Pre-Grant Publication Number: 20070234226
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However, the same advancement is anticpated by the patent and priorart submitted earlier on this forum.
Please correct me, if I missed out on something.
"1. A method for efficient invocation of data processing system events utilizing a plurality of target icons, wherein each of said target icons is representative of at least one data processing system event, and wherein said data processing system includes at least one container displayed within a graphical user interface border, comprising the steps of:
selecting an object within a container surrounded by a graphical user interface border;
identifying selected target icons among said plurality of target icons which are representative of data processing system events appropriate for said selected object in response to said selection;
dragging said selected object across said graphical user interface border; and
automatically displaying at least one selected target icon at a location proximate a point where said selected object crosses said graphical user interface border in response to said dragging such that a data processing system event may be invoked by dropping said selected object upon said at least one selected target icon wherein a distance said selected object is dragged to invoke said data processing system event is minimized. "
Therefore, this is a priorart which makes the publication in interest an obvious and non-inventinve.
The patent claims a generalization of the concept to allow any logic for selecting the target object, not limited to physical proximity. Claim 7 In addition, it suggests that the target change location during the dragging. Claim 4 We should look for prior art on claims 4 and 7; I'm not aware of any explicit prior art. RB
US20070150834 teaches extensible icons with multiple drop zones and expanded forms. As the user approaches the icon, it expands to show multiple drop icons with different purposes. This fits claims 1, 2 and 6.
Some excerpts:
[0019] ... an extensible icon with a multiple drop zone can include two representative states--an expanded state and a contracted state. In the contracted state, the extensible icon can appear as an ordinary icon. In an expanded state, however, the extensible icon can appear larger than an ordinary icon and can include iconic regions each dedicated to a different operation. In this regard, each iconic region can be dedicated to a different operation responsive to a drag-and-drop operation or a selection operation. The expanded state can be activated when a mouse pointer becomes proximate to the extensible icon during a selection or a drag-and-drop operation.
[0020] ... FIG. 1A depicts a drag-and-drop operation for an extensible icon with multiple drop zones. As shown in FIG. 1A, a drag-and-drop operation can be performed by selecting a subject icon 110 with a pointer 140 and dragging the subject icon 110 into the proximity of the contracted form of the target icon 120A. The target icon 120A, responsive to detecting the proximity of the subject icon 110 can transform to an expanded form of the target icon 120B which can include multiple drop zones 130. Each of the drop zones 130 can represent a different operation to be performed if the subject icon 110 is dropped on the individual ones of the drop zones 130. In this way, the operation to be performed in response to a drag-and-drop operation can vary according to the context of the operation and the target icon 120A, 120B is not limited to a singular operation to be performed in response to a drag-and-drop operation.
CLAIMS:
1. An icon data processing system configured for use in a graphical user interface, the data processing system comprising: a contracted form of an extensible icon; an expanded form of the extensible icon comprising multiple drop zones; and, a drag-and-drop event handler coupled to the contracted form of the extensible icon and the expanded form of the extensible icon.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the multiple drop zones comprises separate iconic elements disposed about the expanded form of the extensible icon, each of the drop zones comprising an association with a different operation.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the multiple drop zones comprises separate subdivided portions of the expanded form of the extensible icon, each of the drop zones comprising an association with a different operation.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the drop zones comprises an association with a different drag-and-drop operation.