Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for presenting a plurality of options for selection. Each option is organized into either a category or a sub-category that is associated with a category. The association between categories and sub-categories is independent of time. Categories are displayed along one axis and sub-categories are displayed simultaneously along another orthogonal axis. The axis chosen for categories may depend on the direction that text associated with the categories is written. Categories and sub-categories are available for immediate selection, without first having to highlight or select any option. To account for a large number of options, categories and sub-categories may scroll as needed. The appearance of categories and sub-categories may be distinguished in some way, such as through colors, fonts, or borders.

Abstract: A method and system for organizing windows associated with an application are described. In one embodiment, a user command pertaining to multiple internal windows is received. The multiple internal windows are contained within a first frame controlled by an application. In response to the user command, a second frame controlled by the application is opened. Further, one or more of the multiple internal windows are moved to the second frame. In one embodiment, the internal windows are moved to the second frame in response to an operation performed by a user (e.g., a drag-and-drop operation). Alternatively, the internal windows are moved to the second frame automatically based on a criterion controlling the organization of the internal frames.

Abstract: A method, system, and program product are provided in which display data for a display area that includes at least one window is mapped to a shared format. Attribute information for each window in the display area is determined and stored in a unique node. A hierarchy of nodes is generated using the attribute information. For each pixel in the display area, the corresponding node is determined. Using the attribute information in the node, the display data is mapped to a shared format. The mapped display data can then be shared with one or more other systems.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for displaying multiple window applets on a computer. The applet is written using the frame class and intercepts the methods by which an applet is started and started by the computer to allow more than one applet, or more than one applet window, to be open at any given time. By intelligently intercepting the start and stop methods, and tracking which applets are open, multiple applets can be open at any given time within the system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for dynamic adjustment of an active sensor list. The method includes providing an active sensor list indicative of at least one sensor associated with at least one processing tool, the at least one sensor being communicatively coupled to a network having an associated bandwidth, receiving information indicative of a state of at least one of the processing tools, and modifying the active sensor list based on the information indicative of the state of the at least one of the processing tools and the associated network bandwidth.

Abstract: The present invention provides a document processing method and system which implement display that improves efficiency and usability of edit operations when inserting, moving, or copying & pasting data, by taking full advantage of the feature of retaining data and set values hierarchically in the system. In document processing for editing a document consisting of multiple sets of original data, when a user moves a graphic object which represents a desired original by dragging it on the document in order to move or copy the desired original data to a certain position on the document, the present invention detects the boundary between originals in the document, nearest to the position of the cursor dragging the graphic object which represents the desired original, and displays an identifiable mark on the boundary between originals in the document.

Abstract: A method, system, and program for automatically adjusting window representations based on activity are provided. Current activity of a window element displayed within a graphical interface is detected. A representation of the window element is automatically adjusted within the display area to reflect current activity of the window element, such that the representation of the window element is graphically represented. In particular, the window element representation may include a minimized icon or an open window. Further, window element activity may include use of the window element, adjustments to the transparency of the window element representation or current resource usage associated with the window element.

Abstract: A method to determine a font attribute includes: determining a first number and a second number; receiving input resulting from repositioning of a thumb of a slider to a position; and determining a value for the font attribute from the position relative to the first and second numbers. A font attribute is one of: a) font size; b) boldness; c) italic angle; d) baseline offset; e) line spacing; and f) character spacing. In one example, when the thumb is pushed against one end of the slider, at least one of the first number or the second number is adjusted. Another example shows at least one of the first number or the second number is updated when an input such as selecting a value from a list or typing in a value or pushing a thumb against one end of a slider is received.

Abstract: A system, method, and program controls the occurrence of unsolicited browser windows by enabling a user to specify a maximum depth of a window that can be opened. Before opening a new window, the browser determines the window depth in relation to the specified depth. If the new window to be opened has a given depth in relation to the specified setting which allows the new window to be opened, the window will be opened. If the new window to be opened has a given depth in relation to the specified setting which does not allow the new window to be opened, the window will not be opened. Furthermore, the browser prevents a new window from being opened from a current window if the current window is being closed.

Abstract: A graphical input device, preferably in a browser-based display, resembles a pull-down menu, with a displayed data entry field. The set of possible entries to be displayed along with the graphical input device varies depending on the user. The minimum display width needed for full-width display of the entries is evaluated by scripting and the actual display of the set is generated accordingly. The drop-down list and its listed entries may be wider than the data entry field. The user can thus view and select customized possible entries that cannot fit within the displayed data entry field. According to another aspect of the preferred embodiment of the invention, when the user is making selections from the drop-down list, multiple keyboard entries can be used to cause rapid scrolling to entries that match not only the first character entered, but also to entries whose first n characters match n characters entered while viewing the list.

Abstract: A multi-modal method for application swapping. An embodiment of a method includes, in response to a first key stroke, displaying a plurality of graphical icons corresponding to running applications, in response to a mouse input, selecting one of the graphical icons, and displaying the running application corresponding to the selected icon. The method enables a user to quickly and easily swap between currently running applications using a keyboard and a mouse.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for presenting a plurality of options for selection. Each option is organized into either a category or a sub-category that is associated with a category. The association between categories and sub-categories is independent of time. Categories are displayed along one axis and sub-categories are displayed simultaneously along another orthogonal axis. The axis chosen for categories may depend on the direction that text associated with the categories is written. Categories and sub-categories are available for immediate selection, without first having to highlight or select any option. To account for a large number of options, categories and sub-categories may scroll as needed. The appearance of categories and sub-categories may be distinguished in some way, such as through colors, fonts, or borders.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and system for defining a personalized sequence of discrete media content segments to be played at particular times. The media content segments are selected from live media content segments and archived media content segments. The method includes specifying an order of play of the media segments; specifying specific live media content segments having defined start times, durations and repeat intervals; and deriving a play sequence. The media content segments may be audio or video content segments. The system in a preferred embodiment is carried out using a series of web pages and the content defined by the sequence is provided to the user over a computer network.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a plurality of data items are displayed in different display forms corresponding to attributes of the data items in a list by recording a computer-readable recording medium with a data item list display program for causing a computer to display the data items in the different display forms in the list, the display forms corresponding to the respective attributes of the data items. Therefore, a data item can be displayed in the same display format in a list of data items of different attributes and in a list of data items of a single attribute, thus allowing users to easily understand the lists without confusion.

Abstract: A method, system and program for selectively adjusting transparency of windows within a user interface are provided. An n-level is determined within a z-order of at least one displayable object from among multiple displayable objects distributed within the z-order. A transparency level is selectively adjusted of the at least one displayable object within a user interface positioned at the n-level within the z-order, such that the transparency level of the at least one displayable object is selectively adjusted without adjusting the z-order of the displayable objects.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for displaying an electronic calendar in a scrollable cross-point navigation image having two bars, each containing panels corresponding to a separate folder or entry of the calendar's hierarchy of folders and entries. At the intersection of the bars is displayed the current lowest level and the next upper level, if any. In one embodiment, the next higher level is shown in an adjoining panel on a first bar, the next higher level in a next adjoining panel on that bar, until there are no further higher levels to display, at which point the remaining upper-most level folders are displayed. The second bar displays sub-folders or calendar entries within the folder in the focus panel. Moving in the folder hierarchy causes the panels in the first bar to shift to display all intervening levels through the top level.

Abstract: An improved data processing system in which a user of a GUI can easily designate one of a plurality of windows to be automatically filled in with predetermined, pre-stored information. A method and system are disclosed for selection of a target window from among a plurality of open windows so that the target window can be used for an application specific function, such as for the directing of digital wallet information to the target window only.

Abstract: Image browsing through memory-stored items, such as a library of images or desktop windows, is efficiently performed by arranging images in partially overlapping fashion and generating a second-level image for each overlapped image that is contacted by a user-manipulated cursor. The second-level image is a “transitory” image, since it is removed as soon as the cursor is displaced from the corresponding first-level image. Thus, by placing the first-level images in a diagonally extending stack, straight line movement of the cursor will initiate a sequential presentation of transitory images for the images in the stack. In one embodiment, the display also includes an incrementing icon and a decrementing icon that are employed to provide substitute stacks. Moreover, a third-level image is formed in a separate window when the user selects one of the images from the stack. This third-level image has more permanency, since it remains in the display window after the stack has been substituted.

Abstract: A system for displaying the status of a plurality of threaded tasks operating in the background includes a status bar; a progress control bar in the status bar for a primary task operating in the background and including a progress bar and first and second action buttons; the progress bar visually representing progress of a primary background operation; the first action button being selectable by a user for initiating an action with respect to the primary background operation and the second action button being selectable by a user for alternately displaying and canceling a drop list of secondary progress control bars for secondary tasks also operating in the background.

Abstract: Techniques for generating maps of graphical user interfaces of applications are provided. An application mapper programmatically executes an application to generate a map of the graphical user interface of the application. The map can include windows, graphical user interface objects, actions, shortcuts, and transitions. The map can be utilized by a script generator to generate scripts that include instructions to test the application.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system of maintaining and controlling the ordering and placement for display of individual GUI windows into groups or “decks” similar to a deck of playing cards on a desktop area of a computer display. The decks comprise collections of cascaded windows. The method and system control the decks such that the title bars of all windows of the deck are always simultaneously visible to the user no matter which window is selected as the active window. The act of moving the current top window back into a new position in the deck is defined as “shuffling” the windows. The method and system further provide auto-deck processes that automatically cascade defined applications, such as Internet Explorer windows, into a deck. In addition, the method and system may also include user-definable options as to the order of the shuffle, and includes the ability to drag the active window out of the deck and to drag any window into the deck.

Abstract: A device for monitoring the status of a plurality of subsystems includes a plurality of mutually exclusive windows on a display device. Each window includes information related to at least one of the subsystems. One or more of the windows includes a common user interface and a common display area for a subset of at least two of the windows. The common user interface includes selectable options for controlling the information displayed in the common display area, and the selectable options allow the user to display more detailed information related to the information displayed in one of the associated windows. Advisory information regarding the status of the subsystems can be included in one or more of the windows, along with a selectable option to display a checklist for the subsystem associated with each advisory message. The display system can be used to monitor operation and status of various types of systems including mobile vehicles, machines, biological organisms, and building facilities.