Method for flagging and relating information in a computer system
AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation
InventorsP. J. Hough, Thomas F. Begstraesser, Jason D. Carlson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This document describes a user interface mechanism to relate information from multiple heterogeneous data sources. Data displayed in different regions on a user interface can be related by selection of an element in one region and pinning it. The pinned element acts as a filter for the information in the other regions on the user interface. Successive pinning of elements in other regions allows further filtering of the information in unpinned regions using the context of previously pinned elements.
Claims42
A method for interfacing with a computer display wherein the display comprises a plurality of regions, with each region displaying information associated with at least one of (1) at least one data source and (2) user entered data, comprising:
- flagging an element in a first region;
- and
- altering the information displayed in at least one region, different from said first region, based upon said flagged element.
A computer system wherein a user interfaces with a computer display, said system comprising:
- at least one client computer having a display including:
- a plurality of regions, with each region displaying information associated with at least one of (1) at least one data source and (2) user entered data;
- wherein said user flags an element in a first region of said plurality of regions, thereby altering the information displayed in at least one region, different from said first region, based upon said element flagged by the user.
A user interface for a display screen that is arranged into a plurality of regions that display user selectable elements, comprising:
- means for selecting an element in a first region;
- means for flagging said selected element;
- means for communicating said flagging and said flagged element to at least one of said plurality of regions, different from said first region;
- means for relating said selected element with the information represented by said at least one of said plurality of regions, different from said first region, and with one or more previously flagged elements;
- and
- means for displaying the result of the relating operation in the affected at least one of said plurality of regions, different from said first region.
A method for interfacing with a computer display wherein the display comprises a plurality of regions including a first region, a second region and a third region, with each region displaying information associated with at least one of (1) at least one data source and (2) user entered data, comprising:
- flagging a first element in the first region;
- flagging a second element in the second region;
- and
- altering the information displayed in the third region based upon said first and second flagged elements.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.