Patent US6828989B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6828989B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Graphically represented dynamic time strip for displaying user-accessible time-dependent data objects
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC
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Filing: 2000-12-29
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Granted: 2004-12-07
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Expires: 2020-12-29
Abstract
Abstract The present invention involves a new system and process for graphically representing time dependent information or data objects, from at least one separate program, in a sequential manner using a dynamic time strip having implicit or explicit indications of time. In particular, the dynamic time strip is a linear graphical strip comprising graphical representations of time dependent information elements or data objects which may or may not include text or markers to indicate the time (i.e. second, minute, hour, day and/or date) along the length of the strip. As time passes, and data objects are changed, added or removed from the time strip, either automatically or through user interaction, the time strip is automatically and dynamically updated to reflect these changes along with showing the passage of time. The period of time represented by the dynamic time strip is preferably one day, with the dynamic time strip automatically scrolling forward as time passes. However, in one embodiment, the period of time represented by the dynamic time strip is user configurable.
Inventors
- 👤 David Stanning Cortright
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 16:10
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0484; G06F3/04847; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/10; G06Q10/109; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S715/00; Y10S715/961; Y10S715/963
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 51
Claim 1
Independent Claim
147 words
A system for displaying time dependent information on a computer display device comprising: graphically displaying sequential data objects representing the time dependant information on the computer display device, and wherein the data objects have at least one associated time; wherein the graphical display of sequential data objects is represented by a dynamic time strip further comprising a graphical representation of each sequential data object; wherein the dynamic time strip further comprises at least one indication of time along the length of the dynamic time strip; wherein data objects are added to the dynamic time strip via a user interface by selection of an area on the dynamic time strip not having a graphically represented sequential data object; and wherein data objects are removed from the dynamic time strip by dragging the data objects off of the time strip via a user interface using a computer pointing device.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
147 words
A system for displaying time dependent information on a computer display device comprising: graphically displaying sequential data objects representing the time dependant information on the computer display device, and wherein the data objects have at least one associated time; wherein the graphical display of sequential data objects is represented by a dynamic time strip further comprising a graphical representation of each sequential data object; wherein the dynamic time strip further comprises at least one indication of time along the length of the dynamic time strip; wherein data objects are added to the dynamic time strip via a user interface by selection of an area on the dynamic time strip not having a graphically represented sequential data object; and wherein data objects are removed from the dynamic time strip by dragging the data objects off of the time strip via a user interface using a computer pointing device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the dynamic time strip is automatically updated to reflect the passage of time.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 2 wherein automatically updating the dynamic time strip comprises automatically scrolling the dynamic time strip forward in time as time passes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 3 wherein automatically scrolling the dynamic time strip forward in time further comprises automatically scrolling the dynamic time strip forward in predefined increments of time.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system of claim 4 wherein automatically updating the dynamic time strip further comprises automatically adding data objects to the time strip once any times associated with the added data objects are earlier than a latest time represented by the time strip.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
The system of claim 4 wherein automatically updating the dynamic time strip further comprises automatically removing data objects from the time strip once all times associated with the removed data objects are earlier than an earliest time represented by the dynamic time strip.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 3 wherein automatically scrolling the dynamic time strip forward in time further comprises automatically scrolling the dynamic time strip forward in increments of time defined via a user interface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 1 wherein a period of time represented by the dynamic time strip is predefined.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 8 wherein the period of time represented by the dynamic time strip is a twenty-four period.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 1 wherein a period of time represented by the dynamic time strip is a defined via a user interface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 1 wherein a period of time represented by the dynamic time strip is adjustable via a user interface.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the dynamic time strip is non-linear with respect to time, and wherein the graphical representation of each sequential data object is regularly spaced along the length of the dynamic time strip.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system of claim 12 wherein at least one graphical representation of a discontinuity is displayed along the length of the dynamic time strip between each graphical representation of each sequential data object that is not linearly spaced along the length of the dynamic time strip with respect to time.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the graphical representation of each sequential data object represents information including any of: pre-scheduled events, email messages, and electronic files having at least one associated time.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 1 wherein an appearance of the graphical representation for each sequential data object is dependent upon at least one predefined category for defining data object types.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
