Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for generating and displaying visual cues on a graphic user interface

US5550967A · kind A · utility

38Cited by
30References
48Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 18, 1995
Grant dateAug 27, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 18, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S715/977
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

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. To assist the user, visual cues in the form of coach marks are generated for identifying features on the display. The coach marks are rendered 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.

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