Abstract: An improved scroll bar arrangement for a window (canvas) displayed on a computer screen includes a computer display canvas comprised of a wire frame and a scroll button (fader cap) at a side edge and/or bottom edge of the canvas. The fader cap is a rectangular box having a transparent center, so that onscreen objects behind the canvas are visualizable therethrough. The fader cap may be dragged along its respective side of the canvas to move the document through the canvas in typical scrolling fashion. The position of the fader cap along its edge is related to a ratio of the position of the portion of the document being displayed, to the total length (or width) of the document. Navigation aids include marker bars and lassoing marker bars to select document portions therebetween.

Abstract: A touch sensing apparatus for receiving input from one or more touch stimulating devices employs a direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) signaling arrangement to transmit signals from the touch stimulating devices for identification and location determination. Active devices are powered by an EM field and generate a touch stimulating signal that is spread spectrum encoded for identification, and signal pickups in a propagation layer receive the touch stimulation signals which are identified by the DSSS encoding and located using received signal strength (RSS) techniques. Semi-active devices are powered by an EM field and receive code instructions to generate specific spread spectrum signals and generate a touch-stimulating signal. Touch stimulating devices are either tethered or tether-free, and powered by batteries or EM fields.

Abstract: A system and method for creating and playing tweening animations allows a user to simply draw a graphic directional indicator, e.g., an arrow, in a computer environment to associate graphic objects with the graphic directional indicator and generate a tweening animation of at least one of the associated graphic objects. The tweening animation can be made to play automatically when the graphic directional indicator is activated or can be made to be controllable by a user-manipulable control device.

Abstract: A method for performing a load-on-demand operation on assigned graphic objects allows a user to load a computer file without the assigned graphic objects to shorten the loading time of the computer file. The assigned graphic objects can be subsequently loaded by the user by activating an “assigned to” object.

Abstract: In an electronic device that accepts drawn graphic entries and includes a screen display, a tool for storing and recalling elements displayed on the screen enables a user to draw a simple diagonal line to establish where an element is to be placed onscreen and the definition of the element. The length and slope of the diagonal line determines outer dimensions which are used to define the size of the element displayed. Each element is assigned to a respective line specifier, such as line color. A plurality of zones may be defined on the screen display, each zone having unique specifier assignments for the diagonal lines. A plurality of electronic devices may be connected to a communications network, and elements recalled on one device may be transmitted at the same time to any other device. Elements that are functional objects may be transmitted in this manner, and actualized and operated independently by the recipient devices.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention includes a fader controller comprised of a longitudinally extending track having a portion thereof extending over an image area of an electronic display, and a fader cap joined to the track for longitudinal sliding translation therealong. A plurality of permanent magnets are spaced along the track, and the fader cap includes at least one electromagnet. Conductive rails extend longitudinally on the track, and the fader cap includes contacts that electrically engage the conductive rails. The electromagnets are actuated to translate the fader cap distally or proximally along the track. In another aspect, the invention provides a magnetic arrangement for removably joining one or more controller device to a flat panel electronic display, whereby controllers such as switches, knobs, and faders (slide controllers) may be superposed on the display.

Abstract: A graphic programming system for associating distinctive arrow appearances to specific transaction(s) that the arrow may convey among and between on-screen objects. The distinctive appearance features include arrow color, arrow style, and double-headed arrows, among many other possibilities. The system provides default relationships between specific arrow transactions and arrow appearance, so that, for example, a arrow of a particular color is recognized by the system (and easily identified by the user) to carry out a particular transaction. These relationships may be selectively varied by the user to suit individual needs.

Abstract: A system and method for sending and receiving electronic messages, e.g., emails, allows a user to simply draw a graphic directional indicator, e.g., an arrow, in a computer operating environment to send emails. Depending on the drawn graphic directional indicator, the entire computer operating environment or selected graphic objects in the computer operating environment can be transmitted as an electronic message.

Abstract: A system and method for changing the sensitivity of a graphic control device, such as a fader or a scroller, involves automatically changing the effective control range of the graphic control device from a first effective control range to a second effective control range in response to a user input. The second effective control range may be shorter than the first effective control, allowing for more sensitive or “fine” control of the graphic control device. The changed effective control range of the graphic control device may be defined by a programmable scaling factor of the original effective control range.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling a computer operating environment utilizes a non-executable computer program that is dependent on a primary computer program, which provides the computer operating environment. The non-executable computer program is a compiled computer program that is based on a custom scripting programming language. The non-executable computer program can be configured to control various aspects of the computer operating environment using a bytecode interpreter of the primary computer program, including any object that can exist in the computer operating environment.

