Abstract: A method, system, apparatus, and computer-readable medium for the interactive notification of events is provided. A notification client application program executes in a background state and receives notifications from a business application server computer that an event has occurred. The notification may include a request to display a visual indication that the event has occurred, including a description of the event. In response to the request, the notification client application program displays a user interface window on the client computer including a description of the event that has occurred. The user interface window may include hyperlinks to additional Web content regarding the event, for scheduling appointments, for purchasing goods or services, or for placing a telephone call regarding the event.

Abstract: Systems and techniques to detach and reattach tabs presenting accessed objects in a multi-tab interface for a software application. In general, in one implementation, the system includes a windowed environment, and an application using the windowed environment and employing an application navigation structure. The application navigation structure includes a multi-tab user interface to objects handled by the application. The multi-tab user interface includes a tab-strip presenting opened objects in tabs including a detach interface element that causes a tab presenting an opened object to be transferred from the multi-tab user interface to a window in a multi-window user interface. The window includes an attach interface element that causes the window presenting the opened object to be transferred from the multi-window user interface to the multi-tab user interface.

Abstract: A user interface for viewing reference data associated with a conceptual entity and for execution of one or more complex processes for manipulating the data includes a process panel having one or more on-screen objects for the execution of the complex processes and a process work area for displaying a state of selected complex processes. A data viewer includes a content pane for the display of the reference data and one or more on-screen objects for selectively displaying at least a portion of the reference data and the process panel and data viewer are framed within a common window. The process panel and data viewer are selectably viewable and occupy overlapping positions within the common window.

Abstract: A display system uses so called rapid sequential visual presentation (RSVP) in which words are presented one after another in time, in a window for reading by a user. To provide context information, a thumbnail view of the document page or the section of text is also generated, and is used to indicate the location in the section of text of the word currently displayed in the RSVP window. In one example, an indicator is generated within the thumbnail view to show the position, and the indicator is moved automatically as the RSVP sequence advances. In another example, the thumbnail view is positioned in a background display pane behind the RSVP window, and the thumbnail view is moved relative to the RSVP window to indicate the current position in the text.

Abstract: In a display system and a display control method according to the present invention, a display specification data, which represents specifications of a display unit, is detected. A layout data of a document data is detected, the layout data being integrally stored with the document data and representing a page layout of data elements of the document data that are displayed on the display unit. The display unit is controlled such that the document data is displayed on the display unit in conformity with the detected display specification data and the detected layout data.

Abstract: There are provided a task display switching method, a portable apparatus and a portable communications apparatus which, when a plurality of application software are activated and processed in parallel, make it possible to switch a display between each of the application software with ease. According to the task display switching method, the portable apparatus and the portable communications apparatus of the present invention, in a portable apparatus capable of processing a plurality of tasks in parallel and of displaying a plurality of display regions for displaying data, an icon associated with a task displayed on a first display region is generated automatically or manually, and the generated icon is displayed in a second display region. When any icon thus generated is selected from a plurality of icons displayed on the second display region, the task associated with the selected icon is restored and displayed in the first display region.

Abstract: An information presentation computer receiving news articles distributed from an information distribution computer performs voice synthesis based on text information included in received send data, outputs obtained synthetic voice, and displays an animation image imitating a speaker of synthetic voice. In addition, a text to be spoken by synthetic voice is displayed in a letter color corresponding to each animation image.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided to develop and use complex automated tasks sequences. The tasks sequences are assembled graphically by assigning Actions to ActionDates. An Action is a component that performs a specific task such as preparing a document or making a database entry. An ActionDate includes the date on which an Action is to be performed. Actions and ActionDates may be grouped using an ActionList. Graphic representations of these ActionList can be added to ActionDates so that groups of tasks and the dates on which they are to be performed can be added to the task sequence for activities that are repeated at different points in the task list. The dates set in the ActionDate are computed and set dynamically from the ActionDate's relationship with other ActionDates in the task sequence. Once the task sequence is graphically assembled, instances of it are used to automatically perform the task sequence.

Abstract: A franking machine control panel and its associated method provide users with touch screen displays in which the main screens contain history tabs. When a history tab is pressed, the display reverts to the previous status of the category of interest, and allows the user to make changes if desired. In the preferred embodiment, the history tabs allow users to view and modify information which is mandatory to the franking process, such as the mail class and postage rates. Another aspect of the present invention allows the user to configure the more actively used buttons of touch screen on one side or the other, depending on the dominant side of the user's body.

