Abstract: Data items contained in personal information are displayed in manner that is indicative of both the importance and the urgency of the data items. A first visual cue is assigned to the data item based on an importance of the data item. The first visual cue may cause more important items to be displayed with increased size and less important items to be displayed with decreased size. A second visual cue is assigned to the data item based on an urgency of the data item. The second visual cue may cause more urgent items to be displayed in a first color and less important items to be displayed in a second color. The data item is displayed using the first and second visual cue as to provide a visual indication as to both the importance and urgency of the data item.

Abstract: Permitting or prohibiting a drop is executed at the beginning of the drag-and-drop action initiated by the user, by mouse-clicking on the object to be dragged, for example. Thus, the drag-and-drop action is shown as a visual drop permission or prohibition in the relevant drop areas, such as a visual queue, for example, check mark, etc. In the preferred embodiment, and upon initiation of the action, the surface components display which areas, parts, elements or substructures can or cannot accept a given object or data element before a mouse pointer, arrow or cursor reaches or moves over the relevant areas, parts, elements or substructures.

Abstract: A method for automatically updating a GUI element at a client system according to an updated state of a configuration includes displaying the GUI element at the client system in connection with a configuration workflow, the GUI element being associated with a configuration choice involving a configuration element of a configuration model stored at a server system. At the client system, a connector is created and maintained, the connector linking a property of the configuration element of the configuration model to the GUI element. Also at the client system, configuration data is maintained, the configuration data representing a current state of a configuration in relation to the configuration model. In response to user input during the configuration workflow, data is received from the server system representing an update to the updated state of the configuration with respect to the property of the configuration element.

Abstract: A pushbutton user interface enables a user to preview the effect of activating a pushbutton of the interface before the pushbutton is activated. The pushbutton user interface can be implemented so that an input (preview input) to the pushbutton that does not produce an activation of the pushbutton is sensed and, in response to the sensed input, a preview is displayed that indicates the effect of activating the pushbutton. The preview input can be sensed using, for example, a force-sensitive resistor, potentiometer or strain gauge. The preview display can include, for example, a visual display, an audio display, a haptic display, or a combination of two or three such displays. The pushbutton user interface can be implemented so that the preview input and an activation input (i.e., an input that produces an activation of the pushbutton) are sensed as a result of an input to the pushbutton along the same axis or along different (e.g., orthogonal) axes.

Abstract: A system for automatically generating a GUI element at a client system according to a current configuration model includes one or more software components generated at a server system for communication to a client system in connection with a configuration workflow. When loaded at the client system, the one or more software components include data reflecting the current configuration model. When loaded at the client system, the one or more software components also include one or more parameters specifying the GUI element that will be appropriate for a configuration choice depending on the current configuration model as reflected in the data. When executed at the client system, the one or more software components automatically determine, according to the data reflecting the current configuration model, a configuration choice for which an appropriate GUI element needs to be drawn for display to a user associated with the client system in connection with the configuration workflow.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved for providing a history list of existing imaging compositions having links to imaging data that is serviced as a single unit that can be later retrieved by the user associated with the history list. The present invention includes a history list of existing imaging compositions, which has links to imaging data that are serviced as a single unit. The present invention further includes a personal imaging repository having a composition store for storing the history list and the existing imaging compositions, and it acts as an exchange infrastructure between the imaging data and available web services on the Internet. The composition store of the personal imaging repository also maintains the history list.

Abstract: A method and device for displaying electronic text on a screen is disclosed, comprising presenting text as a single word display of a particular duration plus a non-text gap, and continuing this single word duration plus gap presentation until all desired text has been sequentially displayed; wherein the speed of the text display is created by repetition of the duration plus gap, and wherein varying the gap relative to the duration creates a different flow of text presentation. The speed of the display is controllable by the reader using a control pad. This method and device permits text to be easily read on a limited viewing area.

Abstract: A GUI containing a panel along each of its edges is produced within a computer's display. Each of the four panels are always visible and accessible within the GUI and contain items that display or reference network-based information, communication, navigational systems, computer programs, and other items. These items have been assigned to the panels based upon a hierarchal containment system which, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, uses the categories “people, places, things, and home” as its first logical grouping of the various items and services a user would seek to utilize within the GUI. This organizational system, and its associated visual representation within the panels, enables the GUI to be displayed and operated within multiple computer devices, even though the designs of those devices may include a wide range of display and control systems.