Abstract: A graphic programming system for associating distinctive arrow appearances to specific transaction(s) that the arrow may convey among and between on-screen objects. The distinctive appearance features include arrow color, arrow style, and double-headed arrows, among many other possibilities. The system provides default relationships between specific arrow transactions and arrow appearance, so that, for example, a arrow of a particular color is recognized by the system (and easily identified by the user) to carry out a particular transaction. These relationships may be selectively varied by the user to suit individual needs.

Abstract: A method for creating and using a text control allows a user to create a text object that can control one or more control devices, such as faders and knobs, and/or control one or more continuously variable property of some other entity. In an embodiment, the text control may be created by entering “known” characters into a computer environment to produce a text object and then associating the text object to one or more signal sources and/or one or more control devices, such as faders. In another embodiment, the text control may be created by entering any characters into a computer environment and then associating the text object to one or more control devices.

Abstract: A method for creating a collection of interactive multimedia graphic elements, such as thumbnail images and sound switches, allows a user to associate graphic objects that represent multimedia files by drawing a graphic directional indicator, e.g., an arrow, in a computer environment to create the collection of interactive multimedia graphic elements. Each of the interactive multimedia graphic elements may be configured to perform an operation on the corresponding multimedia file, such as playing or displaying the file.

Abstract: A method for creating and manipulating graphic charts, e.g., pie and bar charts, uses associated graphic control devices to provide numeric values for chart components of the graphic charts. The graphic control devices can be any devices having a numeric setting that can be changed, such as faders, dials, knobs, levers, switches, joysticks and buttons. These graphic control devices are operatively connected to the chart components such that changes in the numeric settings of the graphic control devices change the sizes of the chart components accordingly. One or more graphic control devices can be associated with multiple graphic charts to collectively control chart components of these graphic charts.

Abstract: A method for performing multimedia operations involves drawing a graphic directional indicator to establish a signal path between at least one graphical switch, such as a digital signal processing (DSP) or sound switch, and a graphic control device, such as another graphical switch or a fader.

Abstract: A method for recording and replaying operations in a computer environment utilizes initial conditions of the computer environment at the start of a recording to configure a replay computer environment during replay. The initial conditions of the computer environment are saved prior to recording of user inputs to the computer environment. The saved initial conditions and the recorded user inputs can then be used to actively operate the replay computer environment from a state substantially identical to the initial state of the computer environment to replay the recorded operations in the replay computer environment. The method also includes a technique to synchronize the operations with accompanying audio during replay.

Abstract: A method for recording and replaying operations in a computer environment utilizes initial conditions of the computer environment at the start of a recording to configure a replay computer environment during replay. The initial conditions of the computer environment are saved prior to recording of user inputs to the computer environment. The saved initial conditions and the recorded user inputs can then be used to actively operate the replay computer environment from a state substantially identical to the initial state of the computer environment to replay the recorded operations in the replay computer environment. The replay computer environment may be a copy of a current computer environment from which a replay of the recorded operations has been initiated.

Abstract: The invention provides a graphic user interface and method for selectively printing graphic objects displayed on a display device that allows a user to simply create a geometric object (e.g., a rectangle) on the display device, which defines an area of the display device to be printed and represents the actual printable area of a selected print medium, and to print the graphic objects and/or portions of the graphic objects within the geometric object. The size and position of the geometric object can be changed by the user so that the user can readily determine the layout of the graphic objects to be printed and the relative sizes of the graphic objects with respect to the actual printable area of the selected print medium when the graphic objects are printed.

Abstract: A graphic user interface and method for creating and using grids includes displaying one or more grids as graphic objects having many of the properties associated with common graphic objects. As a result, the grids may be independently moved and/or resized in a manner similar to the moving and/or resizing of other graphic objects. In addition, the grids may be snapped to other grids in a manner similar to then snapping of other graphic objects to a grid. Thus, an complex composite grid can be formed by snapping multiple grids together.

Abstract: A method for programming graphic control devices, such as faders, allows a user to graphically associate numeric and/or textual characters with a graphic control device to program the device. As an example, the characters may be graphically associated with the graphic control device by dragging the characters to the device, drawing a graphic directional indicator (e.g., arrow), or grouping the characters and the device together. The numeric characters can be used to set the graphic control device to a setting that equals the numeric value represented by the numeric characters. In addition, the numeric characters can be used to define the range and the scaling resolution of the graphic control device. The textual characters can be used to assign or program the function of the graphic control device, such as volume control, as well as the label of the graphic control device.