Abstract: A system and method which dynamically and interactively displays information, such as advertising messages, in an intelligent artificial form by responding to a user's pointing device movement or activity. The pointing device activity by the user is analyzed in real-time and displays intended information and/or images near the pointer in real-time by employing layer technology. Other effects provided in response the pointing device movement or activity include disappearance, reappearance, dropping to the corner of the screen, etc of the information and/or image as the pointer is shook or moved in a certain shape by the user. These effects attract potential customers or clients by providing the various features disclosed in the invention under the Internet environment through web-sites.

Abstract: A computer system utilizing software to map content by determining a field of relevance and at least one topic in the field of relevance is presented. The system determines at least one content pertaining to the topic, retrieves a representation of the content and maps the representation of the content onto the field of relevance. Then, it provides an extremely flexible presentation mechanism where the content is organized by multi-dimensional mappings to present the information effectively. The system also provides a navigation aid for traversing multi-dimensional information utilizing a variety of features and tools for effectively visualizing the information. One of the features allows a vector to be assigned to each entity, queries a user or software agent for a particular focal element and displays the multiplicity of distinguishable entities based upon the assigned vectors utilizing the focal vector as a reference point to view the information.

Abstract: A three dimensional user interface allows browsing of a database displayed as a three dimensional information space. The data is organized along three axes. A current plane or layer of data is summarized on an information landscape, with different planes being selectable using a tower that is located at the intersection of the three axes. A control wall with incorporated tools is used to formulate database queries. A preview wall previews selected data. The preview wall also provides transition between previewing the searches in the 3D space and actual viewing of the programming in full screen 2D display. Application to TV programming data is shown.

Abstract: A method of creating a composite desktop built from Web content retrieved from one or more Web sites is disclosed. A component on a Web page can be selected and positioned on the composite desktop. The component can be a static image or an active desktop component providing dynamic content. An entire Web page can also be selected and positioned as a component on the composite desktop. Components can be selected for the composite desktop using one of several mechanisms. Selection of a control on a Web page causes the selection of a corresponding component on the Web page. A control panel utility allows the designation of a URL to select the corresponding Web page for inclusion as a component on the composite desktop. Images from Web pages and objects representing URLs can be dragged and dropped onto the composite desktop. Icons on a composite desktop are displayed in front of the composite desktop components. A user can create multiple composite desktops and switch to a different desktop when desired.

Abstract: A portable computing device or “information appliance” having terse user input (e.g., limit set of keys) is provided with a user interface for navigating user data. Application programs, which are provided for user operation of the device, are implemented as separate modules controlled by a module selector. The module selector serves as a user interface or shell representing the top-level or “home” display presented to a user. The module selector presents the user with selection icons for navigating to different applications or modules of functionality. The user interface implements a “single-click” style of button operation, so that users can associate each button with a particular task for a given program context. In addition to the single-click style, “click consistency” is imposed for each button.

Abstract: A method and system for accelerating a user interface on a display of an image capture unit is disclosed. The image capture unit includes a plurality of image files for providing a plurality of images, the image capture unit further includes controls for allowing an image to be viewed on the display and for allowing navigation between the plurality of images. In a first aspect a method and system in accordance with the present invention comprises providing a low resolution image, medium resolution image and high resolution image within each image file and allowing the medium resolution image to be viewed on the display. In a second aspect a method for accelerating a user interface on a display of an image capture unit in accordance with the present invention includes a plurality of image files for providing a plurality of images, each image file includes a high resolution image therein.

Abstract: Customizing a presentation of a set of control elements, such as toolbar, by using a graphical user interface element representing the toolbar control elements, such as a quick customize (QC) menu. This customization approach allows a user to access the QC menu to select which control elements are to be displayed on the toolbar. The controls presented by the QC menu are typically associated with the control items of a particular toolbar or a corresponding set of commands. For convenient user access, the QC menu can be exposed on the toolbar via a special control or an entry point and typically lists the control elements available for the toolbar in order of appearance on the toolbar. For example, the QC menu can present the toolbar's default commands or controls, controls that are “top” or frequently used candidates for the toolbar, and any controls currently on the toolbar.

Abstract: A pictorial user interface for accessing information in an electronic file system provides a pictorial image which is linked to a file directory and which identifies the file directory. Objects in the pictorial image are icons linked to file objects and an animated character is overlaid on the pictorial image. User input causes movement of the animated character relative to the pictorial image. Input from the user is preferably through a limited input device such as a gamepad controller, a mouse, or by using a limited number of keys on a normal keyboard. Input signals are mapped according to keycode identical command sets, context arguments and selection arguments. Commands that can be invoked by the user include operating system commands, pictorial object commands, and interface utility commands. Using the pictorial object commands, the user can configure the interface so that different pictures and icons are associated with different directories and files.

Abstract: A code inspection tool comprises a plurality of physical computing resources connected by a network facility, eg an LAN, intranet or internet, and a voice conferencing communications facility. The code inspection tool interfaces with a known configuration management system to load a quantity of original source code. A group of developers use a plurality of graphical user interfaces to inspect the code. All graphical user interfaces log into display views generated on a main graphical user interface, which is operated by a human controller of a code inspection session. The code inspection tool comprises means for allowing developers to compile annotation data and forward the annotation data from their respective graphical user interfaces to a centralized data store. Internal algorithms of the code inspection tool compile markers relating the annotation data files to individual lines of source code.

Abstract: A method and apparatus implementing a separate child context for each applet (or similar element) of a browser. A described embodiment of the present invention provides one or more child contexts that correspond to elements in the HTML for a web page displayed by a browser. For example, each applet executed by the browser has a corresponding and separate child context Each child context has an associated memory buffer. The browser also has a parent context, which each child context points to. When a graphic is displayed via a widget, the widget draws the graphic (such as a panel or a non-pressed button) in the child context of the applet and sets a “damage” flag in the child context. When the browser performs its main browser loop, it checks the status of the damaged flag for each element (including each applet). If the browser finds a damage flag that is set, this means that something was written into the child buffer and that the parent buffer needs updating.

