Abstract: A menu display apparatus includes a first display screen on which a plurality of first icons, each representing a selectable item, are sequentially disposed on a main circular arc; and a second display screen on which, of the plurality of first icons, the first icon selected by a user is moved and displayed and a plurality of second icons, each representing a selectable item belonging to the selected first icon, are displayed on the main circular arc. The first display screen and the second display screen are selectively displayed.

Abstract: A transparent graphical user interface that overlays the user interfaces of other applications. The transparent user interface receives handwriting input and displays handwriting objects represented by handwriting input received in the area of the transparent handwriting interface. The transparent user interface of the invention can be expanded to include most of the display area of a computer, thereby allowing the user to write anywhere within the display area. This also allows the user to write multiple lines of text. Additionally, because the user interface is transparent, it allows the user to see the underlying graphical user interfaces for other applications, including applications that receive text recognized from the handwriting input written into the transparent handwriting interface. Further the transparent interface allows the user to interact with underlying graphical user interfaces.

Abstract: An operating system provides extensions through which application developers may extend the capabilities of a shell of the operating system. For example, application developers may add menu items to context menus for objects that are visible within an integrated system name space. In addition, developers may add property sheet pages for such objects. Application developers also have the option of providing per-instance icons for each instance of an object. Application developers may provide data object extension handlers for customizing data sources on a per-object class basis and may provide drop target extension handlers on a per-object class basis to customize drop target behavior. Developers may additionally provide copy-hook handlers to regulate file system operations on objects. Developers may also extend the functionality provided by the shell of the operating system by adding their own custom name spaces to the integrated system name space.

Abstract: A graphical user interface in which a summary list screen displays a plurality of settings for a plurality of respective features, and includes a plurality of tabs corresponding to additional screens and for selecting the corresponding additional screens to be displayed. The corresponding additional screens include the plurality of settings from the summary list screen and additional settings. An indicator, such a mouse controlled by a user, selects one of the plurality of settings in the summary list screen. A controller then changes a display from the summary list screen to one of the additional screens containing the selected one of the plurality of settings, and highlights the selected one of the plurality of settings in the additional screen. Further, the indicator can include a first instruction to change between different of the plurality of settings in the summary list screen and a second instruction to automatically change from the summary list screen to one of the additional screens.

Abstract: A graphical input device, preferably in a browser-based display, resembles a pull-down menu, with a displayed data entry field. The set of possible entries to be displayed along with the graphical input device varies depending on the user. The minimum display width needed for full-width display of the entries is evaluated by scripting and the actual display of the set is generated accordingly. The drop-down list and its listed entries may be wider than the data entry field. The user can thus view and select customized possible entries that cannot fit within the displayed data entry field. According to another aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, when the user is making selections from the drop-down list, multiple keyboard entries can be used to cause rapid scrolling to entries that match not only the first character entered, but also to entries whose first n characters match n characters entered while viewing the list.

Abstract: A system and method for performing rapid control prototyping using a plurality of graphical programs that share a single graphical user interface. A first graphical program may be created that models a product being designed. The first graphical program may be deployed on a target device for execution. A second graphical program that performs a measurement function may be created. The target device may be coupled to a physical system. The first graphical program may be executed on the target device to simulate operation of the product. The second graphical program may be executed to measure characteristics of the operation of the physical system and/or characteristics of the operation of the product. A single graphical user interface comprising a first one or more graphical user interface elements for the first graphical program and a second one or more graphical user interface elements for the second graphical program may be displayed.

Abstract: A method of information personalization is provided, whereby the information has an associated status indication (such as, an image or picture for example). Firstly, information is displayed (via a Web browser for example). Next, a process to determine the presence of one or more attributes associated with the status indication is carried out. If it is determined that one or more attributes exist, each of the attributes is compared against a respective threshold, whereby each of the thresholds determines rendering of the associated status indication. In response to the comparing, if one or more respective thresholds are met, the associated status indication is displayed as an updated status indication (whereby, the status indication is partially visible or non-visible for example). If one or more respective thresholds are not met, the associated status indication is displayed (whereby, the status indication is unchanged for example).

Abstract: A method of conceptually magnifying video browser data, the data being organised hierarchically in one or more levels (304, 312) is disclosed. The method comprises firstly selecting a parent level (304), the parent level selection making visible a first key frame (340) associated with the parent level (304). A magnification mode is also selected, being either a parent-only, or a parent-children magnification mode. Conceptual magnification is then performed, which displays, in the parent-only mode, the first key frame (340) associated with the parent level (304), and other frames (300, 302) which are also associated with the parent level. The conceptual magnification displays, in the parent-children mode, the first key frame (340) associated with the parent level (304), and second key frames (324) associated with an associated child level (312).

