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:
May. 05, 1998
Filed:
May. 10, 1996
Michael Victor Stein, San Jose, CA (US);
Paul Richard Wenker, Milpitas, CA (US);
Apple Computer, Inc., Cupertino, CA (US);
Abstract
A graphical user interface for a computer includes an arrangement of icons that provides for a large number of icons to be present on screen while maintaining a large amount of useable screen space. An icon text description setting out the icon's function is provided adjacent to each icon. The icon text description is presented in truncated form when the icon is not designated by a cursor. When the icon is designated by a cursor, the icon text description is expanded to a full length thereby more fully describing the icon's function. When an icon is designated by a cursor, the text descriptions for undesignated icons are blanked, thereby focusing attention on the designated icon. This arrangement has the desirable effect of providing a user with a ready means of identifying or reaffirming icon function while avoiding the consumption of useful screen space.