Abstract: Apparatus for interactively generating a display signal. The apparatus comprises: a receiver (2) for receiving a broadcast signal (15), the broadcast signal comprising a plurality of datastreams each including image data defining a background object (22–270), and control parameters (28–39); a foreground computer generated imagery (CGI) device (3) for generating a foreground computer generated object (CGO); a mixer (4) for combining the foreground CGO with background object image data to generate the display signal; and interaction means (3) for receiving the control parameters from the receiver, monitoring the position of the foreground CGO, and adapting the display signal with reference to the monitored position of the foreground CGO and the received control parameters.

Abstract: An advertisement posting scheme utilizes a comprehensive information viewing device capable of displaying multiple Web pages on a display screen by enlarging or contracting each Web page at arbitrary magnification rate smoothly, rotating each Web page at arbitrary angle smoothly, arbitrarily varying and controlling transparency level of a plurality of Web pages that are arranged in superposition such that any overlapped hidden portion can be made visible, and three-dimensionally arranging the multiple Web pages such that the multiple Web pages can be viewed from arbitrary angle, for the purpose of displaying advertisements on the display screen at arbitrary positions, angles, sizes and transparency levels, in relation to the multiple Web pages.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for creating and automatically refreshing a composite web page. The present invention is a method, implementable in computer software, for selecting areas of interest from a plurality of web pages. The user creates a boundary around the areas of interest on each web page. The area inside the boundary, referred to as an information unit, remains visible while the area outside of the boundary becomes transparent. The user may then combine the plurality of information units together on a canvas web page. The user may then rearrange the information units on the canvas web page by dragging the information units to their intended destination. When the user has satisfactorily arranged the information units, the user may finalize the canvas web page into a composite web page. The invention may then refresh the composite web page automatically or upon user request.

Abstract: In a control and management system for automobiles, a central processor in the system connects traditionally unrelated vehicle subsystems together to realize synergistic functions such as smart driving, automatic parking, etc. A master interface having a display is employed in the system to help a user control and manage the vehicle functions.

Abstract: The present invention is a multi-function receiver that controls a plurality of graphic user interface displays. The receiver includes a first display processing section for performing graphic display processing based on a program stored in a memory, a second display processing section for performing graphic display processing based on a control signal included in a signal for a channel being received, and a control section connected to the memory for controlling the first and second display processing sections. The control section performs control so to display a graphic screen display-processed by one of the first and second display processing sections. Thereby, the graphic screen display-processed by the first display processing section and the graphic screen display-processed by the second display processing section can be prevented from being overlapped and moreover, the conventional control program used in the first display processing section can be utilized as it is, without being changed.

Abstract: An improved application sharing system and method are described wherein shared window data is treated according to different sets of rules depending upon the fraction of the shared window data that corresponds to the actual shared window. In this manner, occlusions of a shared window on a sharer display may be disguised or handled by a viewer display to minimize the impact of the occlusion on a viewing user, providing a more consistent and less confusing viewer experience.

Abstract: When a user wants to display application program status information or invoke a help function (either manually or automatically), a context-sensitive status or help display is provided that is either physically or virtually separate from the application program display. That is, the status or help display does not conceal or otherwise interfere with the main output of the application program. With this arrangement, the user is not inconvenienced by invoking a status request or help functions, nor is the user distracted by its display. The status or help information may be displayed in a portion of a single screen that does not overlap with the active window of the application program (a virtually separate display). Alternatively, a physically separate auxiliary display may be provided for display of the status or help information.

Abstract: Data processing system comprising at least a processing unit executing simultaneously a number of application programs, a memory for storing the application programs, a display subsystem for displaying on a screen a plurality of windows associated respectively with a plurality of application programs, each window being able to overlay partially or totally one or several windows already displayed on the screen, and a mouse for moving a cursor to a selected location of the screen. The display subsystem displays a focus buoy associated with each window at the same time the window is displayed, stores the coordinates of the location at which the focus buoy is displayed in a table in the memory, and in response to simply shaking the mouse, displays the focus buoys at each location defined in the table.

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: A method, system, and program is provided for displaying icons on a data processing system. The number of icons to be displayed on the computer screen is determined. The boundary area for displaying the icons on the computer screen is calculated. The sizes of the icons are then scaled to a size that allows all icons to be displayed in the boundary area while utilizing all available display space. The minimum and maximum sizes of the icons can be limited based on user preferences. If the icons cannot be scaled to fit within the boundary area using the user selected minimum size, then only a portion of the icon is displayed. In this manner, all icons are scaled and displayed at a size that utilizes the full boundary area of the display screen.

Abstract: Computer controlled processes rely upon graphical user interfaces to effect the man-machine interface. The page windows of the present invention are comprised of a base image screen that includes regions responsive to control and status stimuli, as well as static graphic representations. The base image screen is merged with a secondary image, which includes regions responsive to control and status stimuli, as well as static graphic representations. The process of merging the secondary image includes preventing the display of certain control and status regions on the base image, as dictated by the secondary image. Multiple secondary screens can be merged on the base image screen, thereby allowing multiple page windows to be created using only a base image and a plurality of secondary screens.

