Abstract: A method and computer program product for automatically populating data in a tree widget on a Web page are provided. The method includes rendering a tree structure of tree nodes populated with data in a viewable area of a Web page, creating placeholder nodes without data in the tree structure, and placing the placeholder nodes in a hidden area of the Web page. The method also includes monitoring for a scrolling request to shift the tree structure in the viewable area of the Web page, and initiating an asynchronous request for data to populate a subset of the placeholder nodes in response to the scrolling request. The method further includes receiving the data to populate the subset of placeholder nodes, populating the subset of placeholder nodes with the received data, and shifting the subset of placeholder nodes with the received data to the viewable area of the Web page.

Abstract: Techniques for enhancing accessibility to web content are described herein. In some embodiments, a method includes presenting an activation element in association with a web page and detecting activation of the activation element, wherein the detection occurs following an activation event. The method can also include identifying draggable elements and drop zones in the web page and associating identifiers with the draggable elements and the drop zones, wherein the identifiers indicate one or more input events that will move a certain one of the draggable elements to a certain one of the drop zones. The method can also include modifying the web page to display the identifiers in association with the draggable elements and the drop zones, detecting the input events, and moving the certain one of the draggable elements to the certain one of the drop zones.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided in which it is determined whether a command item associated with a user-interface control object is enabled. If the respective command item is enabled, indicate to a user that the respective command item can be selected to initiate a particular command to which the respective command item is associated. In response to the user's selection of the respective command item, route the particular command to a particular destination for execution, based upon one or more predetermined criteria associated with the particular command.

Abstract: An improved approach to highlighting a graphical object in a graphical user interface is disclosed. A body of a highlighted graphical object may, upon selection or highlighting, be changed to a transparent color, and a graphical outline, or “halo,” is added surrounding the original graphical object's body. The halo may be in the same color as the graphical object originally was, preserving any meaning attributed to the color of the graphical object and simplifying the user's ability to identify the selected object(s), as well as the ability to select the highlighted object for further processing. The highlighted graphical object may also be displayed with a bounding box to further identify the selected object(s). A moving version of the highlighted graphical object may be drawn during a moving process, in which the moving version has an appearance distinct from the original object.

Abstract: A self-powered video display device provides an automated point of purchase advertising display that includes a readily programmable and re-programmable operating system. The display device is updated through the connection of a memory card or handheld computer and the transfer of video and other files over the connection.

Abstract: Help information for a software application is provided based on a user help knowledge base. The user help knowledge base includes a user help profile indicating help information previously selected by the user. Examples of data tracked for the previously selected help information include the application context in which it selected, a presentation mode in which it was presented, at least one associated help topic, and a help content format. The user help knowledge base can further comprise a user profile maintained by the software application. Based on the information in the user help knowledge base, as well as the current context of the application and/or user data entered, the help module selects help information pertinent to the user and the current context of the application. A presentation mode, for example a video mode, an audio mode or a display mode, is selected for the help information as well based on the user help knowledge base.

Abstract: A display control unit that is used to display a current portion of a document on a screen when an interactive or scrollable page of said document requires a larger display area than that of the screen. The display control unit includes a unit which is connected to a remote server configured to deliver interactive documents including principal and secondary documents. The display control unit also includes a display unit used to control the display of a current portion of the scrollable interactive page on the screen, and a memory control unit including a priority level allocation unit configured to assign a priority level to each secondary document of the scrollable interactive page and a memory control unit used to control the storage of secondary documents with the highest priority levels in the memory.

Abstract: A user selectable evaluation indicia associated with a displayed unit of information within an application is provided. Responsive to a user interaction with the evaluation indicia, an evaluation opportunity is presented to the user. At least a portion of a user's activities comprising the user participation is transformed, responsive to the user's participation with the evaluation opportunity, into search framework metadata for the unit of information. The search framework metadata may facilitate ranking search results comprising the unit of information.

