a content extent bar representative of the ext
3M Innovative Properties Company
Bayerl Raymond J.
Shumaker & Sieffert P.A.
Thai Cuong T.
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