Abstract: Methods, systems and articles of manufacture for enhanced control over the positioning of dialog boxes in relation to hyperlinks within electronic documents. The controlled positioning is implemented to mitigate any undesirable placement of dialog boxes that might limit to user access to hyperlinks contained within the electronic document. Accordingly, embodiments are provided for determining a location within a displayed electronic document at which a dialog box may be positioned without obscuring any hyperlinks. In the event that such positioning is not possible, steps are taken to position the dialog box in a location that will result in the least interference between the user and a displayed document.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a user interface, data structure and method to facilitate management and/or access to data, such as by grouping graphical representations of the data in an image space relative to cluster indicators. A given graphical representation for selected data (e.g., a graphical object) can be associated with a corresponding cluster indicator based on its proximity to the cluster indicator. Thus, cluster membership can be changed, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, by moving graphical objects relative to the cluster indicators.

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: A method, system and program for displaying transparency characteristic aids are provided. A user interface is displayed comprising at least one displayable object within a display area controlled by a computer system. Responsive to an initiating event, placing a transparency characteristic aid within the display area in association with the initiating event, such that the at least one displayable object is not obscured by the transparency characteristic aid. The transparency resource aid may indicate resource usage of hardware, software, and graphical characteristics.

Abstract: A configurable user-interface component management system and method are provided where frame containers contain a number of child components and user-interface components. The frame containers and their children are arranged in a specific hierarchy that determine their on-screen appearance. The hierarchy is a result of the software architecture of the software objects corresponding to the visual on-screen objects. The user-interface components in each visual component are configured based on certain, predetermined policies. The method of managing the frame containers and their children includes waiting for an event that affects a frame and then responding by creating a frame, destroying a frame, changing a hierarchy order, moving a frame from one hierarchy to another, or sizing a frame, after which the appropriate policies are removed and applied as needed, affected hierarchies reconfigured and then saved.

Abstract: A method includes creating a first window to receive video which at least partially overlaps a second window on a region of overlap of the display. Pixels of the first window are set to a chroma color. Background pixels of the second window in the region of overlap are also set to the chroma color, The second window is configured to draw after the first window.

Abstract: Methods for manipulating a plurality of layered windows on a display are described. Specifically, the manipulation of layered windows includes moving a pointer to a visible portion of a partially hidden window and holding the pointer at the visible portion for a predetermined period of time. Responsive to the holding for a predetermined period of time, the partially hidden window is revealed. The manipulation of the layered windows can be used to drag and drop an icon from an active window to an inactive window. During the drag of an object, holding down a predetermined key on the keyboard can send the top-most-layered window to the back thereby disclosing other windows. If no drop occurs at the end of a drag operation, windows are returned to their original layers. However, if a drop occurs, the window in which the object is dropped becomes the topmost layer while other windows return to their original layers.

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 slide show presentation “plug-in” that permits the user to control an animated dynamic situation display during a PowerPoint slide-show presentation without interrupting the slide-show mode to edit the slide. A dynamic situation display file is encapsulated in a Slide object linked to a second window. A Replay Plug-In object is embedded in the PowerPoint slide to intercept user interface device (UID) events in the first slide show presentation window. These events are transferred through a COM Server object to the Slide object running in the second window, which uses a Dynamic Display object to control and edit the attributes of the dynamic situation display for replay in the second window overlapping the slide-show window.

Abstract: A method and system for ordering on-screen windows for display is disclosed in which an active window partially overlaps an inactive window and hides a portion of the inactive window. The movement of a mouse pointer is monitored to determine its location on the screen. In response to the inactive window being selected with the mouse pointer, the inactive window is given focus to enable the inactive window to receive event signals even though a portion of the inactive window remains hidden, whereby original display depths of the windows is maintained.

Abstract: A display system displays web pages from web sites located on data communications networks such as the Internet network. The display system has display controls and a plurality of non-overlapping display areas. Each display area has independent display area controls and independently displays a web page. The display controls include a sizing control operable by a user to alter a size of all display areas simultaneously with one control action. The display system in an embodiment includes a browser software program to provide communications and display support. The browser software program is executed in only one instance to provide the support for the plurality of display areas. The display controls also include a designator control operable by a user to designate the number of the non-overlapping display areas to be displayed. The display controls also include a drag and drop control for universal reference locators.

Abstract: Systems and methods for returning windows to an original location are described. When springing already open windows to a new location on a display space, it is desired to return that window to its original location for certain situations. A list is provided when the springing operation is initialized which captures information used to return the sprung window. According to exemplary embodiments, the relocation of various windows is tracked to ensure that each window is returned to an original location.