Abstract: An electrical switch apparatus including a movement sensitive form is disclosed. The apparatus includes a housing, a motion sensor and a processing unit, where motion on, near or about the motion sensor is translated into output commands adapted for list scrolling, where the list can be arranged in a hierarchy such as menus or for changing a value of an attribute of a electrical device under the control of the switch.

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: 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 data-descriptive meta language file, such as XML, is created that defines the layout operation within the visual interface of a component-based application at runtime. At runtime, the application receives a data-descriptive meta language file that defines the layout operation of the various components within the application visual interface. The application parses the data-descriptive meta language file and uses the parsed information to complete the layout and operation of the rendered interface. The runtime application includes functionality that uses selected data to specify unique applications and/or unique content associated with the application.

Abstract: A data model for navigating data. In a preferred embodiment, the data model abides rules that limit the total number of nodes displayable and that limit the number of child nodes displayable beneath a given parent. collapsed or folded nodes are replaced by embedded navigation controls that indicate the hidden nodes.

Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus are provided for collaborating on an electronic document. According to the method, a data structure may be maintained at each of the computer systems participating in the collaborative session that represents the contents of a shared document. When user input is received at one of the computer systems modifying the document, the data structure is updated to reflect the modification. In response to the modification, the changes to the data structure are periodically identified and collected as a revision that identifies only the changes made to the data structure as a result of the edits made since the previous revision was taken. The revision is packaged and transmitted to each of the participants in the sharing session. The revisions are merged into the copy of the data structure stored at the participating computer systems.

Abstract: A method is provided which utilizes a threading service to offer enhanced features for a document management system including an email system. Various enhanced email features may be provided through one or more of the following components: a delete module, a reply module, a profile module, and a search module. The delete module enables a user to delete a selected message, a set of related messages, or the whole set except for the selected message. The reply module enables a user to send a reply message to all addresses associated and involved with an entire set of related messages. The profile module enables a dynamic interest profile to contain all relevant information from an outgoing message and a set of messages related to the outgoing message. The search module enables search results to include documents which match the user's query as well as documents related to the documents which match the user's query.

Abstract: A system and method for accelerated web page navigation using keyboard accelerators in a data processing system. A navigation layer is provided within a web browser application to enable pre-processing of a markup language within a web page retrieved from a web server. Multiple sequentially and/or individually accessible pages (i.e., paged content) of the web page are detected and functionality of one or more buttons of a keyboard is associated with one or more navigation functions of the web page (i.e., keyboard accelerators are enabled).

Abstract: Apparatus for displaying information from at least one information source, the information being arranged, labeled or indexed to define a hierarchical information structure, the apparatus comprising: a display controller for displaying information and user selectable menu items on at least one display, each menu item corresponding to a node of the information hierarchy or to information in the at least one information source. The display controller is configured such that during said navigation, in response to a user selection of a menu item from either one of the first or second display areas, a sub-set of menu items corresponding to sub-nodes and/or information in the information hierarchy at the level of the hierarchy below said selected menu item is displayed in the other of the second or first display areas.

Abstract: A system for dynamically updating user accessible features of a software application on a client computer has a user interface, a local usage data file, and a data mining engine. The user interface is adapted to receive operator inputs. The local usage data file is adapted to store usage information corresponding to the operator inputs. The data mining engine is adapted to process the stored usage information and to generate local adjustments to a user interface of the software application based on the operator inputs. In one embodiment, a server is adapted to receive usage data from a plurality of application instances on a plurality of client computers and to generate global adjustments based on the received usage data. In one embodiment, the system has a merge feature adapted to blend and resolve conflicts between local and global adjustments to generate an interface adjustment for the user interface.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for configuring a bookmark are disclosed. A bookmark is configured such that the bookmark has one or more variables and/or one or more commands associated therewith. A value is dynamically substituted for each variable of the bookmark. The bookmark is then executed such that any command(s) of the bookmark are executed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for extending the drag-and-drop data transfer mechanism to the remote access environment are described. The extension allows the end-user to select data located on the remote host or the local viewer, drag the selected data to a window on the host or viewer, and drop the selected data in the window. In response, the data is transferred via a network connecting the viewer and the host without any further input from the end-user.