Interactive tooltip
US6828988B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 27, 2001 |
| Grant date | Dec 7, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 18, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F9/453
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An interactive tooltip provides access to help information and enhanced editing capabilities. The interactive tooltip is especially useful for a user editing a function within a spreadsheet formula. The present invention integrates HTML-like interactivity with a conventional tooltip to provide a new interface for working with the associated data. The interactivity of the tooltip provides additional levels of help or documentation when requested and provides additional editing navigation functionality within the associated data. The present invention provides a tooltip in close proximity to the associated data, while the associated data is being edited. In the case of a spreadsheet, a tooltip will be provided when the user begins editing a function within a spreadsheet cell. The help facility of the present invention recognizes that the user has begun entering a function, when the user has entered an equals sign (identifying a formula), a known function name, and a parenthesis (indicating the beginning of an argument set). The help facility then references a function database and determines the required argument set. The help facility renders the function name and argument set in an…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.