CA1301348C - Search controls allowing a user to use a keyboard and display to select from a plurality of entries - Google Patents
Search controls allowing a user to use a keyboard and display to select from a plurality of entriesInfo
- Publication number
- CA1301348C CA1301348C CA000580891A CA580891A CA1301348C CA 1301348 C CA1301348 C CA 1301348C CA 000580891 A CA000580891 A CA 000580891A CA 580891 A CA580891 A CA 580891A CA 1301348 C CA1301348 C CA 1301348C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- entry
- entries
- display
- letter
- region
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
- G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
- G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
- G06F3/048—Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
- G06F3/0484—Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
- G06F3/04842—Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
- G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
- G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
- G06F3/048—Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
- G06F3/0481—Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
- G06F3/0482—Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
- G06F40/00—Handling natural language data
- G06F40/20—Natural language analysis
- G06F40/274—Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs
Abstract
Abstract An improved apparatus and method for selecting entries within a plurality of entries is presented. The preferred embodiment of the invention includes a search control processor which causes an edit box and a list box to be displayed on a display. In the list box is displayed a subset of entries from a plurality of entries. As letters are typed on a keyboard, the letters are displayed in the edit box. The search control processor causes a first entry from the plurality of entries to be highlighted when the first letter(s) of the first entry match the letters displayed in the edit box and when the first entry in in alphabetical order before any other entry from the plurality of entries whose first letters(s) match the letter(s) displayed in the edit box. When a user presses "ENTER" or some other designated key on the keyboard the search control processor selects the entry highlighted on the screen. Since often the list box is not sufficiently large to display all entries in the plurality of entries, when the first entry whose first letter(s) match the letters in the edit box is not displayed, the search control processor will cause the list box to scroll so that the first entry is displayed.
Also if the first letter(s) of no entry from the plurality of entries matches the letter(s) in the edit box, the search control processor will cause the list box to be scrolled to the top of the list of entries, and depressing the "ENTER" key will have no effect.
Alternately, depressing the "ENTER" key could result in an error message.
Also if the first letter(s) of no entry from the plurality of entries matches the letter(s) in the edit box, the search control processor will cause the list box to be scrolled to the top of the list of entries, and depressing the "ENTER" key will have no effect.
Alternately, depressing the "ENTER" key could result in an error message.
Description
~L3~3~
IMPROVED SEARCH CONTROLS ALLOWING A USER TO USE A KEYBOARD
AND DISPLAY TO SELECT ONE FROM A PLURALIT~ OF ENTRIES
Background The present invention relates to search control which give a user an improved way to make a selection using a key board and a display.
In certain computing systems, a user uses a mouse to move a cursor on a displa~ screen. A button on the mouse is pushed to indicate the user's desire to make a selection.
As reference now will have to be made to the drawings, these will first be briefly described as follows:
Figure 1 is a block diagram of a display demonstrating a prior way of selecting an entry from a list of entries.
Figure 2~ shows a block diagram of a computing system in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2B shows a mouse in according with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Figures 3 through 7 shows display which illustrate how selections may be made in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
For instance, Figure 1, shows an example of what may appear on a display screen in the prior art. ~ist o~ application names 3 appear enclosed in a selection box. A cursor 2 appears on the screen controlled by a mouse (not shown). When the mouse moves on a surface, the cursor moves on the screen. When a user wants to select one of applications 3 he moves the mouse such ; that cursor 2 is placed over his selection. The user then pushes a button on the mouse, which causes the selection to be highlightPd. The user then moves cursor 2 to be within box 8, labelled Select. Once there the user again pushes the button on the mouse. The computer then acts upon the user's selection.
, ~ ., .~
IMPROVED SEARCH CONTROLS ALLOWING A USER TO USE A KEYBOARD
AND DISPLAY TO SELECT ONE FROM A PLURALIT~ OF ENTRIES
Background The present invention relates to search control which give a user an improved way to make a selection using a key board and a display.
In certain computing systems, a user uses a mouse to move a cursor on a displa~ screen. A button on the mouse is pushed to indicate the user's desire to make a selection.
As reference now will have to be made to the drawings, these will first be briefly described as follows:
Figure 1 is a block diagram of a display demonstrating a prior way of selecting an entry from a list of entries.
Figure 2~ shows a block diagram of a computing system in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2B shows a mouse in according with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Figures 3 through 7 shows display which illustrate how selections may be made in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
For instance, Figure 1, shows an example of what may appear on a display screen in the prior art. ~ist o~ application names 3 appear enclosed in a selection box. A cursor 2 appears on the screen controlled by a mouse (not shown). When the mouse moves on a surface, the cursor moves on the screen. When a user wants to select one of applications 3 he moves the mouse such ; that cursor 2 is placed over his selection. The user then pushes a button on the mouse, which causes the selection to be highlightPd. The user then moves cursor 2 to be within box 8, labelled Select. Once there the user again pushes the button on the mouse. The computer then acts upon the user's selection.
, ~ ., .~
3~
.
la Alternatively, in order to make a selection, once a user has placed cursor 2 over a selection, some prior art systems allow a user to push the button twice in quick succession. Other systems may have two buttons on a mouse, one used for highlighting a selection, and one used for when a user finally wants to make a selection. Finally, in some systems, pushing a button on a mouse down may cause a -~ 2 ~3~
seleotlon to be hlghlighted. Releaslng the button may cause the selection to be made.
Often tlmes only a limitad number of ~electlon~ may be dlsplayed at one tlme. For instance, ln Figure 1, only nine applicatlons in alphabetical order are ~hown. Howaver, a total list Or the applications may be much larger. The other seleotion~ may be addressed by using scroll bar 4.
Scroll bar 4 contains a scroll region 7, an arrow box 5 and an arrow box 6. In Figure 1 scroll region 7 is at the border of arrow box 5. This indlcates that the first entries o~ the list Or applioations are shown. When scroll region 7 19 at the border Or arrow box 6, this indicates that the last entries Or the list Or application~ are shown.
When 30roll reglon 7 19 ln between these extreme posltions, this lndiqates some lntermediate entrles of the list of applieatlons are bein8 shown.
Soroll reglon 7 may be moved by varlous methods. For instanoe, when soroll reglon 7 i9 not at the border Or arrow box 6, a user may soroll down the shown list Or applloatlons by placing cursor 2 in arrow 6 and depressing a button on the mouae. Upon each depression Or the button the top displayed entry disappears~ a new bottom entry appears at tha bottom and all the other selections move upward. Al~o, soroll region 7 moves lncrementally downward. Simllarly~
placing oursor 2 ln arrow 5 and depressing the button on the mouse causes the 11st o~ applications to be scrolled upward and scroll region 7 to be moved incrementally upward.
~ ~3~3415 Further, the 11st Or appllcations may be sorolled by placing oursor 2 in scroll reeions 7 and depres3ing the button on the mouse. The scroll region will then follow cursor 2 up -and down scroll bar 4 until the button i9 released. Upon release~ entries in the list of appllcations would appear whi¢h would correspond to the looation Or scroll region 7 on scroll bar 4.
