Patent · US Expired

Method and system for multi-dimensional scrolling of displayed data collections in a data processing system

US5528259A · kind A · utility

41Cited by
7References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 29, 1992
Grant dateJun 18, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 29, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F3/04855
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for permitting multi-dimensional scrolling of overlapping data collections which are displayed in multiple layers or in a simulated three-dimensional manner within a data processing system. A moveable and selectable control icon, such as the scroll box, is displayed within a scroll bar in the data processing system in association with a display of a portion of a selected data collection. The portion of the selected data collection which is displayed may be scrolled in a vertical or horizontal direction by moving a control icon in a so-called "drag and drop" technique or by designating a new location within the scroll bar utilizing a graphical pointing device, such as a mouse. A display of a portion of an alternate data collection may be provided in response to a selection and manipulation of the scroll box by a user and the physical appearance of the depth of the scroll box is altered to provide a graphic indication of relative display position within the multiple layers of data collections thus displayed.

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