Patents by Inventor Frederic P. Messinger

Frederic P. Messinger has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7000187
    Abstract: Support and training are provided for a user in operating a software application. A list of task indications are coupled to a GUI window. A graphical overlay is positioned on top of the GUI window and coupled to it. A sequence of instructions associated with a respective task is displayed in the graphical overlay upon selection of a task indication by the user. Each instruction directs attention to a respective selectable graphical area in the GUI window. The user operates a selector coupled to the GUI window, where after selecting a task, the selector is used to select graphical areas in response to the sequence of instructions. Recorded voice files or a text-to-speech synthesizer may be coupled to the sequence of instructions, whereby the instruction being displayed is simultaneously presented audibly to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederic P. Messinger, Bruce E. Nevin
  • Publication number: 20020154153
    Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for supporting and training a user in operating a software application. A list of task indications are coupled to the GUI window. A graphical overlay is positioned on top of the GUI window and coupled to it. A sequence of instructions associated with a respective task is displayed in the graphical overlay upon selection of the task indication by the user. Each instruction directs attention to a respective selectable graphical area in the GUI window. The user operates a selector coupled to the GUI window, where after selecting a task, the selector is used to select graphical areas in response to the sequence of instructions. In the preferred embodiment, the present invention further comprises recorded voice files or a text-to-speech synthesizer coupled to the sequence of instructions, whereby the instruction being displayed is simultaneously presented audibly to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 1999
    Publication date: October 24, 2002
    Inventors: FREDERIC P. MESSINGER, BRUCE E. NEVIN
  • Patent number: 6425007
    Abstract: A network navigation and viewing system is disclosed for use in managing a network. The network includes a plurality of digital devices interconnected by communication links in at least one domain, with each device having a device identifier and each domain having a domain identifier. The network navigation and viewing system facilitates generation of a graphical image depicting a logical organization of the network. The network navigation and viewing system in one aspect retrieving device identifier and domain identifier information for the devices connected in the network and uses them to generate a network organization graphical image for display to an operator, the image comprising a plurality of icons each representing a device, with the icons being aggregated in the network organization graphical image by domain thereby to depict the logical organization of the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Frederic P. Messinger
  • Patent number: 5793974
    Abstract: A network navigation and viewing system is disclosed for use in managing a network. The network includes a plurality of digital devices interconnected by communication links in at least one domain, with each device having a device identifier and each domain having a domain identifier. The network navigation and viewing system facilitates generation of a graphical image depicting a logical organization of the network. The network navigation and viewing system in one aspect retrieving device identifier and domain identifier information for the devices connected in the network and uses them to generate a network organization graphical image for display to an operator, the image comprising a plurality of icons each representing a device, with the icons being aggregated in the network organization graphical image by domain thereby to depict the logical organization of the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1998
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Frederic P. Messinger