As can be seen, the prior art method 19 a visual, ea~y to use method Or ~electing an entry from a 11st.
Nevertheles~, when a 11st Or entr~es is very long7 it may be inconvenient ~or a user to try and locate the exact entry.
Further, many typists prefer to remove their ringers rrom the keyboard as seldom as possible. In the prlor art method, however, lt 19 neoessary to use a mouse to make a seleotion.
Summary Or- t e Invention In aooordance with the preferred embodlment Or the present lnvention~ an improved apparatus and method rOr selecting entries within a plurallty Or entrie~ i9 `~ presented. The prererred embodilnent Or the invention J 20 includes a sèarch oontrol processor which oauses an edit box and a 11st box to be displayed on a dlsplay. In the list box is displayed a subset Or entrles from a plurallty Or entries. As letters are typed on a keyboard, the letters are dlsplayed in the edlt box. The searoh control prooessor cau~es a rlrst entry rrom tha plurality Or entries to be highlighted when the Iirst lett2r(s) Or the rirst entry match the letters displayed ln the edit box and when the L34~3 ~, .
first entry in an alphabetical order before any other entry from the plurality of entries whose first letter(s) match the letter(s) displayed in the edit box. When a user presses "ENTER" or some other designated key on the keyboard the search control processor selects the entry highlighted on the screen.
Since often the list box is not sufficiently large to display all entries in the plurality of entries, when the first entry whose first letter(s) match the letters in the edit box is not displayed, the search control processor will cause the list box to scroll so that the first entry is displayed. Also if the first letter(s3 of no entry from the plurality of entries matches the letter(s) in the edit box, the search control processor will cause the list box to be scrolled to the top of the list of entries, and depressing the "ENTER" key will have no effect. Alternately~
depressing the "ENTER" key could result in an error message.
When there are a large number of entries in a list, the present invention allows a user to make a selection quickly, ~0 with a minimum amount of keystrokes~ It is not necessary for his hands to leave the keyboard. Additionally, the visual display aids the user in determining that he has made a correct choice.
~arious aspects of this invention are as follows:
In a computing system having a keyboard and a display, a method for allowing a user from a keyboard to select a selected entry from a plurality of entries, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) displaying in a first region on the display letters typed in by the user on the keyboard;
(b) displaying in a second region on the display a first subset of the plurality of entries;
(c) highlighting a first entry whose first letter(s) match the letter(s) displayed in the first region when the first entry is in alphabetical order before any other entry from the plurality of entries whose first letter(s) match the ~3~3~L~
4a letter(s) displayed in the first region; and, (d) making the first entry the selected entry when the user presses a designated key on the keyboard.
In a comput.ing system having a display and a keyboard, : 5 an apparatus for selecting a selected entry from a plurality of entries, the apparatus comprising:
display control means coupled to the display for displaying things on the display; and, search control processor means, coupled to the display control means and responsive to the keyboard, for causing the display control means to display information and for allowing the selection of the selected entry, the search control processor means including edit box means for causing the search control processor to display in a first region of the display, letters typed in on the Xeyboard, list display means, for causing the search control processor to display in a second region of the display, in alphabetical order, a first subset of the plurality of entries, ~` highlight means for causing the search control processor to highlight on the display a first entry displayed in the second region when the first letter(s) in the first entry match the letter(s) displayed in the first region when the first entry is in alphabetical order before any other entry from the plurality o~ entries whose first letter(s) match the letter(s) displayed in the first region; and, selection means for making the first entry the selected entry when a designated key on the keyboard is pressed.
.
.. . .
Description of the Preferred Embodiment Figure 2A shows a computing system in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
A monitor 1~, a mouse 20 and a keyboard 19 are coupled to a computer 18. A membry 10 is resident within computer 18 as represented by arrow 21.
`:
Memory 10, may, for example, contain an application program 11, an application program 12, an application program 13, a main help module 16 and system intrinsics 17.
Application programs 12, 13 and 14 call a main help module 16. Within main help module is a search control processor 15. Search control processor 15 utilizes system intrinsics 17 to display a selection box 30 shown in Figures 3 through 7.
An example of code embodying search control processor 15 is included with this application as Figure 8. The code ~3~
is wrltten in the "C" programming language and calls system intrin3ics 17. System intrinsics 17 may be routlnes within an operating 3y3tem suoh as Windows, available from Mlcrosort Corporation, having a busines3 address at 16011 NE
36th Way, Redmond, WA 98073-9717.
Figure 2B shows a top view Or mouse 20. Mouse 20 lncludes a button 27 and a button 28.
Flgure 3 show~ selectlon box 30 as dl~played on display 1~4. Within selectlon box 30 ls a list box 34. Withln list ~- 10 box 34 ~election entries 33 are dlsplayed.. In the present embodiment~ eaoh entry rrom selectlon entries 33 desoribes a topio which for which a "he~lp" program will provide inrormation on. Thus, for lnstanoe, a user oan get informatlon on lcons by selectlng the entry Prom the 15 selectlon of di3played entrle3 33 which say3 "Ioon".
In this pre~erred embodiment~ seleotion of entries using a mouse may be done in the way de3crlbed ln the dlscus3ion oP Prior Art of Figure 1. A3 ln Flgure 1, a scroll bar 32 may be used by ln th0 selection process.
In Fi~ure 3~ there is additlonally included an edlt box 31. Edlt box 31 may be used to type ln the name of the selection. Thl~ allows the user to make a selectlon uslng keyboard 19, and wlthout using mouse 30. For ln~tarce, rather than using a mou3e to seleot the entry labelled 'iClose", a user could~ uslng keyboard 19, type in the letter~ "o" "l" "o" "9" "e". The word "close" appear in edit box 31. Upon pressing "ENTER" on keyboard 19, ~earch .
13~134B
control proce~sor 15 would cause the entry "Close" to be selected. As explalned below, although a u3er may oompletely 9pell out "c" "l" "o" "9" "e", ln the preferred embodiment of` the present lnvention, lt is not necessary to 5 type ln all the letters. As wlll ba made clear ~rom the following discu~sion, typlng in the letters "c" t'ln "o"
followed by pres3ing ~IENTERI~ is sufricient to ~elect the entry n Close".
Letters typed into edit box 31 also interact~ wlth 10 dlsplayed entrles 33 in li~t box 34 to allow for a shorthand method to select entrle3. When a first letter i9 typed into edit box 31, search control processor 15 causes the first seleotion ln list box with the same first letter to be hiehllghted. For lnstance~ i f the letter "9" is typed in 15 edit box 31, the entry "Select Item" would be hlghlighted, as is shown in Figure 4. If a user presses "ENTER" on keyboard 19, searoh oontrol processor 15 will cause the ~; entry "Seleot Item" to be seleoted.
