Patents Examined by David E. Brown
  • Patent number: 6151022
    Abstract: Displayed inconsistencies and errors within a visual resource (e.g., dialog, menu) and between two visual resources are automatically detected without requiring the execution of an application having either of the visual resources. When a source application is localized, its visual resources are extracted and translated into the target language. This translation of the visual resources often causes errors in the visual display. The visual resource analyzer of the invention identifies these errors without requiring execution of either the source or localized versions of the application, which enables the errors to be easily corrected. Furthermore, the elements of a visual resource are analyzed for display anomalies, such as alignment errors and overlapping other elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Saud A. Alshibani, Rick A. La Plante, Kenneth Ralph Walters
  • Patent number: 6151024
    Abstract: A data processing controlled display system for the interactive display and control of a hierarchical tree of elements or objects which are selectable to display detailed views of the attributes of the child objects of the selected parent object. The invention is directed to parent objects of which the child objects are different object types. Upon the selection of such a parent object, its child objects are displayed in a plurality of separate screen regions, each respectively displaying the attributes of one of said different types of child objects. The different types of child objects may come from different levels in the hierarchy. The invention is also applicable to the hierarchical trees used in object oriented programming and particularly to situations in object oriented programming where the selected parent object is of a container class.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Claudia Alimpich, Benjamin Nelson Jeffcoat, Deborah Elizabeth Neuhard, Luana Linda Vigil, James Philip John Wittig
  • Patent number: 6144379
    Abstract: A computer managed communication network with user interactive access via a plurality of display terminals and including a plurality of linked network objects with a system for managing said network in which values of a selected parameter are sensed respectively for each of a plurality of selected objects and stored. The stored data is presented in a graph display including a plurality of icons, each icon representing aspects of said values with respect to one of said selected objects. User interactive means for selecting one of said icons are provided together with means responsive to said selecting means for graphically presenting other aspects of said values. In the monitoring of networks, the invention may be used to track network servers which are monitored via a distribution graph in which icons representative of servers are linked to more detailed line graphs of such servers showing the changes in parameter values versus a time line parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Randal Lee Bertram, Frederick Scott Hunter Krauss, Margherita LaFauci
  • Patent number: 6128013
    Abstract: A graphical system interfaces user selections with an image capture device by means of a series of display screens produced by a processor and presented to the user on a display device. After initiating a setup process for establishing an image capture, a graphical interface is generated including a plurality of display screens that establish an intuitive setup procedure for an inexperienced user. More specifically, the interface is based on a progressive disclosure of the screens, in particular by representing one or more screens with user accessible icons, such as file tabs on file folders, which are expandable into additional screens according to user intervention. Thereupon, user interaction with, e.g., a selected tab of a selected file folder produces two or more additional folders related to the selected tab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2000
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Girish V. Prabhu, Walter C. Bubie
  • Patent number: 6115044
    Abstract: A data processing controlled display system for the interactive display and control of operations through a displayed tree having a plurality of items to be acted upon, wherein a parent item at one level has at least one child item at the next lower level, and means for enabling a modification of at least one property of all of the child items by enabling a designation of the modification of the property at the parent level without the modification of any property of the parent item. The system also has means for enabling the modification of the properties of at least one of the child items independently of any designation of modification made at the parent level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Claudia Alimpich, Benjamin Nelson Jeffcoat, Deborah Elizabeth Neuhard, Luana Linda Vigil, James Philip John Wittig
  • Patent number: 6115041
    Abstract: A display screen manager and management method is disclosed, along with a storage and management system, media, computer and terminal incorporating the same. The disclosed screen manager will be capable of accessing a plurality of screen objects, each defining at least one screen displayable on a display unit of a terminal or device. Each screen object will include both data and procedures for painting the actual screen, defining the role of any softkeys, and handling user input and other messages directed to the screen object while it is being displayed to the user. The screen manager will also include a stack data structure for retaining the active screen object at the top of the stack (i.e. the screen object defining the active screen being displayed) as well as dormant (i.e. previously active and unretired) screen objects invoked as the user interacts with the terminal. Dormant screen objects will also be retained in the stack positioned in an invocation order as the user traverses the screen hierarchy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Corporation
