Abstract: The invention enables a new type of interaction with content represented by an active visual display element in response to double-clicking a point-and-click user interface apparatus when the active visual display element is selected.

Abstract: A customizable web site access system is comprised of a software program incorporating both a composing portion and a performing portion. The composing portion of the software program is used to create a presentation. The presentation includes a list of URLs for display, a desired sequence of display of the URLs, and a duration of display of the URLs. The performing portion of the software program operates to load and display the presentation to a user of the web in an automatic slide show presentation.

Abstract: Inbound messages are reformatted so that they are compatible with a user interface and database found in a local area network. Local software provides a user interface with a message display area. The format of the area includes parameters such as line length and displayable lines. A user receives a message by electronic mail, copies it, and attempts to paste it into the message display area. The message is automatically reformatted according to the parameters of the message display area format. This displays the message without distortion and impediment upon other elements of the interface. The reformatted message can also be saved in the database and will appear in the correct format when it is retrieved.

Abstract: A display window is attributed a layering attribute such that underlying display windows are blended with the layered display window and displayed on the display screen. In a first embodiment, the layered window and the underlying window are represented as bitmaps. Any overlapping portions of the underlying window bitmap are redirected to an underlay buffer and composited with the layered window bitmap according to a display order and an opacity level. In a second embodiment, the layered window and the underlying window are represented as hardware sprites. Graphics device hardware stores copies of each sprite and composites each sprite according to a display order and an opacity level. In either embodiment or in a combination of both, as the layered window is moved or resized, the stored data allows for updating the composite display without requiring system expensive display regenerations.

Abstract: A system and method for allocating computing resources. The system obtains a current set of connections from the matrix switch and then renders a display which reflects the current state of the connections. Source and destination ports are displayed as icons with each icon bearing a label that describes the corresponding source or destination. In some embodiments, a user clicks on a source icon and drags it onto a destination icon to route a particular source to a destination. Dragging a source icon off of a destination icon breaks the connection between the source and destination. The display uses a variety of icons, colors, and grouping schemes to indicate other attributes of the ports, such information regarding X Server configuration, physical location of destination devices, and user login sessions.

Abstract: An EUI for presenting contents to a user, is constituted with at least a first display container cell, a second display container cell nested within the first display container cell, and a display action cell nested in either the first or the second display container cell. In one embodiment, each display container/action cell is defined by a plurality of cell attributes. The container cell attributes of each container cell include attributes defining a kernel, a maximum state, a centroid, a relocatability, and a resizing priority. The container cell attributes may also include attributes defining the maximum number, placement and alignment of descendant container/action cells. The container cell attributes of a leaf container cell also include an attribute defining content type of content to be rendered in the leaf container cell. The action cell attributes include attributes defining an image and/or binaries to be executed for various user actions.

Abstract: A method and a device for displaying images on a digital media frame is disclosed. In one embodiment, the device includes a memory, a processing unit, a display, an interface circuit, and a display circuit. The interface circuit has at least one receiving port capable of identifying various types of networking protocols that are used to transfer the image data. The processing unit attaches auxiliary information to each image before images are stored in a memory. The display circuit displays images according to the image data received. The digital media frame further contains a user input device, which allows a user to alter the image display sequence. The user input device is an input device other than a keyboard or a cursor control device.

Abstract: A method in a computing environment is provided for configuring images for display on the Internet. The method includes selecting first and second component images and positioning the images according to a coordinate system to create a configured image. In the preferred embodiment, the method of the present invention is utilized to configure products in an online purchasing environment.

Abstract: A user interface, system, and method are disclosed to facilitate specification of queries and displaying corresponding results. The user interface presents the user with dimensions that contain one or more headings arranged according to an information taxonomy, which can vary based on the intended implementation for the system and user interface. A corresponding filter or query is constructed based on the user selecting of one or more headings. The filter is applied to one or more databases to return results that satisfy the filter. The results are presented in the user interface and can include interactive items based on a particular query as well as can correspond to a fully specified task.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method uploads image data to a remote computer such as a server by: defining an area in a user interface adapted to receive an image; generating a thumbnail associated with the image when the image is associated with the area; and, uploading the image to the server.

Abstract: A method for configuring a web site tracking program on a computer coupled over a network to a web server whereby the web page or object to be tracked is displayed on a display device within a browser window in synchronicity with the web site tracking criteria selected for that page or object. The web browser is operated on the computer with a configuration program to retrieve a web page or object from the web site server and display it in a browser window and the tracking criteria within a configuration pane or subwindow. The operator selects within the configuration pane or subwindow the web tracking criterion to be configured and the proper URL, FTP or other identifying link to the criteria is automatically generated for and associated with the web page or object displayed.