Ir instead the user types another letter~ searah 20 oontrol prooèssor 15 oause3 the first entry in list box 34 with th0 same ~lrst two letters to be highlighted. For in~tanoe, if the user typed ln the letter "e", the entry "Seleot Item" would remaln highlighted. If, lnstead, the user typed in the letter "h", the entry "Shadow" would be 25 highliehted, a~ shown in Figure 5. If the u~er now presses "ENTER" on keyboard 19, searoh oontrol prooessor 15 will oause the entry "Shadow" to be seleoted.
; ~3~1348 `~
Thls process oontinues f`or every letter typed into edlt box 31. IP at thls polnt the user presses "BACKSPACE" on keyboard l9, the "h" will dl3appear Prom edlt box 31.
Additlonally, the highlightlng in 11st box 34 wlll match the 5 entry in edlt box 31, 90 that the entry "Shadow" will no longer be highlighted, but lnstead the entry "Select Item"
will be highllghted, as shown ln Flgure 4. If the user presses "ENTER" on l~eyboard 19, search control prooes~or 15 ~111 oause the entry "Select Item" to be seleoted.
IP the liat of entries i~ larger than may be displayed wlthin list box 34, thls does not prevent non-di~played entrie3 Prom belng seleoted. Search control processor 15 will continue to searoh through ~on-displayed entries looking Por a match. IP a matoh 19 Pound searoh oontrol 15 prooessor lS will scroll displayed entrles 33 to dlsplay the entry that matches. For instanoe, lr edlt box 3l were to oontains the letters "sh" as shown in Figure 5, and the user additionally type3 in the letter "o" searoh oontrol processor 15 will soroll down to highlight an entry "Show"
20 as shown in Flgure 6.
If there is no entry that matches, search control prooessor 15 will soroll list box 34 to the top oP the li~t of entriss and no entries will be highllghted. For lnstanoe, iP edlt box 31 oontain~ "sho" aa in Flgure 6, and 25 the user addltionally types the letter "p", searoh control processor 15 will find no match, that i9 there i9 no entry which starts with the letter3 "shop". There~ore, ~earch ~3~}~34~
control processor 15 will scroll to the top of the list as shown in Figure 7. If the user presses "ENTER" nothing will happen. An alternate embodiment could allow for an error message to be displayed.
Appended hereto as Table 1 is a copy of a program which implements a seaxch control processor in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
~3~3~
TABLE I
I
1' IndexCmd - ptoce~sea cornmand rneas~geD from the diabg box.
Returns the value of the liltbox itcm Delected.
VOID IndexCmd (hDlg, wPar~m, IParam) HWND hDlg;
WORD wPJram:
LoNa IParAm;
ch~r pSearchStr[MAXLE~Nl;
int nCurSclee~ion;
PSTR ~pStrings; /'' pointcr to the pointcr3 t/
int index num, Dtrlcrl;
PSTR ret val;
char pStr[MAXLE!Nl;
swilch (wParam) ~
CA9C IDeDlTBOX:
if (bSet~ditText = = TRUE) /~t Has the cdit box text AlreAdy been sct? ''/
P' If so, don't seArch for a match ~/
bSctedilTcxt = FALSe;
brcak;
/~ scc if anything has changed, likc a charactcr typcd ir c/
if (I{IWORD (IParam) == eN CHANae) atrlcn = SendMcssagc ~neditBox, WM_aETTEXTLeNaTII, O, OL); /~ Get the lengtln of the text in the edit box ~'/
if (1trlen = = O) /'~ If thc lenEth is O, don't aelect an entry ''/
SendMc~sago (hLislBox, LB SeTCllRSE~L, 1, OL);
ClDe ( aetWindowToxt ( hE!dilBox, (LPSTR)pSearchStr, MAXLeN): /~ get tho toxl from tho oditbox ~/
pStringlt = pindoxStrTablo;
for (indox_num = O; (indox_num<nlndoxLen) &J~ '~'pStrings;
index ,num + +, pStrings + +) /'' Search through tho htdox for ~ match '/
strcpy (pStr, +pSbuus) /~ copy indox string to tcmp buffor ''/
An~iUpper (pStr); /- convort both strings to samo CaDO for comparo ~/
AnsiUppor (pSoarchStr);
rot_val - str~tr (pStr, pSoarchStr);
if ( (rel val - - pStr) l l ( (ret val----~pStr[2]) ~ (pStr[0] = = ") ) ) /~ al90 nood lo check for indont mAtches ~/
ScndMessago (hl.istBox, LB S~TCURSEL, index num, OL);
break;
', ~I''for~l /~ if alMho index ~tringl werc checked, therc was no match found /
if ( (~'~pStrings= =O) ¦ ¦ (indcx num > = nindexLcn) ) ScndMes.iago (hListBox, LB SI~TCURSPL, -I OL);
) /'' elso ~/
) O
- ` ~3~ 3~
breAk:
eAse IDOK;
/- if the OK button is en~bled by a vslid listbox '~I
/ thon Aecep~ the ~tring, and ~hutdown the box '~/
if (IsWmdowE~bled( hOI~)) ( nPrevSelectjon = LOWORD( SendMesssge( hList'dox, LB aETCURS~L, O, OL));
nPrevScroll = aetScrollPos( hListBox, SB VBRT);
Shu~Do vnlndox (hDlg, nPrevSeloction);
break case IDLLSTBOX:
switch ( HIWORD (IParm)) CA9C LBN D8LCLK:
PostMe~s~ge( bDlg, WM COMMAND, IDOK, OL);
bru~;
/'~ if the Ustbox highlighl moved, then put gel the ^ new lisloox ~tring and put i~ in the edit box. Noto tha~ you will receive ~ sEJLeHANaE messDge if tho user clicx~ bolow the last listbox slring, thus the ehoek ~1 ease LBN Sel,CHANae:
nCurSeleetion = LOWORD ( SondMessAge (hListEox, LB aEJTCURSeL, O, OL));
if (nCurSeloction ¦ = LB ERR) /t 10-28-87 ~/
SendMessage( hListBox, L8 GETTaYT, nCurSeleclion, (LONa) (LPSTR)pSeDrchStr);
/~ ~et thi~ flag beforo tho eall to SelwmdowToxt~
becauso tho eall genorAtes a mos~Ago. '/
bsctedilToxt = TRUe;
SetWindowToxtt heditBox, (LPSTR)pSarchStr);
SetWindowTox~ (heditBox, (LPSTR)~
bt~k dofault:
b~k;
:~ ) brodt;
/'' Tbi~ b tho end Help buuon '/
CG90 IDCANCeL:
ShutDownlndox( hDlg . (WORD)NO TOPIC);
breaix;
default;
broak;
/^ If thore i9 ~omething soJeoted in the listbox, ''/
/~ then onablo the OK button ~/
LnAbloWindow( hOk, SendMos~ge( bList8Ox, LB aETCURSeL, O, OL) ¦ = LB ERR);
.
la Alternatively, in order to make a selection, once a user has placed cursor 2 over a selection, some prior art systems allow a user to push the button twice in quick succession. Other systems may have two buttons on a mouse, one used for highlighting a selection, and one used for when a user finally wants to make a selection. Finally, in some systems, pushing a button on a mouse down may cause a -~ 2 ~3~
seleotlon to be hlghlighted. Releaslng the button may cause the selection to be made.
