Abstract: A method of operating a touch screen to activate one of a plurality of virtual keys is provided. A touch location is determined based on location data pertaining to touch input on the touch screen, wherein the touch input is intended to activate one of the plurality of virtual keys. Each of the plurality of virtual keys has a set of at least one key location corresponding to it. For each of the virtual keys, a parameter (such as physical distance) is determined for that virtual key that relates the touch location and the set of at least one key location corresponding to that virtual key. The determined parameters are processed to determine one of the virtual keys. For example, the determined one virtual key may be the virtual key with a key location (or more than one key location, on average) being closest to the touch location. A signal is generated indicating activation of the determined one of the virtual keys.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus is provided including a first display control unit for controlling display of an area to which to paste an image representing a content and selected to start reproduction of the content. A second display control unit displays a list of images when a display instruction to display the list of the images is given. Under control of the first display control unit, one screen including a different number of layers according to a category of data created in the area to which to paste the image is displayed in the area.

Abstract: A multi-touch gesture dictionary is disclosed herein. The gesture dictionary can include a plurality of entries, each corresponding to a particular chord. The dictionary entries can include a variety of motions associated with the chord and the meanings of gestures formed from the chord and the motions. The gesture dictionary may take the form of a dedicated computer application that may be used to look up the meaning of gestures. The gesture dictionary may also take the form of a computer application that may be easily accessed from other applications. The gesture dictionary may also be used to assign user-selected meanings to gestures. Also disclosed herein are computer systems incorporating multi-touch gesture dictionaries. The computer systems can include, desktop computers, tablet computers, notebook computers, handheld computers, personal digital assistants, media players, mobile telephones, and the like.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention enable efficient presentation of user information. A user identifier is presented on a page. In response to a selection of a user identifier, one or more user information modules are utilized to return information relating to the user. The user information modules are modules that maintain user information in association with a user. In one embodiment, a configurable java server tag function generates the presentation of the user identifier, which can then be selected and utilized to request information from one or more information sources.

Abstract: Improved techniques and graphical user interfaces that assist users in searching through a group of media items are disclosed. According to one aspect, a search assistant (e.g., search bar) can be graphically presented to a user to assist the user in selecting search criteria. In one embodiment, the search assistant can be automatically presented when a search process is being considered by a user. In another embodiment, the search assistant can be context sensitive so as to adapt to different types of media items.

Abstract: When a viewer resizes an image window while displaying image data distributed from a server on the image window of a client terminal, the client terminal notifies the server of the size of the image window after resizing. The server resizes the image data so that an image has the same size as that of the window, and transmits the resized image data to the client terminal. In this way, the need for the resizing processing in the client terminal can be obviated, thus reducing its load.

Abstract: Movement of a pointer or a window on a display of a personal computer, mobile telephone or digital television set, which allows an object to be selected, is controlled using an orthogonal set of keys. Motion of the pointer or window closely resembles the behaviour of a body of fixed mass obeying Newton's second law of motion. Movement of the pointer may used to predict which object the user wishes to select. Once a prediction has been made, the object is marked and the user may select the marked object, although the user need not act on the prediction.

Abstract: A method implemented in a computer system realizes a user's preferences for launching applications for corresponding kinds of files. The method launches a first application to service a file unless a second application is available to service the same kind of file. If such is the case, the method presents a consent user interface to allow the user to indicate a preference between the first application and the second application. Changes to the preference are inhibited unless made via the consent user interface.

Abstract: A handheld electronic book reader, program product, and method incorporate enhanced annotation and/or usage tracking capabilities. Support is provided for user creation of “contexts” for defined terms in an electronic document. Moreover, annotation data such as contexts, comments and highlighting may be associated with various users, and displayed in connection with the display of an electronic document so as to indicate that different annotation data has been originated by different users. In addition, from the standpoint of usage tracking, usage statistics for an electronic document displayed in a handheld electronic reader may be generated on a page-by-page basis, and/or in association with term definitions. Moreover, usage statistics for multiple users may be combined and analyzed.

Abstract: In a method for graphically representing and/or processing values of data types of a formally defined data structure existing as a value tree, a window is assigned as a graphical user interface to the data structure. Generic, scalable, graphical user-interface components are inserted hierarchically in the window, the value tree of the data structure being mapped onto the user-interface components. The graphical user-interface components are in a relation to the nodes of the value tree that is recognizable to the user. A graphical or textual representation of the value is selectable for each subtree of the value tree.

Abstract: A system selects objects within a graphical user interface by displaying a plurality of objects within the graphical user interface. Each object has an associated set of properties. The system receives a selection condition defining a relationship to be met between properties of an object, and then applies the selection condition to the associated set of properties of each of the plurality of objects to identify a set of selection objects in the plurality of objects that have an object state defined by properties that match the relationship defined by the selection condition. The system then identifies each object in the set of selection objects.

