The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 30, 1996
Filed:
Jan. 27, 1993
James E Palmer, Redwood City, CA (US);
John R Powers, III, Monte Sereno, CA (US);
Patricia J Coleman, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Gregory S Brewer, Pleasanton, CA (US);
Jeffrey A Herman, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Eli Cochran, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Apple Computer, Inc., Cupertino, CA (US);
Abstract
A user interface includes an object oriented graphic user interface having overlapping windows and provides an access window having topics, index and look for button functions for selection by a user. Through the use of the topics, index or look for functions, a help inquiry is defined. The selection of one of the button functions results in the generation and display of entries in a predefined area of the access window. Upon the selection of one of the entries by a user, phrases related to the selected entry are displayed in a working area of the access window. The selection of one of the phrases results in the display of a presentation window containing help instruction data to guide the user in the particular help task specified by the entry and phrase selection. To further assist the user, visual cues in the form of coach marks are generated for identifying features on the display which relate to the information disposed within the presentation window, but may identify any feature on the display. The coach marks are displayed generally concurrently with the display of the presentation window. The coach marks are displayed such that they appear animated as if drawn by hand and appear to approximate a geometric object, such as an arrow, a circle, an X, and the like. The coach marks encircle, point to, and/or underline objects, features, icons, folders and other display elements to assist the user in operating the computer system.