Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
1997-04-25
2001-10-30
Sax, Steven (Department: 2173)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06310631
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to interactive user interfaces within video display terminal screens in computing systems, generally referred to as graphical user interfaces. The invention more particularly relates to improvements in the use of panes in a window of a graphical user interface and provides control for creating split panes and sizing the panes within a window.
2. Background of the Invention
The concept of graphical user interfaces has become well known by computer users and is incorporated in many computer systems and computer operating systems. In general, a graphical user interface operating environment can be thought of as an end user environment that is graphical, such that the end user interfaces with the environment via a variety of elements on a display screen including windows, icons, menus, pointing devices, etc. Computer systems that use graphical user interfaces were first introduced to the market by Apple® and later adopted by Microsoft® with its Windows® program, and by IBM® with OS/2® and Presentation Manager®. A common feature of such systems is that a multitude of windows or view ports can be present simultaneously on the computer display screen. Different application programs can be running concurrently in each of the windows displayed on the screen. The user can use a mouse or other input device to move back and forth between different windows, thereby making it possible to perform many different tasks.
A feature of graphical user interfaces is that previously coded programming commands are replaced by graphic images or icons on a computer screen. These icons symbolically represent a variety of objects or operations the computer system will execute when the icons are chosen. A user interacts with the computer by choosing and manipulating these icons.
The graphical user interface is a facility provided by the application framework or by the operating system of the computer which presents the icons to the user via the display screen for presentation to the user of visual aspects of a program or data. The function of the program will be that which is visually represented by the icon. Many of the methods and icons used in graphical user interfaces have become standardized. In essence, a window is a portion of a computer screen that is used to display information and a pane is a portion of a window or could also include the entire window.
Descriptions of specific implementations of graphical user interfaces are readily available and can be obtained in technical literature provided by companies who manufacture such computer systems and operating systems using graphical user interfaces, such as Sun Microsystems Inc.®, International Business Machines Corporation®, Apple Computer Inc.® and Microsoft Corporation®. Even though the use of windows and panes in computing systems today has become well known and are expected by users of such computer systems and in some respects have become somewhat sophisticated, there are still a variety of shortcomings with existing graphical user interfaces and in particular, how panes within windows can be duplicated, split and modified. Examples of the manipulation of panes in windows are described in the subsequent representative references.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,295, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Proportionally Displaying Windows on a Computer Display Screen”, issued to International Business Machines Corporation® on Feb. 14, 1995, describes a method and apparatus for logically organizing windows on a display screen. The amount of time each of the windows is presented to the display screen is monitored. Windows that are active a longer period of time are displayed more distinctively than windows that are active a shorter length of time. Windows are displayed on the display screen having a window size proportional to the length of time each of the windows is active. Windows that have not been active long enough to exceed a minimum window tiling threshold are displayed as icons outside of the window.
WO 94/24657 is a PCT Published Patent Application, dated Oct. 27, 1994, to Apple Computer Inc.®, and is entitled “Interactive User Interface”. One aspect of this patent application is the provision of an icon in the form of a split-bar box added to the normal window or pane scroll bar. By selecting a desired item or object which is in the existing pane, and dragging the item or object and dropping it on the split-bar box, a routine is invoked that creates a new pane on the screen. This opens up the display of the item or object on the new pane without affecting the display in the existing pane. Thus, in effect, by this action the window is split into two panes which are of fixed and non-variable sizes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,098 entitled “Flexible Window Management on a Computer Display” issued Dec. 26, 1989, to International Business Machines Corporation®. This patent description provides for managing windows in a display system and allows a user to mark an area on the display to define the dimensions and contents of a resized window. All text and attributes within the enclosed area are incorporated into the new, larger window, however the original windows do not lose their original characteristics. The marked area may span multiple windows so multiple windows may be incorporated into the newly resized window. In this manner, a window can be enlarged to incorporate the contents of several windows by enclosing several windows in the marked area.
Thus, existing technology does somewhat permit the re-sizing of panes or windows in a graphical display. It is also apparent that the use of icons in the border of frame areas of a window can be used to facilitate creating new or additional panes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a solution which allows users to interactively create new panes and size them at the same time.
It is another object of the invention to provide for greater flexibility and control over inserting new panes in a computer display screen to make better use of the screen real estate.
It is a further object of the invention to allow users to divide a single, existing pane into two panes which take up the same space as the previous pane but also permits new panes to accommodate space from multiple, existing panes.
According to the invention, these and other objects are accomplished by a method of controlling the size and number of panes in a window on a display screen within a computer system. The computer system has at least a display, user controls for manipulating a cursor and a processor. The method comprises the computer-implemented and user interactive steps of displaying a pane in the window having divide grab handles (or pane modification means) in the border or frame of the pane, positioning the cursor on the screen by use of the user control, pressing and holding the user control while the cursor is positioned over a grab handle (pane modification means) to display a variable rectangle (transparent sizing window that stretches like a rubber band) on the screen as to where a new pane will appear and moving the cursor control to change the size and position of the variable form, as by dragging via cursor movement, and finally releasing the user control to cause a new pane to appear in the window. The position and sizes of existing panes are changed accordingly to accept the new pane on the display screen.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided in a computer system which is programmed to display one or more windows and a cursor on a screen. Each window has a pane which is bounded by a border or frame. The improvement comprises pane modification means (divide grab handle) in a border of a pane whereby upon movement of a cursor over a grab handle, the cursor visually changes appearance and by pressing and holding the mouse button while the cursor is over a grab handle, an adjustable new pane is created within the screen space of the original pane.
According to a further aspect of the
Cecco Robert
Merks Eduardus A. T.
Spall Roger P.
Wulkan Michael
Bracewell & Patterson L.L.P.
Duffield Edward H.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Sax Steven
LandOfFree
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