Abstract: An annotation system and methodology for annotating a display of a computer-based system that includes a graphical user interface. Generally, the annotation system enables an operator to generate a graphical annotation label containing any desired data, and to graphically position the annotation label at any desired location on the display, enabling the operator to positionally associate the graphical annotation label with a desired graphical element displayed on the graphical user interface. The annotation system is constructed and arranged to enable an operator to graphically generate an annotation label containing operator-generated information and to graphically alter the position of the annotation label such that the annotation label is positionally associated with a desired graphical element on the graphical user interface. The annotation label may be implemented as dialog box, window or other display region in the graphical environment provided by the graphical user interface.

Abstract: A multimedia editing system for editing a scenario that defines the details of a multimedia application. The system presents to a user only media materials permitted to situations at a current time in the scenario under editing (a current scenario time) to facilitate a selection of media material. The media materials are divided into a plurality of types. Each of the types may have at least one format, a part of which is supported by the system (supported formats). Each media material is associated with a type, a format and an availability code of the material in a material table. The availability code indicates one of predetermined states of each material. In response to a change in one of situations that affects an availability of materials of a certain type and/or a certain format, the availability code of a material affected by the change is updated such that the availability code of each material reflects a current state of the material.

Abstract: A method, system and program for navigating within any compound graphical object in a graphical user interface presented on a display. The compound graphical object has an arbitrary number of hierarchically ranked levels. First, the system determines whether a command to move within the compound object was issued from a pointing device or from a keyboard device. If issued from a pointing device, a lowest level object in the compound object is found which encompasses a hot-spot of a pointer icon controlled by the pointing device. The level to which the lowest level object belongs is made active. If the selection command was issued from a keyboard device, a next object in the compound object is selected, the next object being established by the keyboard user command and other information such as the relative hierarchical and spatial positions of the current and next objects.

Abstract: A method, system and computer-readable medium for allowing easier access of web pages of a web site is provided. A requested web page is downloaded with a site browser and datafile assigned the web site. The site browser includes a version identifier and the datafile includes a timestamp. A set of left-to-right cascading menus are generated based on the downloaded site browser and datafile. The datafile is a hierarchical data structure comprising titles of the web site's web pages and links to the titled web pages. The site browser and datafile are automatically updated, if it is determined that more current versions exist.

Abstract: In an operating system, a function to address resources in executable files is modified to redirect calls for resources to language-specific resources responsively to a user-setting defining a selected language. The language-specific resources are contained in alternate language modules through a dynamic addressing scheme that allows the alternate language file suite to be expanded without modification to any central routing facility. The invention provides resource-handling components the capability for handling multiple-language resources without requiring any specific directions from the processes requesting the resources This allows the operating system to provide multilingual support while using existing resource and executable binary files without modification. A user is enabled to select a language for the user interface and the resource loader will automatically redirect calls for resources to the appropriate resources.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a multi-state window is accomplished by presenting a multi-state window on a computer screen in various states. In a given state, or ghost state, the multi-state window for providing video and/or graphics is provided on screen in a translucent form. In the translucent form, a window overlapped by the multi-state window will be shown and remain in focus. When a user input is received in the overlapped portion, a multi-state window driver associated with the multi-state window will provide the input to the overlaid window, i.e., to its associated window driver or to the multi-state window driver depending upon the message type. If the user decides to activate the multi-state window, the multi-state window driver transforms the multi-state window from the translucent state to an in-focus state. When in the in-focus state, the user inputs are processed by the multi-state window driver and not provided to the overlaid window.

Abstract: A method in a data processing system for reading data having a non-standard format. A graphical user interface is displayed, wherein a user interacts with the graphical user interface to enter the format of the data to be read. The format of the data to be read is received through the graphical user interface. Code is generated to read the data using the format of the data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a multi-state window is accomplished by presenting a multi-state window on a computer screen in various states. In a given state, or ghost state, the multi-state window is provided on screen in a translucent form. In the translucent form, a window overlapped by the multi-state window will be shown and remain in focus. When a user input is received in the overlapped portion, a multi-state window driver associated with the multi-state window will provide the input to the overlaid window, i.e., to its associated window driver. If the user decides to activate the multi-state window, the multi-state window driver transforms the multi-state window from the translucent state to an in-focus state. When in the in-focus state, the user inputs are processed by the multi-state window driver and not provided to the overlaid window.

Abstract: A computer software application includes multiple software components such as graphical control objects. A help editor receives context-sensitive help information associated with the graphical control objects. Using this help information as well as information about the graphical control objects, the help editor creates a header file and a map data structure. A help developer edits the header file and map data structure to produce a configuration of context-sensitive help functions for the computer software application. The help editor generates a source code header file and a source code map data structure according to the user-indicated configuration for integrating context-sensitive help functions into the computer software application.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for generating a graphical user interface (GUI) from a text file. The apparatus of the present invention comprises a computer configured to run a software program that enables a user to create a text file by using an input device coupled to a console of the computer, such as an editor program, for example. The text file represents a GUI being created. The computer also is configured to run a GUI constructing software program which receives the text file as input and which generates a data tree structure associated with the graphical user interface being created. The data tree structure can then be utilized by a GUI generating software program that receives the data tree structure, generates the GUI, and displays the GUI on a display monitor coupled to the computer. The text file created by the user preferably is a two-dimensional pictorial representation of the GUI and comprises textual characters arranged to form one or more boxes on the display monitor.