Abstract: A pointing-control system for multipoint conferences includes a plurality of computers, a gateway, a display, a conference-control module and a pointing-control module. The computers are connected through a wired or wireless network with the gateway. The computer with the highest priority number is defined as the host computer having the right to assign any of the computers to be the report computer. The conference-control module can demonstrate a presentation frame of the report computer on the display through the gateway. The pointing-control module is used to capture pointing coordinates of pointing apparatuses of the respective computers, and further to display the pointing coordinates on the presentation frame of the display.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing a scroll bar including a plurality of locations corresponding to a plurality of locations in a file are disclosed. One or more location criteria that are obtained are used to identify one or more desired locations in the file. One or more display criteria to be applied to designate the one or more desired locations are identified. In addition, one or more desired locations in the file are located according to the location criteria. The scroll bar is then displayed by applying the display criteria to one or more locations of the scroll bar corresponding to the desired locations in the file.

Abstract: A comprehensive network map for a graphical user interface (GUI) of a communication network, illustrates all outside links to network devices external to said map. To this end, the connections between a network device on the map and all groups of network devices outside of the map are illustrated using an interactive multiple link connector icon associated to the network device. The connector icon comprises a button for enabling display of a multiple link connector (MLC) list. Each row of the MLC list comprises an outside link widget associated with a group identification widget. A list with all connection between the network device and an associated group of outside network devices is displayed on the map upon selection of the outside link widget on the MLC list. Furthermore, a sub-map of a group is displayed upon selection of the respective group identification widget.

Abstract: Successively displaying panels in a computer user interface. A method includes displaying a first panel of a plurality of panels. Each of the panels includes different information. The computer user interface has a plurality of navigation controls by which a user can navigate to any of the panels to access its information. A first setting of the navigation controls causes the first panel to be displayed. A user input requesting access to a second panel is received, there being at least two settings of the navigation controls that will cause the second panel to be displayed. The method includes ceasing to display the first panel and displaying the second panel using one of the at least two different settings by which more of the navigation controls remain unchanged from the first setting. Methods may be used in hierarchies and in arrangements that do not form trees.

Abstract: A resource search tool provides important context assistance and control for viewing resources on an incompatible display, such as a handheld display. A handheld device, for example, does not provide a large enough display space to provide a quick and comfortable search tool interface for a user. The search tool provides annotated search result pages and search result target pages to signify search hits in one or more documents or logical unites of the individual documents. In addition, progress indicators are provided to inform the user of the progress of the background layout and linguistic processing used to annotate for each search result target page.

Abstract: The features described herein are directed to a method and system for use in a computing environment for representing files stored in stacks by using a stack icon. The stack icon may include multiple thumbnail images as top elements, and may use common characteristics among the files to define the appearance of the stack. The system may also use metadata or file characteristics (e.g., time of last edit, size, etc.) to identify one file for top representation in the stack icon. The system may additionally include an empty stack icon, a generic stack icon, property based icons, and custom thumbnail icons.

Abstract: A method, user interface module, computer program product, computer system and system that enable a graphical user interface to be used by persons with visual disabilities. The graphical user interface includes a toolbar, which provides features that enable a visually disabled user to navigate and activate the functions provided by buttons or other controls on the communication toolbar. As a user navigates around the user interface, auditory messages are read describing functionality of different features of the graphical user interface. The text can be audibly read by, for example, a screen reader module. By using a hotkey or menu navigation, a user can issue commands that would normally be issued by clicking on the toolbar. Furthermore, the user can type text into text input boxes, select items from combo boxes, enable broadcast messages to be read, and choose to listen to status messages.

Abstract: Methods and systems providing a user interface control allowing a user to specify a scope of items on a computer system or network is disclosed. Certain aspects provide an input control through which a user can specify an explicit scope, or range, of items, while also identifying explicit exclusions from the specified scope, thereby reducing ambiguity regarding identification of items included and items excluded from the scope. When a user explicitly selects an item for inclusion in the scope, the explicitly selected item is added to the scope definition, and all descendants of the explicitly selected item are implicitly selected for inclusion. When a user explicitly selects an item for exclusion from the scope, the explicitly selected item is added to the scope definition as an exclusion from an explicitly included item, and all descendants of the explicitly selected item are implicitly selected for exclusion.

Abstract: In response to an event occurring on a user's computer, a system, method, and user interface automatically determine the nature and context of the event, and search a database for support items, such as other users' comments, suggestions, or answers that are relevant to the event. Events can include, for example, errors, usage problems, or other difficulties with the software application, operating system, or hardware. Other resources, such as bulletin boards, discussion groups, websites, and the like, can also be automatically searched for support items using the parameters and context describing the event. The system and method select those support item or items that are most highly rated by other users as providing accurate, reliable, or otherwise useful information, and that appear to be the most relevant to the event. Also provided, in one embodiment, is a mechanism by which a user can evaluate a support item after he or she has read it.

Abstract: A user interface control is provided for navigating, selecting, and organizing document pages. The user interface control includes page tabs corresponding to document pages within an electronic document. The page tabs are organized and displayed adjacent to one another in a horizontal or vertical column. When any page tab is selected, such as with a mouse or keyboard, the document page corresponding to the selected page tab is displayed. A first page tab may be selected and a second page tab may be subsequently selected, such as for instance using a mouse or other pointing device. The selection may include dragging a mouse cursor from the first page tab across several page tabs and subsequently to the second page tab. When such a selection is received, the control displays the contents of each of the document pages corresponding to page tabs between the first and second page tabs.

