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:
Feb. 05, 2002
Filed:
Jul. 28, 2000
Patrick J. Naughton, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Charles H. Clanton, III, San Franciso, CA (US);
James A. Gosling, Woodside, CA (US);
Chris Warth, San Francisco, CA (US);
Joseph M. Palrang, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Edward H. Frank, Portola Valley, CA (US);
David A. La Valle, Palo Alto, CA (US);
R. Michael Sheridan, Oakton, CT (US);
Sun Microsystems, Inc., Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
An intuitive graphical user interface is based upon a geographic map structure, and includes a system for controlling remote external electronic devices. In the defined graphical user interface, each Space of the geographic map structure is rendered on a touch screen display as a graphic image of a geographic space. Within each Space are colored cartoon-like icons called “objects” which can be Selected and manipulated by the user. Certain objects, referred to as portals, transport the user from one Space to another Space when Selected. Other objects, referred to as buttons, perform associated actions or functions when Selected. The graphical user interface is displayed on a hand-held display device used to control remote devices. Each remote electronic device transmits a user interface program object that defines a graphical user interface to the display device. The hand-held display devices displays the graphical user interface associated with the remote device when a user selects an icon associated with the remote device on the display device's touch screen display.