Often tlmes only a limitad number of ~electlon~ may be dlsplayed at one tlme. For instance, ln Figure 1, only nine applicatlons in alphabetical order are ~hown. Howaver, a total list Or the applications may be much larger. The other seleotion~ may be addressed by using scroll bar 4.
Scroll bar 4 contains a scroll region 7, an arrow box 5 and an arrow box 6. In Figure 1 scroll region 7 is at the border of arrow box 5. This indlcates that the first entries o~ the list Or applioations are shown. When scroll region 7 19 at the border Or arrow box 6, this indicates that the last entries Or the list Or application~ are shown.
When 30roll reglon 7 19 ln between these extreme posltions, this lndiqates some lntermediate entrles of the list of applieatlons are bein8 shown.
Soroll reglon 7 may be moved by varlous methods. For instanoe, when soroll reglon 7 i9 not at the border Or arrow box 6, a user may soroll down the shown list Or applloatlons by placing cursor 2 in arrow 6 and depressing a button on the mouae. Upon each depression Or the button the top displayed entry disappears~ a new bottom entry appears at tha bottom and all the other selections move upward. Al~o, soroll region 7 moves lncrementally downward. Simllarly~
placing oursor 2 ln arrow 5 and depressing the button on the mouse causes the 11st o~ applications to be scrolled upward and scroll region 7 to be moved incrementally upward.
~ ~3~3415 Further, the 11st Or appllcations may be sorolled by placing oursor 2 in scroll reeions 7 and depres3ing the button on the mouse. The scroll region will then follow cursor 2 up -and down scroll bar 4 until the button i9 released. Upon release~ entries in the list of appllcations would appear whi¢h would correspond to the looation Or scroll region 7 on scroll bar 4.
As can be seen, the prior art method 19 a visual, ea~y to use method Or ~electing an entry from a 11st.
Nevertheles~, when a 11st Or entr~es is very long7 it may be inconvenient ~or a user to try and locate the exact entry.
Further, many typists prefer to remove their ringers rrom the keyboard as seldom as possible. In the prlor art method, however, lt 19 neoessary to use a mouse to make a seleotion.
Summary Or- t e Invention In aooordance with the preferred embodlment Or the present lnvention~ an improved apparatus and method rOr selecting entries within a plurallty Or entrie~ i9 `~ presented. The prererred embodilnent Or the invention J 20 includes a sèarch oontrol processor which oauses an edit box and a 11st box to be displayed on a dlsplay. In the list box is displayed a subset Or entrles from a plurallty Or entries. As letters are typed on a keyboard, the letters are dlsplayed in the edlt box. The searoh control prooessor cau~es a rlrst entry rrom tha plurality Or entries to be highlighted when the Iirst lett2r(s) Or the rirst entry match the letters displayed ln the edit box and when the L34~3 ~, .
first entry in an alphabetical order before any other entry from the plurality of entries whose first letter(s) match the letter(s) displayed in the edit box. When a user presses "ENTER" or some other designated key on the keyboard the search control processor selects the entry highlighted on the screen.
Since often the list box is not sufficiently large to display all entries in the plurality of entries, when the first entry whose first letter(s) match the letters in the edit box is not displayed, the search control processor will cause the list box to scroll so that the first entry is displayed. Also if the first letter(s3 of no entry from the plurality of entries matches the letter(s) in the edit box, the search control processor will cause the list box to be scrolled to the top of the list of entries, and depressing the "ENTER" key will have no effect. Alternately~
depressing the "ENTER" key could result in an error message.
When there are a large number of entries in a list, the present invention allows a user to make a selection quickly, ~0 with a minimum amount of keystrokes~ It is not necessary for his hands to leave the keyboard. Additionally, the visual display aids the user in determining that he has made a correct choice.
~arious aspects of this invention are as follows:
In a computing system having a keyboard and a display, a method for allowing a user from a keyboard to select a selected entry from a plurality of entries, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) displaying in a first region on the display letters typed in by the user on the keyboard;
(b) displaying in a second region on the display a first subset of the plurality of entries;
(c) highlighting a first entry whose first letter(s) match the letter(s) displayed in the first region when the first entry is in alphabetical order before any other entry from the plurality of entries whose first letter(s) match the ~3~3~L~
4a letter(s) displayed in the first region; and, (d) making the first entry the selected entry when the user presses a designated key on the keyboard.
In a comput.ing system having a display and a keyboard, : 5 an apparatus for selecting a selected entry from a plurality of entries, the apparatus comprising:
display control means coupled to the display for displaying things on the display; and, search control processor means, coupled to the display control means and responsive to the keyboard, for causing the display control means to display information and for allowing the selection of the selected entry, the search control processor means including edit box means for causing the search control processor to display in a first region of the display, letters typed in on the Xeyboard, list display means, for causing the search control processor to display in a second region of the display, in alphabetical order, a first subset of the plurality of entries, ~` highlight means for causing the search control processor to highlight on the display a first entry displayed in the second region when the first letter(s) in the first entry match the letter(s) displayed in the first region when the first entry is in alphabetical order before any other entry from the plurality o~ entries whose first letter(s) match the letter(s) displayed in the first region; and, selection means for making the first entry the selected entry when a designated key on the keyboard is pressed.
.
.. . .
Description of the Preferred Embodiment Figure 2A shows a computing system in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
A monitor 1~, a mouse 20 and a keyboard 19 are coupled to a computer 18. A membry 10 is resident within computer 18 as represented by arrow 21.
`:
Memory 10, may, for example, contain an application program 11, an application program 12, an application program 13, a main help module 16 and system intrinsics 17.
Application programs 12, 13 and 14 call a main help module 16. Within main help module is a search control processor 15. Search control processor 15 utilizes system intrinsics 17 to display a selection box 30 shown in Figures 3 through 7.
An example of code embodying search control processor 15 is included with this application as Figure 8. The code ~3~
is wrltten in the "C" programming language and calls system intrin3ics 17. System intrinsics 17 may be routlnes within an operating 3y3tem suoh as Windows, available from Mlcrosort Corporation, having a busines3 address at 16011 NE
36th Way, Redmond, WA 98073-9717.
Figure 2B shows a top view Or mouse 20. Mouse 20 lncludes a button 27 and a button 28.
Flgure 3 show~ selectlon box 30 as dl~played on display 1~4. Within selectlon box 30 ls a list box 34. Withln list ~- 10 box 34 ~election entries 33 are dlsplayed.. In the present embodiment~ eaoh entry rrom selectlon entries 33 desoribes a topio which for which a "he~lp" program will provide inrormation on. Thus, for lnstanoe, a user oan get informatlon on lcons by selectlng the entry Prom the 15 selectlon of di3played entrle3 33 which say3 "Ioon".
In this pre~erred embodiment~ seleotion of entries using a mouse may be done in the way de3crlbed ln the dlscus3ion oP Prior Art of Figure 1. A3 ln Flgure 1, a scroll bar 32 may be used by ln th0 selection process.
