Abstract: The navigational interface allows a user to control computer operations and input text into applications running on the computing system with a single input device. The navigational interface operates by receiving selection signals from the input device. The navigational interface includes an input device, a navigational interface interpretation module having a sensor pattern, and a control display providing feedback of the navigational interface interpretation module operations. The sensor pattern is radially divided into a central sensory portion, a petals sensory portion divided into sensory petals, and a circumferential sensory portion. Each sensory portion references an information element. The information elements are associated with tasks to be performed in the computing system. The tasks might be computer control operations, application selection, application operation, or inputting and editing of textual characters into various applications running on the computing system.

Abstract: A system enables communication between server resources and a wide spectrum of end-terminals to enable access to the resources of both converged and non-converged networks via voice and/or electronically generated commands. An electronic personal assistant (ePA) incorporates generalizing/abstracting communications channels, data and resources provided through a converged computer/telephony system interface such that the data and resources are readily accessed by a variety of interface formats including a voice interface or data interface. A set of applications provides dual interfaces for rendering services and data based upon the manner in which a user accesses the data. An electronic personal assistant in accordance with an embodiment of the invention provides voice/data access to web pages, email, file shares, etc. A voice-based resource server authenticates a user by receiving vocal responses to one or more requests variably selected and issued by a speaker recognition-based authentication facility.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, system, and computer readable medium for viewing hidden windows on a display including a plurality of application windows, a portion of at least one application window of the plurality of application windows being obscured. The method, system, and computer readable medium comprise creating a viewport displayed as a topmost application window in response to a user interaction and displaying at least a portion of the at least one application window being obscured in the viewport. Through the use of the present invention a user can simultaneously view information from multiple applications where one or more application windows are partially or wholly covering needed information in an underlying application window. Furthermore, the user will also be able to view application windows that are not directly underneath the primary application window, but are in an inactive state.

Abstract: Even when all selected dates cannot be displayed on a calendar, selected states of all the selected dates can be completely displayed so as to grasp the selected states of the selected dates. Further, the selected states can be simply changed.

Abstract: A capturing and viewing appliance and method are used for capturing and communicating images. The capturing and viewing appliance is an instrument used to capture and communicate images to other devices with communication capabilities. The capturing and viewing appliance includes a processor for manipulating and viewing the images on a built-in display. Program code stored in internal memory includes a menu/image navigation application program which allows the user to use navigation buttons to view multiple images as well as navigate menus. According to another aspect of the invention, the menu/image navigation interface provides a user-friendly interface for effective communication of functionality of an appliance or other device to the user through use of animated transitions.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for providing distributed parties reciprocal information regarding each other's activities. For example, the method of the invention provides selected information regarding the availability of an intended recipient to engage in a communication session with an initiator, and reciprocally informs the intended recipient of the initiator's access to such information. Further, the method of the invention can provide a signal to an intended recipient to indicate an initiator's intention to establish a communication session. Further, the method of the invention provides a signal to each party to indicate whether a communication session has been established. In another aspect, the invention provides a method for informing the participants in a communication session of a party's intention to terminate its participation in the session.

Abstract: A user may easily select a desired day and month in an electronic calendaring system. The user selects a number representing the desired day from a calendar displayed by the electronic calendaring system. The user is then automatically presented with a list of all the months of a year. The user then selects the desired month from the list, and the user is presented with a visual representation of the desired day and month. The user may select the number representing the desired day by right clicking with a pointing device. Additionally, the automatic presentation of a list of all the months of a year may comprise presenting the user with a pop-up menu.

Abstract: A method and system for assisting a user in identifying an element of an object in various displayed views in a drawing of the object. A method is employed that will allow automatic highlighting of a selected edge of an object in each view, as well as separately highlighting the edges of faces of an object adjoining the selected edge. The process facilitates the user's comprehension of the three dimensional geometry of the object. The invention is particularly suited to computer-aided design, computer aided manufacturing, and computer aided engineering.

Abstract: An intuitive scrolling feedback mechanism is provided to enable novice and infrequent computer users to understand and to utilize the scrolling functionality offered by a computing device. Scrolling feedback is provided by displaying a portion of a set of information in a display area. In addition, a control region is displayed, comprising one or more activable controls. These controls, when activated by a user via a user interface, cause a different portion of the set of information to be displayed in the display area. In addition, a status region is displayed, comprising a plurality of location indicators. A subset of the location indicators is displayed in a first manner (e.g. a darker color), while the remainder of the location indicators is displayed in a second and different manner (e.g. a lighter color). The subset of the indicators is determined based upon the portion of the set of information that is currently being displayed in the display region.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of and apparatus for displaying an electronic program guide. The method includes the step of displaying an axis (21) on the screen (20) which corresponds to a particular program attribute (e.g. channel name, broadcast time, program category, program title). The user may select a value from the axis, causing a pictogram (27) to be displayed, showing information about programs corresponding to the selected value. The pictogram's position corresponds to the position of the selected value. A new value may be selected by dragging the pictogram and/or shifting the axis.