System and method for iconic software environment management
Cygnus Systems, Inc.Cygnus Systems, Inc., the holder of the '850 patent, has asserted the patent in litigation against Google, Microsoft and Apple alleging their use of document preview icons - thumbnails - in their operating systems and browsers. If successful in this action, this patent may be asserted against other operating systems and browsers.
The '850 patent claims continuation from a patent application filed June 12, 1998.
Summary / Description
| Summary / Description | A graphical user interface for a computer system that includes a memory for storing application programs and application files. The user interface permits the user to initiate execution of a selected application program, and produces a snapshot that graphically represents a screen produced during the execution of the application program. The snapshot may be displayed after execution of the application program is terminated, and provides a visual reference for the application file that was opened when the snapshot was taken. Snapshots and their corresponding application files may be organized in a project format, and new documents opened by an application program may be automatically placed in the opened project. An improved technique for initiating the execution of application programs is also described. |
Basic Information
| Type of Prior Art | Issued Patents - US |
| Country | United States of America |
| Patent/Application # | 5349658 |
| Kind Code | United States (US) - United STATES Patent - A |
| Patentee Name | Ark Interface II, Inc. |
| Relevant Pages, Columns, or Lines | Abstract |
| URL | http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/... |
| Publication Date | November 1, 1991 |
| Additional Information | Date listed is filing date |
Notes / To Do
| Notes | |
Excerpt
Abstract - A graphical user interface for a computer system that includes a memory for storing application programs and application files. The user interface permits the user to initiate execution of a selected application program, and produces a snapshot that graphically represents a screen produced during the execution of the application program. The snapshot may be displayed after execution of the application program is terminated, and provides a visual reference for the application file that was opened when the snapshot was taken. Snapshots and their corresponding application files may be organized in a project format, and new documents opened by an application program may be automatically placed in the opened project. An improved technique for initiating the execution of application programs is also described.
Relevance
Claims
Storing information on icon/application relationship
The method of Claim 1, further comprising the step of storing information related to the application for manipulating the one or more computer files in the memory along with the icon.
Relevance
Anticipates storing thumbnails (snapshots) in memory. Anticipates displaying the thumbnails and linking the application and file to the snapshot. Anticipates automatically generating the thumbnails while the application is manipulating the file data.
Anticipates storing thumbnails (snapshots) in memory. Anticipates displaying the thumbnails and linking the application and file to the snapshot. Anticipates automatically generating the thumbnails while the application is manipulating the file data.
Claim Chart
All
Application generated graphical icon
The method of Claim 1, wherein capturing a graphical representation is initiated by a user input command while the application manipulating the one or more computer files are active.
Relevance
Anticipates storing thumbnails (snapshots) in memory. Anticipates displaying the thumbnails and linking the application and file to the snapshot. Anticipates automatically generating the thumbnails while the application is manipulating the file data.
Anticipates storing thumbnails (snapshots) in memory. Anticipates displaying the thumbnails and linking the application and file to the snapshot. Anticipates automatically generating the thumbnails while the application is manipulating the file data.
Claim Chart
All
Storing information on plural icon/application relationship
The method of Claim 16, wherein the step of storing a plurality of icons in a memory further comprises storing data related to an application for manipulating the corresponding file along with each of the plurality of icons and wherein the step of invoking the application corresponding to the selected icon comprises invoking an application based on the corresponding stored data related to the application.
Relevance
Anticipates storing thumbnails (snapshots) in memory. Anticipates displaying the thumbnails and linking the application and file to the snapshot. Anticipates automatically generating the thumbnails while the application is manipulating the file data.
Anticipates storing thumbnails (snapshots) in memory. Anticipates displaying the thumbnails and linking the application and file to the snapshot. Anticipates automatically generating the thumbnails while the application is manipulating the file data.
Claim Chart
All
Graphical representation of files and method for accessing
A method of accessing one or more computer files via a graphical icon, comprising the steps of: capturing automatically one or more graphical representations of one or more portions of information content of one or more computer files while an application is manipulating the one or more computer files; creating automatically an icon including selected portions of the captured one or more graphical representations of the information content of the one or more computer files wherein the icon graphically depicts at least a portion of the information content from the one or more computer files and wherein the icon is created while the application was manipulating the icon's corresponding one or more computer files and includes selected portions of the captured one or more graphical representations of the information content; linking the icon to the application and to the one or more computer files based on the ability of the application to manipulate the information content of the one or more computer files corresponding to the icon; storing the icon in a memory; displaying the icon in a window on a display screen; invoking the application for manipulating the information content of the one or more computer files upon selection of the icon by accessing the more or more computer files by reference to an underlying file system corresponding to the icon and opening the one or more computer files within the application.
Relevance
Anticipates storing thumbnails (snapshots) in memory. Anticipates displaying the thumbnails and linking the application and file to the snapshot. Anticipates automatically generating the thumbnails while the application is manipulating the file data.
Anticipates storing thumbnails (snapshots) in memory. Anticipates displaying the thumbnails and linking the application and file to the snapshot. Anticipates automatically generating the thumbnails while the application is manipulating the file data.
Claim Chart
All
The invention with a plurality of icons and relationships
A method for providing a user interface for accessing a file based on a corresponding icon comprising: storing a plurality of icons in a memory along with a corresponding plurality of references to an underlying file system for storage information for a plurality of files, each icon having an appearance substantially depicting information content from its corresponding file, wherein the plurality of icons were created by capturing automatically one or more graphical representations of one or more portions of information content of an icon's corresponding file while an application was manipulating an icon's corresponding file and include selected portions of the captured one or more graphical representations of the information content; linking an application to each icon based utility on the ability of the application to manipulate the information content of the file corresponding to the icon; providing a window on a display screen for displaying the plurality of icons; invoking the application for manipulating the information content of the file corresponding to the selected icon upon selection of an icon from the plurality of icons in the window; accessing the file designated by the reference to the underlying file system corresponding to the selected icon; and opening the accessed file into the corresponding application.
Relevance
Anticipates storing thumbnails (snapshots) in memory. Anticipates displaying the thumbnails and linking the application and file to the snapshot. Anticipates automatically generating the thumbnails while the application is manipulating the file data.
Anticipates storing thumbnails (snapshots) in memory. Anticipates displaying the thumbnails and linking the application and file to the snapshot. Anticipates automatically generating the thumbnails while the application is manipulating the file data.
Claim Chart
All
