Graphical user interface system for manportable applications

In a multiple function warfare system worn by an individual soldier, a method of managing information comprising the steps of:

• gathering said information developed by the multiple function warfare system;
• routing said information to a central microprocessor;
• organizing said information into a first category, a second category, and a third category, the first, second, and third categories each being associated with a respective task encountered by the soldier;
• organizing the information in each of the first, second, and third categories into a plurality of data groups;
• creating a pictorial icon to represent each of said plurality of data groups;
• and,
• displaying a first screen comprised of a first plurality of the pictorial icons when the soldier is engaged in the task associated with the first category, displaying a second screen comprised of a second plurality of the pictorial icons when the soldier is engaged in the task associated with the second category, and displaying a third screen comprised of a third plurality of the pictorial icons when the soldier is engaged in the task associated with the third category.

In a multiple function warfare system worn by an individual soldier, a method of managing information comprising the steps of:

• routing said information developed by the multiple function warfare system to a central microprocessor;
• organizing said information into a plurality of data groups;
• creating pictorial icons, each of said icons being representative of at least one of said plurality of data groups;
• creating a plurality of screens comprised of said plurality of pictorial icons;
• and,
• automatically displaying one of said icons on at least one of said screens when a data group represented by the displayed one of the icons contains information related to emergent conditions encountered by the soldier.

A graphical user interface for use with a multiple function warfare system worn by a soldier comprising:

• a battle screen for displaying a visual target;
• a tactical display screen for displaying tactical positioning information;
• and,
• a general operations screen for displaying communication information;
• wherein an emergency alert signal is displayed on whichever one of the battle screen, the tactical display screen and the general operations screen the soldier is viewing at the time of the event giving rise to the emergency alert signal.