40 words
The system of claim 1 wherein an appearance of the graphical representation for each sequential data object is dependent upon at least one user defined category for defining data object types, wherein each category is defined via a user interface.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 1 wherein at least one pop-up window for displaying data represented by each graphically represented data object is displayed through user interaction with the dynamic time strip via a user interface.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 1 wherein user selection of each graphically represented data object via a user interface serves to open each data object in an application associated with each data object.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 1 wherein at least one time associated with each graphically represented data object is adjustable via a user interface.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 1 wherein each graphically represented data object is movable along the length of the dynamic time strip through user interaction with each data object via a user interface.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
47 words
The system of claim 20 wherein any times associated with a data object which is moved along the length of the dynamic time strip are automatically updated to correspond to the position along the length of the dynamic time strip where the data object is moved to.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 20 wherein each graphically represented data object is movable in predefined increments of time along the length of the dynamic time strip.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 20 wherein each graphically represented data object is movable along the length of the dynamic time strip in increments of time defined via a user interface.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system of claim 1 wherein a database of the sequential data objects is opened for interaction with each sequential data object via a user interface by selecting the dynamic time strip via the user interface.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 1 wherein a period of time represented by the dynamic time strip is scrollable via a user interface.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
The system of claim 25 wherein the dynamic time strip is automatically updated as the dynamic time strip is scrolled.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the dynamic time strip automatically generates an alert for data objects requiring user action at a specific time.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 1 wherein a position of the dynamic time strip is movable around the computer display device via a user interface.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
12 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the dynamic time strip is semi-transparent.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 29 wherein an amount of transparency of the dynamic time strip changes in direct relation to motion of a computer pointing device with respect to the semi-transparent dynamic time strip.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the dynamic time strip remains visible from within whatever application is currently active on the computer display device.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
132 words
A computer-implemented process for automatically displaying time-dependant data objects on a computer display device, comprising: retrieving the data objects from at least one electronic database, wherein the data objects represent time dependant information having at least one associated time; sequentially sorting the data objects with respect to an earliest time associated with each data object; dynamically displaying graphical representations of the sequentially sorted data objects within a geometrically linear dynamic time strip; updating the dynamic time strip to reflect the passage of time by scrolling the dynamic time strip forward in time as time passes; and opening and displaying contents of the at least one electronic database of data objects by user selection of a portion of the dynamic time strip not including a graphical representation of the sequentially sorted data objects.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
132 words
A computer-implemented process for automatically displaying time-dependant data objects on a computer display device, comprising: retrieving the data objects from at least one electronic database, wherein the data objects represent time dependant information having at least one associated time; sequentially sorting the data objects with respect to an earliest time associated with each data object; dynamically displaying graphical representations of the sequentially sorted data objects within a geometrically linear dynamic time strip; updating the dynamic time strip to reflect the passage of time by scrolling the dynamic time strip forward in time as time passes; and opening and displaying contents of the at least one electronic database of data objects by user selection of a portion of the dynamic time strip not including a graphical representation of the sequentially sorted data objects.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
72 words
The computer-implemented process of claim 32 further comprising a user interface for: adding data objects to the dynamic time strip; deleting data objects from the dynamic time strip; editing data objects displayed within the dynamic time strip; and viewing the time dependant information associated with each data object; simultaneously selecting multiple objects on the dynamic time strip for allowing at least one user specified action to be applied to each selected object.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
27 words
The computer-implemented process of claim 32 further comprising a user interface for adjusting the length of a total period of time represented by the dynamic time strip.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
39 words
The computer-implemented process of claim 32 further comprising a user interface for scrolling the dynamic time strip forward in time, and wherein the dynamic time strip is automatically updated as the dynamic time strip is scrolled forward in time.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
39 words
