Method for presenting compressed electronic day calendar information in an interactive information handling system

Patent 5129057 Issued on July 7, 1992. Estimated Expiration Date:

April 19, 2011. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

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Inventors

Application

No. 689082 filed on 04/19/1991

US Classes:

715/833, Slider control40/107, CALENDARS345/629, Merge or overlay368/41, WITH MEMORANDUM HOLDER OR ERASABLE WRITING SURFACE715/781, Window or viewpoint715/803, Window differentiation715/810, Menu or selectable iconic array (e.g., palette)715/963, Calendar or scheduling715/974SLIDER CONTROL AS ON-SCREEN OBJECT IN OPERATOR INTERFACE

Examiners

Primary: Harkcom, Gary V.
Assistant: Nguyen, Phu K.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Dillon; Andrew J.

International Class

G06F 003/37

Abstract

A method of simultaneously displaying day calendar information on the screen of an interactive terminal of an information handling system along with data being processed by an application program. The day calendar data is displayed in a first view port in a compressed format which indicates busy and free time periods, while data from an application program is displayed in a second viewport. The information in the two simultaneously displayed viewports provides an improved interactive user interface in that the terminal user does not have to interrupt the task that he is working on to determine the availability of a certain time period. When the terminal is interconnected to other terminals by a network, the method provides an indication in the first viewport for the terminal user that is actively engaged in an application program, that a second user of a terminal on the network has calendared an event on the first user's calendar. The terminal user has the option of viewing the event immediately or at some other time that is more appropriate. The method also allows the terminal user to display day calendar data in compressed mode either for the next day or the previous day merely by selecting specific buttons displayed in the second viewport for this function.