US 5,297,253 AGranted

Computer user interface navigational tool

AssigneeEhrlich Associates, Inc.

InventorLeslie M. Meisel

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Abstract

A navigational tool is disclosed for traversing information units stored in a memory of a computer system. The computer system has a monitor and a control device and operates according to a computer application program. The navigational tool has three modules. The first module independently tracks a path traversed by the computer system under the control of the application program through the memory which generates and organizes a sequence of nodes into a hierarchical representation of the path followed by the computer system through the memory. The second module displays the sequence of nodes on the monitor simultaneously with the display generated by the application program. The sequence of nodes is continuously and automatically updated as the computer system traverses the memory. The control device is used to select any one of the sequence of nodes displayed on the monitor. The third module uses this selection to redirect traversal of the computer system to the level of the memory represented by the selected node.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A navigational tool for traversing information units stored in a memory of a computer system, the computer system having a monitor and operating according to a preselected application program, the navigational tool comprising:

a first module for independently tracking a path traversed by the computer system under the control of the application program through the memory, generating a sequence of nodes, each representative of one level of the path followed by the computer system under the control of the application program and organizing the nodes into a hierarchical representation of the path;
a second module for displaying the sequence of nodes on the monitor simultaneously with a display generated by the application program;
the first module operating to continuously update the sequence of nodes as the computer system continues to independently traverse the memory under the control of the application program;
the second module operating to display on the monitor, the updated sequence of nodes simultaneously with a display generated by the application program;
a control device coupled to the monitor for controllably selecting any one of the sequence of nodes displayed on the monitor;
and
a third module responsive to the selection of a node by the control device to redirect the traversal of the computer system to the level of the path represented by the selected node.

4 more elements

A method for traversing information units stored in a memory of a computer system, the computer system having a monitor and operating according to a preselected application program, the method comprising the steps of:

independently tracking a path traversed by the computer system under the control of the application program through the memory;
generating a sequence of nodes, each representative of one level of the path followed by the computer system under the control of the program;
organizing the nodes into a hierarchical representation of the path;
displaying the sequence of nodes on the monitor simultaneously with a display generated by the application program;
operating to continuously update the sequence of nodes as the computer system continues to independently traverse the memory under the control of the application program;
controllably selecting any one of the sequence of nodes displayed on the monitor;
and
thereafter redirecting the traversal of the computer system to the level of the path represented by the selected node.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.