Patents Examined by Jon H. Backenstose
  • Patent number: 5392386
    Abstract: A system for adding functions to an existing application program executing in a computer system having a graphical user interface that includes a clipboard. The invention displays menu options either on an added menu within the application program or on a menu separate from the application program. The invention intercepts communications between the operating system and the application program and determines when the user is invoking one of the added functions. Simulated user input commands are issued to the operating system to capture information from the application program to the clipboard. The information in the clipboard is processed to provide additional features such as on-the-fly spell checking or translation and the modified information is replaced in the application program by transferring from the clipboard using more simulated user input commands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Inter Hi-Tec AG
    Inventor: Uwe Chalas
  • Patent number: 5357631
    Abstract: A method and system for creating and maintaining multiple document versions in a data processing system implemented library. Selected documents within a data processing system implemented library are uniquely identified as root documents and a version-root identifier for each successor version of a particular root document is established. Thereafter, a selected version-root identifier is automatically associated with each created successor version of a root document. Upon the creation of a successor version of a root document and a second predecessor document, the version-root identifier associated with the root document is automatically associated with the successor version and the second predecessor document. Upon the creation of a successor version base upon multiple non-root predecessor documents a particular non-root predecessor document is automatically selected as a root document and a version-root identifier is established and associated therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1994
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: William E. Howell, Hari N. Reddy, Diana S. Wang
  • Patent number: 5261101
    Abstract: A method for calling and returning from a computer subroutine is provided. The method allows a subroutine executing on a stack-oriented computer with segmented addressing, such as the Intel 80386, to be invoked by both an inter-segment call and an intra-segment call instruction. The method allows multiple subroutines in one code segment to share an inter-segment return instruction. The method further provides for the locating of that instruction so that the pushing of its offset onto the stack can be accomplished efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1993
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas Fenwick