Abstract: The system and method herein provide selecting and presenting user customizable preferences. Techniques involved can include having a custom entry in a list box such that the list view item updates its displayed item based upon the configuration settings. As such, the user can see what has been set as a custom preference without having to go into secondary dialog boxes. The techniques can be particularly advantageous with wireless devices that need to minimize the number of fields that must be viewed to get information.

Abstract: A plurality of operator interface controls for use in a run-time operator interface application for executing one or more test executive sequences is described. Each operator interface control may have associated functionality for managing execution of a test executive sequence and/or functionality for displaying information regarding execution of a test executive sequence. One or more of the operator interface controls may be included in a run-time operator interface application, which may aid the user in easily creating the run-time operator interface application.

Abstract: The method for managing menu functions in a mobile station includes the steps of executing menu edition, selecting menu items the user uses frequently in the executed menu edition, to set up a menu, executing the menu, and displaying the menu of the selected menu items at first. The basic menu inclusive of all menu items the mobile station provides is selected as a last menu item of the mode menu displayed at first so that the user can access to menu items other than the menu items of preference. By providing easy mode menu with menu items the user or manufacturer of the mobile station uses frequently in advance, and displaying on a display window at first, the user is permitted a quick and easy access to a desired menu item without going through many steps of submenus before reaching the desired menu item.

Abstract: An instrument I/O assistant and the algorithms that may be used to manage instrument responses and that may provide an instrument-centric approach to message-based instrument I/O. The instrument I/O assistant may assist the user in parsing instrument responses by offering an environment to interact with an instrument response without forcing the user to write parsing code. Embodiments may be integrated into instrumentation control programs to make instrument I/O as transparent as possible. The instrument I/O assistant may provide code generation so that the parsing of an instrument response performed in the instrument I/O assistant can be reused. The saved code for one query and response may be referred to as a query block. Two or more query blocks may be saved into a task. A task is a series of executable query blocks. The task may be executed, or alternatively code may be generated to execute the task.

Abstract: A novel method for replying to unsolicited e-mail communication such as SPAM or the like. The method includes a variety of steps such as displaying an remove icon on a display, and receiving a selection of the remove icon from a user in response to the unsolicited e-mail communication. The method also includes creating an e-mail communication having a remove message, in response to the selection of the remove icon, the e-mail communication addressed to a reply e-mail address specified by the unsolicited e-mail communication. A step of sending the e-mail communication to the reply e-mail address also is included. These and possibly other steps can permanently remove a portion of unsolicited e-mail in an easy and cost effective manner.

Abstract: A user interface on a display enables user perception of information regarding a communications session that leverages an instant messaging platform. The user interface includes an instant messaging application user interface and one or more tear-off elements corresponding to ongoing instant messaging communications sessions. Each tear-off element is configured to enable perception and selection by a user of a corresponding instant messaging communications session. Also, each tear-off element is configured to be independently visually separated from other elements of the instant messaging application user interface and maintained as a separate entity on the instant messaging application user interface.

Abstract: An operation control device is provided with: a manually-operating unit having a joystick knob capable of intermittently operating in two directions; a knob displacement detector for generating knob displacement information of the knob; a controller for converting an amount of knob displacement obtained from the knob displacement information into an amount of force; and a force imparting unit for imparting a force corresponding to the amount of force to the knob when the knob is operated, wherein when the knob passes through one or more intermittent positions from a starting position to be operated to a terminating position, the controller sets in such a manner that an amount of force at one or more intermittent positions is increased in stages from the starting position side toward the terminating position side.

Abstract: System and method for filtering attributes of a graphical program element (GPE) in a graphical program or diagram, e.g., a property node, menu, property page, icon palette, etc., based on targeted or configured resources. Input is received specifying or selecting a filter option from presented filter options. The filter options include 1) display all attributes of the GPE; 2) display attributes of the GPE associated with configured resources; and 3) display attributes of the GPE associated with selected configured resources. User input is received to access the GPE. Attributes for the GPE associated with the resources are retrieved from the database and displayed in accordance with the selected filtering option. The filtered attributes of the element are then selectable by a user for various operations, e.g., to configure the graphical program, to configure resources, to initiate a purchase or order for the resources, and/or to install the resources, among others.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for an integrated process modeler is described. The modeler comprises a non-technical interface to permit design of a business process by a non-technical use and a technical interface to implement substeps of the process to automate technical aspects of the process by a technical user, using the same process modeler. The resulting process designed to be used by non-technical employees, to automatically lead the non-technical employees through the business process.