    Inventors: Luan Dang, Bae-Sik Chon
  • Patent number: 6112215
    Abstract: A system for the ease of use in making repetitively or frequently required data entries into interactive display interface pages or screens which includes a database of repetitively or frequently used data entries which may be ported to any displayable interface page or screen even though the interface page is provided from a source independent of and remote from the database holding the repetitive data entries. The system provides means for displaying on each of the plurality of interface pages or screens, a menu of items each representative of one of said plurality of repetitive data entries, and means for selecting on each displayed interface screen, at least one of said items to thereby make a data entry in a data entry field on said screen. The system is customizable to each particular user by permitting the user to modify the data entries in the portable database to satisfy the user's needs. In addition to Internet document systems, the invention is applicable to electronic mail systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Michael Aaron Kaply
  • Patent number: 6097391
    Abstract: The invention provides an improved user interface component comprising a set of icons, called Zframes, that correspond to each page in a tabbed notebook. Objects can be copied, moved, or displayed using the Zframes. When a user drags an object off the client surface of an exposed page and drops it into one of the Zframes, the object is moved to the page that corresponds to the Zframe. When an object is dropped into a Zframe it is displayed only as long as the user holds the mouse button down. When a user depresses the mouse button when pointing to a Zframe the corresponding page is displayed while the mouse button is depressed. Links between objects on the exposed page of the tabbed notebook are illustrated using link lines. Links from an object contained in the exposed page to objects on other pages can be illustrated by displaying rings within Zframes that correspond to pages that contain objects linked to a selected object. The rings are removed when the object is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Menai Corporation
    Inventor: Jonathan J. Wilcox
  • Patent number: 6094195
    Abstract: A user interface component, gauge, is adapted to present a changing value according to a pre-determined behavioral and presentational characteristic. The component includes a kernel which is adapted to display a presentation value; a control interface through which an external system communicates the changing value to the kernel; a presentation interface through which the presentation characteristic of the user interface component is determined; and a behavior interface through which an external system communicates with said kernel to determine the behavioral characteristic of the user interface component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David John Clark, Adam Alexander Dobson, Andrew John Smith
  • Patent number: 6091395
    Abstract: A computer system and method manipulate a window or similar graphical user interface component through collision of a pointer controlled by a user with the boundary of the window. When it is determined that user manipulation of a pointer along a first vector intersects a boundary segment of a window displayed on a computer display, the boundary segment is moved along a second vector. The second vector may be identical to the first vector, or may represent only a component thereof. Moreover, either the entire boundary of the window may be moved such that the window itself is effectively moved, or one or more segments of the boundary may be maintained at a fixed location such that the window is effectively resized. In addition, this feature may be selectively enabled and/or disabled by a user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: George Francis DeStefano
  • Patent number: 6088027
    Abstract: The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for manipulating screen objects utilizing multiband regions of influence. Positioning a reference point of an object within a particular band invokes a particular functionality or operation related to that band. In one embodiment, three types of functionality are provided. Moving a reference datum (for example, a line representing an edge or a user defined reference point) of an object A into a first band of an object B places object A under the influence of object B's gravity, causing object A to be pulled into precise alignment with object B. Moving the reference point of object A from the first band into a second band turns off object B's gravity, allowing object A to be freely moved to any arbitrary position near the object B. Moving the reference point of the object A to a position outside all bands causes object B's gravity function to be turned back on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2000
    Assignee: Macromedia, Inc.
    Inventors: Murat N. Konar, Josh Rosen
  • Patent number: 6084506
    Abstract: A display apparatus for a bicycle includes a display for displaying a plurality of graphic elements in a series extending in a selected direction. Each of the plurality of graphic elements corresponds to a gear step of a gear changing device, and a size of each graphic element successively varies in the selected direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Shimano, Inc.