Abstract: A method and system for applying a method for iterative refinement of a presentation including (a) a developer creating a high-level representation of the user interface; (b) automatically generating a concrete user interface markup from the high-level representation; (c) the developer editing the concrete generated markup and saving the edits to an edit history; (d) the developer editing the high-level representation; (e) automatically re-generating a concrete markup from the edited high-level representation; and (f) automatically or interactively applying the edit history to the concrete markup to produce an updated markup.

Abstract: The preferred embodiments described herein provide a method and system for facilitating selection of stored medical images. In one preferred embodiment, a plurality of medical images are stored, and, for each medical image, the settings of at least one acquisition time control used to create the image are also stored. During image review, a user selects a set of acquisition time control settings, and a set of medical images is automatically selected from the stored images based on the selected set of acquisition time control settings. Other preferred embodiments are provided, and each of the preferred embodiments described herein can be used alone or in combination with one another.

Abstract: Displaying the relative depth of 2D image objects while preserving the visual attributes of the objects is disclosed. After an object group is determined, the members of the object group are temporarily moved away from a center location while preserving the object group members' positions relative to each other in the X-Y plane. A depth well is displayed at the center location and each object group member is connected to a ring-beam in the depth well. In response to a control action indicating a relative depth adjustment of an object group member relative to the remaining object group members, the depth of the object relative to the remaining object group members is changed. In response to a control action indicating the depth adjustment is complete, object group members are returned to their original positions in the X-Y plane with the adjusted object displayed at the object's new relative depth.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for definition links for online documentation is provided. According to one aspect of the invention, the definition links for online documentation provide a non-sighted or visually impaired user employing a screen reading utility a method to select a definition link from an online document which in turn navigates the user to a corresponding link definition area of the online document. Once the user has finished reading the definition, the user can easily be navigated back to the original text area of the document. In one embodiment, the definition links for online documentation provides footnote information. In one embodiment, a method of accessing footnote links and corresponding footnote definitions is provided. The embodiments contained herein for definition links for online documentation adhere to United States Federal Section 508 guidelines for accessibility standards.

Abstract: Techniques for displaying contextual information in clipped views of two-dimensional workspaces are provided. A method for indicating an object includes: providing a workspace having a viewed space and a populated space, the viewed space being delineated by a border; determining an object in the populated space; determining a direction of the object from the viewed space; and indicating the object with an indicator on the border of the viewed space in the direction of the object. The distance of the object may determine the appearance of the indicator. The indicator may also show a user's interest. An object indicating system includes: an object determination circuit that determines an object in a populated space and a direction of the object from a viewed space; and an indicator mapping block that indicates the object with an indicator on a border of the viewed space in the direction of the object.

Abstract: A method for facilitating operation of a screen reader with legacy programs whose user interface definitions do not conform to the design guidelines expected by the screen reader program. A graphical user interface is analyzed to identify a logical sequence of user interface elements within the interface. A sequence of user interface elements within a definition of the user interface is compared with the identified logical sequence to identify any required reordering of the elements to conform to the identified logical sequence. The required reordering of the elements is performed to conform to the identified logical sequence. The comparing step includes comparing the sequence of user interface elements within the definition of the user interface with a set of predefined rules for user interface definitions, and, responsive to identifying non-conformance with a rule requiring a specific user interface control, an instance of the required user interface control is generated.

Abstract: An auxiliary operation interface of a digital recording/reproducing apparatus includes a targeting item, a switching button set and an audio prompt generator. The targeting item is optionally triggered to have the digital recording/reproducing apparatus execute a selected function. The audio prompt generator is enabled to generate an audio prompt when the targeting item is triggered. The audio prompt generator is optionally enabled or disabled by an operation of the switching button set.

Abstract: A system and method for creating and using configuration diagrams for configuring distributed systems. The methods described herein may be used for various types of operations in configuring distributed systems, including creating programs, managing programs in the distributed system, deploying programs to various distributed devices, configuring remote execution or inter-operation of distributed programs, and executing distributed applications. Embodiments of the invention utilize graphical iconic-based techniques for performing the above operations. The configuration diagram may include device icons which represent devices and program icons which represent programs. Device icons and program icons may be associated with each other to accomplish various program creation and deployment operations. Device icons and program icons may also interact with graphical program nodes or icons. Context sensitive device connections and/or program connections are displayed.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer display device that uses a hierarchical menu structure to enable a user navigate through a linked web-page system. A computer code and a display screen of the computer display device enables the user to navigate through the linked web-page system in accordance with the hierarchical menu structure and in accordance with supporting features such as navigational persistence and page content persistence. The display screen comprises a display of: an uppermost top-level of the linked web-page system; a list of top-level categories under the uppermost top-level; a list of sub-level categories linked to a user-selected top-level category; a list of menu items held by each sub-level category; and a web page linked from a user-selected menu item from the menu items held by a sub-level category.

Abstract: An alternate display content controller provides a technique for controlling a video display separately from and in addition to the content displayed on the operating system display surface. Where the display is a computer monitor, the alternate display content controller interacts with the computer utility operating system and hardware drivers to control allocation of display space and create and control one or more parallel graphical user interfaces adjacent the operating system desktop. An alternate display content controller may be incorporated in either hardware or software. As software, an alternate display content controller may be an application running on the computer operating system, or may include an operating system kernel of varying complexity ranging from dependent on the utility operating system for hardware system services to a parallel system independent of the utility operating system and capable of supporting dedicated applications.