Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-13
2001-04-03
dela Torre, Crescelle N. (Department: 2173)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06211879
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to graphical user interfaces, in particular, to navigation within graphical user interfaces.
2. Description of Related Art
In graphical user interfaces, a display of a system often includes various portions in which various items of information are displayed. These various portions may be in the form of windows. A window may show only a portion of the information. The user may desire to see other portions of the information. For example, a window may display a portion of a document, and the user may desire to see another portion of the document. Prior systems have been developed to allow a user to change the portion of the information that is displayed in some particular portion of the display. One approach has been the use of scroll bars. The scroll bar is a graphical symbol that is displayed at the edge of a portion of the screen in which the item, for example a document, is displayed. The user can cause a different portion of the information to be displayed by properly manipulating the scroll bar. For example, the user may move the cursor to an arrow symbol at the bottom of the scroll bar and then click on a pointing device to cause the document in the display to scroll, so that more of the document is shown in the direction of the arrow. Use of such a scroll bar often requires relatively fine movement of a pointing device to direct the cursor to the desired portion of the scroll bar. A user can move the cursor to another portion of the screen showing other information, such as another window showing another document. The user then may use a scroll bar on that window in order to show other parts of that information.
For example, computer functionality may be integrated with a television system or other system. In such systems, precise movement of a cursor into a scroll bar may be difficult. Further, use of a scroll bar may be slow because the user has to first move the cursor into the proper location of the scroll bar before causing the scrolling to occur
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention includes a method of navigating on a display. A cursor is displayed within a first portion of the display. The first portion has edges and displays a portion of information. In response to movement of a pointing device, the cursor is moved within the first portion of the display. If the cursor comes within a particular distance of an edge of the first portion of the display, at least a partially different portion of the information is displayed. In response to a command and in response to movement of the pointing device, the cursor is moved beyond the first portion of the display.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the first portion of the display comprises a window. According to another embodiment of the invention, the display includes multiple non-overlapping frames.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the information comprises a document. In one embodiment, the document includes at least a graphic. According to another embodiment of the invention, the information comprises a graphic.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the command is generated in response to a user selecting a button on the pointing device. In one example, the button on the pointing device is associated with movement in a dimension other than movement in the plane of the display. According to another embodiment of the invention, the command is generated automatically in response to an end of the information being displayed at the edge of the first portion of the display. According to various examples, the end of the information comprises a right side of a document, a left side of a document, a bottom of a document, or a top of a document.
According to one example of the invention, the information comprises a document, and the portion of information comprises a portion of the document.
According to another embodiment of the invention, after the cursor is moved beyond the first portion of the display, the movement of the cursor is confined within a second portion of the display. In one example, after the cursor is moved into the second portion of the display, if the cursor comes within a particular distance of an edge of the second portion of the display, at least a partially different portion of information is displayed in the second portion of the display. In a further example, in response to a second command and in response to movement of the pointing device, the cursor is moved beyond the second portion of the display.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the appearance of the cursor is changed in response to the command. According to another embodiment, the cursor is enlarged in response to the command.
According to an embodiment of the invention, the particular distance of an edge comprises zero. According to another embodiment of the invention, the particular distance of an edge comprises a non-zero distance. According to one example of the invention, the distance is chosen to give the appearance of the cursor bumping the edge.
According to various embodiments of the invention, the display comprises a display of a word processor, a display of a web browser, or other display.
One embodiment includes a method of navigating on a display. A cursor is displayed within a first window on the display. The first window has edges and displays a document. In response to movement of a pointing device, the cursor is moved within the first window. If the cursor comes within a particular distance of an edge of the first window, the document is scrolled. In response to a first command and in response to movement of the pointing device, the cursor is moved beyond the first window.
One embodiment of the invention includes a method of navigating on a display of a web browser. Another embodiment of the invention includes a system for navigating on a display.
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patent: 5075673 (1991-12-01), Yanker
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patent: 5495566 (1996-02-01), Kwatinetz
patent: 5500929 (1996-03-01), Dickinson
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patent: 5734805 (1998-03-01), Isensee et al.
patent: 5874936 (1999-02-01), Berstis et al.
patent: 5896132 (1999-04-01), Berstis et al.
patent: 6005573 (1999-12-01), Beyda et al.
dela Torre Crescelle N.
PlanetWeb, Inc.
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
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