Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-24
2002-11-12
Cabeca, John (Department: 2773)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C345S215000, C345S215000, C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06480209
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a graphical user interface which makes its easier for an operator to select a bitmap on the graphical user interface, and more particularly when several selectable bitmaps are included in a small area.
2. Discussion of the Background
FIG. 1
shows a representation of a network system which can be used in an office type environment and in which a plurality of personal computers
25
,
30
are connected to a network
10
. A plurality of printers can also be connected to the network
10
.
FIG. 1
shows one printer
15
connected to the network
10
, although clearly other printers, copiers, facsimiles, multi-function devices, etc. could also be connected to the network
10
. A printer can also be connected to just one personal computer, see for example printer
20
connected to personal computer
25
in FIG.
1
.
In such a system as shown in
FIG. 1
, a plurality of operators at the personal computers
25
,
30
can provide instructions to print a document at any of the printers connected to the network
10
, such as printer
15
. The user of personal computer
25
can also instruct a printing operation to the local printer
20
connected just thereto.
In the system shown in
FIG. 1
, the personal computer
25
includes a printer driver
35
. The printer driver
35
provides a control for controlling at least the printer
20
. Each personal computer connected to the network
10
may include its own printer driver.
The personal computers
25
,
30
control the printing of documents to the printers available thereto through printer drivers, such as the printer driver
35
, which are displayed on displays (not shown) of the personal computers
25
,
30
by a graphical user interface. A graphical user interface is an interface which appears on the display of a personal computer, such as personal computers
25
,
30
in FIG.
1
. An operator can control the operations of a printer and the output of documents to a printer through the graphical user interface. For example, when the graphical user interface appears on the display of the personal computer
25
,
30
, an operator can select a function on the graphical user interface by changing the position of a pointer by, e.g., utilizing a mouse (not shown) and “clicking on” a desired function. Any other manner of selecting an operation on the graphical user interface can also be selected including utilizing a keyboard, etc.
FIG. 2
shows one screen of a graphical user interface utilized by the printer driver
35
of FIG.
1
.
FIG. 2
shows a screen
50
of a graphical user interface which may appear on a display of a personal computer connected to the network
10
, such as personal computer
25
of FIG.
1
. The graphical user interface screen
50
of
FIG. 2
includes a graphical representation
55
of a printer, which is a bitmap image, representing one of printers
15
,
20
of FIG.
1
. An indicator
60
is also provided. Indicator
60
may typically be a pointer which can be manipulated by a mouse and which allows an operator to “click on” functions of the graphical representation
55
of the printer. The functions which an operator can “click on” include selectable bitmaps of the graphical representation
55
, and other controls on the screen
50
.
The graphical user interface screen
50
of
FIG. 2
also includes different menus
80
which can be selected by an operator, different control boxes
65
and
75
, a combo box
71
, and radio buttons
70
. The control boxes
65
and
75
are controls which an operator can “click on” by moving the indicator
60
and manipulating the mouse. The control boxes
65
may include controls such as “OK”, “CANCEL”, “HELP”, etc. The control boxes
75
may be boxes to control the display, such as to minimize and maximize the size of the display, etc. The graphical user interface screen
50
of
FIG. 2
also includes the radio buttons
70
which an operator can also “click on”. The radio buttons
70
may indicate different printing operations or different elements of the printer to be selected. Text describing what each of the radio buttons
70
represents will be positioned next to the radio buttons
70
. This text is not shown in
FIG. 2
for clarity. The control buttons
65
and
75
and the menu
80
also will have text indicating their functions, which also have not been shown in
FIG. 2
for clarity.
An example of how an operator utilizes the graphical user interface screen
50
of
FIG. 2
is now further explained.
The graphical user interface has many menu pages
80
with different controls thereon. In the menu page shown in
FIG. 2
, which includes the graphical representation
55
of the printer, an operator may, as an example, select an output tray
61
or
62
to which a printed document is to be output. For example, the operator may move the indicator
60
to one of the output trays
61
and
62
by manipulating the mouse, and then “click on” one of the output trays
61
or
62
, to thereby select on which output tray a printed document is to be output. Typically, the selected output tray
61
or
62
is then indicated as selected by a different shading, highlighting, etc. on the graphical user interface screen
50
.
As a further example, the printer may include a plurality of mailbox or proof trays, shown as elements
63
1
-
63
9
in
FIG. 2
, formed in a mailbox tray area
63
. In the specific example shown in
FIG. 2
, the printer includes nine mailbox trays
63
1
-
63
9
in the mailbox tray area
63
. The operator can select a mailbox tray from the mailbox tray area
63
by again moving the indicator
60
to the appropriate mailbox tray and “clicking on” the selected mailbox tray.
As also shown in
FIG. 2
, the graphical user interface screen
50
includes the combo box
71
. The combo box
71
corresponds to the mailbox tray area
63
. More particularly, if an operator clicks on the combo box
71
a drop-down box may then be displayed with items corresponding to the different mailbox or proof trays in the mailbox tray area
63
.
However, the graphical user interface as shown in
FIG. 2
suffers from a significant drawback in this type of operation.
Printers are becoming more and more complicated and have more and more functions. As a result, a graphical bitmap representation of a printer is becoming more and more complicated, and includes a large number of selectable bitmaps which an operator can select, e.g., “click on”. As a result, it is becoming more and more difficult for an operator to clearly indicate what function he or she is selecting on the graphical user interface. In the example noted above, the printer includes nine mailbox trays
63
1
-
63
9
in the mailbox tray area
63
. In this situation, it is difficult for the operator to properly select one of the mailbox trays since the mailbox trays in the mailbox tray area
63
are so closely displayed together.
A further drawback with such a graphical user interface of
FIG. 2
is that even after an operator selects one of the mailbox trays
63
1
-
63
9
in the mailbox tray area
63
, and the selected mailbox tray is highlighted or shaded, because the different mailbox trays in the mailbox tray area
63
are closely displayed together, it may be difficult for the operator to see the shading or highlighting of the selected mailbox tray to confirm the operators selection.
As devices to be controlled by graphical user interfaces become more and more complex, this situation will arise in several instances in which several functions which can be selected by an operator are closely bunched together, making it more difficult for an operator to select, and confirm a selection of, a desired function.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a novel graphical user interface and controller which can overcome the above-noted and other drawbacks in the background art.
A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a novel graphical user interface and controller which can aid in the
Cabeca John
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Ricoh & Company, Ltd.
Vu Kieu D.
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