The computer-implemented process of claim 32 further comprising a user interface for scrolling the dynamic time strip backwards in time, and wherein the dynamic time strip is automatically updated as the dynamic time strip is scrolled backwards in time.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
78 words
The computer-implemented process of claim 32 wherein updating the dynamic time strip to reflect the passage of time further comprises: automatically removing data objects from the time strip once all times associated with the removed data objects are earlier than an earliest time represented by the dynamic time strip; and automatically adding data objects to the time strip once any times associated with the added data objects are earlier than a latest time represented by the time strip.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
51 words
The computer-implemented process of claim 32 wherein each data object is automatically assigned to a category for defining a type of information represented by each data object, and wherein an appearance of the graphical representation of each data object is automatically determined based upon the category assigned to each data object.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
46 words
The computer-implemented process of claim 32 wherein each graphically represented data object is associated with a computer application, and wherein each graphically represented data object is opened by the associated application when the data object is selected by a computer pointing device via a user interface.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
23 words
The computer-implemented process of claim 32 further comprising adjusting at least one time associated with graphically represented data objects via a user interface.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
43 words
The computer-implemented process of claim 32 wherein graphically represented data objects are displayed at least partially side by side when the data objects have at least one partially overlapping time period defined by the at least one associated time for each data object.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
25 words
The computer-implemented process of claim 32 wherein the dynamic time strip remains visible from within whatever application is currently active on the computer display device.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
188 words
A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for dynamically displaying a subset of at least one time-dependant data object from a set of data objects on a computer display device, said computer executable instructions comprising: retrieving the data objects from at least one electronic database, wherein the data objects represent time dependant information having at least one associated time; sequentially sorting the data objects; dynamically displaying graphical representations of sequentially sorted data objects within a semi-transparent dynamic time strip, wherein only those data objects having any times falling within a total time period represented by the dynamic time strip are displayed; updating the dynamic time strip to reflect the passage of time by scrolling the dynamic time strip forward in time as time passes; providing a user interface for interacting with the dynamic time strip and the data objects displayed therein; wherein the user interface further provides a capability for moving a position of the dynamic time strip to any desired location within the computer display device; and wherein the semi-transparent dynamic time strip remains visible from within whatever application is currently active on the computer display device.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
188 words
A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for dynamically displaying a subset of at least one time-dependant data object from a set of data objects on a computer display device, said computer executable instructions comprising: retrieving the data objects from at least one electronic database, wherein the data objects represent time dependant information having at least one associated time; sequentially sorting the data objects; dynamically displaying graphical representations of sequentially sorted data objects within a semi-transparent dynamic time strip, wherein only those data objects having any times falling within a total time period represented by the dynamic time strip are displayed; updating the dynamic time strip to reflect the passage of time by scrolling the dynamic time strip forward in time as time passes; providing a user interface for interacting with the dynamic time strip and the data objects displayed therein; wherein the user interface further provides a capability for moving a position of the dynamic time strip to any desired location within the computer display device; and wherein the semi-transparent dynamic time strip remains visible from within whatever application is currently active on the computer display device.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
51 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 43 wherein the user interface further provides a capability for: adding data objects to the dynamic time strip; deleting data objects from the dynamic time strip; editing data objects displayed within the dynamic time strip; and viewing the time dependant information associated with each data object.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
25 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 43 wherein the user interface further provides a capability for adjusting at least one time associated with each data object.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
26 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 43 wherein the user interface further provides a capability for adjusting the total time period represented by the dynamic time strip.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
36 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 43 wherein the user interface further provides a capability for scrolling forward in time and backward in time to view any desired total time period represented by the dynamic time strip.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
33 words
The computer-readable medium of claim 43 wherein an amount of transparency of the dynamic time strip changes in response to motion of a computer pointing device with respect to the dynamic time strip.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2007-12-07 | 2008-06-07 | 2008-12-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2011-12-07 | 2012-06-07 | 2012-12-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2015-12-07 | 2016-06-07 | 2016-12-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |