Patent · US Expired

System for interactively creating action bar pull-down windows of a user interface for use at program run time

US5121477A · kind A · utility

109Cited by
28References
24Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 8, 1988
Grant dateJun 9, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 8, 2008

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S715/975
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Customized screens are generated in accordance with the invention for interfacing with an application program in an information processing system. During a panel definition phase when a panel designer creates a customized panel, panel actions are selected from a default list of panel operations and commands, including searching, adding, changing or deleting data from a database, showing long fields, blanking out a panel, displaying a prior panel, and printing. The actions are specified in a pop-up window during panel definition. Mnemonics and function keys may be specified for each action. The invention dynamically creates pull-down windows based on the actions specified which become part of the panel interface available to the run time user from an application action bar. Users may select actions to interact with the panel in like manner to interaction with other portions of the application user interface by means of cursor selection, input of the action number, mnemonics, or activation of a function key. Also during panel design a custom word or phrase for the panel action may be specified for subsequent display in the pull-down windows during run time. A mode such as Add data or…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.