International Business Machines Corporation

Jerry A Blades

Harvey Gene Kiel

Raymond F Romon

Cary Lee Bates

Jeffrey Michael Ryan

Paul Reuben Day

Gary Scott Delp

Jonathan W Byrn

Richard Allan Auerbach

Richard A Auerbach

A display window is displayed in association with at least one scroll bar at a terminal associated with a first user. Along the shaft of one ore more scroll bars, a distinctive visual location cue, such as a line in a color associated with a second user, is displayed to indicate the relative location within the shared data collection of the current and historical activity of a second user. A user may temporarily prohibit manipulation of a region within the shared data collection by other users by establishing a 'lock' on the region. A lock region may comprise several lines of text, a portion of a graphical object, or other data within the shared data collection. To indicate the location of lock regions, lock region location cues are also displayed along the scroll bar. In addition to indicating the location of lock regions, lock region location cues also indicate which user has established a lock region via a distinctive display attribute, preferably a distinctive color associated with the user who established the lock region. The location of a lock region is also indicated within the display area of a window by displaying the lock region with the same distinctive display attribute as the lock region location cue. In addition, when a cursor associated with a user prohibited from manipulating a lock region is located within the lock region, an aspect of the cursor, such as its shape, is altered. A preferred embodiment displays a representation of a key rather than a standard cursor to indicate to a user that his cursor is within a lock region.

Method and system for graphically indicating the activity of a plurality

A data processing system for efficiently manipulating a graphic object displayed within a graphic user interface in the data processing system. The graphic object is defined by interrelated variables. Under the present invention, interrelated variables defining the graphic object are associated with at least one data structure, wherein the each data structure includes a value for at least one of the interrelated variables. An editing object is displayed within the graphic user interface in response to a selection of the graphic object by a user. The user is permitted to alter a value for one of the interrelated variables utilizing the editing object. A value for at least one other variable is automatically altered in response to the user altering the value for one of the interrelated variables utilizing the editing object. A display of the graphic object automatically altered in response to an alteration of the value for the at least one other variable, wherein the graphic object is efficiently manipulated.

Method and system for manipulating graphical objects

A system and method for automatically repositioning and/or resizing scroll bars and other control constructs within a computer window environment. The system monitors the control constructs corresponding to open windows on the display device in order to determine if any of the control constructs are at least partially obstructed or not controllable. This monitoring may occur during each refresh of the display device. If any of the control constructs are not visible or controllable, the system automatically repositions and/or resizes the control construct so that it is visible and/or may be controlled by an operator.

Visibility seeking scroll bars and other control constructs

A visually aging scroll bar is associated with a window or viewport on a computer display as part of a computer system, and contains a slider to indicate relative positioning in the window of a document, such as a data file, image file, audio file, text file, or spreadsheet. The current position of the scroll bar slider is monitored by the computer system. After a first predetermined sampling period has elapsed, a first region matching the current position of the scroll bar slider is created. The visual appearance of the region is determined by a predetermined region heating rate. For example, a newly created region starts at 'cold', which can be indicated by a violet-indigo color. After a second sampling period has elapsed, the computer system again checks the current position of the scroll bar slider. If the current position still matches the first region, the visual appearance of the first region symbolically 'warms up' as indicated by the region heating rate. This incrementally changing visual appearance (for example, from violet to indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and finally a deep red) continues for as long as the current slider position matches the first region, up until a maximum region symbolic 'temperature' is reached.

Visually aging scroll bar

A method and system in a data processing system for efficiently managing a plurality of displayable objects within a display. Graphic selections of displayable objects arranged in a substantially circular formation are displayed in conjunction with a rotatable pointer or bar which is rotatable about a pivot point within the graphic selection arranged in a substantially circular formation. A moveable control element may be provided along the rotatable pointer or bar. The rotatable pointer or bar also includes one end which may be utilized for designating one of the graphic selections. The display of the displayable object may be altered in response to a selection of one of the graphic selections utilizing the end of the rotatable pointer or bar and in response to a manipulation of the moveable control element.

Method and system for manipulating data through a graphic user interface

A method and system in a data processing system for enhancing user efficiency in initiating a sequence of data processing system user inputs. Within the data processing system, data processing system stimulus events are identified and stored in a data base. Each sequence of data processing system user inputs which occurs in response to a subsequent occurrence of the identified stimulus event is also stored in the data base. The probability of an occurrence of a selected sequence of data processing system user inputs in response to a subsequent occurrence of the stimulus event is then calculated, utilizing the data base of stored sequences of data processing system user inputs. Upon subsequent recognition of a data processing system stimulus event, one or more selected sequences of data processing system user inputs are identified and displayed, along with an indicated probability of a user executing each identified sequence of data processing system user inputs. Thereafter, in response to a user input, a selected one of the identified sequences of data processing system user inputs may be automatically initiated, thereby enhancing a user's efficiency in performing a sequence of data processing system inputs within said data processing system.

System for enhancing user efficiency in initiating sequence of data

A method and system in a data processing system having a display device for efficiently managing the display of an image. The image includes a number of segments, wherein only a portion of the segments may be simultaneously displayed within the display device at a selected resolution. The method and system of the present invention provides a substantially circular control icon having a defined periphery. One or more of the segments within the image may be associated with selected points along the defined periphery. A rotatable pointer element rotatable about a point within the substantially circular control icon is also provided. The portion of the segments displayed within the display device is selectively altered in response to a rotation of the rotatable pointer element. The display of the image also may be altered in response to movement of a slider or some other control element within the rotatable pointer element.

Method and system for manipulating wide-angle images

A method and system for visually altering characteristics of an iconic representation in response to a user's interaction with an object within a data processing system. The user initially associates an iconic representation for each object and selects the information to be monitored for each object. Parameters which may be monitored include the number of times the user interacts with the object, the amount of time the user spent interacting with the object, or the passage of time. This information is then stored in a database. The user's interaction with each object is then monitored, and the visual characteristics of the iconic representations associated with each object are then altered in response to the user's interaction with each object.

Method and system for visually displaying information on user

A method and system for the automatic alteration of a display of multiple user selectable menu options. A counter is associated with each user selectable menu option. The counter associated with a user selectable menu option is then incremented in response to each selection by a user of the user selectable menu option. The display of the user selectable menu option is automatically altered in response to a state of the associated counter.

Method and system for automatic alteration of display of menu options

A method and a system in a distributed data processing network for enhancing the processing of a plurality of related data packets received at a receiving station within the distributed data processing network, each of the data packets having a header associated herewith includes sequentially receiving a number of data packets at the receiving station. Next, the header associated with a first data packet is examined and predicted profile is generated for comparison with a related subsequent data packet. The next data packet received is then compared with the predicted profile to determine whether or not the two data packets may be consolidated.

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Rochester, MN, United States of America

Jerry A Blades