In Fi~ure 3~ there is additlonally included an edlt box 31. Edlt box 31 may be used to type ln the name of the selection. Thl~ allows the user to make a selectlon uslng keyboard 19, and wlthout using mouse 30. For ln~tarce, rather than using a mou3e to seleot the entry labelled 'iClose", a user could~ uslng keyboard 19, type in the letter~ "o" "l" "o" "9" "e". The word "close" appear in edit box 31. Upon pressing "ENTER" on keyboard 19, ~earch .
13~134B
control proce~sor 15 would cause the entry "Close" to be selected. As explalned below, although a u3er may oompletely 9pell out "c" "l" "o" "9" "e", ln the preferred embodiment of` the present lnvention, lt is not necessary to 5 type ln all the letters. As wlll ba made clear ~rom the following discu~sion, typlng in the letters "c" t'ln "o"
followed by pres3ing ~IENTERI~ is sufricient to ~elect the entry n Close".
Letters typed into edit box 31 also interact~ wlth 10 dlsplayed entrles 33 in li~t box 34 to allow for a shorthand method to select entrle3. When a first letter i9 typed into edit box 31, search control processor 15 causes the first seleotion ln list box with the same first letter to be hiehllghted. For lnstance~ i f the letter "9" is typed in 15 edit box 31, the entry "Select Item" would be hlghlighted, as is shown in Figure 4. If a user presses "ENTER" on keyboard 19, searoh oontrol processor 15 will cause the ~; entry "Seleot Item" to be seleoted.
Ir instead the user types another letter~ searah 20 oontrol prooèssor 15 oause3 the first entry in list box 34 with th0 same ~lrst two letters to be highlighted. For in~tanoe, if the user typed ln the letter "e", the entry "Seleot Item" would remaln highlighted. If, lnstead, the user typed in the letter "h", the entry "Shadow" would be 25 highliehted, a~ shown in Figure 5. If the u~er now presses "ENTER" on keyboard 19, searoh oontrol prooessor 15 will oause the entry "Shadow" to be seleoted.
; ~3~1348 `~
Thls process oontinues f`or every letter typed into edlt box 31. IP at thls polnt the user presses "BACKSPACE" on keyboard l9, the "h" will dl3appear Prom edlt box 31.
Additlonally, the highlightlng in 11st box 34 wlll match the 5 entry in edlt box 31, 90 that the entry "Shadow" will no longer be highlighted, but lnstead the entry "Select Item"
will be highllghted, as shown ln Flgure 4. If the user presses "ENTER" on l~eyboard 19, search control prooes~or 15 ~111 oause the entry "Select Item" to be seleoted.
IP the liat of entries i~ larger than may be displayed wlthin list box 34, thls does not prevent non-di~played entrie3 Prom belng seleoted. Search control processor 15 will continue to searoh through ~on-displayed entries looking Por a match. IP a matoh 19 Pound searoh oontrol 15 prooessor lS will scroll displayed entrles 33 to dlsplay the entry that matches. For instanoe, lr edlt box 3l were to oontains the letters "sh" as shown in Figure 5, and the user additionally type3 in the letter "o" searoh oontrol processor 15 will soroll down to highlight an entry "Show"
20 as shown in Flgure 6.
If there is no entry that matches, search control prooessor 15 will soroll list box 34 to the top oP the li~t of entriss and no entries will be highllghted. For lnstanoe, iP edlt box 31 oontain~ "sho" aa in Flgure 6, and 25 the user addltionally types the letter "p", searoh control processor 15 will find no match, that i9 there i9 no entry which starts with the letter3 "shop". There~ore, ~earch ~3~}~34~
control processor 15 will scroll to the top of the list as shown in Figure 7. If the user presses "ENTER" nothing will happen. An alternate embodiment could allow for an error message to be displayed.
Appended hereto as Table 1 is a copy of a program which implements a seaxch control processor in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
~3~3~
TABLE I
I
1' IndexCmd - ptoce~sea cornmand rneas~geD from the diabg box.
Returns the value of the liltbox itcm Delected.
VOID IndexCmd (hDlg, wPar~m, IParam) HWND hDlg;
WORD wPJram:
LoNa IParAm;
ch~r pSearchStr[MAXLE~Nl;
int nCurSclee~ion;
PSTR ~pStrings; /'' pointcr to the pointcr3 t/
int index num, Dtrlcrl;
PSTR ret val;
char pStr[MAXLE!Nl;
swilch (wParam) ~
CA9C IDeDlTBOX:
if (bSet~ditText = = TRUE) /~t Has the cdit box text AlreAdy been sct? ''/
P' If so, don't seArch for a match ~/
bSctedilTcxt = FALSe;
brcak;
/~ scc if anything has changed, likc a charactcr typcd ir c/
if (I{IWORD (IParam) == eN CHANae) atrlcn = SendMcssagc ~neditBox, WM_aETTEXTLeNaTII, O, OL); /~ Get the lengtln of the text in the edit box ~'/
if (1trlen = = O) /'~ If thc lenEth is O, don't aelect an entry ''/
SendMc~sago (hLislBox, LB SeTCllRSE~L, 1, OL);
ClDe ( aetWindowToxt ( hE!dilBox, (LPSTR)pSearchStr, MAXLeN): /~ get tho toxl from tho oditbox ~/
pStringlt = pindoxStrTablo;
for (indox_num = O; (indox_num<nlndoxLen) &J~ '~'pStrings;
index ,num + +, pStrings + +) /'' Search through tho htdox for ~ match '/
strcpy (pStr, +pSbuus) /~ copy indox string to tcmp buffor ''/
An~iUpper (pStr); /- convort both strings to samo CaDO for comparo ~/
AnsiUppor (pSoarchStr);
rot_val - str~tr (pStr, pSoarchStr);
if ( (rel val - - pStr) l l ( (ret val----~pStr[2]) ~ (pStr[0] = = ") ) ) /~ al90 nood lo check for indont mAtches ~/
ScndMessago (hl.istBox, LB S~TCURSEL, index num, OL);
break;
', ~I''for~l /~ if alMho index ~tringl werc checked, therc was no match found /
if ( (~'~pStrings= =O) ¦ ¦ (indcx num > = nindexLcn) ) ScndMes.iago (hListBox, LB SI~TCURSPL, -I OL);
) /'' elso ~/
) O
- ` ~3~ 3~
breAk:
eAse IDOK;
/- if the OK button is en~bled by a vslid listbox '~I
/ thon Aecep~ the ~tring, and ~hutdown the box '~/
if (IsWmdowE~bled( hOI~)) ( nPrevSelectjon = LOWORD( SendMesssge( hList'dox, LB aETCURS~L, O, OL));
nPrevScroll = aetScrollPos( hListBox, SB VBRT);
Shu~Do vnlndox (hDlg, nPrevSeloction);
break case IDLLSTBOX:
switch ( HIWORD (IParm)) CA9C LBN D8LCLK:
PostMe~s~ge( bDlg, WM COMMAND, IDOK, OL);
bru~;
/'~ if the Ustbox highlighl moved, then put gel the ^ new lisloox ~tring and put i~ in the edit box. Noto tha~ you will receive ~ sEJLeHANaE messDge if tho user clicx~ bolow the last listbox slring, thus the ehoek ~1 ease LBN Sel,CHANae:
nCurSeleetion = LOWORD ( SondMessAge (hListEox, LB aEJTCURSeL, O, OL));
if (nCurSeloction ¦ = LB ERR) /t 10-28-87 ~/
SendMessage( hListBox, L8 GETTaYT, nCurSeleclion, (LONa) (LPSTR)pSeDrchStr);
/~ ~et thi~ flag beforo tho eall to SelwmdowToxt~
becauso tho eall genorAtes a mos~Ago. '/
bsctedilToxt = TRUe;
SetWindowToxtt heditBox, (LPSTR)pSarchStr);
SetWindowTox~ (heditBox, (LPSTR)~
bt~k dofault:
b~k;
:~ ) brodt;
/'' Tbi~ b tho end Help buuon '/
CG90 IDCANCeL:
ShutDownlndox( hDlg . (WORD)NO TOPIC);
breaix;
default;
broak;
/^ If thore i9 ~omething soJeoted in the listbox, ''/
/~ then onablo the OK button ~/
LnAbloWindow( hOk, SendMos~ge( bList8Ox, LB aETCURSeL, O, OL) ¦ = LB ERR);
Claims (6)
1. In a computing system having a keyboard and a display, a method for allowing a user from a keyboard to select a selected entry from a plurality of entries, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) displaying in a first region on the display letters typed in by the user on the keyboard;
(b) displaying in a second region on the display a first subset of the plurality of entries;
(o) highlighting a first entry whose first letter(s) match the letter(s) displayed in the first region when the first entry is in alphabetical order before any other entry from the plurality of entries whose first letter(s) match the letter(s) displayed in the first region; and, (d) making the first entry the selected entry when the user presses a designated key on the keyboard.
(a) displaying in a first region on the display letters typed in by the user on the keyboard;
(b) displaying in a second region on the display a first subset of the plurality of entries;
(o) highlighting a first entry whose first letter(s) match the letter(s) displayed in the first region when the first entry is in alphabetical order before any other entry from the plurality of entries whose first letter(s) match the letter(s) displayed in the first region; and, (d) making the first entry the selected entry when the user presses a designated key on the keyboard.
2. A method as in Claim 1, wherein step (o) additionally comprises the following substep:
(o1) displaying in the second region a second subset of the plurality of entries which includes the first entry when the first entry is not in the first subset of the plurality of entries.
(o1) displaying in the second region a second subset of the plurality of entries which includes the first entry when the first entry is not in the first subset of the plurality of entries.
3. A method as in Claim 2 additionally comprising the step of:
(e) displaying the first subset of the plurality of entries in the second region, highlighting no entry, and making the selected entry equal to the null set when the first letter(s) of no entry in the plurality of entries match the letter(s) displayed in the first region.
(e) displaying the first subset of the plurality of entries in the second region, highlighting no entry, and making the selected entry equal to the null set when the first letter(s) of no entry in the plurality of entries match the letter(s) displayed in the first region.
4. In a computing system having a display and a keyboard, an apparatus for selecting a selected entry from a plurality of entries, the apparatus comprising:
display control means coupled to the display for displaying things on the display; and, search control processor means, coupled to the display control means and responsive to the keyboard, for causing the display control means to display information and for allowing the selection of the selected entry, the search control processor means including edit box means for causing the search control processor to display in a first region of the display, letters typed in on the keyboard, list display means, for causing the search control processor to display in a second region of the display, in alphabetical order, a first subset of the plurality of entries, highlight means for causing the search control processor to highlight on the display a first entry displayed in the second region when the first letter(s) in the first entry match the letter(s) displayed in the first region when the first entry is in alphabetical order before any other entry from the plurality of entries whose first letter(s) match the letter(s) displayed in the first region;
and, selection means for making the first entry the selected entry when a designated key on the keyboard is pressed.
display control means coupled to the display for displaying things on the display; and, search control processor means, coupled to the display control means and responsive to the keyboard, for causing the display control means to display information and for allowing the selection of the selected entry, the search control processor means including edit box means for causing the search control processor to display in a first region of the display, letters typed in on the keyboard, list display means, for causing the search control processor to display in a second region of the display, in alphabetical order, a first subset of the plurality of entries, highlight means for causing the search control processor to highlight on the display a first entry displayed in the second region when the first letter(s) in the first entry match the letter(s) displayed in the first region when the first entry is in alphabetical order before any other entry from the plurality of entries whose first letter(s) match the letter(s) displayed in the first region;
and, selection means for making the first entry the selected entry when a designated key on the keyboard is pressed.
5. An apparatus as in Claim 4 wherein the highlight means additionally comprises means for causing the display control means to display in the second region a second subset of the plurality of entries when the first entry is not in the first subset or the plurality of entries.
6. An apparatus as in Claim 5 wherein the search control processor means additionally includes:
means for causing the display control means to display the first subset of the plurality of entries in the second region and highlighting no entry when the first letter(s) of no entry in the plurality of entries match the letter(s) displayed in the first region; and, means for making the selected entry equal to the null set when the first letter(s) of no entry in the plurality of entries match the letter(s) displayed in the first region.
means for causing the display control means to display the first subset of the plurality of entries in the second region and highlighting no entry when the first letter(s) of no entry in the plurality of entries match the letter(s) displayed in the first region; and, means for making the selected entry equal to the null set when the first letter(s) of no entry in the plurality of entries match the letter(s) displayed in the first region.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US07/137,988 US4862390A (en) | 1987-12-24 | 1987-12-24 | Method and apparatus for selection of one from a plurality of entries listed on a computer display |
| US137,988 | 1987-12-24 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1301348C true CA1301348C (en) | 1992-05-19 |
Family
ID=22479936
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000580891A Expired - Lifetime CA1301348C (en) | 1987-12-24 | 1988-10-21 | Search controls allowing a user to use a keyboard and display to select from a plurality of entries |
Country Status (6)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US4862390A (en) |
| EP (1) | EP0328831B2 (en) |
| JP (1) | JP2750137B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1301348C (en) |
| DE (1) | DE3887496T3 (en) |
| HK (1) | HK26295A (en) |
Families Citing this family (78)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5263174A (en) * | 1988-04-01 | 1993-11-16 | Symantec Corporation | Methods for quick selection of desired items from hierarchical computer menus |
| US5121477A (en) * | 1988-04-08 | 1992-06-09 | International Business Machines Inc. | System for interactively creating action bar pull-down windows of a user interface for use at program run time |
| US5065347A (en) * | 1988-08-11 | 1991-11-12 | Xerox Corporation | Hierarchical folders display |
| US5070534A (en) * | 1988-10-17 | 1991-12-03 | International Business Machines Corporation | Simplified cad parametric macroinstruction capability including variational geometrics feature |
| JPH0778717B2 (en) * | 1989-01-19 | 1995-08-23 | シャープ株式会社 | Data display |
| JP2890312B2 (en) * | 1989-02-28 | 1999-05-10 | 富士ゼロックス株式会社 | Input choice display method in multi-window system |
| US6473204B1 (en) * | 1989-05-10 | 2002-10-29 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Image processing apparatus capable of selecting a non-rectangular area |
| US5546525A (en) * | 1989-11-13 | 1996-08-13 | Lotus Development Corporation | Computer user interface with multimode selection of displayed controls |
| JPH0816956B2 (en) * | 1990-01-18 | 1996-02-21 | 株式会社日立製作所 | Fault tree display method, fault tree display device and process diagnosis support system |
| JPH03263217A (en) * | 1990-03-14 | 1991-11-22 | Canon Inc | Information input/output device |
| US5265014A (en) * | 1990-04-10 | 1993-11-23 | Hewlett-Packard Company | Multi-modal user interface |
| US5270919A (en) * | 1990-06-04 | 1993-12-14 | At&T Bell Laboratories | Network planning tool |
| US5299307A (en) * | 1990-08-17 | 1994-03-29 | Claris Corporation | Controls for drawing images on computer displays |
| US5302969A (en) * | 1990-09-12 | 1994-04-12 | Hitachi, Ltd. | Document format setting method and apparatus |
| US7221475B1 (en) * | 1990-10-13 | 2007-05-22 | Canon Kabushiki Kaisha | Color image processing apparatus |
| DE69131102T2 (en) * | 1990-11-07 | 1999-07-29 | Neuromedical Systems Inc | EXAMINATION CONTROL PROCEDURE FOR IMAGES SHOWED ON A DISPLAY |
| US5655029A (en) * | 1990-11-07 | 1997-08-05 | Neuromedical Systems, Inc. | Device and method for facilitating inspection of a specimen |
| JPH0685145B2 (en) * | 1990-11-28 | 1994-10-26 | インターナショナル・ビジネス・マシーンズ・コーポレイション | How to display the position of multiple selected objects |
| US5341466A (en) * | 1991-05-09 | 1994-08-23 | New York University | Fractal computer user centerface with zooming capability |
| JP2780521B2 (en) * | 1991-07-11 | 1998-07-30 | 三菱電機株式会社 | Map display control device |
| US5311208A (en) * | 1991-10-03 | 1994-05-10 | Xerox Corporation | Mouse that prints |
| US5297030A (en) * | 1992-04-08 | 1994-03-22 | Ncr Corporation | Method using bill and coin images on a touch screen for processing payment for merchandise items |
| US5477447A (en) * | 1992-05-27 | 1995-12-19 | Apple Computer, Incorporated | Method and apparatus for providing computer-implemented assistance |
| US5363481A (en) * | 1992-06-22 | 1994-11-08 | Tektronix, Inc. | Auto selecting scrolling device |
| US5682169A (en) * | 1992-11-13 | 1997-10-28 | International Business Machines Corporation | Method and system for presentation of single and double digit selection fields in a non-programmable terminal |
| US5392388A (en) * | 1992-12-04 | 1995-02-21 | International Business Machines Corporation | Method and system for viewing graphic images in a data processing system |
| US5524196A (en) * | 1992-12-18 | 1996-06-04 | International Business Machines Corporation | Method and system for manipulating data through a graphic user interface within a data processing system |
| US5452413A (en) * | 1992-12-18 | 1995-09-19 | International Business Machines Corporation | Method and system for manipulating wide-angle images |
| US5721850A (en) * | 1993-01-15 | 1998-02-24 | Quotron Systems, Inc. | Method and means for navigating user interfaces which support a plurality of executing applications |
| US20020052903A1 (en) * | 1993-05-31 | 2002-05-02 | Mitsuhiro Aida | Text input method |
| US5548702A (en) * | 1993-12-23 | 1996-08-20 | International Business Machines Corporation | Scrolling a target window during a drag and drop operation |
| US5629733A (en) * | 1994-11-29 | 1997-05-13 | News America Publications, Inc. | Electronic television program guide schedule system and method with display and search of program listings by title |
| KR960024839A (en) * | 1994-12-29 | 1996-07-20 | 김광호 | Portable information terminal and information input method using soft keyboard |
| US5682525A (en) | 1995-01-11 | 1997-10-28 | Civix Corporation | System and methods for remotely accessing a selected group of items of interest from a database |
| US5601432A (en) * | 1995-01-20 | 1997-02-11 | Mastery Rehabilitation Systems, Inc. | Educational organizer |
| US5890905A (en) * | 1995-01-20 | 1999-04-06 | Bergman; Marilyn M. | Educational and life skills organizer/memory aid |
| US5861906A (en) * | 1995-05-05 | 1999-01-19 | Microsoft Corporation | Interactive entertainment network system and method for customizing operation thereof according to viewer preferences |
| US5790115A (en) * | 1995-09-19 | 1998-08-04 | Microsoft Corporation | System for character entry on a display screen |
| JP3606401B2 (en) * | 1995-11-30 | 2005-01-05 | 富士通株式会社 | Document retrieval apparatus and method |
| US6011555A (en) * | 1996-04-03 | 2000-01-04 | International Business Machine Corp. | Method and apparatus for a drop down control that changes contents dynamically |
| US6396510B1 (en) * | 1996-06-21 | 2002-05-28 | Intel Corporation | Method and apparatus for scheduling a multi-point electronic conference |
| US5963950A (en) * | 1996-06-26 | 1999-10-05 | Sun Microsystems, Inc. | Method and system for facilitating access to selectable elements on a graphical user interface |
| US5781193A (en) * | 1996-08-14 | 1998-07-14 | International Business Machines Corporation | Graphical interface method, apparatus and application for creating multiple value list from superset list |
| US6128012A (en) * | 1996-09-19 | 2000-10-03 | Microsoft Corporation | User interface for a portable data management device with limited size and processing capability |
| US6267601B1 (en) * | 1997-12-05 | 2001-07-31 | The Psychological Corporation | Computerized system and method for teaching and assessing the holistic scoring of open-ended questions |
