Patent · US Expired

Software interface

US6459441B1 · kind B1 · utility

122Cited by
3References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 3, 1999
Grant dateOct 1, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 3, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F9/451
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A software control method includes forming groups of software application functions. A different characteristic is associated with each of the groups, and a different graphical user interface (GUI) object is formed for each function in each of the groups. Each GUI object includes the characteristic associated with its function's group and a second characteristic that distinguishes its function from other functions within its function's group. A computer program residing on a computer-readable medium includes instructions for causing a computer to form a different graphical user interface (GUI) object for each of a collection of software functions. Each GUI object may include a first visual characteristic that identifies a first characteristic of the object's associated function, and a second visual characteristic that identifies a second characteristic of the object's associated function.

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