Method and system for facilitating the selection of icons
US5564004A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 13, 1994 |
| Grant date | Oct 8, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 13, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S715/977
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and system for facilitating the selection of icons. Those icons which are next likely to be used are selected and automatically moved towards a cursor thereby facilitating selection of the icons. Additionally, those icons likely to be used or other icons selected by a user may track the cursor such that those icons are always close to the cursor and capable of being easily selected. Further, in order to facilitate selection of icons, icons are provided with the capability of announcing themselves when a cursor comes close to the icon. In addition, it is possible to reduce the amount of clutter on a computer display so that icons may be easily selected. In order to clean up a computer display, icons which are least likely to be used are faded, eliminated or shrunk to a smaller size. In another embodiment, icons that are not used very often may disappear into a master icon and further, icons which have a conceptual relationship between them may be linked by a visual graphical representation.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.