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for processing information, and a program and a program storage medium are disclosed. A content processing routine 152-1 controls the display of a thumbnail and determines whether or not a predetermined time has passed with the thumbnail selected. If the predetermined time is found passed with the thumbnail selected, the content processing routine 152-1 controls the display of the information associated with the thumbnail to a predetermined position corresponding to the display position of the thumbnail.

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: An invention allowing the exchange of community cards within a virtual space by an easy operation. A display screen shown on the display section of the user terminal device is composed of a virtual space display for displaying three-dimensional objects in a virtual space, and a list window of belongings displayed by the user's own community cards. The user can move freely within the virtual space while referring to the virtual space display, and when conversing with other users within the virtual space and the user wants to let another user participate in the community the user himself belongs to, the user can present community cards corresponding to the avatar, to a user for newly participating in the community, by drag-and-drop of any of the community cards on the avatar.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention display hierarchical information efficiently. Hierarchical information is displayed in a vertical browser comprising a path list and a choices list. A choices list displays selection choices at a given hierarchical level. When a selection is made in the choices list, the selection is displayed in the path list. The choices list is updated to reflect the next hierarchical level. The path list displays a plurality of choices that represent the traversal path through the hierarchical information. Backwards traversal is possible by selecting an entry in the path list. The path list is updated to remove the selected entry and any successive entry. The hierarchical level that contains the path list entry is displayed in the choices list. The path and choices list can be independently sized and are automatically maintained to remove irrelevant information.

Abstract: The mouse cursor is moved over the register of a register dialog once a drop-and-drag action has been initiated, then the register under the mouse cursor is automatically moved to the foreground after a variable time interval, and the contents can thus be seen. Process of making the item visible is initiated just by locating the mouse over the register of the concealed registered dialog. The invention can be extended to normal mouse movements (that is to say that other than drag drop.) Dropping an object on to a drop destination in a concealed register of a register dialog for drag and drop actions and drag and drop between the registers of a tabbed dialog or the pages of a workbook (such as the various tables in Excel, for example.

Abstract: A method and system for providing help information for a computer program. The help system provides help information based on a schema that specifies the structure of a valid computer program. The schema provides definitions of program element types that are specific instances of a program element type derived from more general program element types. The help system identifies a “derivation” of program element types relating to the selected program element. The help system then displays the derivation to the user. The user can then select to display documentation associated with the displayed program element types.

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: The disclosed invention allows the user to move to an area to which the user desires to display in a page to which the user desires to move by a single manipulation and to allow next page/preceding page operation to be done only by a mouse operation. An area displayed on the main screen 50 is displayed on the sub-screen 51 of a reduced image of the page which is currently displayed on the main screen 50 with a rectangular view frame 60. Dragging the view frame 60 by a mouse within the page causes the display area in the main screen to move in real time. Dragging the view frame of the sub-screen 51 to a neighboring page causes the view frame 60 to be moved in the moved sub-screen. Dropping the view frame at the place on the neighboring sub-screen to which the view frame 60 moved causes the main screen to be switched to that page to display the place indicated by the view frame in the main screen.

Abstract: Collaboration space object model provides for a Place consisting of rooms. A room is made up of pages. Folders are used to organize pages. Members belong to rooms, and are those users authorized to access them. Place type controls the creation of a place, including how many rooms it has, for example. Room type controls the appearance and content of rooms. A form manages the display of data notes. A form can contain fields for containing data and employ scripts to process and compute data. A page is the basic vehicle for content. Content is created using an or importing content from an external source. A member is also a data note, and each place contains its own member directory. A place is created and managed from a client browser in on-line mode and in offline mode with respect to a replicated copy of the space. Room security is independently managed, and security and aesthetics characteristics of subrooms selectively inherited.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling a tabbed pane (305) in a graphical user interface of a data processing system. The tabbed pane consists of several overlying panels (230) resembling a stack of pieces of paper lying on top of one another, with only the topmost panel that is visible to a user; a selection tab (235) is attached to each panel. When the number of the tabs is high, they are organised into two or more alignments. In the tabbed pane of the invention, the alignments are arranged along different edges of the visible panel. Therefore, the tabs are distributed along the border of the visible panel, so that each time a tab is selected by the user the corresponding panel is popped up and made visible without affecting the position of the other tabs.

Abstract: Techniques are described for providing information about a current state that is modeled with multiple state attributes. In some situations, the providing includes receiving from first and second sources indications of an ability to supply values for, respectively, an indicated one of the state attributes and another of the state attributes. In such situations, the providing also includes, in response to receiving a request from a first client for a value of the indicated one attribute, determining that the first source is available to supply the value, obtaining the value from the first source, and supplying a value obtained from the first source to the first client.

Abstract: A method for the simultaneous graphical display of paths of optical wavelength channels in a telecommunications network together with one or more channel attributes is provided. The graphical display of the network also shows the direction of data flow transported by the channels. An audible or visual alarm for an error condition for a channel attribute on a link in the network can be produced if requires. The operator can also obtain detailed information on a channel by positioning the mouse over a channel.