Scroll indicating cursor

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein said step of displaying an indicator adjacent to said cursor in said direction further comprises displaying a graphical image representative of a mechanism for scrolling said display area in said direction.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein: said step of determining a direction in which said display area may be scrolled to view additional information on said display further comprises determining each direction in which said display area may be scrolled to view additional information; and said step of displaying an indicator adjacent to said cursor further comprises displaying a plurality of indicators, one indicator within said plurality of indicators adjacent to said cursor in each direction in which said display area may be scrolled to view additional information.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1, further comprising: responsive to a user moving an input device controlling said cursor, determining a location of said cursor within said display area; determining whether said indicator extends beyond an edge of said display area; and responsive to determining that said indicator extends beyond an edge of said display area, scrolling said display area in said direction.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4, further comprising: subsequent to said step of scrolling said display area in said direction, determining whether additional information may be viewed by additional scrolling of said display area in said direction; and responsive to determining that no additional information may be viewed by additional scrolling of said display area in said direction, removing said indicator from said display.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said third display means further comprises means for displaying a graphical image representative of a mechanism for scrolling said display area in said direction.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein: said determination means further comprises means for determining each direction in which said display area may be scrolled to view additional information; and said third display means further comprises means for displaying a plurality of indicators, one indicator within said plurality of indicators adjacent to said cursor in each direction in which said display area may be scrolled to view additional information.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising: second determination means, responsive to a user moving an input device controlling said cursor, for determining a location of said cursor within said display area; third determination means for determining whether said indicator extends beyond an edge of said display area; and scrolling means, responsive to determining that said indicator extends beyond an edge of said display area, for scrolling said display area in said direction.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising: fourth determination means for determining, after a scrolling of said display area in said direction, whether additional information may be viewed by additional scrolling of said display area in said direction; and fourth display means, responsive to determining that no additional information may be viewed by additional scrolling of said display area in said direction, for removing said indicator from said display.

Claim 13

A graphical user interface for a data processing system, comprising: a display area displaying a portion of information contained within a memory in said data processing system; and a cursor displayed in said display area and moved within said display area by a pointing device; and an indicator displayed in said display area adjacent to said cursor in a direction in which said display area may be scrolled to view additional information contained within said memory, said indicator moving in tandem with said cursor and representative of a mechanism for scrolling said display area in said direction, wherein said display area contains a scrolling indicating cursor.

Claim 14

A graphical user interface for a data processing system, comprising: a display area displaying a portion of information contained within a memory in said data processing system; and a cursor displayed in said display area and moved within said display area by a pointing device; and an indicator displayed in said display area adjacent to said cursor in a direction in which said display area may be scrolled to view additional information contained within said memory, said indicator moving in tandem with said cursor and representative of a mechanism for scrolling said display area in said direction, wherein said display area contains a scrolling indicating cursor.

Claim 15

The graphical user interface of claim 11, further comprising: a plurality of indicators displayed in said display area, one indicator within said plurality of indicators adjacent to said cursor in each direction in which said display area may be scrolled to view additional information contained within said memory, said plurality of indicators moving in tandem with said cursor.

Claim 16

The graphical user interface of claim 11, wherein movement of said cursor to a region of said display area where said indicator extends beyond an edge of said display area actuates said mechanism for scrolling said display area in said direction.

Claim 17

A computer program product for use with a data processing system, comprising: a computer usable medium; first instructions on said computer usable medium, for each direction in which a display area displaying information contained in a memory in said data processing system may be scrolled to view additional information in said display area, for displaying an indicator adjacent to a cursor in said direction, said indicator representative of a mechanism for scrolling said display area in said direction; second instructions on said computer usable medium, responsive to a user manipulating an input device to move said cursor, for moving said indicator in tandem with said cursor; third instructions on said computer usable medium, responsive to the user moving said cursor to a position in which said indicator extends beyond an edge of said display area, for scrolling said display area in said direction; and fourth instructions on said computer usable medium, responsive to a determination, after scrolling said display area in said direction, that no additional information may be viewed in said display area by addition scrolling of said display area in said direction, for removing said indicator from said display.

Claim 18

A computer program product for use with a data processing system, comprising: a computer usable medium; first instructions on said computer usable medium, for each direction in which a display area displaying information contained in a memory in said data processing system may be scrolled to view additional information in said display area, for displaying an indicator adjacent to a cursor in said direction, said indicator representative of a mechanism for scrolling said display area in said direction; second instructions on said computer usable medium, responsive to a user manipulating an input device to move said cursor, for moving said indicator in tandem with said cursor; third instructions on said computer usable medium, responsive to the user moving said cursor to a position in which said indicator extends beyond an edge of said display area, for scrolling said display area in said direction; and fourth instructions on said computer usable medium, responsive to a determination, after scrolling said display area in said direction, that no additional information may be viewed in said display area by addition scrolling of said display area in said direction, for removing said indicator from said display.

Claim 19

The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer computer usable medium is a hard disk drive.

Claim 20

The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer computer usable medium is a floppy disk.

Claim 21

The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer computer usable medium is a CD-ROM.