| US6832084B1 (en) | 1998-01-07 | 2004-12-14 | Microsoft Corporation | Wireless database environment |
| US6750850B2 (en) | 1998-01-07 | 2004-06-15 | Microsoft Corporation | Viewer system for a wireless device |
| US6407679B1 (en) * | 1998-07-31 | 2002-06-18 | The Research Foundation Of The State University Of New York | System and method for entering text in a virtual environment |
| US6088649A (en) * | 1998-08-05 | 2000-07-11 | Visteon Technologies, Llc | Methods and apparatus for selecting a destination in a vehicle navigation system |
| US6766526B1 (en) * | 1998-12-03 | 2004-07-20 | United Video Properties, Inc. | Smart channel entry system |
| US6600498B1 (en) * | 1999-09-30 | 2003-07-29 | Intenational Business Machines Corporation | Method, means, and device for acquiring user input by a computer |
| US20020032750A1 (en) * | 2000-05-16 | 2002-03-14 | Kanefsky Steven T. | Methods and systems for searching and managing information on wireless data devices |
| US6735516B1 (en) | 2000-09-06 | 2004-05-11 | Horizon Navigation, Inc. | Methods and apparatus for telephoning a destination in vehicle navigation |
| US7051321B1 (en) * | 2000-10-17 | 2006-05-23 | Cisco Technology, Inc. | Method and apparatus for scalable handling of non-tree structures in parser tree reconstruction |
| US6753892B2 (en) | 2000-11-29 | 2004-06-22 | International Business Machines Corporation | Method and data processing system for presenting items in a menu |
| US6895559B2 (en) * | 2000-12-12 | 2005-05-17 | Matsushita Mobile Communications Development Corporation Of U.S.A. | Auto-completion algorithm for dialing telephone numbers |
| GB2370208B (en) * | 2000-12-18 | 2005-06-29 | Symbian Ltd | Computing device with user interface for navigating a contacts list |
| US6744451B1 (en) * | 2001-01-25 | 2004-06-01 | Handspring, Inc. | Method and apparatus for aliased item selection from a list of items |
| US6630406B2 (en) * | 2001-05-14 | 2003-10-07 | Axcelis Technologies | Plasma ashing process |
| US7002491B2 (en) * | 2002-05-02 | 2006-02-21 | Microsoft Corporation | System and method for filtering far east languages |
| US7130846B2 (en) * | 2003-06-10 | 2006-10-31 | Microsoft Corporation | Intelligent default selection in an on-screen keyboard |
| US7873622B1 (en) * | 2004-09-02 | 2011-01-18 | A9.Com, Inc. | Multi-column search results interface |
| US20060109242A1 (en) * | 2004-11-19 | 2006-05-25 | Simpkins Daniel S | User interface for impaired users |
| US7539472B2 (en) * | 2005-09-13 | 2009-05-26 | Microsoft Corporation | Type-ahead keypad input for an input device |
| US20070100896A1 (en) * | 2005-11-03 | 2007-05-03 | International Business Machines Corporation | System and method for persistent selection of objects across multiple directories |
| JP4816106B2 (en) * | 2006-01-27 | 2011-11-16 | ソニー株式会社 | Information display device, information display method, information display program, music playback device, and music playback program |
| US7971155B1 (en) | 2006-10-22 | 2011-06-28 | Hyoungsoo Yoon | Dropdown widget |
| US8082240B2 (en) | 2007-02-28 | 2011-12-20 | Classe Qsl, S.L. | System for retrieving information units |
| US20090007014A1 (en) * | 2007-06-27 | 2009-01-01 | Microsoft Corporation | Center locked lists |
| DE202009003480U1 (en) * | 2009-03-12 | 2009-08-27 | Almagore, Adam | Device for determining a quantity of fluid |
| USD665400S1 (en) * | 2011-02-25 | 2012-08-14 | Microsoft Corporation | Display screen with graphical user interface |
| USD665398S1 (en) * | 2011-02-25 | 2012-08-14 | Microsoft Corporation | Display screen with graphical user interface |
| USD665399S1 (en) * | 2011-02-25 | 2012-08-14 | Microsoft Corporation | Display screen with graphical user interface |
| CN102677755B (en) * | 2012-05-22 | 2014-03-05 | 牛骁勇 | Flush toilet for improving pollution discharge capacity |
| US9367806B1 (en) | 2013-08-08 | 2016-06-14 | Jasmin Cosic | Systems and methods of using an artificially intelligent database management system and interfaces for mobile, embedded, and other computing devices |
| US10255302B1 (en) | 2015-02-27 | 2019-04-09 | Jasmin Cosic | Systems, methods, apparatuses, and/or interfaces for associative management of data and inference of electronic resources |
| CN107423317A (en) * | 2017-03-26 | 2017-12-01 | 北京联合大学 | A kind of Chinese text proofreading method based on lead-in auxiliary sequence |
| JP7099126B2 (en) * | 2018-07-25 | 2022-07-12 | セイコーエプソン株式会社 | Display control device and display control program |
Family Cites Families (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US32632A (en) * | 1861-06-25 | Water-elevator | ||
| US3753233A (en) * | 1971-02-04 | 1973-08-14 | Bunker Ramo | Method and apparatus for data entry |
-
1987
- 1987-12-24 US US07/137,988 patent/US4862390A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1988
- 1988-10-21 CA CA000580891A patent/CA1301348C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1988-12-21 JP JP63323189A patent/JP2750137B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1988-12-22 EP EP88312246A patent/EP0328831B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1988-12-22 DE DE3887496T patent/DE3887496T3/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
1995
- 1995-03-02 HK HK26295A patent/HK26295A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| DE3887496T3 (en) | 1997-11-13 |
| EP0328831A2 (en) | 1989-08-23 |
| HK26295A (en) | 1995-03-10 |
| DE3887496D1 (en) | 1994-03-10 |
| EP0328831B2 (en) | 1997-08-13 |
| JPH024028A (en) | 1990-01-09 |
| EP0328831A3 (en) | 1990-09-19 |
| EP0328831B1 (en) | 1994-01-26 |
| DE3887496T2 (en) | 1994-06-09 |
| US4862390A (en) | 1989-08-29 |
| JP2750137B2 (en) | 1998-05-13 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| CA1301348C (en) | Search controls allowing a user to use a keyboard and display to select from a plurality of entries | |
| EP0838945B1 (en) | Video user's environment | |
| US6157371A (en) | Data processing system provided with soft keyboard that shifts between direct and indirect character | |
| WO2003044649A2 (en) | Method for entering a character sequence into an electronic device and electronic device | |
| JPH0823805B2 (en) | Information input device | |
| JPS5525118A (en) | Data input device | |
| CN1770782B (en) | Portable terminal and display data editing method for the same | |
| JPS6273327A (en) | Work station | |
| EP0325443B1 (en) | Help facility shared by a plurality of applications | |
| KR100621127B1 (en) | Apparatus and method for processing displayed objects | |
| JP2564590B2 (en) | Information processing device | |
| JP2010176402A (en) | Character conversion program and character conversion device | |
| JPH02287814A (en) | Switch system for software keyboard | |
| KR20030086123A (en) | User interface method for portable communication terminal | |
| US20090009355A1 (en) | Wireless remote control for a media player connectable to a network | |
| JPH06230875A (en) | Information processor | |
| Malcolm et al. | Experience designing the waterloo port user interface | |
| JPH04273364A (en) | Application program selection method for on-line real time processing system | |
| JPS63261455A (en) | Document editing system | |
| JPH048576A (en) | Automatic seal engraving device | |
| JP2530568B2 (en) | How to create operation buttons for computer processing | |
| JPS5552143A (en) | Input system for home computer | |
| JPH047775A (en) | Command selection processing system | |
| JPH01113819A (en) | Situation adaptive type manual guidance display system | |
| JPS62293413A (en) | Data input device |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKLA | Lapsed |