Netscape Communications Corporation

America Online, Inc.

German W Bauer

Steven F Mansour

Timeline for a computer display

An interface for scheduling temporal events is provided in the form of a time line associated with a desktop metaphor. The interface comprises a clock representation in any of several formats that is associated with a display, where the clock has a first display configuration that is integrated into an electronic desktop in a seamless and consistent fashion, and that represents a most minimized state of the scheduling interface. The clock also has one or more additional display configurations that represent expanded states to provide a time line representation of such items scheduled events, related documentation, participant identity, and resource management tools.

Time line for desktop metaphor

A user interface, for example for Internet and intranet agents, embodies the technical potential of automation and delegation into a cohesive structure. The invention also provides intelligent assistance to the client user interface and provides an interface that is centered on autonomous processing of whole tasks rather than sequences of commands, as well as the autonomous detection of contexts which require the launch of a process, especially where such context is time-based.

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Garches, France

German W Bauer