Abstract: There is a provided a method and apparatus for enabling a user to amend an audio file, via a user interface for controlling a driver for re-authoring the audio file. The method comprises the following steps: a) associating an icon on said user interface with one or more instruments or sets of instruments in said audio file; b) providing a selection of possible trajectories for each said icon, each trajectory defining the virtual path, relative to said user, of the associated instrument or set of instruments; c) providing a display on said user interface for showing the position of each said icon, each position defining the virtual position, relative to said user, of the associated instrument or set of instruments; d) the user selecting an icon; e) the user assigning a position and/or a trajectory from the selection, to the selected icon; and g) indicating, on said display, the position of the selected icon and whether a trajectory has been assigned to the selected icon.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for processing information in a terminal that comprises means for selecting the data group to be processed, and at least one processing means for processing the selected data group. In the method at least a first processing state and a second processing state are determined, as well as a group of functions for said processing means of the data group. In the method the processing state used at a given time is recognized, and a function corresponding to the processing state is set in said at least one processing means of the data group. The invention also relates to a terminal and a wireless communication device applying the method.

Abstract: Provided are methods, systems, and computer program products for enhancing presence services. Such methods may include associating, in a database, a custom icon associated with a third party and a region and communicating a user presence in the associated region by transmitting a custom icon to a subscriber. Such systems may include a presence server configured to determine and communicate, to a subscriber, presence information corresponding to a user mobile device and an icon server configured to associate and store presence information of a third party and a custom icon corresponding to the third party, to modify the custom icon responsive to received data indicative of opinion data corresponding to the third party, and to transmit the custom icon to the user mobile device and to the subscriber.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention comprises a method for displaying a diagram of a measurement system, in which various components in the diagram may be expanded or collapsed as desired. It may be desirable to allow the user to view various aspects of a measurement system at various levels of granularity. For example, the user may desire to view details regarding one or more components in the measurement system but may not want to see details for other components. Providing the ability to expand or collapse components in a measurement system diagram may allow the user to view a compact diagram illustrating the measurement system from a high level, or to expand various components in the diagram to “drill down” into particular sub-systems or components to view details regarding those sub-systems or components.

Abstract: A web browsing method and system capable of easily selecting a hyperlink, and a recording medium thereof. The method includes: dividing a web page into regions based on the table structure of the web page; determining a specific hyperlink from hyperlinks in the web page based on information set in advance according to the user usage pattern; displaying the web page with identification information allocated to each region and the specific hyperlink. If a region is selected based on the identification information, displaying a web page with hyperlinks in the selected region. If a hyperlink is selected based on the web page with the hyperlinks or the specific hyperlink is selected, moving from the displayed the web page to data connected to the selected hyperlink, and at the same time updating the set in advance information.

Abstract: Flexible and extensible combination user interfaces are described. Combination user interfaces combine task-based and deductive user interfaces in such a manner that complex user interactions can be facilitated using a more meaningful and intuitive user interface than would have been possible using task-based or deductive user interfaces exclusively. The described combination user interfaces are flexible and extensible. They are flexible in that users can work on multiple tasks or switch between tasks without first needing to complete another task. They are extensible in that they can be extended to add, modify, or remove tasks or portions of tasks. User interfaces can be extended by manipulating metadata associated with the user interfaces. The combination user interface can be combined with an Inbox concept to facilitate saving and assigning tasks. The Inbox represents a work queue for a user.

Abstract: Methods and systems for receiving feedback from a scalable number of participants of an on-line presentation. One method includes analyzing a screen change data set at a first computing device of an on-line presentation environment, tagging the screen change data set as requesting acknowledgement by the one or more viewers, and transmitting the screen change data set to the one or more viewers. The method also includes receiving a confirmation of receipt of the tagged screen change data set, generating a representation of the tagged screen change data set in response to receiving the confirmation of receipt, and displaying the generated representation at a presenter.

Abstract: A “Spatial Navigator” provides a document navigation environment that leverages user spatial memory. Graphical thumbnail-type representations (“thumbnails”) provide scaled versions of entire documents. Changes to documents are immediately reflected in corresponding thumbnails. Similarly, document search results are highlighted in corresponding thumbnails. One or more dynamic document selection windows present arrangements of a plurality of these thumbnails for user selection and interaction. Each dynamic document selection window provides real-time inter-file navigation by allowing user selection and opening of documents, or any location or portion of a document, through user interaction with the corresponding thumbnail. Once a document is opened, intra-file navigation is enhanced by providing another scaled version of the entire document in a dynamic scrollbar adjacent to a primary document editing/viewing window.

Abstract: A shortcut system for use in a mobile electronic device having several types of shortcuts allows a user to execute shortcuts of different types using a single mechanism. The shortcut system includes a display, an operating system, a shortcut data store, and one or more applications, including a shortcut application used to create shortcuts and edit shortcut information contained in the shortcut data store. The shortcut data store contains target information associated with applications of various types, indexed by a shortcut tag. When a new application is installed in the mobile electronic device, the user can add shortcut information associated with the new application to the shortcut data store. The target information can define content associated with an application. When a shortcut to content is executed, the associated application is launched and begins operating on the content data. Further, the shortcuts can be created with different types of tags.