    Inventor: Yoshinori Irie
  • Patent number: 6064386
    Abstract: An intelligent shape is displayed in conjunction with a CAD application program, wherein the intelligent shape can be authored by a user. The intelligent shape comprises a frame and at least one property which defines the shape. The intelligent shape comprises several objects for use in connecting, manipulating, displaying, mapping, and otherwise creating a new component or modifying an existing one. The intelligent shape also monitors the user's interaction with the CAD application program during execution of the sequence of steps, wherein handlers defined for the shape provide additional customization of the component shape during system operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence David Felser, David Wayne Arsenault
  • Patent number: 6064380
    Abstract: A method and implementing network computer system is provided in which completion point file positions of multimedia file presentations may be saved in persistent memory devices when a user desires to terminate a multimedia file being presented on a display device. In subsequent network and multimedia file accesses, a user is selectively able to begin play at the previously saved completion point in the multimedia file presentation, i.e. the file position at which the user had previously terminated play. The saved position in one example may include a refresh rewind of a predetermined length from the saved position to refresh a user with the content of the multimedia file being continued. In an exemplary embodiment, a user is also presented with a selection device by which the user may create a title for one or more saved files and corresponding completion points within each saved file. A default file designation may be automatically entered by the program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michelle Denise Swenson, Edmund Troche
  • Patent number: 6037938
    Abstract: A method of displaying a large number of interdependent data elements in a computer screen area that is small compared with the number of data elements to be displayed is disclosed. Each data element is defined by a data element type and a data element value and has an associated status value. The method comprises the steps of displaying the data element types of the data elements as a scrollable list in the computer screen area, and, for each data element type which defines more than one different data element which has a predetermined status value, displaying a predetermined indication thereof in association with the data element type in the scrollable list; and sorting, in response to a change of the status value of at least one of the data elements, the data element types in the scrollable list according to the status values of the data elements defined by the data element types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Qliktech International AB
    Inventor: H.ang.gan Wolke
  • Patent number: 6037950
    Abstract: A method and system for facilitating image transfer between transform spaces by establishing a configurable, extensible, integrated profile generation and maintenance environment in a computer system includes the steps of providing a profile generation environment, a profile viewing environment, a profile editing environment, and a profile validation environment. The software for implementing the profile generation integrates each of the available environments, is configured to cause a desired sequence of steps to take place, and is extensible by allowing the addition or modification of capabilities without the need to update the main software program in terms of recompilation or relinking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Polaroid Corporation
    Inventors: Israel Meir, Mitchell R. Balonon-Rosen, Jay E. Thornton, Daniel P. Bybell, Michael C. Antin, F. Richard Cottrell
  • Patent number: 6037942
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for a graphical user interface for a navigation system. The graphical user interface includes a display having several groups of symbols with each group arranged in a unique pre-determined direction relative to a start position. A user manipulatable directional input device permits a user to select any one of the groups with a single keystroke. Once a group has been selected, the directional input device permits a user to activate any one of the symbols within a group with a single keystroke. An activated symbol can be selected with one keystroke by the user. Selection of a symbol then re-activates the start position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Magellan DIS, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey Alan Millington
  • Patent number: 6031533
    Abstract: A method of providing a graphical user interface on a client network device is described. The client network device is coupled to a server network device and has a local storage facility, such as a hard disk unit, storing a first version of a software program. The method requires the selection of the first version of the software program as an execution version of the software program. A graphic object identifying the software program is displayed, the graphic object being user selectable to execute the execution version of the software program. A version control indicator, for example an icon, is displayed and indicates to a user of the client network device whether or not a second version of the software program, propagated to the client network device from the server network device, will automatically be selected as the execution version of the software program.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventors: Tarakam V. Peddada, Abhay Kumar Gupta, Alex C. Wu, Lance D. Reck
  • Patent number: 6028600
    Abstract: An internet on-demand system for television presents internet content and traditional television programming as part of a single coherent interface. The user can select a channel from a rotary menu wheel. The system includes a server and a client capable of providing a dynamic graphical user interface. The system can display an internet gateway interface which actively scrolls through and highlights links to selected web pages which are organized according to templates corresponding to their content. The web pages are presented on the graphical user interface as channels as part of the same milieu as channels of traditional television programming. An intelligent agent passively filters selected web pages for a user to explore based on the user's past pattern of usage of the client.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Sony Electronics
    Inventors: Robert Rosin, Yumie Sonoda, Makoto Niijima, Hiroaki Nakano
  • Patent number: 6025849
    Abstract: A framework is described that serves as an expression evaluator and notification manager for software objects, and can traverse individual object models to use parts of one model to define another. An object model (data model) is a map of an object's properties and methods, and the framework of the present invention binds to the properties and methods and intercepts access to the properties for storage and evaluation of variables within the definitions of the properties. Binding the framework to the object accesses and uses the type info for the object to determine the properties of the object. In addition, the framework provides a method for the object author to override and specialize the properties to describe extensions of the type information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2000
    Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence David Felser, David Wayne Arsenault