US5734597A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Graphical user interface interaction between time and date controls
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1995-11-24
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Granted: 1998-03-31
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Expires: 2015-11-24
Abstract
Abstract An object oriented date and time control in a graphical user interface of a computer system is composed of a plurality of child objects, e.g., spin buttons. Changes to the children of the control are consolidated in a massaging mechanism which includes a message format including a control identifier of the control and a name of the detected change. In this way, the owning application does not have to monitor element of the control separately. Each child object has a range of allowed values which the user may select. The child objects interact such that a range of allowed values in one child object, the child object which sets the day value, is set according to the value for another child object, the child object which sets the month value. Responsive to changes in the month value, the range of allowed values for the day value may change accordingly. The date and time control is sensitive to locale or country specific data. In response to a given locale for the owning application, the order of the day, month and year elements of the date control and the 12 hour or 24 hour modes of the time control may be set compatibility to the conventions of the given locale.
Inventors
- 👤 Mark John Molnar
- 👤 Darlene Margaret Ross
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 11:44
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0484; G06F3/04847; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/44; G06F9/451; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S715/00; Y10S715/961; Y10S715/963
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A method for operating an object oriented control in a graphical user interface of a computer system, wherein the control is composed of plurality of child objects, comprising the steps of: determining a value for a first child object in the control; setting a range of allowed values in a second child object according to the value for the first child object; monitoring the values selected by a user for the second child object; responsive to a selection beyond a first end of the allowed range of values for the second child object, selecting a value for the second child object at a second end of the allowed range of values for the second child object; and responsive to selecting the value at the second end of the allowed range, changing the value for the first child object.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
138 words
A method for operating an object oriented control in a graphical user interface of a computer system, wherein the control is composed of plurality of child objects, comprising the steps of: determining a value for a first child object in the control; setting a range of allowed values in a second child object according to the value for the first child object; monitoring the values selected by a user for the second child object; responsive to a selection beyond a first end of the allowed range of values for the second child object, selecting a value for the second child object at a second end of the allowed range of values for the second child object; and responsive to selecting the value at the second end of the allowed range, changing the value for the first child object.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the control is a date control and the first child object is for setting a month value and the second child object is for setting a day value.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method as recited in claim 1 further comprises the step of: rejecting any selected values outside the range of allowed values for the second child object.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method as recited in claim 2 further comprising the steps of: detecting a change in the month value for the first child object; determining a new allowed range for the day value of the second child object; and determining whether a current day value for the second child object is outside the new allowed range.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the control further comprises a third child object for setting a year value, and the method further comprises the steps of: determining a date order for an application which owns the control; and ordering the first, second and third child objects within the control according to the date order.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the date order is determined from a locale value for the owning application by accessing a data structure containing locale and corresponding date order data.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the date order is determined according to a default value for the owning application.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of: detecting a change in the first child object of the control; and notifying an application which owns the control of the detected change with a message comprising an identifier for the control and detected change in the first child object.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
152 words
A system including processor, memory, input device and display for operating an object oriented control in a graphical user interface of a computer system, wherein the control is composed of plurality of child objects, comprising: means for determining a value for a first child object in the control; means for setting a range of allowed values in a second child object according to the value for the first child object; means for monitoring the values selected by a user for the second child object; means responsive to a selection beyond a first end of the allowed range of values for the second child object for selecting a value for the second child object at a second end of the allowed range of values for the second child object; and means responsive to selecting the value at the second end of the allowed range for changing the value for the first child object.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
152 words
A system including processor, memory, input device and display for operating an object oriented control in a graphical user interface of a computer system, wherein the control is composed of plurality of child objects, comprising: means for determining a value for a first child object in the control; means for setting a range of allowed values in a second child object according to the value for the first child object; means for monitoring the values selected by a user for the second child object; means responsive to a selection beyond a first end of the allowed range of values for the second child object for selecting a value for the second child object at a second end of the allowed range of values for the second child object; and means responsive to selecting the value at the second end of the allowed range for changing the value for the first child object.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system as recited in claim 9 wherein the control is a date control and the first child object is for setting a month value and the second child object is for setting a day value.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system as recited in claim 9 further comprises means for rejecting any selected values outside the range of allowed values for the second child object.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
59 words
The system as recited in claim 10 further comprising: means for detecting a change in the month value for the first child object; means for determining a new allowed range for the day value of the second child object; and means for determining whether a current day value for the second child object is outside the new allowed range.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
58 words
The system as recited in claim 11 wherein the control further comprises a third child object for setting a year value, and the system further comprises: means for determining a date order for an application which owns the control; and means for ordering the first, second and third child objects within the control according to the date order.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system as recited in claim 13 wherein the date order is determined from a locale value for the owning application by accessing a data structure containing locale and corresponding date order data.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system as recited in claim 13 wherein the date order is determined according to a default value for the owning application.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
53 words
The system as recited in claim 9 further comprising: means for detecting a change in the first child object of the control; and means for notifying an application which owns the control of the detected change with a message comprising an identifier for the control and detected change in the first child object.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
152 words
A computer program product in a computer readable memory for operating an object oriented control in a graphical user interface of a computer system, wherein the control is composed of plurality of child objects, comprising: means for determining a value for a first child object in the control; means for setting a range of allowed values in a second child object according to the value for the first child object; means for monitoring the values selected by a user for the second child object; means responsive to a selection beyond a first end of the allowed range of values for the second child object for selecting a value for the second child object at a second end of the allowed range of values for the second child object; and means responsive to selecting the value at the second end of the allowed range for changing the value for the first child object.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
152 words
A computer program product in a computer readable memory for operating an object oriented control in a graphical user interface of a computer system, wherein the control is composed of plurality of child objects, comprising: means for determining a value for a first child object in the control; means for setting a range of allowed values in a second child object according to the value for the first child object; means for monitoring the values selected by a user for the second child object; means responsive to a selection beyond a first end of the allowed range of values for the second child object for selecting a value for the second child object at a second end of the allowed range of values for the second child object; and means responsive to selecting the value at the second end of the allowed range for changing the value for the first child object.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
36 words
The product as recited in claim 17 wherein the control is a date control and the first child object is for setting a month value and the second child object is for setting a day value.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
The product as recited in claim 17 further comprises means for rejecting any selected values outside the range of allowed values for the second child object.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
59 words
The product as recited in claim 18 further comprising: means for detecting a change in the month value for the first child object; means for determining a new allowed range for the day value of the second child object; and means for determining whether a current day value for the second child object is outside the new allowed range.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
58 words
The product as recited in claim 19 wherein the control further comprises a third child object for setting a year value, and the product further comprises: means for determining a date order for an application which owns the control; and means for ordering the first, second and third child objects within the control according to the date order.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
33 words
The product as recited in claim 21 wherein the date order is determined from a locale value for the owning application by accessing a data structure containing locale and corresponding date order data.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
The product as recited in claim 21 wherein the date order is determined according to a default value for the owning application.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
53 words
The product as recited in claim 17 further comprising: means for detecting a change in the first child object of the control; and means for notifying an application which owns the control of the detected change with a message comprising an identifier for the control and detected change in the first child object.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-03-30 | 2001-09-29 | 2002-03-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-03-30 | 2005-09-29 | 2006-03-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-03-30 | 2009-09-29 | 2010-03-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |