Ast Research, Inc.

Gateway, Inc.

Chris Crawford

Theodore David Wugofski

Gary E Sullivan

Douglas Bonser

A multimedia system includes an information handling system, and a plurality of multimedia devices operatively and electrically connected to a computer of the system. Software modules residing in computer memory interpret control commands. This includes receiving a high level device control command, generating a generic device control script based on a device interconnect model and the high level device control command, interpreting the generic device control script, and transmitting specific device control commands to a device through a device interface.

Method and system for interpreting device control commands

A system and method for automatically arranging objects inside a container of a graphical user interface in a visually attractive and effective manner. In a departure from the art, selectable grid styles are provided for arranging cells into different configurations inside the container. Depending on the grid style available, the cells may be placed in any one of many different grid styles, such as rectangular, rhombus-shaped, or circular. Furthermore, identifiers are utilized for placing objects such as icons or buttons in each cell and ordering the objects for other user applications. In this way, different grid styles can be utilized and/or easily changed and new grid styles can easily be added.

Arrangement system for object placement on windows

A system for implementing a pop-up help system for a computer graphical user interface is disclosed. In a departure from the art, the pop-up help system provides help information on graphical display elements (GDEs), such as icons and text instructions, in the form of a help window that is not character or format limited and that is displayed when the associated GDE is selected. The pop-up help system also allows direct access to additional help information and provides for the display of graphics and the execution of multimedia objects. The pop-up help system comprises a GDE (a 'help window'), which is displayed when the mouse pointer is moved over a GDE associated therewith. The help window comprises information regarding the associated GDE and may comprise multimedia objects or user activated buttons for accessing additional help information or for performing other actions. The help window is displayed until the neither the help window or GDE are selected and a user-specified time period has elapsed.

Growing community of inventors

Fort Worth, TX, United States of America

Chris Crawford