Patents by Inventor Lance Jeffery Purple

Lance Jeffery Purple 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).

  • Method and apparatus in a data processing system for accessing data
    Patent number: 6252587
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Lance Jeffery Purple
  • Graphical user interface having a shared menu bar for opened applications
    Patent number: 5745115
    Abstract: A computer system and method of operation are disclosed that simplifies the menu bar for use by a group of active applications. The computer system typically uses a bus coupled to a central processing unit and further coupled via the bus to a computer system memory. The computer system further includes an X Window menu manager and an X Window menu bar, both of which are located within the computer system memory during operation. The X Window menu manager includes a shared menu library. The X Window menu manager implements simultaneously instantiation of a set of menu widgets from the shared menu library that are associated with a computer program selected from the several active computer programs when the program focus is shifted to one of the active programs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lance Jeffery Purple, Leigh Allen Williamson